Melissa Sienicki, Vice President of Customer Service at PagePath, spearheaded the project on utilizing the newest and fastest growing social network to collect various articles and resources for print and marketing solution providers. “Pinterest is a pinboard-like website that allows visitors to create and manage collections such as articles, events, resources and more,” stated Sienicki. “Visitors can look through our pinboards for information, ‘re-pin’ content to their own collections and/or ‘like’ articles and resources.”

PagePath’s vision for the use of Pinterest includes:

• Having access to news updates, previously recorded webinars, weekly sales tips, as well as weekly Short Attention-Span Webinars hosted by Bill Farquharson and Kelly Mallozzi
• A first look at the innovative QR codes and new technology sweeping the internet
• Creative print related images we love, everything from posters to business cards
• Exploring new technology to better your work and home life
• Collections of articles and resources that we share in order to help Print/Market Service Providers become the most profitable companies in their area

Sienicki also stated that a webinar is being planned in July on how printers can utilize the third largest search tool on the internet to increase sales and service. Access to the new pinboard can be found at www.Pinterest.com/PagePath.

For additional information, you can contact Melissa Sienicki at 630-689-4114 or MSienicki@PagePath.com.

About MyOrderDesk
PagePath’s MyOrderDesk is a Cloud Based solution that combines Web-to-Print, automated proofing, automated pricing, reordering and more. It seamlessly integrates into a printing organization’s existing website or can be used as a standalone site. MyOrderDesk is known throughout the printing industry as the leader in Web-to-Print software.

With MyOrderDesk, a print shop can provide its customers with time savings and convenient 24×7 ordering while the print shop enjoys increased production efficiency, reduced turnaround times, and increased profitability. A demonstration site of MyOrderDesk’s capabilities is available at www.PrintVia.com

About PagePath Technologies
PagePath Technologies, Inc. was founded in 1983 and is headquartered in Plano, Illinois. The firm pioneered the use of the Internet to place orders and transmit documents with an easy to use “point & click” system in 1996. MyOrderDesk was twice named “Product of the Year” by PrintImage International & “Best of Breed” by Xerox.

More information on PagePath’s MyOrderDesk is available at http://www.PagePath.com, or by calling 866-770-7561.

PagePath is conducting research on developing a cross media PURL technology system that will connect with a CRM and SMS messaging system. Mark Boersma, President of Synergy Solutions, stated, “The real magic will be to have one combined system which would take all 5 Areas of business and connect them together. If the solution enhances Marketing, Pre-Sales, Sales, Servicing, and Client for Life, every printer, as well as their clients and prospects will be able to benefit from the PURL.”

PagePath’s vision is that PURL and SMS messaging will generate the lead and then the CRM system will take it and track it all the way through the process. The group will meet via conference line Friday, May 11, 2012 at 11am Central Time. If you are interested in sharing your thoughts or opinions, please fill out the online application at www.PagePath.com/PURLGroup.

For additional information, you can contact Joe Kern at 630-689-4119 or JKern@PagePath.com.

About MyOrderDesk
PagePath’s MyOrderDesk is a Cloud Based solution that combines, Web-to-Print, automated proofing, automated pricing, reordering and more. It seamlessly integrates into a printing organization’s existing website or can be used as a standalone site. MyOrderDesk is known throughout the printing industry as the leader in Web-to-Print software.

With MyOrderDesk, a print shop can provide its customers with time savings and convenient 24×7 ordering while the print shop enjoys increased production efficiency, reduced turnaround times, and increased profitability. A demonstration site of MyOrderDesk’s capabilities is available at www.PrintVia.com

About PagePath Technologies
PagePath Technologies, Inc. was founded in 1983 and is headquartered in Plano, Illinois. The firm pioneered the use of the Internet to place orders and transmit documents with an easy to use “point & click” system in 1996. MyOrderDesk was twice named “Product of the Year” by PrintImage International & “Best of Breed” by Xerox.

More information on PagePath’s MyOrderDesk is available at http://www.PagePath.com, or by calling 866-770-7561.

Web-to-Print Roundtable from PagePath Technologies on Vimeo.

This is the video from our webinar on March 30, 2012. Please feel free to leave a comment with any feedback or questions, or to contact our Vice-President of Marketing, Joe Kern, at 630.689.4119 or our Vice-President of Customer Service, Melissa Sienicki, at 630.689.4114. Enjoy!

What challenges are you facing?
How important is web-to-print in helping with these challenges?
How do I leverage the benefits to close sales?

Joe Kern, Vice President of Marketing for PagePath Technologies, and Melissa Sienicki, Vice President of Customer Service team up to answer your questions on building sales through Web-to-Print.

Joe Kern has been active in the printing industry for 25 years and has worked in every aspect from running a press to general managing a successful print firm in the heart of Chicago. Joe has been a customer of PagePath Technologies, makers of MyOrderDesk, as well as joining the team to develop training, marketing, and pre-sales. Joe’s expertise in printing and web-to-print gives a unique perspective of how to use this technology to build your sales.

Melissa Sienicki, Vice President of Customer Service for PagePath said that her main goal in developing this webinar is to focus on PagePath’s vision of being committed to client profitability. “We are dedicated to providing print and graphic arts firms with the best service possible and to help them become the most profitable printer in their area.”

This Webinar will be held Friday, March 30 at 11 am (PDT), 12 pm (MDT), 1 pm (CDT), and 2 pm (EDT).

Space is limited. Participants can register at: https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/286048778

If you are not able to attend but would like the recording of this session, please register and we will send you a link after the recording is posted.

About MyOrderDesk
PagePath’s MyOrderDesk is a Cloud Based solution that combines, Web-to-Print, automated proofing, automated pricing, reordering and more. It seamlessly integrates into a printing organization’s existing website or can be used as a standalone site. MyOrderDesk is known throughout the printing industry as the leader in Web-to-Print software.

With MyOrderDesk, a print shop can provide its customers with time savings and convenient 24×7 ordering while the print shop enjoys increased production efficiency, reduced turnaround times, and increased profitability. A demonstration site of MyOrderDesk’s capabilities is available at www.PrintVia.com

About PagePath Technologies
PagePath Technologies, Inc. was founded in 1983 and is headquartered in Plano, Illinois. The firm pioneered the use of the Internet to place orders and transmit documents with an easy to use “point & click” system in 1996. MyOrderDesk was twice named “Product of the Year” by PrintImage International & “Best of Breed” by Xerox.

More information on PagePath’s MyOrderDesk is available at http://www.PagePath.com, or by calling 866-770-7561.

Melissa Sienicki
PagePath Technologies
Vice President of Customer Service
MSienicki@pagepath.com
630-689-4114

One of the biggest challenges any printing company faces today is building and maintaining new print sales.

