Intro to PromoStandards
Siloed communication lines are inefficient for any industry. They waste time, resources, and labor. They also manage to leave room for confusion and inaccurate information distribution simultaneously. PromoStandards is a nonprofit organization that develops and implements practical electronic communication standards for custom products industries. PromoStandards is growing in membership, increasing the number of standards, and expanding the standards’ adoption to more organizations to help solve industry pain points, like: As of January 2023, PromoStandards has over 200 member organizations and thousands of adopters in multiple industries worldwide, enabling the transmission of billions of dollars in transactions. Please keep reading to learn more about our organization’s operations, history, and leadership! What is PromoStandards? We are member-driven and volunteer-run. Membership is open to any organization wishing to utilize or contribute to developing open standards that benefit all industry professionals. PromoStandards does not provide business software. Instead, we publish technical specifications businesses can incorporate to improve their existing software. Our organization has three main goals: The educational events are valuable resources that assist other organizations in implementing integration protocols, providing a level playing field for everyone in the industry. How Do We Develop Standards? PromoStandards is dedicated to developing open standards by leveraging the Open-Source Initiative. Open Standards mutually benefit all parties that utilize them, mirroring PromoStandards’ drive to improve communication efficiency and resolve pain points for industry professionals. PromoStandards’ Standard-Development Process: *Eligible PromoStandards Members may serve on committees, participate in workgroups, provide feedback, and ratify a drafted standard. PromoStandards’ Origins In 2015, leading industry veteran organizations formed PromoStandards. These organizations were: The collaboration between these organizations offered a diverse group of distributors, suppliers, and service providers that shared the same vision: to make digital integration and interoperability open and standardized between industry trading partners. By 2018 PromoStandards was incorporated as a Pennsylvania corporation and registered with the IRS as a 501(c)(6) non-profit business league, allowing us to strategize more effectively to achieve our initial goals and planning for future endeavors. Leadership PromoStandards’ founders established our active Board of Directors, which is currently transitioning into a board of advisory members voted in to fill one of the 12 Director seats. The Board’s primary role is to preside over the Standards Committee’s formation of workgroups tasked with drafting standards that align with the Board of Directors and our organization’s strategic goals. As of 2023, the following industry professionals hold seats on the Board of Directors: PromoStandards Is Here to Help! We simplify communication between suppliers, decorators, distributors, and service providers to streamline product development and management in the custom products industries. Our standards are free for anyone who wishes to utilize them. However, we recommend viewing our Membership Application to learn more about our three membership levels and the benefits associated with each one. If you have questions about PromoStandards or want to get involved with our organization, please contact us at https://promostandards.org/membership-application.
Promo Technology Month – Letter From the Chair
Did you know that February is technology month; who knew? The month contains many days dedicated to technology, including: February is also nationally observed as Free and Open-Source Software (FOSS) Month! As we make our way into February, PromoStandards Chair Eric Alessi felt it was only appropriate to recognize the significance FOSS Month holds for PromoStandards and our technology-driven world. February & Open-Source Software Starting in 2017, the National Day Calendar has recognized February as FOSS Month to recognize the cooperative approach to computer programming, open licensing, and free distribution of software. Now, that’s something to get excited about! Free and Open-Source Software provides publicly available code for users and contributors, allowing users to alter the code, such as: The collaborative development of varying independent sources has proven to be much more effective than any single company in creating and sustaining a diverse range of design perspectives. Open-Source Software is more important than many people realize. Open-Software Solutions do not have borders. They significantly improve the world as they are significant resources for global institutions like: FOSS & Promo Technology The FOSS benefits are undeniable for many and highly relevant to the PromoStandards mission: “To leverage the Open-Source Initiative so we can provide the fundamental processes, protocols, and education necessary to make custom product industries more efficient.” For information on the Open-Source Initiative, please visit https://opensource.org/. Continuing A Tradition February has always been a special month for PromoStandards. In our early days, our founders met every February in Tampa. The purpose of this annual trip was to collaborate in person to develop the standards—the respite from the frigid February winter up North was also enjoyable. This year, we are continuing that tradition. We are genuinely excited to have the time to reconnect as experts in custom products industries and passionate providers of accessible computer programming standards. The PromoStandards Tech Summit PromoStandards has been busy innovating, and we have a lot to announce as we embrace February as our very own Promo Technology Month. As we continue to empower the industry through Open-Source Software, we are also hosting our PromoStandards Tech Summit from February 19 to February 21 in Tampa! It may be wintertime and cold for most of North America, but as far as promo technology goes, it’s hot. Here’s to the PromoStandards Tech Summit and Promo Technology Month!
