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DISASTER CONTINGENCY PLANNING:
The Necessity for Print-to-Mail Operations
By Jim Richards
In the 1970s, computer operations and data processing became
an integral part of an organization’s ability to function. Business operations
could no longer be carried out during a disaster by simply adding staff
and equipment. Additionally, the expense of duplicating computer-processing
facilities was financially unfeasible. This paved the way for disaster
recovery centers that gave corporations the safety net they needed to
run at or near capacity and still be prepared for emergencies. Today,
data processing recovery sites are common alternatives, but now, contingency
plans for voice, LAN, WAN, e-mail, call centers, Internet, e-commerce
and print-to-mail operations must be developed.
Until recently, print-to-mail operations were predominately
mechanical, repetitious functions for printing variable data on preprinted
forms, accumulating pages using routine barcode automation, inserting
the accumulated pages into envelopes, metering the envelopes, sorting
by zip codes and delivering to the U.S. Post Office. Print-to-mail disaster
recovery only meant finding available floor space, hiring temporary laborers
and installing similar off-the-shelf equipment. This dramatically changed
in the mid-1980s when businesses had to reduce operating costs to be competitive.
To compete, corporate print-to-mail operations had to reduce
paper, eliminate special forms, increase throughput, cut postage, consolidate
facilities and reduce staff. Responding to this business requirement,
high-speed printer, inserter and mail sorter manufacturers improved print-to-mail
equipment capabilities. Continuous-form printing and inserting, two-wide
and duplex printing, roll paper feeders and rewinders all contributed
to drive down per envelope print-to-mail costs. During this same period,
software and telecommunications vendors significantly improved data transmission
speeds and channel attached high-speed printers to mainframe computers.
Complex print software products, such as AFP, IPDS, Metacode, PDS, on-demand
print and intelligent barcode technology flood the marketplace. All these
changes brought about downsized staffs, smaller facilities, plain paper
print stock, standard envelopes and automated print management, document
tracking and reporting. However, all of these improvements came at a price:
specialized, hardened print facilities; custom built print-to-mail equipment;
highly skilled technical work teams; intricate, long lead time telecommunications;
and sophisticated software which made print-to-mail service redundancy
and/or duplication unrealistic. The disaster recovery days of "get the
space, off-the-shelf equipment, a manual labor force, and we’ll be able
to recover our print-to-mail operations" were over. And while these changes
were taking place, the dependency on print-to-mail operations was becoming
more critical in the marketplace.
FIVE MAJOR REASONS
There are five major reasons for preparing a
disaster contingency plan for print-to-mail operations:
1. Financial
Cash flow, essential to business survival, is
still very dependent on paper processing. Accounts receivable invoices
must continue to be processed in order for financial stability; payroll
checks and payroll information must be distributed to employees; accounts
payable checks must be generated and distributed to maintain business
relationships. How a company handles financial matters during a crisis
is a significant indication of the economic strength and long-term viability
of the organization.
2. Core Business Operations
Much of an organization’s day-to-day core business processing is carried
out via paper documents. Financial and production reports, production
schedules, business customer/partner communications, routine business
correspondence, procedures, manuals, training materials, etc. are all
produced on paper and facilitate daily business functions. Employees will
show up for work expecting to have the documents they need to carry out
their daily responsibilities. An extended interruption of routine business
processes would be severely detrimental in today’s competitive environment.
3. Regulatory and Legal Issues
Organizations are subject to state and
federal regulations. Such things as: canceling insurance; bank, tax and
investment statements; shutting off utilities are addressed through formal,
documented, written and posted notices. In order to protect officers,
investors, customers and business partners, organizations must implement
and follow the prudent business practices, due diligence requirements
and stakeholder protection precautions that are mandated in today’s business
environment. Corporate legal and audit departments expect documented contingency
plans for vital services to ensure that the organization’s interests are
protected. Contingency plans must be well documented and tested in order
to be considered viable protection.
4. Stakeholder Confidence and Expectations
Today, if a disaster should occur, stakeholders
still expect that products will be produced, administrative functions
will continue, documents will be generated and delivered and critical
operations are backed up. Today many customers, business partners and
corporate administrators require documented and tested proof of contingency
plans for all critical services. Not having a contingency plan for a critical
service is a deliberate decision, and the rationale for this decision
must be documented and agreed to by corporate management. The availability
of print-to-mail recovery facilities with proven capabilities make backing
up sophisticated print centers mandatory to maintain industry confidence.
5. Contingency Plan Benefits
Many organizations view disaster recovery
service as an expense rather than an asset. Well-designed and implemented
critical service contingency plans are an indication of an organization’s
competitive nature and their intention to lead, not survive. By following
a business risk and impact analysis, core business units and print-to-mail
operations form a partnership to make this critical service a business
competitive advantage to the organization. This partnership keeps critical
services strategically involved in the core business competitive environment.
Having both the core businesses and the critical technologies, such as
print-to-mail, focused on continuously processing and delivering services
critical to the organization is a fundamental element of success.
EVALUATING SERVICES
Print-to-Mail contingency plans are always based on business unit risk
and impact analyses. After an organization has identified and prioritized
its critical documents, then print-to-mail recovery services can be selected
to mitigate business risk. When selecting a service partner to recover
your critical print and mail operations, make sure vendor finalists have
a:
• Dedicated print-to-mail recovery facility.
• Large and diverse customer base.
• Modern, well maintained equipment*.
• Compatible set of software products*.
• History of recovery services.
• Well qualified, dedicated and bonded staff (technical, production, infrastructure).
• History in the print-to-mail industry
• Secure, 24X7 service (facility, staff, data).
• Willingness to demonstrate (free of charge) their ability to recover
your work.
• Detailed breakdown of costs (Declaration, each service, space, supplies,
use during a disaster, special services).
• High speed data communications service.
• Disaster recovery back up plan for their recovery facility.
• Focused recovery team that appreciates the urgency of your situation,
and is prepared to respond appropriately.
* Focus on the vendor’s ability to produce your work,
not on the vendor’s ability to replicate your print-to-mail center.
Once your print-to-mail backup service is in place,
your disaster recovery plan and your testing process need to be documented,
distributed and maintained on a regular basis. The relationship among
the lines of business, corporate contingency planners, print-to-mail center
and recovery service must be maintained to assure critical documents are
prioritized on an ongoing basis and recovery services are tested and verified
on a semiannual schedule. All involved groups should agree on the priority,
timing and order of a recovery to avoid surprises during a disaster. It
is the print-to-mail unit’s responsibility to routinely test, verify and
notify each group of the results of its contingency tests and the viability
of its recovery plan.
Print-to-Mail Disaster Recovery Summary
Print-to-mail processes have changed dramatically in
recent years and redundancy of these services is financially impractical
for most organizations.Print-to-mail services are critical to a corporation’s
day-to-day operation. Backing up all critical services is an expected
business practice. Selecting an appropriate print-to-mail recovery service
will allow your corporate print-to-mail center to operate at maximum efficiency
and not endanger print-to-mail service in a disaster situation. Print-to-mail
disaster recovery is just good business.
About the Author
Jim Richards is Mail-Gard Concepts’ senior
consultant for developing print to mail business resumption planning.
Mr. Richards has an extensive background in high volume print to mail
production management and in disaster recovery of print to mail operations.
For more information on this subject call (215) 957-1007, or email: jimrichards@home.com
or visit www.mailgard.com
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