What if we could show you effective measures for using the tools of Web-to-Print to build sales and bolster customer service and retention?

Joe Kern, Vice President of Marketing for PagePath Technologies, and Melissa Sienicki, Vice President of Customer Service team up to present proven methods of building sales through Web-to-Print.

Joe Kern has been active in the printing industry for 25 years and has worked in every aspect from running a press to general managing a successful print firm in the heart of Chicago. Joe has been a customer of PagePath Technologies, makers of MyOrderDesk, as well as joining the team to develop training, marketing, and pre-sales. Joe’s expertise in printing and web-to-print gives a unique perspective of how to use this technology to build your sales.

Melissa Sienicki, Vice President of Customer Service for PagePath said that her main goal in developing this webinar is to focus on PagePath’s vision of being committed to client profitability. “We are dedicated to providing print and graphic arts firms with the best service possible and to help them become the most profitable printer in their area.”

This Webinar will be held Friday, February 24 at 11 am (PDT), 12 pm (MDT), 1 pm (CDT), and 2 pm (EDT).

Space is limited. Participants can register at:
https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/117631290

If you are not able to attend but would like the recording of this session, please register and we will send you a link after the recording is posted.

About MyOrderDesk
PagePath’s MyOrderDesk is a Cloud Based solution that combines, Web-to-Print, automated proofing, automated pricing, reordering and more. It seamlessly integrates into a printing organization’s existing website or can be used as a standalone site. MyOrderDesk is known throughout the printing industry as the leader in Web-to-Print software.

With MyOrderDesk, a print shop can provide its customers with time savings and convenient 24×7 ordering while the print shop enjoys increased production efficiency, reduced turnaround times, and increased profitability. A demonstration site of MyOrderDesk’s capabilities is available at www.PrintVia.com

About PagePath Technologies
PagePath Technologies, Inc. was founded in 1983 and is headquartered in Plano, Illinois. The firm pioneered the use of the Internet to place orders and transmit documents with an easy to use “point & click” system in 1996. MyOrderDesk was twice named “Product of the Year” by PrintImage International & “Best of Breed” by Xerox.

More information on PagePath’s MyOrderDesk is available at http://www.PagePath.com, or by calling 866-770-7561.
Melissa Sienicki
PagePath Technologies
Vice President of Customer Service
MSienicki@pagepath.com
630-689-4114

What would a printer give to have more leads, better leads, and stronger leads?

Printers need to considered that different personalities react differently to the various messages that we send?

Mark Boersma, President of Synergy Solutions, Inc., & Joe Kern, Vice President of Marketing at PagePath Technologies, will walk you through the four basic personality types, how to recognize them, and how to design a marketing and sales strategy that will increase your lead conversions.

This session is not only designed specifically forPrint/Marketing Service Providers, but for their customers as well. Printers should free to invite their clients so that they too can benefit from this selling magic.

This is the second of a series of Webinars that will be held Friday, September 2nd at 11 am (PDT), 12 pm (MDT), 1 pm (CDT), and 2 pm (EDT).

Space is limited. Register now by clicking the link below:
https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/376934274

If you are not able to attend but would like the recording of this session, please register and we will send you a link after the recording is posted.

Print & Marketing Service Providers can now create ezMerge templates that will auto-generate QR Codes and Code 128 Barcodes and place them into the end user’s document for printing.

Phillip Grandsard, the Lead Software Engineer on the project stated, “QR Codes are becoming mainstream in the United States. We felt that adding this innovative feature would allow for greater return for the Print Service Provider.”

A sample order form of the QR Code functionality can be viewed at http://www.PrintVia.com/?L=B&P=6315&O=333750 or you can view an online video illustrating the simplicity of set-up at http://vimeo.com/pagepath/qrcodes.

For additional information on PagePath and its Web-to-Print product MyOrderDesk call 866.770.7561 or email info@pagepath.com

About MyOrderDesk
PagePath’s MyOrderDesk is an eCommerce solution that combines, Web-to-Print, automated proofing, automated pricing, reordering and more. It seamlessly integrates into a printing organization’s existing website or can be used as a standalone site. MyOrderDesk is known throughout the printing industry as the leader in Web-to-Print software.

With MyOrderDesk, a print shop can provide its customers with time savings and convenient 24×7 ordering while the print shop enjoys increased production efficiency, reduced turnaround times, and increased profitability. A demonstration site of MyOrderDesk’s capabilities is available at www.PrintVia.com

About PagePath Technologies
PagePath Technologies, Inc. was founded in 1983 and is headquartered in Plano, Illinois. The firm pioneered the use of the Internet to place orders and transmit documents with an easy to use “point & click” system in 1996. MyOrderDesk was twice named “Product of the Year” by PrintImage International & “Best of Breed” by Xerox.

More information on PagePath’s MyOrderDesk is available at http://www.PagePath.com, or by calling 866-770-7561.

The companies have decided that letting customers control the buying process is the best way to prevent buyer’s remorse and returns.

Instead of feeling pressured, time, tools and information are lavished on the customer. Buyers are relaxed and unhurried when making the buying decision at their own pace.

While the companies used in these examples are Web based, their deliberate style of slow selling includes ideas that could be used in other types of businesses.

* One seller of eyeglasses removes the pressure of choosing frames by using technology, instead of a salesperson standing by. The customer uploads his or her photo to a website, where they can take as much time as they like to see how they look in any of the eyeglass frames.

* The Kaplan Commitment program ensures that students make an informed decision before paying for school. Kaplan lets them enroll in classes for over a month and determine if the courses are the right fit to meet their needs.

The slow selling trend is designed to reduce the costs of post-purchase regret and returns, customer service time, negative feedback and loss of future sales. Getting a customer to buy takes more time, but the technique empowers the customer to contemplate, choose and commit.

According to Inc. advisors, the lifetime value of a customer is defined not by how much he or she buys, but by how strongly he or she attaches to and defends a brand choice.

For the Web savvy shopper, the more perfect alignment of information means the responsibility is now theirs to be satisfied. If customers are treated with patience and the reins of the sales process are handed over to them, they will take care of the rest.

Joe Kern  is Vice President of  Marketing/Customer Service at PagePath Technologies. PagePath was founded in 1983 and is headquartered in Plano, Illinois. PagePath’s MyOrderDesk is an eCommerce solution that combines, Web-to-Print, automated proofing, pricing, reordering and more. It seamlessly integrates into a printing organization’s existing website or can be used as a standalone site. MyOrderDesk is known throughout the printing industry as the leader in Web-to-Print software.

Congratulations go out to Taylor Elder of Lange Graphics, Inc, winner of PagePath’s iPad Give-A-way.

