"Multi-channel publishing" is the ability to use a single source of product information to drive multiple communications across all publishing channels in a consistent way.

This means you can enter data once without re-keying for changes for each channel, saving time and ensuring consistency. The obvious two channels are print and web, but there are other channels you may not have thought about...

Packaging

Because the CMS stores technical information, product images, "in use" images, this information can be extracted from the Matrix CMS onto any packaging material. If there is a change in specification or image, the packaging will be updated automatically.

Store

Shop tills can be linked to the CMS to provide product information and images along with cross-sell or up-sell information to assist store staff with product enquiries. PoS shelf-edge tickets can contain the same bullet pointed information that is held in the system and tickets can be generated automatically.

Website & e-mail

One of the obvious channels, using the same data on your website as your catalogue without re-keying saves time, increases consistency and simplifies version or change control. The Matrix CMS can automatically generate a variety of web-ready images from print-ready originals, and data can be extracted "live" by using ODBC or Web Services. The Matrix CMS contains a built-in mail server so e-mail promotions can be handled from within the system directly.

Call Centre

When call centre staff are asked questions about product appearance, images can be retrieved from the CMS along with cross-sell and up-sell information. As pages are worked on in the CMS, a PDF or JPEG snapshot of the page is taken. These page previews can be made available electronically to call centre staff to help with customer enquiries.

Catalogues, Flyers & Brochures

The Matrix CMS can create any form of printed material; from technical catalogues with complicated tables to highly stylised fashion catalogues. Short run brochures, order forms, product information sheets, flyers, instruction sheets, shelf edge labels, posters, warehouse labels... the list is endless. Many customers find that because they can create their main catalogue so quickly and easily they can create much more varied marketing material. For example we have one customer who created a 1,000 page catalogue once a year using one of our competitor's systems. Now using Matrix CMS they create the catalogue once every 6 months and intersperse this with fortnightly 32 page mailers, all done using the same manpower.

Warehouse

Product data and images can be used for labeling swatches or product samples, which can in turn help to correctly name new product images as these products are moved between departments. This same information can be used to label racking in the warehouse with images and descriptive text as well as standard product ID and barcodes. Helping staff find the correct products quickly and easily.