A Recap of PromoStandards’ 2023 Tech Summit
The inaugural 2023 PromoStandards Tech Summit was the largest event in the promotional products industry. This sold-out event featured two days of education tracts focusing on industry-relevant technology and PromoStandards integrations. More than 150 participants representing 75 companies attended, thereby connecting technology and business leaders across the supply chain. Here’s an overview of the speakers and the topics they discussed! Monday, February 20, 2023 Eric Alessi, Chair of PromoStandards and President & CEO at Essent Corporation, welcomed attendees and set the stage for what to expect! Generating Value from Data: Building a Data Science Practice Then Dr. Tom Stablein, Director of the Global Master of Science in Business Analytics & Information Systems Program at the USF Muma College of Business, took the stage as the keynote speaker. His topic, Generating Value from Data: Building a Data Science Practice, defined data science and went over modeling, identifying business needs, designing a roadmap, and more. Executing Digital Transformation Michael Conway, Managing Director of Digital Transformation at Aspirant, spoke about Executing Digital Transformation. This session educated professionals on how to align customer experiences to strategic business goals. Digital Transformation on the Factory Floor Catherine Graham, Co-Founder and CEO at commonsku, was the leader of the panel discussion on Digital Transformation on the Factory Floor. Other panelists were Donough Deutsch, VP of IT Systems and Operations at alphabroder, Philip Gergen, Senior VP of Technology at Koozie Group, and Jon Norris, COO at Starline Inc. This discussion investigated the impact of digital transformation on factory floors and warehouses across the promotional products landscape. “The Tech Summit is a place to get together, learn, and rekindle old friendships and make new ones. It’s an opportunity to keep the momentum going for overall technology adoption,” said Graham. Roundtable Discussions Participants then engaged in roundtable discussions, with Rebekah Ellis, Information Technology Analyst at SanMar, as the session leader. Topics varied from promotional product-specific to technology in general. People met others with the same interests or who were trying to solve the same problems. Breakout Sessions There were four breakout sessions. My Worst Day in Tech Jon Norris then had an open-mic discussion on My Worst Day in Tech. Audience members chimed in on a lighthearted recanting of tech transformation horror stories. After all, not every day in technology is glamorous. Tuesday, February 21, 2023 Philip Gergen kicked off day two of the Tech Summit! Network Security: Cyber Incident in Progress Mike Pfeiffer, VP of Technology at American Solutions for Business, was up next. He showed attendees what it’s like to experience a cyberattack. They walked through the timeline, what protective measures are effective, and how proper response strategies are deployed. Exclusive Launch of PromoStandards Order Management Service Day two featured a detailed launch and walkthrough of PromoStandards’ latest standard! Eric Shonebarger, President at Hit Promotional Products, Inc., showed live demos of the industry-altering Order Management Service, the nonprofit’s most significant release in three years. “The Tech Summit is the best opportunity to engage a community of forward-thinking technology professionals who are driving digital transformation in the promotional products industry,” said Shonebarger. Identifying and Solving Industry Pain Points Eric Alessi, President & CEO at Essent Corporation, was the leader of the panel discussion on Identifying and Solving Industry Pain Points. Other panelists were Daniel Hodges, Senior VP of Engineering at OrderMyGear, Mike Pfeiffer, and Eric Shonebarger. This panel explored the pain points of the industry from order processing, supply chain, and technology standpoints, helping to develop the roadmap for PromoStandards and our community. Winners Announced An awards ceremony during the event recognized Hack-A-Thon winners and individual achievements within the industry. Proforma CTO Brian Carothers was named Distributor Person of the Year, ZOOMcatalog Co-founder Bryony Zasman was named Service Provider Person of the Year, and Hit Promotional Products, Inc. CIO Raj Mukherjee was named Supplier Person of the Year. Join PromoStandards Today! “Everyone should join the PromoStandards community, where industry technology is developed and advanced,” said Alessi. “The world is being digitally transformed before our eyes, and PromoStandards is the vehicle for being part of that transformation.” Are you ready to join the PromoStandards community and make a difference? To become a member, sign up today!
