By Angèle Boyd, IDC

Content for this paper is excerpted based on insights from the IDC iView “The Role of Documents: How They Drive Business, Today and Tomorrow,” December 2012, sponsored by Xerox. The multimedia content can be viewed here.

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I am the classic iWorker in a large company and I heard this week about software that tells what percentage of your workday is productive. The reporter of the piece found her productivity was about average, between 65-75 percent. I’d like to believe I am above average but suspect I am not because of all the time it takes me to navigate work in the new IT era.

There are many factors in my everyday work life that contribute to that 25-35 percent of lost productivity for iWorkers like me.

iWorkers have so many ways to collaborate, it makes our heads spin. There’s Salesforce Chatter, Webex, cloud sharing services, team rooms, IM, email.  How many of us remember where to find that useful bit of information we saw a few weeks or months ago? How many of us know how to retrieve past IM trails, some of them chock full of important details? How many of us can find valuable content we saw a while back in Salesforce Chatter, whether it’s in a discussion thread or within an attachment? How many of us build our own systems on top of those so we can find what we need, when we need it?

What about the numerous financial tracking systems in many companies that don’t communicate with each other seamlessly – leaving workers spending hours cutting, pasting, and worse, re-keying inputs from disparate systems to create dashboards?

Years ago, a study found a huge number of silos or content repositories within companies. Little has changed. Silos are alive and well, and now we have two versions – on-premise and cloud-based, with no good solutions to bridge across them. There is talk about federated search, business process management software, and bridging the paper and digital divide with intelligent capture.

I am not suggesting there are easy solutions. But too many companies put on blinders to the huge costs and missed revenue opportunities associated with siloed information, and assume it is too expensive or too complex to fix.

Only after a major crisis like a security breach is action taken.   And even then, the reaction is often to take a short-sighted or piecemeal approach, such as a software solution for the call center or the accounting department,  instead of a holistic, systematic, end-to-end approach.

Smart companies that outperform their peers appreciate how technology can provide competitive advantage. These companies seek solution providers that will partner with them, starting with a needs assessment, followed by a strategic plan, implementation and continuous improvement.

It is through such a systematic approach that companies can actually simplify work, making iWorkers like me more productive.

Watch How the Future of Documents Will Drive Business:

What do you think would increase iWorker productivity?

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This content is sponsored by Xerox. The content is the author’s opinion and does not necessarily reflect the views of Xerox.

By Bob Wagner, Corporate Public Relations, Xerox

I frequently look to our industry’s leaders for knowledge and inspiration—and that includes peering right into my own backyard.  This was the case recently when I sat in on a presentation titled, “Mastering the Game of Change,” by Kevin Warren, the president of Xerox’s $3 billion United States Client Operations, whose talk focused on business transformation.

While not everybody will admit to it, most of us fear change.  Hey, change isn’t easy—but most of us have learned it’s necessary for survival in today’s fast-paced world.

Consider that the average tenure of companies on the S&P 500 has dropped from 61 years in 1958, to 25 years in 1980, and just 18 years today.  The takeaway: change is happening at an ever-faster pace, and companies that don’t adapt and transform fade away.

That’s the message that Kevin delivered to 1,100 attendees of the CenterState CEO Annual Meeting in Syracuse.  He talked about the need to stay nimble to stay ahead of the change curve, the need to re-frame change to see it as an opportunity, and the need to think and do things differently in order to sustain positive change.

This made for an especially compelling message here in upstate New York, where cities like Syracuse and Rochester(where I live and work) fight to remain vibrant as their traditional manufacturing bases have decreased.  As Kevin pointed out, Xerox is a great example of one upstate-borne company that has undergone significant transformations to maintain industry leadership positions over the years.

Long known popularly as “the copier company,” we shifted our emphasis to digital printing in the 1990s, and added business process and I.T. outsourcing services in the most recent decade.  Last year, for the first time, our revenues from services were greater than those from our heritage printing business.  And today, as Kevin explained, Xerox can be found in lots of unexpected places—such as managing red-light cameras on traffic signals and the E-ZPass toll collection program used on many the nation’s thruways and turnpikes.