Founded in 1977, Lange Graphics is a premier printing firm located in Denver, Colorado that specializes in quality commercial printing, premium printed plastics and vinyl products as well as on-demand digital printing and envelopes.Taylor comment on his win by saying “I still can’t believe I won. When you called I really did not believe it. Thanks for the generosity of PagePath Technologies”

For additional information on PagePath and its Web-to-Print product MyOrderDesk contact us at 866.770.7561 or info@pagepath.com

About MyOrderDesk

PagePath’s MyOrderDesk is an eCommerce solution that combines, Web-to-Print, automated proofing, automated pricing, reordering and more. It seamlessly integrates into a printing organization’s existing website or can be used as a standalone site. MyOrderDesk is known throughout the printing industry as the leader in Web-to-Print software.

With MyOrderDesk, a print shop can provide its customers with time savings and convenient 24×7 ordering while the print shop enjoys increased production efficiency, reduced turnaround times, and increased profitability. A demonstration site of MyOrderDesk’s capabilities is available at www.PrintVia.com

About PagePath Technologies

PagePath Technologies, Inc. was founded in 1983 and is headquartered in Plano, Illinois. The firm pioneered the use of the Internet to place orders and transmit documents with an easy to use “point & click” system in 1996. MyOrderDesk was twice named “Product of the Year” by PrintImage International & “Best of Breed” by Xerox.

More information on PagePath’s MyOrderDesk is available at http://www.PagePath.com, or by calling 866-770-7561.

January 25, 2011

MyOrderDesk users can now automatically generate invoices using Intuit’s #1 rated small business accounting software without the drudgery of retyping. Phillip Grandsard, Senior Software Engineer at PagePath stated, “As we continue to develop ground breaking features for MyOrderDesk itself, we are always looking for ways to partner with other excellent solutions that improve efficiency and productivity for our customers. Our new QuickBooks module accomplishes that and more.”

For additional information on MyOrderDesk and the QuickBooks module, contact PagePath at 866.770.7561 or info@pagepath.com

PagePath’s leading Web2print solution, MyOrderDesk, delivered its three millionth order to K2 Graphic Services in Pompano, FL on November 11th 2010. K2 Graphic Services, Inc. is a full service printing company providing photography, design, bindery, specialty products and more.

Dave Goga, president of K2 Graphics Services said “We at K2 have always prided ourselves on being technology leaders. When PagePath introduced us to MyOrderDesk, we saw an opportunity to serve our customers with an advanced, yet easy to use, Web-to-Print solution. We’re proud that it was one of our customers that sent the three-millionth job! Thanks PagePath for your great service, support and product.”

About MyOrderDesk
PagePath’s MyOrderDesk is an eCommerce solution that combines, Web-to-Print, automated proofing, automated pricing, reordering and more. It seamlessly integrates into a printing organization’s existing website or can be used as a standalone site. MyOrderDesk is known throughout the printing industry as the leader in Web-to-Print software.

With MyOrderDesk, a print shop can provide its customers with time savings and convenient 24×7 ordering while the print shop enjoys increased production efficiency, reduced turnaround times, and increased profitability. A demonstration site of MyOrderDesk’s capabilities is available at www.PrintVia.com

About PagePath Technologies
PagePath Technologies, Inc. was founded in 1983 and is headquartered in Plano, Illinois. The firm pioneered the use of the Internet to place orders and transmit documents with an easy to use “point & click” system in 1996. MyOrderDesk was twice named “Product of the Year” by PrintImage International & “Best of Breed” by Xerox.

More information on PagePath’s MyOrderDesk is available at http://www.PagePath.com, or by calling 866-770-7561.

PagePath’s leading Web2print solution, MyOrderDesk now seamlessly integrates with Onpoint Connect Shipping. The integration enables MyOrderDesk users to ship via UPS, FedEx, DHL, USPS, company truck and local courier from a single, web-based interface. The tight integration allows for scheduled shipments to flow from MyOrderDesk directly into Onpoint Connect Shipping, eliminating manual keying. In addition, tracking numbers and other important data flow back to MyOrderDesk as part of an automated reporting workflow.
“Our goal is to integrate with leading partners in our space to extend the value and usability of MyOrderDesk,” stated Jim Dummer, VP of Sales at PagePath. “It’s part of our commitment to continually innovate MyOrderDesk to meet the changing needs of our customers.”

“We are very excited to be integrated with MyOrderDesk,” Gary Noseworthy, CEO at Onpoint On Demand. “We focus on delivering affordable, effective software solutions for printers, and we believe that Onpoint Connect Shipping delivers real value for MyOrderDesk users.”

PagePath’s MyOrderDesk is an eCommerce solution that combines, Web-to-Print, automated proofing, automated pricing, reordering and more. It seamlessly integrates into a printing organization’s existing website or can be used as a standalone site. MyOrderDesk is known throughout the printing industry as the leader in Web-to-Print software.

With MyOrderDesk, a print shop can provide its customers with time savings and convenient 24×7 ordering while the print shop enjoys increased production efficiency, reduced turnaround times, and increased profitability. A demonstration site of MyOrderDesk’s capabilities is available at www.PrintVia.com

About PagePath Technologies
PagePath Technologies, Inc. was founded in 1983 and is headquartered in Plano, Illinois. The firm pioneered the use of the Internet to place orders and transmit documents with an easy to use “point & click” system in 1996. MyOrderDesk was twice named “Product of the Year” by PrintImage International & “Best of Breed” by Xerox.

More information on PagePath’s MyOrderDesk is available at http://www.PagePath.com, or by calling 866-770-7561.

About Onpoint On Demand
Onpoint On Demand is a software company focused on delivering innovative and effective automation solutions to the commercial print industry. We focus on delivering affordable solutions that help printers increase margins and reduce costs. More information at www.onpointondemand.com.

When your business is slow, it’s easy to think customers have moved to cheaper printers or decided to do without the services you offer.

Particularly during such times, it’s a good idea to survey present and recently departed customers in order to check the pulse of your printing business.

You’ll probably discover some customers didn’t like the level of service you provide. That’s not pleasant to hear, but complaints of any kind are good. They give you a starting point for improvement.

Many former and present customers are nice people who don’t want to complain. These are the people you need to talk to.

Studies reported by the CornerStone Leadership Institute show that for every person who registers a complaint, there are a couple of dozen who don’t say anything about it at all.

Conversations with customers will show that you really care about them. They will be more loyal to you in the future.

Have you talked to your customers lately? What have they had to say? Post your comments below.

Joe Kern  is Vice President of  Marketing/Customer Service at PagePath Technologies. PagePath was founded in 1983 and is headquartered in Plano, Illinois. PagePath’s MyOrderDesk is an eCommerce solution that combines, Web-to-Print, automated proofing, pricing, reordering and more. It seamlessly integrates into a printing organization’s existing website or can be used as a standalone site. MyOrderDesk is known throughout the printing industry as the leader in Web-to-Print software.

