Fight to Improve Your In-plant’s Image

When you compete against commercial printers for jobs within the parent organization, you often end up competing just to be heard. Commercial printers can paint a bleak picture of in-plants that colors the minds of upper management—and many in-plants don’t work hard enough to fight that image.

Don’t hide from management and assume this will save you from getting the axe. In-plant managers must try to create a better image of their department through attention to detail and communication, stressing the benefits of lower costs, convenience and consistent quality. You might even consider hiring a consultant or asking the company to bring in one of its own to bring the benefits of the in-plant to light.

Beyond the simple dollars-and-cents argument, work constantly with customers to make yourself an integral part of their print decisions. Even if a job is outsourced, you can likely get them a better price and a better-looking product than they could have achieved on their own.

From the IPG article “Get the Respect You Deserve,” published September 2003.