PromoStandards Is the Place – Letter From the Chair
At the end of February, PromoStandards held its inaugural Tech Summit in Tampa, FL. The event was designed from the ground up to be laser-focused on the integration needs of the industry. Not surprisingly, it was truly incredible. PromoStandards Chair Eric Alessi was honored to open the event and share his thoughts. Digital Transformation There was a time well after the automobile, electricity, and the telephone were invented when people were still driving a horse-and-buggy to their candle-lit homes. Now we see electric cars that can drive themselves. From integration to AI and data privacy to cybersecurity, the entire landscape is eroding and evolving; by extension, so do our businesses. We’re seeing how technology can transform an industry, marketplace, business, and even users. Digital transformation goes by many names: business process automation, electronic data interchange, systems integration, digital integration, and digital enablement. Technology is transforming everything. Today, people walk around with a mobile computer in their pocket, connected to the Internet through high-speed, wireless, and digital communication, the core concept of which was invented in 1876. Data is at the heart of everything we do, and it’s growing for businesses and individuals alike. This digital matter builds industries, societies, and the world. Businesses are waking up to the inadequacies of the old ways of doing business and looking to transform to meet the digital realities of today. There are inefficiencies in the supply chain, and individuals have the capability to make their personal supply chain efficient. Automated data processing is the number one goal. Untouched by humans, it’s managed and leveraged, providing amazing results. Our Solution The promotional products industry is unique in many ways, and mainstream solutions didn’t quite fit. The standards for the retail supply chain don’t work for us, and for a long time, many in the industry couldn’t see how we could get there. The industry wasn’t ready, even just 10 years ago. That all started to change with the founding of PromoStandards. We openly shared a vision of optimizing our supply chain and transforming it through open standards and digital integration. It takes us coming together as a community to develop and adopt open standards. Every member of PromoStandards and every adopter proves what’s possible for our industry. We see the potential in integrating and automating the process, eliminating the labor, errors, and time required to complete the order lifecycle. The PromoStandards Community Technologists and business leaders have a place to come together as a community to learn, discuss, and build the future. In this place, they develop state-of-the-art standards and work to understand the technological needs of the industry in an open and organized manner. This place is PromoStandards. Every member of PromoStandards strives to make their businesses more efficient and their internal and external customers happier by leveraging technology. PromoStandards knows what they’re doing is right. Join PromoStandards Today! Know what is going on with your supply chain by attending our educational events and renewing or becoming a member today! You can also stay up-to-date with the latest news from PromoStandards by following us on social media on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube.
An Exciting Ride – Letter From the Chair
The inaugural Tech Summit was epic! It was casual yet professional, with a fantastic party-like feeling. You know the kind of party you look forward to months in advance and get excited just at the thought of it? That was the reality for many in attendance. For years, PromoStandards Chair Eric Alessi envisioned a time when industry visionaries and practitioners would talk shop, plan, and commit to getting things done. The Tech Summit had this in spades. A Note From Jon Norris Jon Norris, the PromoStandards Immediate Past Chair, said it best. “What happens when you assemble a cross-section of industry leaders, tech leaders, and pure technologists in the same room for three days? An incredible passion for collaboration to solve the industry’s pain points.” We Get a Lot Done Getting things done is the whole vibe of PromoStandards. If we had a motto, “Get ‘er done!” would probably be it. We were at the Tech Summit to discuss issues, solve problems, and talk about the future, all for the mutual benefit of the entire industry. During the event, Alessi recapped 2022 and presented the 2023 roadmap built on the vision and hard work of PromoStandard volunteers. Not only did we get a lot done, but we also have a lot more in store. It’s continuing to be an exciting ride. Join the PromoStandards Community Another Tech Summit is planned for February 2024. If you’re passionate about this industry and recognize the power of digital transformation, this trip is for you. Come along for the ride! To become a member and join the PromoStandards community, sign up today!
Introducing OSN 2.0.0, the Updated Notification
OSN, which stands for Order Shipment Notification, is one of the most popular PromoStandards integrations. Its information is needed to move transactions forward. When suppliers integrate OSN, distributors can easily see when orders ship. PromoStandards is excited to share that it has released OSN 2.0.0. In this article, we’re sharing the changes this updated version brings and what this means for you! The Changes Made With OSN 2.0.0 To better communicate the intent of the variable, complete was renamed: There were also significant changes to Package. This created: The updated standard also: What People Are Saying “As with our other version 2 revisions, OSN 2.0.0 builds on and enhances Order Ship Notice functionality. This milestone represents our continued commitment to addressing industry feedback, meeting the needs of PromoStandards members, and level-setting functionality across the entire standards set. We’re already receiving very positive feedback and look forward to widespread adoption,” said Eric Alessi, President and CEO at Essent Corporation and Chair of PromoStandards. “On top of standardizing the standard to previous releases, this new version clears up the ambiguities of how multiple supplier sales orders are conveyed as complete to the consumer of the data. This and a dozen smaller fixes make OSN 2.0.0 a more consistent experience for those familiar with more current PromoStandards services,” said Jon Norris, The position is VP of Business Process Improvement at Hit Promotional Products and PromoStandards board member. “OSN 2.0.0 brings consistency to Order Ship Notice. It allows for a richer data experience that is better aligned with existing version 2 services. As we finish the version 2 services across all endpoints, more and more data will link together and can help automation across the entire ordering process,” said Philip Gergen, CIO at Koozie Group and Treasurer of PromoStandards. OSN and Other Endpoints OSN 2.0.0 was authored by Stephen Luisser from Hit Promotional Products in collaboration and oversight of the Standards Committee. Let’s take a look at its previous version in addition to other endpoints! Make Your Business Better With PromoStandards Industries are waking up to the inefficiencies of the supply chain. Moving forward, we cannot rely on email threads and phone-tag to complete simple tasks and get the answers we need. That’s where PromoStandards comes in, making your business better. We have a proven vision of optimizing our supply chain and transforming it through open standards and digital integration. Endpoints for Inventory, Invoices, Media, Order Status, Product Compliance, Product Configuration, Product Data, Purchase Orders, and Ship Notices are available. To get started, simply join PromoStandards to access all the info you need!