Their objections to the iPhone were based on its lack of connection to Exchange, the Microsoft email software that is the mainstay of the business world. Further, IT managers couldn’t remotely erase data on the handset in the event it was stolen.

The latest versions of the iPhone and iPad address these problems and make the units easier for tech departments to manage.

The IT people can now internally distribute specially developed apps for the iPad without going through Apple’s App Store.

Some companies are offering iPads as an alternative to laptops. Not only are they more convenient to carry, but they cost less than the laptop computers most companies buy.

Another advantage: They are more convenient than laptops when employees travel, work standing up or give a demonstration.

The Wall Street Journal reports that Mercedes-Benz Financial, the provider of car loans and leases, has equipped some dealerships with an iPad loaded with its app.

The goal is to begin the credit application process while customers are standing near a vehicle.

In the medical world, they are being used and tested for viewing medical images such as X-rays and CT scans, and accessing medical records.

Joe Kern  is Vice President of  Marketing/Customer Service at PagePath Technologies. PagePath was founded in 1983 and is headquartered in Plano, Illinois. PagePath’s MyOrderDesk is an eCommerce solution that combines, Web-to-Print, automated proofing, pricing, reordering and more. It seamlessly integrates into a printing organization’s existing website or can be used as a standalone site. MyOrderDesk is known throughout the printing industry as the leader in Web-to-Print software.

Marketing communication are messages and related media used to communicate with a certain market.

Whether you use Internet advertising, direct mail, newspapers or radio, consider these steps.

Step 1:

As you think about advertising that will make a prospective customer aware of your business, remember AIDA principle for your ad:

• Attract Attention.
• Interest.
• Desire.
• Action.

Step 2:

The advertising piece should also create an expectation.

Now that you have made others aware of your product, you must tell how they will benefit from buying it. Remember, they will ask, “How will I benefit from this?” Your ad must provide a good answer to that question before customers will move on to the next step.

Step 3:

Encourage a trial purchase. A sales promotion that is included in the advertising gives customers an incentive to buy right now, says Terence Shimp in his book, Advertising Promotion and Other Aspects of Integrated Marketing Communication.

Step 4:

Help the customer form a positive belief and attitude about your company. When they buy from you for the first time, you have this one opportunity to impress.

The initial contact people have with your business, be it a restaurant, a lawn service or a maker of products, will determine whether the they will come back to buy from you again.

Work with your people so they know how to talk with a customer, be it in person or on the telephone.

Step 5:

Reinforce a customer’s positive belief and attitude.

Be sure to keep the promises made in your advertising.

Your marketing strategy should target a specific type of customer and satisfy a particular customer objective. It should accomplish this while staying within a a budget you have allowed for it.

Joe Kern  is Vice President of  Marketing/Customer Service at PagePath Technologies. PagePath was founded in 1983 and is headquartered in Plano, Illinois. PagePath’s MyOrderDesk is an eCommerce solution that combines, Web-to-Print, automated proofing, pricing, reordering and more. It seamlessly integrates into a printing organization’s existing website or can be used as a standalone site. MyOrderDesk is known throughout the printing industry as the leader in Web-to-Print software.

When Fortune magazine interviewed leaders of large and small firms, they gave a few eye-opening pieces of advice on how to grow a business. Check these out to determine whether any of their formulas could be pivotal growth-growing points in your printing business.

• Find an edge over competition. Look at the industry’s biggest cost and time constraints and focus on those areas of your business.
• Describe your business in one or two words. Own a phrase that illustrates your company or service. Then Google it to see if you have chosen the right one. A beverage company used “enhanced waters.”
• Focus on one measurable priority for your company, not a dozen. For 90 days, focus on one problem in your business.
• Control your cash flow. Construct a business model that fuels your growth without the need for outside financing.
• Use blogs, white papers, YouTube, Twitter and Facebook to flood the Internet and align the business with the phrase you own. They recommend checking out The Shipping Bloke Blog.
• Make changes faster. The fastest-moving companies huddle daily, as if in crisis mode, to drive their priorities.

Joe Kern  is Vice President of  Marketing/Customer Service at PagePath Technologies. PagePath was founded in 1983 and is headquartered in Plano, Illinois. PagePath’s MyOrderDesk is an eCommerce solution that combines, Web-to-Print, automated proofing, pricing, reordering and more. It seamlessly integrates into a printing organization’s existing website or can be used as a standalone site. MyOrderDesk is known throughout the printing industry as the leader in Web-to-Print software.

Being “PCI Compliant” is industry lingo for following the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI-DSS). This standard was developed by the Payment Card Industry Security Standards Council, an independent council originally formed by American Express, Discover, JCB, MasterCard and Visa. They developed a set of policies and procedures intended to optimize the security of credit and debit card transactions and to protect cardholders against misuse of their personal information.

Before the Internet became mainstream in the 90’s, credit and debit cards were mainly used at Point of Sale. Now, almost all online purchases require a credit card in some way. It is estimated that there are 10,000 payment card transactions made every second around the world.

If providing a storefront online, it is essential that you follow PCI Compliance guidelines for both you and your customers’ benefit. Your storefront should implement the following security features as outlined in the PCI-DSS standard:

• Build and Maintain a Secure Network (Set up firewalls and strong password protection)
• Protect Cardholder Data (Cardholder data must be encrypted when stored or transmitted)
• Maintain a Vulnerability Management Program (Run anti-virus/spyware software and keep all other software patched and up to date)
• Implement Strong Access Control Measures (Restrict cardholder data on a need-to-know basis)
• Regularly Monitor and Test Networks (Test your system and monitor access)
• Maintain an Information Security Policy (Build a security policy and maintain it)

Organizations that fail to comply face fines of up to $500,000 if card data is lost or stolen and risk not being allowed to handle cardholder data. These details can be found in your merchant bank agreement.

More information can be found at https://www.pcisecuritystandards.org

Phillip Grandsard  is a Software Developer at PagePath Technologies. PagePath was founded in 1983 and is headquartered in Plano, Illinois. PagePath’s MyOrderDesk is an eCommerce solution that combines, Web-to-Print, automated proofing, pricing, reordering and more. It seamlessly integrates into a printing organization’s existing website or can be used as a standalone site. MyOrderDesk is known throughout the printing industry as the leader in Web-to-Print software.

Plano, IL September 13, 2010: PagePath Technologies announced today that it has upgraded all of its current and new customers to unlimited Job Data storage and no additional charge.

According to Michael Herz, Vice President of Product Support, the new feature enhances the already powerful Web-to-Print Storefront. “By providing our print and marketing service providers with unlimited data storage we are increasing the value added services of MyOrderDesk. Unlimited data storage will allow our customers to pull long term reports, as well as offer their customer a greater length of reordering capabilities.”

