It has been slightly over 21 months since I retired. You would think that over that time period most of my work-related convictions would have changed. It took a bit to beat those feelings down and yet I still have moments that irk me.
In-plant Insights
Debbie Pavletich is the Director of the Business Consulting Practice in the Commercial & Industrial Printing Business Group of Ricoh USA, Inc. As an in-plant print industry expert, she partners with clients to identify opportunities within their organizations to implement technologies that help minimize cost, streamline processes, increase throughput, improve operational efficiency, and strengthen and communicate business value. Her customer-centered approach and experience leading print industry teams enables her to collaboratively develop solutions that are in alignment with organizational objectives.
With more than 35 years of industry experience, Pavletich’s previous work includes managing a world-class in-plant printing department at Briggs & Stratton Corp. where she was responsible for strategic planning, finances, purchasing, capital equipment implementation, and sales and marketing initiatives. Other accomplishments include early adoption and successful deployment of leading-edge technologies, and initiating a successful sales effort to external customers.
As a subject matter specialist on in-plant operations management Pavletich has delivered presentations on a wide range of industry topics, including the value of in-plant operations, color management, work flow and the implementation of software and equipment that reduced costs, improved efficiencies, and provided additional revenue.
Pavletich has a certificate in management from Marquette University and has completed comprehensive finance coursework at the University of Chicago. She has served as Vendor Representative and International President of the IPMA (In-Plant Printing and Mailing Association), and President of the Milwaukee Chamber Theatre’s Board of Directors.
Sean Carroll is Senior Director of Auxiliary Services for Vanderbilt University, with responsibility for Printing Services, Mail Services, the Vanderbilt Bookstore, and CampusPrint – Vanderbilt’s copier/printer management program. He has over 25 years of leadership experience in the graphic communications industry, and is a graduate of the University of Tennessee. Sean can be reached at sean.carroll@vanderbilt.edu
I just returned from three action-packed weeks of travel to in-plant events all over the country, from Washington, D.C., to San Diego, California, giving me a chance to hang out with dozens of in-plant managers, many of whom I’d never met before.
The days of classically trained graphic designers have given way to a new crop of print customers, many of whom don’t know their way around the Adobe Creative Suite. As print experts, we provide much-needed translation services between the everyday language of today’s print consumers and the production team.
A few years ago, one of our digital printing vendors paid a visit to our in-plant. The discussion was pretty routine. At some point in the conversation, however, the vendor turned to me and asked a question I had never heard before.
We live in an age of data. It influences nearly every business decision that gets made. Embracing data and analytics in your in-plant is an important way to express the value you bring — in terms that data-minded decision makers can appreciate.
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In-plants do much more than “just” print. Many provide variable data, text messaging, email and social media services. If customers don’t know this, they may be bringing the print component of campaigns to your in-plant and handing off the other deliverables, to other departments/outside resources. That approach fragments messaging, compromising color consistency and campaign effectiveness.
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