Laser Facilities slashes MTN's print and mail costs by 25%

MTN, the largest cellphone service provider in Africa, has reduced its monthly personalised laser printing and mailing costs by 25% per annum since outsourcing the task to Laser Facilities, one of the largest outsourcing digital and variable data printing and mailing bureaus in South Africa.

MTN has outsourced these functions to Laser Facilities for over 12 years and has extended the current contract by two years. The deal is worth in excess of R10 million.

Initially, MTN looked to outsource this service to:

* Drive down costs of its monthly printing and mailing of customer statements;
* To obtain innovative ideas on re-designing its layout of statements and invoices; and
* To seek innovative ideas and marketing initiatives to increase the percentage of customers who will accept electronic statements via e-mail.

MTN set up a project team which visited all the outsourced printing and mailing service providers that had submitted proposals. The objective of the site visits and presentations was to evaluate the capabilities and available expertise that each supplier claimed in its submissions and to ensure that they could meet MTN's requirements.

Laser Facilities met and exceeded all of the criteria. Laser Facilities has invested in equipment, services and processes to support MTN's growing requirements. MTN relies on Laser Facilities' expertise, know-how and understanding of its objectives and needs.

The management team that MTN deals with on a daily basis has developed a deep understanding of its work requirements. For MTN, it is essential that it works with an innovative partner which understands the importance of its business communications with customers.

They must be able to meet its deadlines, maintain high quality standards and be constantly looking for improved ways to offer better and more cost-effective solutions. For MTN, this partner is Laser Facilities.

Maintaining its partnership with MTN is a main focus for the Laser Facilities management team. "We are constantly investing in the latest printing and mailing technology and ensuring that our staff receives training on an ongoing basis," says Konni Hoferichter, divisional GM at Laser Facilities.

"We also send our staff overseas to learn about the latest software and equipment on offer to this industry." Ultimately it is Laser Facilities' goal to continue to satisfy and work with its strategic, important, and long-standing customer, MTN. "We aim to assist MTN in fulfilling its quest to maintain its excellent reputation in the communications market, by presenting its customers with timely and cost-effective monthly statements and other documents.

"We aim to continue to provide appropriate advice, innovative ideas, services and products to MTN's marketing team in its quest to build customer relationships and make progress into new markets," says Hoferichter.