The upgrade was rolled out automatically to all accounts. If additional information is needed Herz stated that they can contact their Account Executive or Support directly, or call the office number at 866-770-7561.

PagePath’s MyOrderDesk is an eCommerce solution that combines, Web-to-Print, automated proofing, automated pricing, reordering and more. It seamlessly integrates into a printing organization’s existing website or can be used as a standalone site. MyOrderDesk is known throughout the printing industry as the leader in Web-to-Print software.

With MyOrderDesk, a print shop can provide its customers with time savings and convenient 24×7 ordering while the print shop enjoys increased production efficiency, reduced turnaround times, and increased profitability. A demonstration site of MyOrderDesk’s capabilities is available at www.PrintVia.com

About PagePath Technologies
PagePath Technologies, Inc. was founded in 1983 and is headquartered in Plano, Illinois. The firm pioneered the use of the Internet to place orders and transmit documents with an easy to use “point & click” system in 1996. MyOrderDesk was twice named “Product of the Year” by PrintImage International & “Best of Breed” by Xerox.

More information on PagePath’s MyOrderDesk is available at http://www.PagePath.com, or by calling 866-770-7561.

1. What was the name of the singing cowboy in the musical Oklahoma!?
a-Curley, b-Lucky, c-Frankie, d-Petey.

2. What symbol appears on the helmets worn by the Dallas Cowboys?
a-Pistol, b-Bucking bronco, c-Lasso, d-Star.

3. What kind of cowboy did Glen Campbell sing about in a 1975 hit single?
a-Rhinestone, b-Coca-Cola, c-Electric, d-Midnight.

4. Which of these actors did NOT play an astronaut in the 2000 movie Space Cowboys?
a-Donald Sutherland, b-James Garner, c-Tommy Lee Jones, d-Jack Lemmon.

5. Which Old West figure was portrayed by Howard Keel in the 1953 Doris Day musical Calamity Jane?
a-Buffalo Bill, b-Wild Bill Hickok, c-George Armstrong Custer, d-Wyatt Earp.

6. What country singer, who died at the age of 29, was backed by the Drifting Cowboys?
a-Hank Williams, b-Hawkshaw Hawkins, c-Ray Price, d-Webb Pierce.

7. Marion Michael Morrison was the real name of which western actor?
a-Roy Rogers, b-Gene Autry, c-John Wayne, d-Hoot Gibson.

8. Which song by the Steve Miller Band includes lyrics about being called a “space cowboy?”
a-”Take the Money and Run,” b-”Swingtown,” c-”The Joker,” d-”Jet Airliner.”

9. Which cowboy hero was portrayed by William Boyd on TV and in a series of films from the 1930s?
a-Red Ryder, b-The Cisco Kid, c-Hopalong Cassidy, d-The Lone Ranger.

10. “Should’ve Been a Cowboy” was his first number one country song for what singer in 1993?
a-Trace Adkins, b-Garth Brooks, c-Toby Keith, d-Tim McGraw.

How are you transforming  your company to keep up with technology? Do you have an online store rather than just brick and morter? Are you advertising your business using modern outlets such as Twitter and Facebook instead of just newspapers or flyers? Did you register your company with Internet search engines rather than just the Yellow Pages? Keeping up with the times is key to a business’s success. Don’t let lack of technology retire your business.

Phillip Grandsard  is a Software Developer at PagePath Technologies. PagePath was founded in 1983 and is headquartered in Plano, Illinois. PagePath’s MyOrderDesk is an eCommerce solution that combines, Web-to-Print, automated proofing, pricing, reordering and more. It seamlessly integrates into a printing organization’s existing website or can be used as a standalone site. MyOrderDesk is known throughout the printing industry as the leader in Web-to-Print software.

Here are some situations they have to deal with:

• They have to hire more help almost immediately, which means training costs. If the new customer sells out to another company or quits the contract for some other reason, they will have to let these people go, a painful process that also makes unemployment insurance costs skyrocket.
• The lucky printer may spend so much time on the new account that other customers get less-satisfactory service and, as a result, take their business elsewhere.
• The print firm becomes so involved with the new customer that it fails to keep its advertising program up to date. It isn’t attracting the type of customer that was the mainstream of their business before.
• At Yale School of Management, Professor Constance Bagley says that when you get a big new account, “You can’t stop being scrappy. You have to constantly be thinking that things can change dramatically in 60 to 90 days.”

Quoted in INC., Bagley says big companies are constantly looking for value. You have to figure out your immediate needs and address them. Keep the information flowing, especially information about their costs and their competitors. Talk with the R&D department and the new customer’s leader.

If you do well on this contract, you can use the experience to attract new clients of the same kind.

Joe Kern  is Vice President of  Marketing/Customer Service at PagePath Technologies. PagePath was founded in 1983 and is headquartered in Plano, Illinois. PagePath’s MyOrderDesk is an eCommerce solution that combines, Web-to-Print, automated proofing, pricing, reordering and more. It seamlessly integrates into a printing organization’s existing website or can be used as a standalone site. MyOrderDesk is known throughout the printing industry as the leader in Web-to-Print software.

If you can not always be in front of your computer but you need to be connected to your email at all times because the world will crumble without you; then take it with you where ever you go. Having a desktop or laptop computer does not mean you have to always be in front of it to get your email.

Your cell phone is the one thing that you take everywhere you go. Depending on the phone you have you can get your email delivered right to the palm of your hand for as little at $10 per month (10MB). If you are a heavy email user that gets lots of files sent to you an unlimited data plan can be added for $30 per month.

Now here’s the technical part your cell phone is typically setup by default to use something called IMAP but more than likely your email client on your computer is setup to use POP which means what happens on your phone doesn’t happen on your computer. Changing the setup of your email client on your computer to use IMAP instead of POP can help to resolve that issue. So when you delete a message on your cell phone it will be deleted off of your computer at home and vice versa.

There are other more sophisticated email setups that can be applied when using corporate email such as ActiveSync and BlackBerry that keep your email, calendar, and contacts in sync between your phone and computer in real time.

Don’t let the stress of not being able to leave your computer get you down, go mobile!

Mike Herz is in Tech Support and Sales at PagePath Technologies. PagePath was founded in 1983 and is headquartered in Plano, Illinois. PagePath’s MyOrderDesk is an eCommerce solution that combines, Web-to-Print, automated proofing, pricing, reordering and more. It seamlessly integrates into a printing organization’s existing website or can be used as a standalone site. MyOrderDesk is known throughout the printing industry as the leader in Web-to-Print software.

First and foremost, look at your website. Make sure your design is eye catching and easy to maneuver. Make sure that you have attractive pictures or illustrations that get your customers attention. Customers don’t care about your new press or copier, so don’t clutter your homepage with your proud new pictures. People like to see people. Especially people like you. If you can, stay away from stock photography and hire a professional photographer to take pictures of you and your staff. Tell your customers how you can solve their problems, don’t sell them on the fact that you do great stationery. Sell them on the fact that you can solve what ever problem or need they have.