You can learn more about mastering the game of change by checking out Kevin’s presentation.  It might just change the way you think about change.

Bob is head of global communications for Xerox’s Technology business and, as a long-time New York Yankees fan, he’s become quite accustomed to change.

By Mark Duffelen, director and general manager, Channels Group, Xerox UK and Ireland

When you hear someone say Xerox, you probably think of a big corporation with sales offices across the globe. While this may be true, the reality is that Xerox, alone, can’t be everywhere, serving everyone. To help us do that, we rely on our network of channel partners including multi-brand resellers and concessionaires.

With the strength of the Xerox brand behind them, our channel partners provide customers with local sales, support and service, the length and breadth of the country.

Our expanding network of channel partners provides customers with what they want: new technologies that support their key business objectives of creating a simpler, more efficient work environment. Like Xerox’s new ConnectKey offering and our industry-leading channel managed print service offering – Xerox Partner Print Services.

To celebrate the achievements of our UK-based channel partners during 2012, we recently held our own version of the Oscars, the Xerox UK and Ireland Partner Awards, in Lisbon, Portugal. All winners were selected based on business results, quality of service and their dedication to enhance our global network.

Drum roll please…

Partner of the Year & Finance Partner of the Year – Advanced Business Equipment

Systems Integration Partner of the Year – Commercial IT Services

Managed Print Services Partner of the Year – Xenith Document Systems

Office Premier Partner of the Year – Bytes Document Solutions

Production Partner of the Year – ROI 360º

Xerox Authorised Reseller of the Year – The Danwood Group

My sincere congratulations to all of the winners!

We look forward to engaging with current and new partners in 2013. If you’d like to know more about becoming a Xerox channel partner, I’d be pleased to hear from you. Please drop me a note at mark.duffelen@xerox.com.

By Carol Zierhoffer, chief information officer, Xerox

CIOs today aren’t just grappling with how to make the latest technology work. They’re looking to change business outcomes. To transform and simplify business processes using technology that removes unnecessary steps, improves workflows, and delivers better experiences.

Advancements in technology will continue to evolve as we enable knowledge workers to be more productive in this interconnected, mobile world we live in.  But with those advances comes an unintended by-product – complexity.  Part of my focus as a CIO, as well as our overall strategy at Xerox, is to simplify that complexity.

Today’s launch of ConnectKey is a great example of how Xerox can help tame that complexity and simplify the way work gets done.

Sixteen Xerox MFPs are now ConnectKey-enabled so users can scan and upload documents to cloud-based repositories, print securely and easily from any mobile device, and send business-critical documents directly into a workflow process. These features simplify how work gets done by bringing information to the workers’ fingertips – whether they sit in the enterprise or are part of a mobile workforce.

We’re helping IT departments large and small meet the workforce expectation that technology should do more. ConnectKey MFPs are easier to use, easier to install, and easier to support.   IT professionals can manage ConnectKey MFPs as a central part of the IT network, providing technical support as they do for desktops – via remote management – and protected by embedded security.

Our key differentiator is security – a major concern for CIOs everywhere.  ConnectKey-enabled MFPs are protected with McAfee’s “whitelisting” that stops malware before it penetrates the operating system. This is an industry-first.  We also added an extra layer of security with Cisco’s TrustSec, which protects data paths to and from the devices. Now MFPs are trusted citizens on the network.

Standardization is key to driving efficiency so CIOs can make room for innovation.  ConnectKey’s software ecosystem and technology make that possible.

By Bob Wagner, Corporate Public Relations, Xerox

What does 2013 hold in store for industries served by Xerox’s technology business?  Here are three predictions:

1. More businesses—small, medium and large—will cut costs and boost productivity by simplifying their print environments with managed print services (MPS).  The print infrastructure continues to be an overlooked source of cost control.  Increasing global competition—and shrinking margins of error—will pressure businesses to engage services that will trim and corral their printers, copiers and fax machines.

