Business 2 Community (01/15/13) Morris, Brian

The design of point-of-sales displays can turn the marketing device into a more powerful tool and ultimately lead to greater profits. Large, compelling fonts that match the product theme and bright, contrasting colors could be used to create a bold design that will attract customers' eyes. Desire can be created by featuring the benefits received from purchasing the product, and value can be added by including a tear-off that can be used immediately or later to promote future sales. The product should be showed in use, include charts and graphs that highlight why it is the best choice and personalization should be added to make the display more effective. The display could include add-ons that can be used with the product for upsells, and a video and touch screen could be used to capture email addresses to deliver future updates and discounts.

Brochures and flyers can be printed and placed on the display to provide customers with additional information to take home. The use of QR Codes and augmented reality would enable consumers to interact with the display using a mobile device. For example, a QR Code could be printed on the display to take consumers to a video that offers more information and a better sales pitch.

Wide Format / Signage / Diplay is one of four Solution Zones at PSDA's Distributor Solutions Expo. These Solution Zones — a new feature at the expo — will be located on the expo floor and are designed to showcase unique, high-impact solutions and stimulate learning.

Package Printing (12/03/12)

The color digital label and packaging (CDLP) market will grow strongly between 2011 and 2016, with an 18 percent compound annual growth rate in digital press revenues, according to the consulting firm InfoTrends. The most important technology additions will be high-end color electrophotographic and inkjet presses, which will increasingly steer color digital printing into the printing of folding cartons and flexible packaging, applications that are currently only minimally penetrated by even the most capable current color digital presses.

"There are two megatrends among brand owners that support the growth of the color digital press market in label and packaging uses," said Bob Leahey, associate director of InfoTrends' Color Digital Label and Packaging Service. "One is the brand owners' focus on target marketing, and the other is their focus on lean manufacturing." Leahey said these influences together have prompted brand owners to more frequently order smaller amounts of packaging and labels. This development will result in increasing numbers of short-run print jobs for converters of labels and packaging, which color digital presses can print more efficiently than conventional presses.

InfoTrends' forecast also means that the market will soon change with the arrival of a new generation of CDLP presses, most of which were introduced at the drupa 2012 show in Germany. These new presses will be high capacity models with more than twice the width of most current CDLP presses. That difference in width and overall productivity will drive the use of CDLP presses to new levels in folding cartons and flexible packaging, two applications where current models currently have only a limited role.

Packaging & Direct Mail is one of the four Solution Zones at PSDA's Distributor Solutions Expo. These Solution Zones — a new feature at the expo — will be located on the expo floor and are designed to showcase unique, high-impact solutions and stimulate learning.

Chief Marketer (11/15/12) Johnson, Grant

Johnson Direct's Grant Johnson said direct mail can still be an essential ingredient in the generation of quality leads as part of an integrated marketing campaign, and the conversion of prospective clients and past buyers into lifelong customers. "Too many marketers still look at mail as a single-channel communication tool and neglect its unique ability to play a key role in a well-executed, integrated multichannel communication plan," he said.

Johnson listed several examples where direct mail was beneficial. In one, a nonprofit was faced with the challenge of creating credibility with a growing female prospect base that perceived the organization as out of touch and not relevant for their needs. The objective was to change that view and encourage these women to join the nonprofit. A plan was devised, and the central driver in re-establishing the nonprofit as a group relevant to women was social media, while newsletters, PR and some limited advertising and PPC and SEO provided supplemental support to the push. Once engagement transpired, a direct mail testing plan was put into action to convert these "fans" into paying organization members.

Johnson offered a number of tips for the coming year in terms of the use of direct mail. The first tip is to make sure your data is accurate, with Johnson saying that you should "spend a disproportionate amount of time on your data/lists." He also said a niche focus can be critical. "Effective direct mail is rarely homogeneous," Johnson said. "Thus, you have to vary your copy and design based on the segments that emerge from your database analysis." Johnson's third tip is to test offers and messaging to see if it is relatable to audiences. His fourth and final tip is to assess and take note of your competitors' direct mail strategies. "Understand, to the best of your ability, what differentiates you from your competitors and then exploit your unique selling proposition," Johnson said.

Packaging & Direct Mail at the Distributor Solutions Expo
Packaging & Direct Mail is one of the four Solution Zones at PSDA's Distributor Solutions Expo. These Solution Zones — a new feature at the expo — will be located on the expo floor and are designed to showcase unique, high-impact solutions and stimulate learning.

Wide-Format Imaging (10/12) Gustavson, Denise

Signs Now Bradenton was assigned the task of creating a retail environment for the Orlando, Fla., store of its client, sports retailer FIT2RUN. "[The FIT2RUN executive team] wanted to bring the running experience to the next level of support, comfort, technology, physicality and enjoyment," said Signs Now co-owner Brian Lamb. "They also wanted to attract the public with this well placed, attractive store in the Florida Mall and secure a consumer following through their programs and events."

Lamb said FIT2RUN creates the main store concept, and the Signs Now team collaborates with the FIT2RUN marketing director in settling on specific design layouts for the stores that will look terrific when printed and recommends the materials to be used that will produce the best effect. "Our portion of the project probably involves about four to six weeks of work although the store project may have been conceived six to 12 months previously," Lamb said. For the general graphics, the graphic designer works with FIT2RUN's marketing director to finalize the graphics, which are then submitted to Signs Now. Following that, the shop orders, cuts and shapes substrate material, prints the graphics, assembles the prints, applies touch-ups and packages the signs for shipping. The Signs Now team takes two to three days to install the graphics once they arrive at the store.