A second marketing strategy is to promote you service. Get yourself noticed. Send out flyers, business cards, post cards, etc. Hey, you sell direct mail, why not use it to promote yourself. Get yourself noticed on the web as well. Become entrenched in various social networks like Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, Twitter, Delicious, etc. The more access/touch points you have for your customers and prospects, the better off you will be.

Number three, get set up with a good email marketing program. Web applications like Constant Contact are a great way to send marketing materials as well as track your success. Constant Contact also offers autoresponders.  This automated form of a marketing keeps your customers and prospects informed about your services automatically. You literally write the messages and autoresponders send them out on set schedules. Once you set it up the first time, the program does all the work for you. Using an autoresponder to send out advertisements of your product is fast and convenient. Everything is done by email.

Try developing a catchy slogan for your comapny. Think about it, how many slogans can you name, and how many products to you remember because of that slogan. This is a great marketing strategy because it is a way for people to easily remember your business. If they remember or recognize you, they are likely to use you.

Another powerful marketing strategy is the use of SEO (search engine optimization) tactics. I will admit that there is a lot of speculation and false information buzzing around about what is effect SEO. Many place will sell you there SEO services for a couple thousand dollars. I stay away from those people. Buy a book like SEO for Dummies or subscribe to a training service like Lynda.com and do what you can on your own. Effect SEO takes a little work, but most printers are capable of doing the legwork themselves. Using SEO correctly will attract more people to your site. More people on your site means more exposure. More exposure means more leads. More leads can turn into more sales. Get the picture?

Finally, the last marketing strategy is to have great public relations. With good public relations, your business will prosper through word of mouth. Allow customers to submit feedback of your business. Place positive feedback and testimonials on your website. It makes your business look good and customers tend to prefer to use businesses that have positive feedback.

A killer marketing strategy will cost you some time and money, so don’t be fooled by thinking you can do it for next to nothing.  But if you look in the right places and follow some good advice, your marketing strategy should leave you coming out on top.

Joe Kern  is Vice President of  Marketing/Customer Service at PagePath Technologies. PagePath was founded in 1983 and is headquartered in Plano, Illinois. PagePath’s MyOrderDesk is an eCommerce solution that combines, Web-to-Print, automated proofing, pricing, reordering and more. It seamlessly integrates into a printing organization’s existing website or can be used as a standalone site. MyOrderDesk is known throughout the printing industry as the leader in Web-to-Print software.

Dr. Eric Berne developed a theory of Transactional Analysis in the 1950’s. He discovered that changing the interaction between two people was a way of solving emotional issues that could hinder a positive outcome of a conversation. He describes three ego states; Parent, Adult, and Child. The key to a good client interaction is to determine which ego state your client fits in to and then choose an appropriate response.

The Parent ego state represents times where we act like a parent talking to a child; displaying anger, raising your voice, etc. The Adult ego state represents times where we draw on our lifetime of experiences to obtain an objective positive outcome. The Child ego state represents times when we were younger, acting like a child; crying, sulking, shouting, talking back, etc.

The goal is to get both parties to the Adult state. The first step is yours, act like an adult! You should then lead your client through a process to get them to the same level. Most seemingly irrational clients will have adopted the Parent ego state.

1. Listen to your caller’s issues and apologies, whether it’s your fault or not.
2. Sit tight until they have finished complaining. Prior to making the call your customer will no doubt have practiced what they intended to say, and no amount of interrupting will stop them from saying it! To react in either of these ways will prolong the point of resolution.
3. Once your customer realizes you are not going to respond in the way they anticipated they will start to move from Parent state to Adult state.

Of course, some clients just can’t seem to be pleased and will fight you every step of the way. You will have to make a business decision as to whether or not it makes sense to continue doing business with them. But I digress.

Phillip Grandsard  is a Software Developer at PagePath Technologies. PagePath was founded in 1983 and is headquartered in Plano, Illinois. PagePath’s MyOrderDesk is an eCommerce solution that combines, Web-to-Print, automated proofing, pricing, reordering and more. It seamlessly integrates into a printing organization’s existing website or can be used as a standalone site. MyOrderDesk is known throughout the printing industry as the leader in Web-to-Print software.

The answer is tethering.   What is it?  Tethering, is the term when using your mobile phone as a modem to provide the internet connection to your computer.  If you have your trusty laptop and a mobile phone with a data plan you are almost ready to start tethering.  Only a couple of more pieces of the puzzle are needed.

First you will need the same USB cable that you use to sync your mobile phone with your laptop.  Or if your phone and laptop both support BlueTooth you will not need the USB cable.

Secondly you will need the software to make it all happen.  Quite a few mobile phone providers want to sell you an upgrade to your monthly service to do this but no worries you can do it for a one time software purchase of PDAnet for $34 from June Fabrics – PDA Technology Group.  They support many of the PDA type mobile phones such as iPhone, Android, Windows Mobile, Blackberry, Palm OS Treo and Centro.

Once you have the software installed on both your mobile phone and laptop keep in mind that you are still at the mercy of your mobile data plan in regards to coverage area and performance.  In one area you maybe able to make that Skype call via your laptop without any problems but that doesn’t mean it will work everywhere.

Let me know how this article has helped you.

Mike Herz is in Tech Support and Sales at PagePath Technologies. PagePath was founded in 1983 and is headquartered in Plano, Illinois. PagePath’s MyOrderDesk is an eCommerce solution that combines, Web-to-Print, automated proofing, pricing, reordering and more. It seamlessly integrates into a printing organization’s existing website or can be used as a standalone site. MyOrderDesk is known throughout the printing industry as the leader in Web-to-Print software.

Here are some situations they have to deal with:

• They have to hire more help and do it almost immediately, which means training costs. If the new customer sells out to another company or quits the contract for some other reason, they will have to let these people go, a painful process that also makes unemployment insurance costs skyrocket.
• The lucky print company may spend so much time on the new account that other customers get less-satisfactory service and, as a result, take their business elsewhere.
• The print company becomes so involved with the new customer that it fails to keep its advertising program up to date. It isn’t attracting the type of customer that was the mainstream of their business before.
• At Yale School of Management, Professor Constance Bagley says that when you get a big new account, “You can’t stop being scrappy. You have to constantly be thinking that things can change dramatically in 60 to 90 days.”

Quoted in INC., Bagley says big companies are constantly looking for value. You have to figure out your immediate needs and address them. Keep the information flowing, especially information about their costs and their competitors. Talk with the R&D department and the new customer’s leader.

If you do well on this contract, you can use the experience to attract new clients of the same kind.

