Business Management - Productivity/Process Improvement

Too often, when a job is completed—printed, finished, mailed and billed—we tend to think “it’s over.” How can a job or project be over unless we measure the results or, in some fashion, determine if the solution we provided the customer yielded the expected outcome?

We have all heard that, as managers, we should not get in the way of our staff people doing their jobs. The reality is, as a manager or owner of a small business, we find it necessary to work in the business at the same time we work on it.

I’ve noticed that many owners and managers actually run their businesses via their cell phones—constantly allowing calls and text messages to interrupt even important meetings, meals, and any personal time. Think of each call as an ERROR in your business.

WHEN this economy turns around (and I believe it will), will you have already thrown in the towel? In the past few years, I have been able to visit with hundreds of business owners across our nation, and I’ve heard a resounding complaint, “Not enough time, too many problems.” CHAOS! 

Partnering with the management of an in-plant operation could be a win-win opportunity. Too often, we can look at in-plants—or even other competitors—as the enemy when they could make a good partner. Such a relationship will require a different mindset than some of us are used to, but in this fast-changing world, we all need to look for new solutions.

I likely blocked out all memories of past household moves, since I wasn’t particularly anxious about this one. My house was an operations disaster! I wondered how in the world I had accumulated so much, and how I had failed to realize it.

Eighteen years ago I had an epiphany. I was, admittedly, a bit of a SLOB back then—my desk and office consistently looked like the aftermath of a tornado, and I had no clue how to keep it clean.

In the highly competitive production printing marketplace, it can be difficult to persuade customers to buy from you if there is a perception that you offer similar products to competitors, but with a higher price tag. Furthermore, trying to beat competitors on price alone is cutthroat, risky, and not recommended. This strategy attracts bargain-hunters who are all too ready to defect to competitors for a better deal.  

Service providers must focus on the real value that they are delivering to customers to attract and build a loyal customer base. There is a reason that people buy designer-label clothes and luxury cars... and that reason is perceived value! In this Webinar, you'll hear from experienced service providers about building a value-added pricing model. Topics to be discussed include:

• Pricing models for value-add
• Communicating your value proposition
• Bundled versus unbundled pricing
• Effective responses to customer "pricing objections"
• Creation of an effective proposal

Richard’s wife had come to him all upset, insisting he take charge of making sure their sons cleaned their rooms. He’d heard me say many times how we need to “manage the system, and let the system manage the people.”

We have all had bosses who may have been reasonably good in running their companies, but rarely gave us even a “one-minute” coaching moment. Don’t be “that boss.” Employees want to know how they are doing.