What does it do?
XMPie is a unique multi-channel direct marketing tool that allows our clients to speak to their customers via many different communication channels, such as online, offline, email, web, SMS or direct mail. XMPie holds all of your data in one central database within the uProduce server.

Why did you choose this particular system?
We chose the full Personal Effect cross-media system with a full site license because this provides us with one generic platform from which we can process all our variable digital print and mono print services.

Did you look at any other similar systems?
None that compared to the full XMPie offering.

What features do you particularly like about it?
XMPie works on an InDesign platform, which allows us to combine all of our skill sets from a Mac studio environment and a PC programming environment. It also allows us to output many variations of print stream, including PPML, PDF and VPS (variable postscript).

Are there any features that you dislike or wish it had that it doesn’t?
From our point of view, there is nothing that we dislike or wish it had at the current time.

How fast is it?
It’s fast. At any one time we may be processing 10 cross-media campaigns that are all using multiple channels, such as print, personalised URLs and web pages and SMS.

How easy is it to operate?
It really does depend on your existing in-house knowledge. In addition to the standard InDesign skills, you’ll need to create and manipulate artwork. You’ll also need to have knowledge of SQL database, asp.net, and possess visual studio and general programming skills.

How reliable is it?
The hardware is very robust – as you would expect from a software investment of this scale. Xerox and XMPie have recently increased and enhanced their support infra-structure, which we’re very pleased about. We feel confident that we have the right partner to enable rapid growth.

What’s the quality of the work it produces like?
If we consider how unique the personalised web pages that are accessible via customers personalised URLs (PURLs) are, including image personalisation, the quality is unrivalled. The offline print quality really does depend on what digital press you’re printing on.

How much time or money has it saved?
We’re already seeing a return on our investment. As we now have one platform for all of our variable digital print and mono print campaigns, we will no longer need to renew some of our other software licenses that cost us in the region of £15,000 per annum.

Do you think that it offers good value for money?
Yes, we’ve certainly seen an increase in sales within our digital department. Both our variable digital print and mono print production areas have also benefited from increased volume and turnover.

Has it won you new work?
Yes. We had already won new business before the full installation and training had been implemented. So far, we’ve only received positive feedback.

Were there any difficulties experienced during the installation period?
Naturally, with any new major software installation, there are teething problems. We’ve made big changes internally and rearranged our internal departments. Previously we had separate departments for our studio/repro, development programming and data and document management department, although we have now combined all of these departments into one single unit.

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CONCLUSION
User’s verdict
Ease of use 4/5
Reliability 4/5
Value for money 5/5

Supplier’s response
Dave Baldaro, UK sales and channel manager at XMPie, responds: “SR Communications is really showing how effective cross-media direct marketing can be. They’ve made the right investments in skills that have allowed them to get the best out of our software.”
Price entry level starts from £2,085/full site server license with unlimited modules from £153,846
Contact XMPie 0870 900 5500