IPMA 2000 Texas Roundup

In-plant managers from all over the country traveled to the Lonestar State to learn about leadership, technology and in-plant survival.

by Bob Neubauer

More than 500 in-plant managers gathered in San Antonio recently for the 41st International Publishing Management Association (IPMA) conference and exhibit. Attendance was up 20 percent this year, with supervisors from some of the largest in-plants, like Allstate, USAA and Wal-Mart, mingling with managers of medium and small shops.

Aside from the numerous networking opportunities and educational sessions, attendees enjoyed evening strolls along the city's famed Riverwalk and several Texas-themed evening activities organized by IPMA. The conference was capped off with a memorable awards banquet at which the In-Print awards were presented..

Throughout the four-day event, talk of e-commerce filled the air. In-plants whose print management system vendors were recently taken over by a dotcom expressed worry about the privacy of their customer information. Others decried the impersonal nature of bidding jobs out via the Internet. But the overriding message brought to light by these e-companies was that in-plants, if they want to survive, have to make printing as easy for customers to access as these Internet companies do.

Leadership Through The Ages

The first day's keynote speaker, Bob Gaylor, entertained and informed attendees with a look back at changing leadership styles over the past half century. He examined the authoritarian style of leadership that typified the '50s—where power and fear were used to control employees—then discussed '60s leaders, who employed empathy and sensitivity, and looked at the quality circles of the '80s. Today's leaders, he said, should orchestrate the talents of their work forces.

"Probably the leader's finest act is to allow followers their potential," he said.

Another keynote speaker, Rick Butts, declared that the transfer of enthusiasm is the foundation of leadership. He offered his often humorous look at survival in the 21st century, stressing three essential focuses:

• Control: People feel happy to the degree they feel in control of their lives.

• Clarity: In a world of too many choices, we must boil life down to what matters most.

• Courage: We already have the knowledge; we need the courage to put that knowledge to use.

In addition to management issues, sessions tackled technical topics like digital printing, PDF, Web design and color management. At a session entitled "The Future of Offset Printing," Ken Newton, of A.B.Dick, said the dwindling number of skilled operators is forcing manufacturers to make new presses easier to operate, with more automation and faster changeovers.

Newton said plateless printing would be the next wave, and he noted that A.B.Dick plans to come out with an inexpensive direct imaging press in the future. Digital printing, he said, will continue to grow because of the need for personalized marketing. As a result, Newton predicted, companies will start bringing printing back under their own control so they won't have to provide their databases to outside printers.

Survival Of The Fittest

Jerry Chamness of The Citadel led a session on small shop survival. He detailed the many threats—internal and external—that in-plants face and suggested actions to take.

Since in-plants are always competing for resources with other departments in the organization, they often have trouble getting new equipment. Succeeding, Chamness said, depends on how you word your request. Show how the organization can benefit and save money by letting you buy new equipment that will last many years.

Sometimes others in the organization may try to undermine your operation, perhaps because they want to use outside printers instead of your in-plant, Chamness said. You have to prove them wrong by providing excellent customer service and treating such people special when they bring you jobs.

Customer service, Chamness stressed, can save your in-plant. When you impress customers, they will fight for you if your operation is ever questioned. But customer relationships, Chamness went on, can be damaged by disgruntled in-plant employees who could ruin your reputation and cost you support. Be on the lookout for such problems.

Company mergers can also threaten in-plants.

"You need to be proactively selling your operation's work," stressed Chamness. "You can' wait, in a merger situation, till it's done to try to sell your operation."

Facilities management threats are another big problem, he said. But once again, customer service can save you. If you get such a challenge, stress that your in-plant, unlike an FM, is loyal to the parent organization and will work harder to provide the needed turnaround. If the company CEO wants a job right away, the in-plant will drop everything and do it, while an FM, lacking loyalty, will charge extra for this rush job and make it seem very difficult.

Outsourcing Debate

Facilities management was the topic of another well-attended session in which Chamness also took part. Moderated by Bob Neubauer, editor of IPG, the outsourcing debate pitted Chamness against Cary Sherburne, vice president of marketing communications for Ikon Office Solutions.

