The Idea: Streamline Christmas Gift Services with a Web-to-Print Solution
Makro Kerstpakketten, a Dutch division of Metro AG, specializes in selling Christmas gift sets to businesses. As part of their holiday offerings, Makro creates personalized gift certificates or vouchers that companies send to employees. These thoughtfully designed cards feature festive greetings along with essential information—such as the employee’s name, login, and password—needed to redeem their gift.
Managing the creation and distribution of these customized vouchers for businesses with hundreds of employees was a daunting task. Makro needed a solution that would simplify the process, reduce errors, and ensure timely delivery.
About the Company
Makro Kerstpakketten operates as part of the multinational retailer Metro AG, providing wholesale Christmas gift sets to businesses. They are renowned for their large-scale distribution and personalized offerings.
The Challenge: Simplifying Order Management with Custom Solutions
Makro’s previous process involved multiple teams—from design to delivery—working manually, which often led to delays and errors. They needed a tool to automate:
- Order management: Tracking and coordinating orders across various departments was time-consuming.
- Design creation: Personalizing each voucher and creating address stickers required significant manual effort.
- Data security: As a company handling personal information, compliance with European GDPR standards was essential.
Makro’s goal was not just to integrate an online editor but to transform the entire workflow into a seamless, transparent process.
The Solution: Tailored Web-to-Print Application
At the beginning of the project, Makro Kerstpakketten knew they needed to address the inefficiencies in their workflow but were uncertain about the specific solution required. The Customer’s Canvas team conducted an in-depth analysis of Makro’s unique requirements and challenges. After a thorough assessment, the team proposed a custom-built application designed to fit seamlessly with Makro’s operations, enabling them to streamline and optimize each step of their workflow.
Transforming Order Management
The new application simplified communication between teams by assigning custom interfaces based on user roles. Orders are tracked in real-time, giving managers complete visibility at every stage, from design to delivery. This transparency reduced bottlenecks and ensured orders were processed more smoothly.
Seamless Design Tools for Vouchers and Stickers
Customer’s Canvas integrated a user-friendly design editor into the platform, allowing employees to work with pre-designed templates and assets. With just a few clicks, users could personalize vouchers or stickers—ensuring every order reflected the customer’s branding perfectly.
Automating Personalization with Variable Data
Customer’s Canvas added Variable Data Printing (VDP) to eliminate manual data entry. Employees could upload spreadsheets, and the data would automatically populate the designs, saving hours of effort. For example, customer names and addresses were instantly applied to both vouchers and address labels.
Ensuring Print-Ready, High-Quality Files
After finalizing the designs, the system generates PDF files in the PDF/X-4 format, guaranteeing high-resolution, full-color prints. These files are optimized for size, ensuring smooth handling and flawless output during professional printing.
The Results: Faster, Smarter Order Processing
The custom solution from Customer’s Canvas allowed Makro to:
- Fully automate order fulfillment, reducing the chance of human errors.
- Save time with automated personalization, boosting productivity.
- Achieve seamless collaboration across departments, making order tracking easy and efficient.
“Customer’s Canvas has been an incredible partner in helping us reimagine our process. Their solution not only sped up our operations but also made them more intuitive and reliable. The productivity gains have been remarkable”.