National Payer Cuts Costs, Scales Creative Production | Healthcare
5/19/2025
RRD’s consultative support streamlines operations, delivers substantial cost savings and increased efficiencies
CHALLENGE
A major national payer faced significant challenges within its internal marketing agency. Tasked with delivering high-quality marketing materials — such as catalogs, brochures, presentations, and flyers — the agency was struggling with escalating costs, inefficient turnarounds, and a backed-up project pipeline.
Traditional agencies, though integral to their process, were struggling to handle the increasing volume of projects. These agencies’ pricing models and slow response times created inefficiencies, prompting internal business units to seek alternative vendors. This resulted in fragmented branding, inconsistent messaging, and a mounting challenge for the internal agency leader to regain control. Ultimately, the payer sought a streamlined, cost-effective solution.
SOLUTION
RRD was brought in as a strategic partner and developed a comprehensive plan to alleviate the internal agency's challenges. Leveraging years of expertise in creative execution, RRD provided a scalable, efficient solution that delivered high-quality materials at a significantly lower cost than traditional agencies. The relationship began with a proof of concept, where RRD took on lower-priority work, including brochures and flyers, at a fixed, predictable price. This approach allowed for strict adherence to brand standards, on-time delivery, and budget compliance, quickly earning the internal agency's trust.
Building on this success, RRD expanded its role to manage additional work, including custom design, templating, and formatting, all at rates well below industry norms. A critical pain point, PowerPoint requests, were overwhelming the internal agency. RRD responded by establishing a "Speed Desk" to handle high-volume, quick-turn deck requests efficiently and affordably.
Furthermore, RRD implemented a firewall-compliant, form-based project request system to streamline workflows and eliminate unnecessary administrative delays, drastically improving project turnaround times.
RESULTS
Through RRD’s strategic partnership, the internal agency successfully reclaimed its position as an efficient, cost-effective in-house resource, delivering consistent, high-quality marketing materials at significantly lower costs and revitalizing its credibility across the organization. The partnership delivered the following measurable outcomes:
- Cost reduction: Delivered significant cost savings while maintaining a 99%+ on-time quality performance score
- Streamlined creative work: Simplified pricing for creative work, eliminating inefficiencies and reducing financial strain
- Efficient PowerPoint production: Developed a "Speed Desk" to address high-volume, fast-turnaround PowerPoint requests, saving time and money
- Improved workflow: Implemented a form-based, process-driven project request system, optimizing workflow and reducing administrative drag
- Enhanced in-house capabilities: Transformed the internal agency into a high-performing, trusted in-house creative powerhouse