Change Happens. We’re Here to Help. – Letter From the Chair
The certainty of change is an immutable truth. PromoStandards Chair Eric Alessi is well acquainted with change and the digital landscape’s struggle to keep pace. Today’s efficiency is tomorrow’s inefficiency. But we cannot place the blame on change. Inefficiency’s root cause lies in unadaptable infrastructure, limiting functionality and our potential growth. Consistent efficiency requires a fundamentally adaptable foundation to endure continuous change. Finding Opportunity in the Chaos As business leaders and consumers, our primary goal is success. For the custom products industry, success withers due to industry-legacy and proprietary management systems spurring the inefficiency responsible for disruptions. To maximize success, we must implement adjustable infrastructures complementing an evolving industry and individual business needs. Resilient digital business protocol and technology adoption spawns opportunity from the chaos of disruption, the opportunity for unbroken transformation preserving business efficiency. Never let an opportunity pass you by! At PromoStandards, we exploit disruption to develop communication protocols for reliably efficient digital integration and interoperability. The COVID Wake-up Call In 2020, the world experienced the rapid spread of COVID and the violent halt of daily life and operations. With alarming swiftness, the virus’s devastating impact exposed severe supply chain inefficiencies. The world suffered the consequences of substandard communication protocols ingrained in each phase of the supply chain process: The unpredictability of COVID and compromised business supply chain management unleashed a cascade of punishing blows across industries within each economic sector. PromoStandards During COVID & Beyond As businesses struggled with disjointed buyer-seller communication and an unreliable supply chain throughout the pandemic, PromoStandards helped trading partners with its Inventory Availability standard, providing a way to instantly communicate inventory levels in real-time. Since our inception in 2015, PromoStandards has been developing and delivering open standards, setting the foundation for process automation. Our protocols for the procure-to-pay lifecycle start with Inventory Availability before you ever place an order, conclude with Invoicing, and include standards for each step in between. But progress never sleeps! We continuously refine existing standards and develop new ones, combating the effects of change with proactive digital transformation. Let’s Face Change Together PromoStandards is leading the industry’s digital transformation. Confronting a challenge is considerably more approachable when you don’t have to do it alone. By adopting our standards, businesses learn to speak the same language, forming a harmonious industry network of adaptable infrastructures. Change happens. It’s impossible to dodge its demanding influence. To stand the test of time, we must accept change entirely and embrace the opportunity for progress with absolute certainty. Join the PromoStandards community to utilize our members-only resources that optimize the benefits of our open standards. Together, sustainable success is possible!
