Direct Mail Campaign Management System for Procurement Automation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Direct mail procurement processes are inefficient due to the need for lengthy sourcing efforts, involvement of multiple suppliers, and lack of rate cards, leading to high costs and complexity in managing multiple direct mail jobs.
Innovation Solution
A campaign management system that automates the grouping of direct mail printing jobs into workflows, allows for bid requests to suppliers, selects winning bids based on individual job activities, and combines estimates for overall campaign costs, enabling efficient procurement and savings by selecting the best vendors for each activity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If traditional direct mail procurement processes are used, then multiple suppliers and lengthy sourcing efforts are involved, but this leads to high costs and complexity in managing multiple direct mail jobs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the direct mail procurement process into distinct job activities (e.g., printing, personalization, mailing) that can be independently managed and bid on. This segmentation allows the system to handle multiple direct mail jobs by breaking them down into standardized activity components, reducing the complexity of managing entire jobs as monolithic units.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates a universal platform that can handle multiple types of direct mail jobs through standardized workflows and activity definitions. By establishing a common framework for job specification, bidding, and management that applies across different job types, the system reduces complexity while maintaining ease of manufacture across diverse procurement needs.
2Loss of energy
If reverse auctioning tools are implemented for print procurement, then savings can be increased by selecting vendors with lowest pricing, but this requires automated systems to manage bid requests and selections
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables self-service reverse auctioning where suppliers automatically submit bids based on pre-defined rate cards and pricing models. The automated system manages the entire bidding process, including receiving bids, comparing prices, and selecting winning vendors without requiring extensive manual intervention, thus achieving cost savings through automation rather than requiring high levels of manual automation management.
Solution Approach 2:
The system utilizes parameter changes in pricing models and rate cards to automate bid evaluation. By establishing predefined pricing parameters and criteria, the system can automatically compare bids, calculate savings, and select winning vendors based on objective measurements, reducing the need for complex automated decision-making systems while achieving significant cost reductions.
3Loss of information
If rate cards are required for vendor pricing, then pricing transparency is improved, but this limits flexibility in working with vendors who do not want to submit pricing through rate cards
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adapts its pricing approach based on vendor preferences and job requirements. While rate cards provide the default transparent pricing framework, the system allows for flexible modifications and alternative pricing arrangements when vendors or specific jobs require different approaches, maintaining both pricing transparency and collaboration flexibility through dynamic adjustment capabilities.
Data Source
AI summary
A machine-implemented method receives job specifications for a plurality of direct mail printing jobs from a user and automatically groups the multiple direct mail printing jobs into at least one campaign, using a computerized or processor-based machine. The machine automatically creates a plurality of workflows related to direct mail printing jobs within a campaign and transmits requests for bids on these job activities to entities (e.g., supply vendors) to allow the entities to bid on performing the job activities. The machine automatically selects winning bids on an individual job activity-by job activity basis from the bids received from the entities and combines the bids to provide cost and completion estimates for each of the workflows. The machine automatically combines estimates for the workflows to produce an overall estimate for the campaign. The overall estimate for the campaign is output to the user for review and approval. The machine then performs the workflows to output the direct-mail printing jobs within the campaign.