"The hanging graphics are meant to be up for two to three years, but the wall graphics can change about every six to 12 months," Lamb said. "Many of the wall graphics are mounted on PVC with Velcro on the back and then mounted to the wall. These can be taken down and new graphics put in place as styles or trends change. A lot of hardware considerations need to be addressed since the signs will be in the public and, therefore, they must be durable to touch and safe when hung. We laminate almost all of the signs since the public may be touching the final product."

Wide Format / Signage / Diplay is one of four Solution Zones at PSDA's Distributor Solutions Expo. These Solution Zones — a new feature at the expo — will be located on the expo floor and are designed to showcase unique, high-impact solutions and stimulate learning.

Customer service employees typically talk to more clients than anyone else in the company. These frontline folks often are responsible for customers that account for thousands of dollars in revenue. They’re the employees best suited to establish long-term, personal relationships with customers, leading to better client retention and the likelihood that customers will overlook minor failures.

But many CSRs are stressed from handling complaints and working with unsatisfied customers. This is downright dangerous for any printing firm, because demotivated employees are error-prone and can alienate customers. The problem is, customer service departments often get pats on the back from top-tier management but get the cold shoulder when it comes to committing resources to train, support and recognize hard-working CSRs.

Customer service pros need managers who are advocates and view them with respect. These managers should work with others at the company to improve interdepartmental cooperation, removing barriers to quality service and sources of frustration such as inadequate systems. The resources firms spend to motivate their CSRs have a definite payback in terms of increased productivity and loyalty and reduction in employee turnover.

Here are four ways company leaders can improve motivation and morale in the customer service department:

1. Give CSRs the opportunity — and a path — to grow. One way is to get them more involved in strategic aspects of the company, including developing training manuals, training new hires and conducting research projects. Consider sending CSRs out of the office at least once a year so they can meet face to face with customers or attend sales calls with salespeople.

Also, you can motivate CSRs in the long term by creating a career path for them. One form is to have multiple levels: New reps are hired at Level 1. After training and proven success on the job, you can promote reps to Level 2, where they’ll have more and autonomy to make decisions. After further cross-training and success, they could achieve Level 3 status and receive more responsibility, pay and prestige.

Another idea is to involve your CSRs in rewriting their job descriptions to accurately reflect current responsibilities. Ask them to include their three biggest challenges or obstacles, and analyze responses to determine where you can help immediately.

2. Create a teamwork culture. The push for quality management and "total customer satisfaction,” coupled with downsizing among printing firms, has resulted in broad implementation of the team concept. While customer service teams can take on a number of forms, all good ones are built on employee participation and involvement.

One industry pro we recently spoke with had previously worked in a large office products company. CSRs at the firm were grouped in four-person teams that worked with seven salespeople. Each CSR was responsible for having basic knowledge of the company’s product line, and each team was responsible for expertise in one other business category, including forms, promotional products and furniture. This worked well for the company, the industry pro said, because the customer had a team working for it, and the CSRs would pick up on each other’s skills.  

"From the company’s point of view, it was a deterrent to having a CSR get too cozy,” he said. "Salespeople also seemed to like it because they would have four go-to people who helped each other.”

3. Begin a recognition program. Consider developing a monthly contest for CSRs based on established criteria such as recognition by salespeople, number of quotes gathered and number of compliments from customers.

When creating a recognition program, be sure it’s specific and not counterproductive. For example, if you reward the CSR who handles the greatest number of calls, you might get greater productivity but less service quality, as CSRs try to get to the next call as fast as possible. One way to combat this is to incorporate call monitoring, which can be checked randomly to make sure service level is high. (The best awards programs are practical and don’t require significant record-keeping by supervisors.)

Also, consider team morale. Contests with only one winner can be motivational only to the CSR who wins it and can lead to disgruntled employees. A well-designed awards program is achievable by all CSRs, is clearly defined and is announced well in advance.

Possible measures you can use when organizing an award contest:  

Attendance
Punctuality
Most improvement
Most calls handled
Fastest response to inquiries
Fastest resolution of complaints
Best technical knowledge
Best phone manners
Most help to teammates
Most order upgrades/best upselling
Most sales leads
Highest rating on customer surveys
Best enthusiasm
Best suggestions for improving service
Best average speed of response  

After the contests ends, hold an awards presentation to publicly congratulate the winner (and the entire customer service department). Give publicity to the winner by sending a press release to trade publications and local newspapers.

4. Invest in CSRs through training. Newly hired CSRs shouldn’t be the only employees who receive training. Ongoing education about technical aspects of the printing industry and communicating with customers improves reps’ skills and gives them a greater feeling of empowerment. Training also gives CSRs the opportunity to analyze solutions to frequently occurring problems, and it enables more professional, confident service.

Ongoing training programs can include topics such as negotiation, complaint handling, policies and procedures, telephone techniques, written communication, listening and team management. These skills don’t require days out of the office; 10-minute sessions conducted by CSR managers, half-hour videos shown in the conference room or hour-long workshops led by outside consultants work well. For successful training, involve CSRs in determining what topics to cover. Ask them what areas they’d like to improve upon, and involve them in developing the training program. Consider assigning senior reps the responsibility of researching and developing a particular training topic.