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Make the work flow with Data Driven Automation

Friday 04. July 2025 - Highly personalised retail catalogues and direct mail pieces that target individual customers can be created. This helps promote a tailored product mix based on customer preferences, and improve marketing relevance

By Liz Gilmour Solutions Sales Consultant, Graphic Communications Group, Ricoh Europe
The benefits of personalisation are clear. 98% of respondents in a Keypoint Intelligence survey in America reported that personalised campaigns significantly or moderately improved response rates.
And campaigns that include personalised direct mail are 52% more likely to report a ROI, and be valued, with 58% retained for future reference, to be re-read, shared, or saved for later use.
However, many businesses struggle to implement such communications strategies due to the complexities associated with personalisation and data driven communications.
This blog is the second in a series of three exploring why now is the time for Print Service Providers (PSPs) to invest in workflow automation to capitalise on opportunities to stay competitive. The first [LINK] focused on cloud driven automation. This one will take a closer look at how data driven automation responds to today’s defining market trends and the impact they can have. The third and final blog will concentrate on process driven automation.
Data driven automation enables your clients to benefit from high value, personalised, printed communications with improved response rates. It removes the complexity associated with:
1. Data driven personalisation
Using data from multiple sources, such as consumer profiles, purchasing history, and demographics, PSPs can create unique, targeted communications tailored to each recipient. Communications become more relevant, increasing the likelihood of engagement, and response rates are improved, driving higher returns on investment (ROI) for clients’ marketing campaigns.
2. Automated workflows with intelligent templates
By using automated workflows and pre-defined intelligent templates, PSPs can eliminate manual touchpoints, reducing both costs and turnaround times. They can maintain consistency and accuracy, as on receipt of data the rules based templates automatically compose the print ready files, which are sent directly to the print queue.
Fully scalable and suitable for all sizes of operations, print businesses can handle a high volume of multiple types of targeted printed output with minimal manual effort. From customer communications and critical business documents to labels, price tags, and signage – in fact any critical print that can be created by using data.
3. Customised print catalogues and direct mail
Highly personalised retail catalogues and direct mail pieces that target individual customers can be created. This helps promote a tailored product mix based on customer preferences, and improve marketing relevance, which in turn strengthens brand loyalty. Repeat business can be encouraged and foot traffic propelled back to physical stores through direct mail with targeted offers and messaging.
4. Online customisation and e-commerce
For PSPs looking to expand their offerings beyond print, an online print catalogue can be developed. It enables the customisation of templates online, the seamless integration of print and non-print items, creating a unified platform for all types of communications and full e-commerce functionality. Print businesses can use the same workflow automation for marketing and sales, helping you win new clients. And your clients can customise their communications through the portal while maintaining the same automated workflows, reducing errors, and speeding up delivery.
Data driven automation workflows can optimise the entire pre-production process, reducing the need for manual intervention, simplifying complex tasks often associated with creating data driven output.
With the use of data driven automation, intelligent templates, and seamless workflows, we empower businesses to deliver more personalised, targeted, and relevant customer communications. These solutions not only improve response rates and brand loyalty but also reduce operational costs and turnaround times.
In a world where personalisation is no longer optional but essential, talk to us about how our solution provides a competitive edge that will help you connect with your clients in meaningful and impactful ways.