WHAT’S RIGHT WITH THE PRINTING INDUSTRY?

Article by James Cryer , JDA, as appeared in the GX Report, October, 2001

Rarely is one invited to reflect on the inadequacies of one’s own industry, but therein lies the core of the problem; we very rarely engage in critical self-analysis. Collectively, we are quick to engage in Hollywood-style self-adulation at the N.P.A.’s but as individual companies (it may be said) we do very little to encourage multi-skilling and personal development within our own corporate environments.

Partly this is due to the highly fragmented nature of the industry, whereby it derives its energy from the fierce competition existing among so many small players. (Except in web!!)

It may also be due to the fact that so many proprietors are “self-made men” – with emphasis on the last word, as males are not very good at roles such as nurturing and encouraging their staff. A typical motivational program for a sales rep is “low base / high commission”, as if that offers some miraculous path to personal fortune overnight! (And the boss can play golf, safe in the knowledge that his new rep is out there frantically bashing on doors in the quest for new business).

Another reason, is the “accountability” issue. That is, the risk that I’ll train ‘em – and you’ll pinch ‘em. Like the ancient concept of The Tragedy of the Commons, where in early England all the local farmers would over-graze because it was “free”. If however, they had paid a toll, the grass would have remained for all to use and they would all be better off.

Hence, training is not “my” problem, and regrettably there is no official printing industry “college” for sales training so we lose out to other, “sexier” industries.

Another contributing factor is our “craft-based” mentality which often makes it difficult to employ a sales rep who has not “done his time” in the industry. As if there is a Holy Grail that says technical knowledge is better / more important than a service-minded attitude. I could argue that if an instant print shop wanted a CSR, they may be better off pinching a McDonald’s counter-attendant than mindlessly insisting they “must have print industry experience”.

Any company can put ink on paper. Quality is no longer an issue. Just as any café can make an acceptable cappuccino. The real issue is which company can fuss over the client, stroke their ego, fulfill their wishes, satisfy their needs.

Delivering the job on the promised date would be a start!

So there is a vast talent-bank to choose a print rep from. Just poach a sales rep from any of the leisure / hospitality / financial services / real estate / computer systems / office products sectors. They have already been trained in “service”! (Just add the technicalities, they are easy: “attitude” is more difficult to instill.)

To push this scenario further, the gene-pool gets even bigger if we relax the age-barriers. In a modern, forward-thinking printing company, however the ideal rep is: blonde, blue-eyed, (not gender-specific), aged between 33¾ and 34½, and is currently “writing $?million” with a “guaranteed” clientele who will follow him/her.

Dream on!

One final, philosophical note: Print 21 has recently devoted itself to this whole issue of improvement from self-analysis. From a recruiter’s perspective, especially someone in my case, who is from the industry and sees its broad canvas - I feel there is one key question which every boss should ask: “Why would an employee wish to work for my company?” (Fail….if you said because we pay high commissions!)

If we addressed the underlying issues that contribute to better morale, many of the benefits would flow on: clients would be happier, bosses richer and you may even have good employees knocking on the door; and that would be an improvement over the current situation.