What Makes an In-plant Successful?

"ARE THERE any studies that demonstrate the superiority of an in-plant as opposed to outsourcing printing?"

That request was sent to one of the e-mail listservs I participate on. My colleague was facing a situation that many of us know of or have experienced firsthand: his parent organization, looking to operate more efficiently, was considering shutting down its in-plant and outsourcing printing to external commercial printing firms.

I can understand my colleague's desire to arm himself with articles and studies showing that in-plants give their respective associations the biggest bang for their buck, but I have to doubt if such a thing even exists. A study or document, free from the writer's agenda, that shows, once and for all, that in-plants do a better job than commercial printers? I think not. We have advantages and we should be more efficient, but the painful truth is sometimes we don't do as good a job as our commercial brothers and sisters, and sometimes our prices are higher.

But all of that misses the key point: at the end of the day, such a study wouldn't really help your cause anyway. The reasons why an in-plant succeeds and thrives or why it shrivels and dies don't necessarily correspond to its efficiency or even its pricing, although those things are important and must be tended to. So what spells success for an in-plant?

A Banker's Take

Hugh McColl, retired CEO of Bank of America, may arguably be the greatest banker of all time. If you look at what's happened to Bank of America since his departure, I don't think there can be any doubt about it. Anyway, here's his philosophy for running what, during his watch, grew to be the second largest bank in America:

"I take care of my people, my people take care of my customers, my customers take care of my shareholders."

That's it. No convoluted mission statement. Nothing about being the best run bank in the country, and nothing about being the biggest bank in the country. He ran his bank using the simple plan above, and the rest just happened.

Just substitute the word "organization" for the word "shareholders" and it will work for you too.

So, what would Mr. McColl's advice look like in the real world of in-plants?

I Take Care of My People

If you're the manager of an in-plant, this should be pretty clear. You must honor your people. You must respect them. Empower them with the authority they need to make job-related decisions on the fly. You must listen attentively to their concerns and act on those concerns whenever feasible. Your people are much more likely to care about your customers if they know you care about them.

My People Care About My Customers

Printing is a commodity product. I cringed inwardly as I typed this, but it's true. If you're seen as a commodity provider, no different than Alpha Graphics, Sir Speedy or any other commercial printer, then you should be worried.

However, if you're seen as someone who is a genuine member of your organization's team, forwarding the primary mission along with everyone else, you'll be in great shape. You achieve that when your people honor your customers by the actions they take. Your customers are honored when they are listened to attentively and when they are advised on all aspects of their printing project regardless of how it affects your in-plant.

Let's say this again, clearly: Be motivated by service to your organization more than profit to your unit. If your organization can't drop off a job and know it will be handled in the best possible way, you're going to be in trouble (if you're not already).

My Customers Take Care of My Organization

When you and your people offer all that value to your customers, word gets around. If your customers are happy about the products and services they receive from your in-plant, that's one less problem for your superiors to worry about. Then even if your superiors believed that an FM could come in and do the printing for less, they'd be more likely to confuse Cary Grant with Carrot Top than part with the service and knowledge of your in-plant.

So, how do you achieve this enviable state of affairs? It's really not too hard. You begin by earning the loyalty of your people, and you do that by actions that you take, not by empty words mouthed. You go the extra mile for your people and get their back if they screw up. If you subsequently have to counsel an associate for that or any other reason, you do so behind closed doors. You emphasize great customer service to all your associates, all the time, and then practice what you preach.

Look for new and better ways to service your organization. And—this step is the most often ignored—you have to sell yourself and your organization to your institution. Be sure you meet with your customers regularly, and meet with your top 10 customers at least once every 90 days. They need to know what you and your in-plant provide for them, and they need to know how what you provide is superior to what an outside vendor can provide.

Again: sell, baby, sell.

You should be able to sense when you've achieved this state of affairs, although there isn't a signal or a sign that says "You've Made It!" It's really sort of a tipping point. You'll hear it in the comments that people make, and you'll see it in the actions they take. But if for some reason you're not sure, then send this simple survey out to your current customers:

• Would you do business with me again?

• Would you refer someone to do business with me?

• Would you give a testimonial?

These are the questions that measure customer loyalty, and as such are the only ones that really matter. Strive for 100 percent here, and know if you're below 90 percent you should be concerned.

We in-plants should be the most secure printers of all. We know the people and the politics of our organizations. We attend our organizations' meetings and are invited to our organizations' functions. This gives us advantages that the sales reps of outside agencies could only dream about. Don't squander those advantages. IPG

Richard Griffin has been a flyboy, a press helper, a pressman, a shift supervisor, a pressroom manager and a plant manager. He's been a press mechanic and a press erector. He also sold printing, offset presses and Xerox machines, and founded Press Statistics, a consultancy for offset press acquisition and printing operations. He is currently the director of Campus Printing at Central Piedmont Community College. Contact him at (704) 330-6606 or richard.griffin@cpcc.edu