Xerox is divided into three different sections: Office Services, Production and Global Services. In the latter category, the company presented its new 1:1 Lab, a personalised marketing solution designed to boost efficiency in direct marketing through an advanced understanding of data-driven 1:1 communications. The initiative originated in Canada and allows customers to explore powerful techniques and address the challenges in adopting them. Because the campaigns are more tailored, they are in a smaller volume which saves on printing costs but also, according to Stéphane Jamoulle, Xerox Global Services General Manager Belux, “improves customer response and loyalty. And it is more profitable to keep customers than find new ones.” 

The benefits of the scheme run to sustainability as well: production is greener because of reduced print runs through targeted communication, improved customisation and relevance. In fact, Xerox believes that with evolving technologies in communication, web and print, combined with data-driven customer profiling, true one-to-one relevance can be achieved, ultimately leading to optimised customer relationships and increased revenues.

Contracting for guaranteed savings

Jamoulle was also keen to highlight Xerox Office Services, a field in which the company is arguably better renowned at the present time. Where the company stands apart is in efficiency in the workplace environment, maximising the use of resources and cutting costs. He summarises Xerox Office Services as “a comprehensive set of services, tools and innovations that enables us to manage your total printing and imaging environment, end to end, regardless of manufacturer or vendor.” In this regard, Xerox follows a four-stage process of assessment, design, management and improvement, and delivery to ensure consistent enterprise-wide service. Rather like the 1:1 Lab, the key factor here is the tailored service, in which Xerox will assess the needs of a client and improve their system while working together with them and causing no disruption to the running of the printing infrastructure while new systems and processes are implemented. So what are the benefits? According to Jamoulle, “guaranteed savings, improved efficiency and enhanced productivity,” with a saving on costs of between 5 and 10% in the first two to four months of the first stage of the Xerox process, rising to 20 to 30% after five years. In addition, Patrick Murciani, Managing Director of Xerox Belux, highlights the steps that are also taken to minimise the environmental impact by optimising energy usage and waste disposal on a case-by-case basis.

The quality of service is also in evidence: according to Gartner, Xerox rank alongside HP as leaders in terms of ability to execute and completeness of vision in managed print services. Furthermore, they achieve similar results for hardware, namely printers and multifunction printers (MFPs).

Murciani acknowledges that Xerox as a whole suffered some cash-flow problems in the early part of this decade, and he emphasises the company policy to avoid a repeat of such issues at this time of crisis. First quarter 2009 earnings show a drop in revenue by 18% to 3.6 billion dollars. This can be explained by external factors affecting the business environment at a global level. The company strategy through the period of recession will be one of cost and expense management while maintaining the innovation and services that will see new technologies brought to market. It is also making an effort to service its total debt, which was reduced by 485 million dollars in the first quarter, on the way to a target of one billion dollars for the year. Murciani states that the crisis “has not had a huge influence on Xerox in Belux. Revenues have dropped slightly but the company remains profitable,” and he credits this with “significant cost management strategies.” Like many organisations, Xerox is riding out the storm with a view to emerging stronger on the other side. It is putting faith in innovation and optimal service, while heeding its own lessons from the past.