Member Spotlight – DistributorCentral
PromoStandards is a community, and those who become members have access to important information and proven service providers. In this member spotlight, we’ll cover DistributorCentral, an award-winning technology service provider for the promotional products industry. Here’s an in-depth look into who DistributorCentral is and how adopting PromoStandards integration helped move their transactions forward. DistributorCentral Founded in Gardner, Kansas, in 1999, DistributorCentral has developed a suite of technology tools. Its platform has product data tools to make managing data easy, business management tools to help manage and run your business, and a responsive and mobile-friendly e-commerce website builder. These are all free to distributors and service providers. They are especially known for OneSource, the product data tool built to make PromoStandards attainable for every company in the promotional products industry, regardless of the company’s technical expertise or size. By using OneSource, suppliers, distributors, and service providers can become PromoStandards compliant. The company converts product data from 450+ suppliers (83% of PromoStandards’ suppliers) into PromoStandards-compliant data which in turn reaches 15,000 distributors. What’s more, they: PromoStandards’ Impact Before PromoStandards, the biggest challenge they faced was getting suppliers to provide the correct data. DistributorCentral attended the first PromoStandards technology summit and immediately took steps to implement this service for their customers, becoming one of PromoStandards’ first adopters. PromoStandards gave DistributorCentral the ability to get top suppliers’ product data in a consistent way. As such, DistributorCentral’s company pivoted and completely rewrote its platform around PromoStandards, providing customers with a fast, stable, and modern platform. “Innovation fueled by collaboration with industry leaders, PromoStandards has been the catalyst to propel DistributorCentral’s latest growth while massively accelerating the industry’s digital transformation,” said Chris Schlemmer, VP of Technology at DistributorCentral. “We are extremely excited to be a strong supporter of PromoStandards, and we look forward to being involved in its growth for years to come.” Become a PromoStandards Member! At PromoStandards, we make it easy to communicate with others in your industry. Find suppliers, distributors, and decorators and send and receive information to them in real-time. With four membership levels, you can choose the one that works best for you. Join PromoStandards and start your journey!
Unleashing the Power of Technology – Letter From the Chair
Data is the lifeblood of the digital age. New technologies, including artificial intelligence, are redefining industries. The promotional products industry is no exception. In a previous letter, PromoStandards Chair Eric Alessi shared how data is at the heart of everything we do. Businesses are waking up to the inadequacies of the old ways of doing business and looking to transform to meet the digital realities of today. With the rise in technology comes the increasing generation and availability of data. This presents both challenges and opportunities for businesses. Knowing how to leverage this data effectively is crucial for success in this competitive landscape. With emerging technologies, PromoStandards is evolving and revolutionizing how the promotional products industry operates. Capable software and tight integration are the most critical tools for doing more with less labor and error. The First Step We all have cell phones and yet most of us don’t understand all its capabilities. That doesn’t stop us from being extremely effective users of this technology. The same can be said for the promotional products industry. While not everyone completely understands PromoStandards protocols, we can absolutely leverage this technology to our advantage with the help of a service provider or a software development team. The journey doesn’t have to be daunting; just take the first step. The Journey Suppliers, distributors, decorators, and service providers work with rich, relevant data to perform accurate transitions and make strong decisions. The first step to making this a reality is understanding and utilizing PromoStandards. In upcoming letters, we’ll walk through this journey, helping you to understand PromoStandards, what our technologies do, what the future looks like, and ways to get involved. Join the PromoStandards Community Stay up-to-date with the latest news from PromoStandards. Our blog features letters from the Chair, PromoStandards member spotlights, recaps of PromoStandards events, case studies, and more. You can also follow us on social media on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube! And if you’re not already a PromoStandards member, be sure to sign up today!
Start Your Journey – Letter From the Chair
Every organization is on a digital journey. The previous letter covered how new technologies are redefining industries, and the promotional products industry is no exception. This month, PromoStandards Chair Eric Alessi is sharing how to start your digital transformation journey. Make sure you’re in control of where your organization is going and are not just along for the ride. PromoStandards is here to help, no matter your needs. Your Guide PromoStandards means different things to different people. Some people think that PromoStandards is a software provider. Others see us as service providers. Many know us as an open standards body that defines integration standards, the blueprints for creating communication protocols that organizations can use to tightly integrate with trading partners. Others know us as a community of thought leaders and implementors that are raising the level of business automation for everyone in the industry; this is especially true for attendees of our 2023 Tech Summit. Through our membership, we’re all of this and so much more, making us unique and uniquely qualified to be your guide through your unique digital journey. Our PromoStandards Members PromoStandards doesn’t directly publish software, but through service provider members, we are the #1 source for locating industry-specific business management software and the #1 source for PromoStandards endpoint hosting providers. Through our members, we’re systems integrators that are experts in industry data. Through our dedicated volunteers, which range from startups to industry titans, we are the sole publisher of open industry standards that addresses the entire procure-to-pay (P2P) lifecycle. And, perhaps most importantly, we’re a diverse community of industry organizations on the journey to integrate, leverage data, and transform our business and the industry. Our Education Webinar David Shultz, Chair of the Service Provider Committee, led the July 18, 2023 education webinar. He shared how, through service provider members, PromoStandards has everything a company needs to implement: These are all here to help you through your journey. Click here for service provider members that can assist, and watch the webinar here! Become a Member Today! PromoStandards is your guide to help you harness the power of technology and make the most of your digital journey. Join our community to have access to members-only resources, like events, the directory, and our Slack channel. With different membership levels, you can choose the one that works best for you!
