Turn Off The Fear
An in-plant is more than just a supplier of a commodity. Show off your value, as this manager does all the time.
by Rosanne Weiman
Best Buy works hard to turn on the fun for our consumers and our employees. Still, at Best Buy's Print Solutions Group, we're not immune to the trials every in-plant faces these days: the struggling economy, corporate downsizing and cost-cutting.
Recent trends toward a "fear factor" at in-plants are alarming. Fear should not be at the core of life at any in-plant. It's certainly not at Print Solutions Group. Our culture is defined by a get-it-done, we-can-make-it-happen approach that helps dissipate the fear, blow away the clouds of vulnerability and answer questions about our value to the organization.
Many in-plants struggle with the perception that they are merely a supplier of a commodity. It's critical that all levels of the organization understand the value the in-plant delivers (in addition to the product). Invite senior-level executives to tour your plant, and give them a good reason to accept your invitation.
For example, if your in-plant provides fulfillment and distribution services, invite the executives responsible for the receipt of those printed goods. Show them first-hand the value of your operation. Support this with facts and figures they can't ignore.
How? Publish and distribute an annual report to the organization, relating your benchmark measurements of job counts and chargeback spending (if applicable). Include any recognition and awards you've received as testimonials to your value.
Tell Your Story
Do you quietly go about your daily in-plant activities, hoping the world will notice? Or do you actively pursue those golden moments to shine?
If budgets and management allow, set a date for an open house and invite all employees to tour your plant. Even with a tight budget, this can be done cost effectively, and the payback is huge. Engage the in-plant associates in the event, and reap the added benefits of increased employee morale and pride in showing off their work.
Our open house was visited by roughly 250 people, with group tours guided by in-plant employees. We added fun with print-related contests (vendors provided prizes). As a thank-you for attending, each visitor received a gift bag including an internally produced note pad and information about our capabilities.
Design and develop marketing tools with your communications department. Develop a home page on your company's intranet, with news about new capabilities, production efficiencies, "featured" jobs, and new associates on the in-plant team.
If your organization embraces learning and offers "lunch 'n learn" opportunities, facilitate a session on the benefits of your in-plant. Create opportunities to make noise about your operation.
Act On Feedback
Honest, direct input on performance is essential to any worker's success. Solicit feedback from your business partners and customers. Create simple, user-friendly surveys to capture anonymous feedback. Document the responses, and set a goal with your team to improve overall satisfaction over the next quarter.
Share what you learn with employees and executives, as well as with survey respondents. Let them know what you intend to do with their feedback, then act on it. Remember to survey not just once, but on a regular basis.
As an in-plant manager, think of your customers as partners. Encourage customers to think of you as their partner, as well. Service is critical to the success and stability of an in-plant. Establish representatives who are aligned with the big users of your in-plant. Take advantage of that opportunity to solidify relationships and educate those groups on your capabilities and value.
Instead of leaving behind an equipment list, provide your partners (customers) a sell sheet that includes the in-plant's mission statement, service philosophy and quality goals for the quarter/year. Add a few testimonials from satisfied partners and a contact name for new partners to call for their next project.
In-plants are vulnerable to many forces beyond their control, most notably the economy. However, there are aspects that you can control. At the end of each day, be sure to go home with the certainty that you've done everything possible to control what you can, thumb your nose at that cloud of doom and turn off the fear.
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Rosanne Weiman is senior account manager at Best Buy's Print Solutions Group. You can contact her at: Rosanne.Weiman@BestBuy.com
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One way Best Buy puts new employees at ease is by giving them a tour of the Print Solutions Group's facility, where they are shown jobs done in support of their particular business groups.