2. More MPS contracts will be administered by IT resellers.  Savvy resellers will recognize the opportunity MPS affords for recurring revenue, profitable growth and developing a broader portfolio of services to drive more rewarding long-term customer relationships and ongoing collaborations.  And, resellers will recognize that the opportunity is especially ripe because MPS is currently experiencing rapid growth among the small- and medium-size businesses that are their heartland customers.

3. More commercial print businesses will find profit and growth by building broad portfolios of graphic communications services to complement their print offerings.  The industry transformation continues.  More printers will become marketing partners, target list developers, digital asset managers, mobile marketing experts, social media gurus and even—yes—MPS providers.  Print—and especially digital print—will continue to play a critical role as one of many services.

BONUS PREDICTION: The men’s hockey team at RIT—alma mater to many in the IT and graphic communications industries—will overcome its disappointing December, surge in January, and earn a bid to the NCAA Division I playoffs.  Go, Tigers!

Bob heads global communications for Xerox’s technology business and is a proud RIT alum.

By Robert Gilbreath, vice president, Ecommerce, Marketing & Analytics, Calendars.com

I love this time of year. The lights. The music. The parties. The spirit of giving. And if you’re like me, you take pride in finding the perfect gift for everyone on your list.

But it’s not always easy. There are your grandparents who always say they don’t want anything. There’s your mom who’s so easy to shop for that you drive yourself crazy trying to decide on one or two things. There’s your dad who literally already has everything he’s ever wanted. There’s your brother who has very expensive taste, so hardly anything you can afford meets his standards. There’s your wife who tells you exactly what she wants…and  you dare not steer in any other direction. There are your kids who have to have the latest gadget, which is always the first thing off the shelf. I could go on and on.

So, it’s time you get creative and choose a gift that’s sure to touch the hearts of all your family and friends. Think tangible. Think personalization.

Right now, it’s easier than ever to add personal text or photos to products to make them unique and memorable. Gone are the days of searching the racks of pre-engraved pens or key chains, only to discover that your daughter’s name is not common enough to make it there. Everywhere you look, companies are offering customization, and with help from Xerox, Calendars.com has recently joined this growing and promising space with Custom Photo Wall Calendars and Personalized Social Photo Books.

Although we already had the largest selection of calendars in the world, making it quite easy to find one that even your persnickety brother would like, we knew that allowing our customers to design calendars and photo books just the way they want them would be valued…and good for business.

Will you be gifting personalized photo products this year? What are your thoughts on the future of the market? Just for reading, please enjoy 15% off of personalized calendars and photo books at Calendars.com with code  XEROX15 (expires 1/31/13)!

Robert is a husband, father, suit, geek, e-Commerce Exec @Calendars.com, and tweets about advertising, marketing, and social media via @Adomatica

By Bob Wagner, director, Global Communications, Technology Business

As we become more and more saturated with digital media, some marketers and creatives are taking a fresh look at how print can help them stand out in the crowd. While many are having success by employing digital technologies and data to personalize their printed pieces, others are finding new ways to apply the physical qualities of print to surprise their audiences. Two intriguing pieces that recently caught my eye explore the possibilities of ink and media, respectively, to deliver memorable messages in unexpected ways.

Cover Wrap Turns Orange to the Touch

A black-and-white and mostly gray cover wrap to the Nov. 17 Telegraph magazine graphically demonstrates how donations to the Age UK charity can help people stay warm this winter. Touch the cover photo of Age UK’s celebrity ambassador Lynda Bellingham in a living room, and the spot you touch turns orange. The secret: the wrap is made from thermal paper, which changes color when exposed to heat. Click here for the full story.

Origami-Like Business Card

This distinctive business card serves as a real sales tool by enabling inclusion of second-level information without getting cluttered. The secret: origami-like Xerox FunFlip media, which provides an endless loop of folding that reveals four discrete panels. Wall Printing, one of the companies offering the cards, produced this video to showcase it. For a look at how a fun-flip application is assembled, watch the video here.

How are you using print to surprise your audience and differentiate from the digital mainstream?

You can find Bob tweeting about all things print at @BobW_Xerox. He’s accustomed to tracking digital printing applications from his days in Xerox’s Graphic Communications Industry Business.