Getting the latest technology is difficult for many in-plants, noted Sherburne. By partnering with Ikon for printing services, companies could save that cost. Chamness, though, maintained that it's more expensive for a company to shut its in-plant and outsource printing.

Ikon, contended Sherburne, doesn't necessarily want to close in-plants, just partner with them to take on overflow work. Chamness, though, said in-plants are better off bidding out jobs themselves, as needed, to local printers.

In-plants, stressed Chamness, are always cheaper because they don't have to make a profit. But Sherburne said Ikon saves money for clients by spreading work over a number of different production facilities.

This practice, declared Chamness, leads to a loss of customer service, quality and control. In-plants, he said, know their customers better than any FM and will always provide better service.

Sherburne pointed out the Ikon assigns customer support reps to each company and uses the Oracle customer management system to help with load balancing and customer service.

Not good enough, declared Chamness, who noted that, in addition to excellent customer service, his in-plant helps customers design documents, consults with them, handles typesetting and puts documents on the Web. The in-plant even discusses ways to reduce printing costs.

Ikon, Sherburne said, also helps provide other services, like kitting, fulfillment, distribution and CD production. A partnership with Fatbrain.com lets customers catalog jobs via the company's intranet for electronic viewing or reprinting.

One of the most heated discussions centered on the methods FMs use to get into companies. Sherburne contended that in the majority of situations, a CEO invites Ikon to his or her office to discuss outsourcing, because CEOs feel outsourcing is a trend in the business world.

But Chamness insisted that FM reps call his supervisors at the Citadel and invite themselves over, specifically requesting that he not attend the meeting.

Sherburne said Ikon's philosophy was not to keep managers out of the meeting. She also said that Ikon feels it is unethical to sell an in-plant equipment, then come back later and try to get the company to outsource printing. Several audience members said this was a frequent practice of FMs—and one they abhor.

Sherburne said Ikon helps companies determine if outsourcing is in their best interest by doing studies and checking customer satisfaction. Ikon does not, however, disqualify itself from bidding on the printing once it determines a company should outsource. This, pointed out Chamness, is unfair. An independent consultant should conduct the study.

Politically Speaking

In-plant survival was addressed in a different manner by Domenic Vallone of the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia, in his session on "The Politics of In-plant Publishing."

Vallone coached managers to be aware of how they are perceived by others. To this end, he advised them to avoid gossiping, be genuine, avoid taking sides too quickly, don't get a reputation as a complainer and defend their staff/department calmly, since emotional people are often not believable.

Bob Neubauer can be contacted at:

bneubauer@napco.com

.

Manager Checklist

As usual, Carrie Griffin, of Peopleware, led several fun and educational sessions. At one, entitled "Ten Things Managers Need to Know," she kicked things off by wrapping LSU's Mike Loyd in toilet paper to illustrate how managers can sometimes feel constricted and unable to do their jobs.

To be an effective manager, she said, you need to have a balanced concern for people and for tasks.

"You don't manage people," she said. "You lead people." To help managers do that better, she offered 10 tips:

1) Know yourself. Learn how others like to be communicated to. If they just want the facts, don't be chatty with them. You can't change others; you can only change yourself.

2) Know the people you lead. There are no difficult people, Griffin said, only those you don't know. Learn their values, attitudes and behaviors.

3) What's really important at your organization? What are its values?

4) Relate your in-plant's goals to the parent organization's vision and mission. Show your employees how they fit into that mission.

5) Know the different between being a manager and a leader. Managers are given employees; leaders earn followers. Managers monitor people; leaders inspire them. Managers enforce rules; leaders promote values. Managers give instructions; leaders tell people why.

6) Learn to think strategically. Develop a blueprint for the future.

7) Communicate persuasively. Explain to others what's in it for them.

8) Recognize and reward behavior. Catch people doing something right.

9) Balance empowerment with accountability. Don't be afraid of discipline.

10) Learn how to be a servant. Are you willing to serve those who work for you?