Joe Kern  is Vice President of  Marketing/Customer Service at PagePath Technologies. PagePath was founded in 1983 and is headquartered in Plano, Illinois. PagePath’s MyOrderDesk is an eCommerce solution that combines, Web-to-Print, automated proofing, pricing, reordering and more. It seamlessly integrates into a printing organization’s existing website or can be used as a standalone site. MyOrderDesk is known throughout the printing industry as the leader in Web-to-Print software.

This type of email isn’t technically spam, but is known as a “phishing” attack. It’s purpose is to trick customers of those banks into providing their login details. They do this by designing the email to look like it’s from the bank but instead of the link in the email taking them to the bank, it takes them to a website designed to look just like their bank. The difference is when the customer tries to login they’ll most likely be presented with an error message telling them to try again later but in fact their user name and password will have been forwarded to the scammer running the fake site.

There are a number of software packages that purport to block these attacks, and while they can help they shouldn’t be relied on for truly sensitive information. Whenever I receive a email tied to an account with sensitive information (bank, broker, credit card, insurance, etc.) I skip clicking on any links within the email and instead manually navigate my browser to their home page in order to login.

This is just one example of a “phishing” attack. If you’d like to learn more about it, check out this Wikipedia article.

William Jens is a Software Developer at PagePath Technologies. PagePath was founded in 1983 and is headquartered in Plano, Illinois. PagePath’s MyOrderDesk is an eCommerce solution that combines, Web-to-Print, automated proofing, pricing, reordering and more. It seamlessly integrates into a printing organization’s existing website or can be used as a standalone site. MyOrderDesk is known throughout the printing industry as the leader in Web-to-Print software.

While some categories, such as paid holidays, are specific, the book’s forward should emphasize that it contains general guidelines. When writing it, advisors at INC. magazine recommend saying “we may” in the book, rather than “we will.”

Avoid making the book sound like a contract and be sure to mention in the preface that policies can be changed at your discretion.

Relationships with employees are governed by many laws. They apply to businesses with one employee or more.

• Harassment and discrimination. State that you are an equal opportunity employer in every way. State that you will not tolerate harassment or discrimination. Outline steps an employee can take to report a violation, such as reporting it to two people. Tell how you respond to discrimination or harassment, and emphasize that the employee who makes the claim will not face retaliation.

• Workweek and hours. Generally tell the days and hours of the workweek and rules for breaks and meals. State which employees are paid for overtime. Tell the difference between an hourly worker and a salaried worker who is not paid for overtime.

• Safety. If workers operate in the printing plant, a safety policy should be given that is commensurate with state and federal regulations. Check with the Department of Labor in your state.

• Attendance, tardiness, dress code, use of the telephone and more. Don’t address minor areas, but focus on your actual needs. Avoid reminding people of the punishment they face for each infraction. Have one category at the end of the book that details discipline.

• Paid time off. Rather than having separate sick days and vacation policies, some businesses offer “paid time off,” which can be used at the employee’s discretion. Unused days can be paid at the end of the year.

• Benefits. Some are specified by state and federal law, such as time off for jury duty and military service. Check the rules.

• Voluntary benefits. More good news. Tell about any health insurance plan, retirement accounts, and other benefits you offer.

• Each employee should sign a statement saying they have received the employee handbook.

Joe Kern  is the Marketing and Customer Care Manager at PagePath Technologies. PagePath was founded in 1983 and is headquartered in Plano, Illinois. PagePath’s MyOrderDesk is an eCommerce solution that combines, Web-to-Print, automated proofing, pricing, reordering and more. It seamlessly integrates into a printing organization’s existing website or can be used as a standalone site. MyOrderDesk is known throughout the printing industry as the leader in Web-to-Print software.

As you keep the bottom line from slipping into the red, there are steps you can take that will improve morale, relieve stress and not cost anything.

Consider these moves made by various bosses quoted in INC and The Wall Street Journal. One or more could position you to move forward as business improves.

• Upgrade job titles even if you can’t pay more or can only make a token increase in pay. Several of your workers could be called “manager” or “director” of some facet of your print shop.

  It’s especially appreciated by people who were out of the workforce for a time before you hired them. They can visualize the title showing up on future resumes. They will, however, probably want to stay with your company, where they already have an important job.

• Let people work from home wherever possible. This is a stretch for your shop personnel, but office staff and desktop people can effectively do this with the right tools. They will appreciate setting their own hours, be they day or night. Working remotely gives them the autonomy that many people like. It makes them feel like entrepreneurs.

• Create a bonus plan in lieu of pay raises. It could be tied to the amount of revenue they generate for the company.

• Hold weekly meetings where they can talk about their jobs. Let them make suggestions and voice complaints about issues you may not be aware of but that you could deal with. One boss met with employees individually. The more he listened, the better they felt.

  Let them be part of the solution, how to increase business and cut costs.

• Make a road map to company progress and share it with your people. Present a detailed plan you will execute over the next few months and in the coming year. Reinforce the company’s vision.

As one boss says, when people are focused on surviving, they forget that the end goal is thriving.

Always be frank about current circumstances, but demonstrate a positive view of the future. You know it’s coming even if you don’t know just when that thriving future will arrive.

Joe Kern  is the Marketing and Customer Care Manager at PagePath Technologies. PagePath was founded in 1983 and is headquartered in Plano, Illinois. PagePath’s MyOrderDesk is an eCommerce solution that combines, Web-to-Print, automated proofing, pricing, reordering and more. It seamlessly integrates into a printing organization’s existing website or can be used as a standalone site. MyOrderDesk is known throughout the printing industry as the leader in Web-to-Print software.

Today’s post is a guest post from Jack Perry. Jack is Vice President of Product Management at Onpoint On Demand. Jack’s role is to help commercial print companies become POD profit leaders through practical application of JDF-enabled technology.

Value stream mapping is a great way to find the waste in any manufacturing process. It provides an illustration of your current workflow along with important data about customer value-added steps, business value-added steps, and customer non value-added steps. Let’s define each of these categories. The best way to categorize the steps in your process is to ask a series of questions for each category. We’ll start with customer non value-added steps because that is typically where most of the waste is.

Customer non value-added steps (CNVA):
Does our process include any of the following: wait time, re-keying of job information, temporary storage, unnecessary movement, redundant inspections or rework, counting or inventory analysis, rushes due to poor planning?
By removing some of these steps, how much lead time (total time to deliver finished goods) could we eliminate from our process?
If we reduce our lead times, how much increased capacity do we yield from existing equipment and personnel?

Ask yourself why you take the non value-added steps you currently take in your workflow. Then ask yourself if each step is really required. Does it contribute to reduced risk? Does it make your company more competitive? Or, is it likely that these superfluous steps simply make you feel better? A common theme I see at commercial print facilities is redundant steps in an effort to quality control the process. Rather than add more steps to the QC effort, error-proof it by applying lean manufacturing disciplines.

