From the Editor: Be Indispensable

I WAS proofreading this issue, just getting to the end of John Sarantakos’ article on reporting to upper management, when I saw it. It was perfect. John had hit upon what is essentially the theme of this entire issue:

“The best strategy is to become indispensable.”

I hadn’t planned to have a theme this month, but when I thought about it, I realized that this message weaves its way through several stories in this issue. It boils down to this: If you make your operation easy to access, you are quick to respond and you can provide all the services your customers need, your in-plant will succeed.

Take Texas Tech University Printing Services, the subject of our cover story. The in-plant is making that tactic work by adding a good deal of equipment so that it can produce the university’s work in-house and get it back to customers as fast as possible. Lubbock is fairly isolated, as cities go, so the in-plant wants to make sure its clientele has quick, on-site access to all of the services they need. An HP Indigo 5500 is just one of several new pieces of equipment that is allowing the in-plant to better serve its customers and to become indispensable to them.

This same lesson was learned by the folks at Central Piedmont Community College, as related by Richard Griffin in his article on page 34. After narrowly avoiding being outsourced, the in-plant refocused on its customers, inspiring their confidence through personal visits and fast turnarounds. The in-plant upgraded its capabilities, based on customer needs. These and other cost-saving measures led the shop to record-setting revenues in fiscal year 2008, after spending years in the red.

Making his in-plant indispensable to customers has been the goal of Fritz Sims since before he became supervisor of Delaware River Port Authority (DRPA) Printing Services almost 14 years ago. (Story on page 50.) His desire to produce everything his customers need—“whatever it takes”—has given his in-plant tremendous customer respect. He estimates the in-plant produces 95 percent of DRPA’s printing, including high-profile jobs like the annual report. Printing Services has been able to add new equipment every year, with the strong support of management.

I visited Fritz in his Camden, N.J., in-plant, and was impressed by how sincere he was in his desire to give customers whatever they need. He’s determined not to turn any job away and to make sure customers are satisfied, every time.

Stories like this should be familiar to IPG readers, since making your in-plant indispensable is often an underlying theme in our articles. Every in-plant that wants to succeed should make it a personal goal as well.