The Garvey Group — All Under Four Roofs

Initially, Garvey’s sales force was skeptical about their ability to sell large-format output. The company hadn’t pre-booked any of the printing, opting for the “build it and they will come” mantra. But Ed Garvey—who had led the business since 1978, after his father passed away—had no doubt that existing customers would need it. He was right, because customers buy solutions, not products.

From Prediction to Fruition

“Our salespeople had good relationships, and eventually the clients needed to buy large-format,” he says. “Invariably, clientele that you build relationships with want more from you because of the quality work you perform on their jobs. It’s a question of confidence and credibility. If your customer has confidence in your ability to produce, and you can credibly get into a market that is beneficial to their needs, that’s what you should be doing.

“A salesman’s job is the hardest job in printing and nobody will convince me otherwise,” he adds. “It’s the rare rep that can move a program forward, that can make things happen, earn the confidence of the client, and build opportunities and business. I’m going to do anything I can to help that rep build those relationships. It’s more than just paying higher commissions or adding people. It’s how the sales rep is going to be valued by that client.”

Even though The Garvey Group consists of four facilities with largely differing products and services, oftentimes its customer base requires solutions that touch the capabilities of each branch. The following is a brief tour of each plant:

Niles, IL: In addition to point-of-purchase display printing, the main office also specializes in package printing. Joseph Kulis, COO and one of the company’s four general managers, sees great potential in the retail sector.

“Retail displays and signs are a big part of in-store marketing, so we will continue to look for ways to help our clients achieve their in-store goals,” Kulis says. “Our sales and production people work closely with customers to identify and develop the most cost-effective printing options that clearly communicate their message.”