From project scope to deployment and support, deploying Enfocus software is made easy thanks to a global network of Enfocus Certified Partners & Resellers
With Enfocus software leading the field in PDF quality control, advanced PDF editing, and workflow automation for the graphic arts industry, a huge diversity of solutions is possible with our software tools.
Such a wide scope means a range of skills have evolved in the Enfocus ecosystem to serve our customers’ purchase and deployment needs.
Whether you are a potential purchaser or a long-term customer, your requirements will be best served by working with a Certified Enfocus Partner. They exist to assist you at any step of your production and automation journey.
But how do you go about choosing the right Partner to match your project and ongoing needs? In this article, we’ll explore how to choose a Partner that aligns with your business needs.
What to consider when choosing an Enfocus Certified Partner
The first and most obvious step is to remember that you need a Partner that matches your needs. The good news is there are even Partners who can help you ascertain what your needs are.
Partner Offerings
While many Partners wear more than one hat, their offerings tend to fall into the following broadly defined categories:
Consultancy - offering everything from technical project scope to business advice. Some Consultant Partners will offer a free consultation to help you assess your needs.
Integration - when you have a project scope in mind and need help with execution and deployment, a Partner offering integration services can provide the technical know-how you’ll require.
Training - when you’re ready to develop skills in-house, your fastest route will be to seek out a Partner offering training on Enfocus products. Offerings range from getting-started classes to fully bespoke sessions that teach the advanced skills you need.
Reselling - purchasing and licensing your genuine, region-specific Enfocus software is made easy by Partners who are part of our extensive reseller network. They’ll also have all the best deals on any promotions we are running.
As mentioned, some Partners will specialize in several of the above. One Partner might help you with purchasing decisions and installations. Another might provide training at the onboarding stage so that you can manage your future deployments.
Establishing a context for your Partner's needs
You might already have a good idea of what your business needs are, but before choosing a Partner, it helps to look more closely at the level at which your company will require assistance. Start by asking the following big-picture questions:
- Will you allocate someone on your side to manage the project internally and be responsible for providing timely information and data to your integrator?
- Will you allocate someone internally to become a “Switch or PitStop champion” to learn and have in-house knowledge of your new automated workflow so you can make adjustments when needed?
- Will you choose to outsource longer-term development to your integrator for all future modifications and adjustments to your workflow?
Your answers will provide useful context when speaking to a potential Partner to see if their services align with your needs.
Take time to define your needs
While Partners bring a high level of experience, you, the customer, will still need to be involved in thinking and planning on some level.
So, take the time to define your workflow objectives clearly, even if you can’t fully outline the functionality you need. Many Partners will be happy to provide a software demo where you can explore what is possible with Enfocus solutions, but it’s still a good idea to go into the discussion with some idea of what you hope to achieve.
You might also have an upper limit on the time and money you are prepared to spend on Partner services. Again, having this in mind will bring clarity to any discussions with potential partners.
And if you’re totally in the dark about what you need and just want to explore automation or PDF workflow options, a session with a consultancy Partner specializing in scoping projects is almost certainly where you should begin.
Here’s a checklist of common types of Partner services. Before seeking a Partner, write down the type of assistance you think you will need for your business:
- Project Assessment and scope (Consultancy)
- Get help assessing your needs and discovering opportunities
- Define object scope with expert help and additionally engage integrators
- Certified Deployment Services (Integration)
- Installation and configuration services
- Expert assistance for your team as they build their solution
- Full deployment services that include scoping, building, testing,g and deploying your solution
- Purchasing
- Software licensing (Resell)
- Volume sales
- Renewals
- Training (online or in-person)
- Structured curriculum-based sessions
- Bespoke sessions – for specific business/technical needs
- SLAs (Support beyond Enfocus standard coverage)
- Ongoing tiered support that provides guaranteed response times for local, priority handling of support incidents
- Peace of mind for customers with critical or time-sensitive production cycles through faster and guaranteed response timeframes.
Different types of Partner
We took a look at the types of Partner offerings above. Hopefully, you now have an idea of the type, level, and duration of help you’ll require. The next step is to select your ideal Partner.
The Enfocus website lists Partners in three categories: Channel, Technology, and Solutions.
In almost all cases, you’ll want to work with a Channel or Solutions Partner, as Technology is principally for OEM partnerships.
Channel Partners resell Enfocus software. They can help with deciding on the right software for your needs. They will also handle licensing and subscriptions, find you the best deals and ensure you’re using genuine, up-to-date software.
Before committing to any type of project, make sure to ask your potential Partner questions to thoroughly understand the type of technical assistance being offered, and to also understand what their role(s) and responsibilities will be to you, the customer.
Visit the Enfocus Partner Page
Armed with your insights from reading the above, you can now seek out an appropriate Partner working in your region. You can get started straight away by visiting the Enfocus Partners page.
