Hasten slowly

At Enfocus, our PitStop preflight and automation solutions are unparalleled. Why? We know our products, the processes they are meant to ameliorate as well as the companies and partners who deploy and implement our solutions. But we don’t rest on our laurels, we strive to make the good better. Like the tortoise: with slow haste, and built on Drive, Integrity and Trust (DIT) - values we hold dear.

Our recent OEM deal with the CHILI rendro solution and how this came to fruition is a shining example of this DIT principle.

• Drive - Keep your eye on the prize. You have to be eager in this business and know when and how to tackle the problem to your solution. PDF rendering has been an industry catch-22 for years. Instead of relying on what is available, CHILI publish started fresh. It takes guts to make a bold move. We like that, we live like that.
• Integrity - Technological expertise aside, you’re nowhere without the right mindset and people. That requires keen business instinct and integrity. You have to know when (not) to speak to whom about what. Integrity defines who we are, deeply impacting our perception by customers and industry partners. If a product is not ready to be launched in line with our uncompromising quality standards, we don’t release it. CHILI publish introduced the solution to their partners, such as Ghent Workgroup and Enfocus, before announcing to the public. It resulted in a white paper and a very first OEM deal.
• Trust - Without trust there can be no brand love. We all care for the brands we cater. That’s why we rely on our partners – a mutually beneficial deal can only happen without hidden agendas. Complete and utter trust is crucial to make sure everyone achieves their goal.

Why go for partners and not do the job yourself? The trick is to know when to rely on in-house core expertise and when it makes more sense to outsource. This enables us to move forward swiftly, but at a slow enough pace to get the details right. For instance, our customers are doing an excellent job at improving our solutions. When designers find bugs and solutions, this gets discussed in our LinkedIn group. That solution script can be put up for sale in our Appstore. Launching the Appstore proved the best solution to thank them, recognize their hard work, and provide them with a global platform to market and commercialize the fruits of their labor. Same goes for our partners. Sometimes they know what we need before we do. Take CHILI publish. A year ago they came to us with a rendition SDK they developed. Meticulous online PDF rendering, just what we needed to elevate our PitStop Preflight solution to the next level. It didn’t take us long to jump to the opportunity. Why? Because when two companies share a work philosophy that focuses strongly on VOC (voice of the customer), when two companies can benefit from (potential) customers who are open-minded and willing to share their own challenges and pain points, when two companies pledge to significantly improve the way an entire industry works, magic happens.

Mind you, this project obviously took months of preparation. Legal issues aside, it required testing, training, meetings, correction rounds, more beta testing.

Nonetheless, drupa made it clear we made the right decision. One united PDF front – exchanging knowledge, expertise and leads. No hidden agenda, no politics - just two companies who continuously have similar customers’ best interests at heart. As a result, no less than 70 companies wanted to find out about our joint PDF online rendering and approval solution, many of which also expressed a clear interest in contributing to our beta testing program. Slow haste and a good DIT spirit will make you win the race.

Come talk to us at Graph Expo – joint booths 2266 and 2167. The beer will be chilled, demonstrations hot and your meeting ROI substantial. Who knows your idea might set off the next spark?

Fabian Prudhomme – VP Enfocus
P.S. Have a look at our blog if you want to stay updated on what we’re up to.