Business Management - In-plant Justification

With so many threats to their survival, in-plants must adopt an entrepreneurial spirit, forge partnerships and become more visible. by Steve Jarvis In-plants are under siege. The forces against them are formidable: intense internal competition from digital office printing fleets, the threat of internal clients outsourcing jobs to commercial printers, apathetic senior management that doesn't view printing as a core business function, and an overall lack of awareness within enterprises regarding the services and cost savings in-plants can deliver. To counter these threats, in-plant managers should become entrepreneurs and secure business within the organization. They should demonstrate they can serve as viable profit

"Out of sight, out of mind" is a dangerous place for an in-plant to be. Let your organization know what you do by holding an open house. I love open houses. The term itself evokes the ambiance of free food and fun, and I'm a strong proponent of both. I was attending an in-plant publishing department's open house a few years back, and a colleague who prepared the event was telling me that one of the benefits of having an in-house position was that he didn't have to worry about "selling." Trying to believe what I was hearing, I glanced over the richly

The current economic climate is a prime opportunity for facilities management firms to peddle their out-of-the-box solutions to your upper management. Watch out.

Mismanagement, underfunding and poor morale are just some of the battles in-plants have to fight. Against the odds, some in-plants have turned themselves around. by Allan Martin Kemler WHEN RICHARD Raveson first came to the North Broward Hospital District in-plant, the machines were broken, the staff was unhappy and the management was indifferent. The in-plant was like a chronically ill patient in a world without doctors. Thanks to Raveson's skills as a manager, though, not only has the patient recovered, it's never been better. But 12 years ago, Raveson says, it would have been pretty hard to imagine this kind of turnaround. Back then,

You say you'd love to upgrade your equipment but can't get management to OK it? Find out how this manager was able to justify the cost of new equipment — repeatedly.

In-plants have traditionally been stuck in cramped, out-of-the-way places. Those who have moved into larger, brighter facilities report a world of benefits. Rodney Dangerfield couldn't get it. Aretha Franklin just wanted a little bit. And Monica Lewinsky never had much to begin with. Respect. Everybody craves it, but for many in-plants—stuck in the basement like vegetables in the crisper—respect and pleasant working conditions can be hard to find. Often in-plant facilities are too small, with low ceilings, bad lighting and no windows. While managers may not like this, some feel it comes with the territory. "The term "print shop" implies a dingy, dumpy

If you've been "getting by" for years without charging back, it's time you faced facts and started doing it—otherwise you can't prove you're cheaper. To many, the thought of initiating a chargeback system brings to mind accountants, ledgers, difficult formulas—but it shouldn't. Chargeback systems are not difficult to set up and are easy to administer once you determine your standard rates. Regardless of how difficult you may find this process, at some point in time it may very well be the saving grace for your internal printing operation. The printing cost is divided into three primary categories: Labor, Material and Overhead. For those of

To effectively compete in a cut-throat world, in-plants must learn to operate like any other business, concentrating on cost, quality and customer service. There was a time when in-house print shops had it made. They knew work would keep flowing in; all they had to do was sit tight and wait for it. Incredibly, even as companies trip over themselves in their haste to outsource "non-core" operations, some in-plants are still pretending to live in that dreamy time of eternal job security. Unfortunately, their dream is destined to take a nightmarish turn unless they wake up and start running their in-plants more like

When FMs come calling, they don't knock on the in-plant manager's door. It's up to you to be ready—and beat them to the punch. Facilities Management (FM) companies say they can save corporations, school systems, hospitals or any organization with an in-plant, millions of dollars annually by better managing the in-plant and better utilizing the equipment and personnel. They often claim they can do this with better materials, less space, less time and greater efficiency, utilizing professionals with years of experience. The FM will take over your reproduction tasks, freeing your company to concentrate on its core business. The FM may also

One in-plant's journey from an environment where specialization reigned to one where cross-training is the norm—and how life has improved. Change in the printing industry is happening at a dizzying rate. Technology and the morphing face of business have forced printing managers in both the commercial and in-plant markets to make some hard decisions, not only concerning technology, but also what services to offer. Making the right informed decisions can spell success and longevity in the industry, while standing still and ignoring change will inevitably lead to extinction. With all this to consider, the printing manager is reluctant to alter the things