Business value-added steps (BVA):
Does this process include any of the following: steps required by regulation, certification or program compliance, steps that reduce business risk, steps that include management visibility into the process, steps that keep the process flowing?

Recognize that these steps are really non-value added, but may be necessary. Do your best to reduce the costs associated with these steps.

Customer value-added steps (CVA):
Does this process include any of the following: steps that add features or functions to the product, steps that contribute directly to manufacturing and delivery, steps that reduce price?

Ask yourself if your customer expects to pay for this step. Often in a manufacturing environment we tend to over produce. In other words, we try to deliver more than the customer expects or will pay for in an effort to please the customer. This is nothing more than waste. Ask yourself is your customer willing to pay extra for the steps you take to over deliver. If the answer is no, stop doing it. Good quality is what the customer expects and nothing more. Having a good understanding of what the client expects is an easy way for your company to be more competitive. By asking simple questions up front, you can eliminate over production and unnecessary cost which will make your pricing and margins better than the printer down the street who hasn’t asked the questions.

How to build a value stream map:
There are different methods of doing this. I like to start with a simple list of steps in the process. It is also standard practice to start building your map from delivery to customer working backwards through the process. But because our industry is so reactive – we jump into action when an order shows up – I like to start from the beginning of the process. Build a simple list of the foundational steps of the process. Here is an example of a list for workflow associated with a web2print production process:

1. receive order notification via email
2. retrieve job ticket and production file
3. re-key job ticket into MIS system
4. schedule job
5. send job ticket and production file into production
6. impose production file.
7. print job
8. finish job
9. ship job
10. update systems
11. invoice

These are just the high level steps in the process. Each step has a number of customer value-added steps, business value-added steps, and customer non-value added steps that must still be identified and documented.

Convert your list to a basic diagram:

Begin to add workflow details to each step:
Example 1: Receive Order Step

1. view email notification
2. click link to job ticket and asset

How long does each step take? Which category does each step belong in? CNVA, BVA, CVA? Is it task time (time it takes to add value to the job) or is it lead time (time it takes to deliver the job but no add value to it)?

Example 2: Retrieve Job Step

1. log into dashboard
2. open job
3. download job ticket
4. download production file[s]
5. log out of dashboard
6. close browser

How long does each step take? Again, which category does each step belong in? And so on…

Begin to add workflow data to your value stream map:

view email: (task time: 15 seconds) CNVA
click link to job ticket and asset: (task time: 3 seconds) CNVA

log into dashboard: (task time: 8 seconds) CNVA
open job: (task time: 15 seconds) CNVA
download job ticket: (task time: 30 seconds) CNVA
download production file: (task time: 1.25 minutes) CNVA
log out of dashboard: (task time: 3 seconds) CNVA
close browser: (task time: 2 seconds) CNVA

For each step, document the wait time, waste, unnecessary movement and effort, rework, counting of inventory, etc. All these items contribute to the total lead time it takes to get the job from receipt to delivery.

You begin to get a visceral understanding of the waste in your workflow. Just in two steps of a very basic process we have found 2.5 minutes of task time and perhaps hours of lead time depending on when the order came in. And none of the time spent contributes to value-added time the customer expects to pay for. Value stream mapping is a great tool for illustrating waste in the process. It also provides wonderful data that can be used to measure costs.  Assume that you process 2,300 web2print orders for 8.5X11 sell sheets each year. In your current process you identify 11 minutes of waste. That’s 421 hours. And at $30 per fully-burdened hour it adds up to $12,630 per year. Ouch! Remove the waste and put the money into your pocket.

How to Improve:
Begin to build a new value stream map that reflects your future state goals. Follow the same steps. Begin with a list of the new steps in the process. Map them at a high level. Fill in the details. Now compare the data for the two maps and you have what you need to begin your process improvement initiative.

Great questions to ask yourself while building a future state map:
Does our customer expect to pay for this step?
Are we overproducing?
Do we really need this quality control step or is it redundant?
How can we error-proof this step so we don’t have to check it again downstream?
Can we use technology to automate what humans do over and over again?

Use value stream mapping often in your lean initiative. You’ll be glad you did.

Look around. Do you know the names of your coworkers? Do you know where they live, what their interests are? Knowing these simple facts creates a sense of fellowship, camaraderie. People who feel welcome and are part of the team treat each other with respect. They try their best not to let each other down, provide help when needed and solve problems together.

A disrespectful person erodes trust, creates conflict and puts others into a bad mood. When this happens, the respect of others vanishes and the person feels isolated, unwanted, or unneeded.

What can we do to gain the respect of others? A respectful sales person learns about their customers’  business, values their time, offers solutions to problems and listens to their needs. A respectful teacher listens to his or her students and helps them understand and learn. A respectful spouse listens, complements and encourages. Listening, understanding and accepting feedback are all tools for respect and being respected.

Stop and reflect on how you communicate with others and decide, “Are you treating them with respect?” Are you empowering them to respect you back?

Phillip Grandsard  is a Software Developer at PagePath Technologies. PagePath was founded in 1983 and is headquartered in Plano, Illinois. PagePath’s MyOrderDesk is an eCommerce solution that combines, Web-to-Print, automated proofing, pricing, reordering and more. It seamlessly integrates into a printing organization’s existing website or can be used as a standalone site. MyOrderDesk is known throughout the printing industry as the leader in Web-to-Print software.

There is a service out there called www.SugarSync.com that will allow you to automatically back up your important files and keep them in sync with other computers with almost no effort.

My suggestion is to sign up for their free version to experiment which allows 2GB of storage and the ability to use it with up to two computers. Simply install the software on the two computers you want to keep in sync, specify the folders (Desktop, My Documents, Favorites, etc) and then using their management interface specify the folders to sync.   For example on computer A I chose the Desktop folder to sync with computer B’s Desktop folder.  This way if I save a file to the Desktop on either computer it will be there.  Now keep in mind that you do need to make sure that you have an internet connection to make this all work.  That doesn’t mean you have to have your computers on all the time.  When you boot up your computer and are connected to the internet it will sync any new changes.

Should you be on the road and not have your trusty laptop with you, you can still access your sync files via a web browser on any computer.  This also works well with providing the ability to share your files with others.

Be aware that not all online back companies provide the capability to sync and share files.  Most are on a per computer license.  Even though they may offer unlimited backup storage for a low yearly fee but does it fit your unique needs?

I’m not saying that SugarSync is the end all be all solution it does have its limitations.  The top future improvements for the product are the support of Outlooks files (pst), mapped network drives and external drives.  Hopefully I’ve given some insight into what other possible options to look for in an online backup solution.

Mike Herz is in Tech Support and Sales at PagePath Technologies. PagePath was founded in 1983 and is headquartered in Plano, Illinois. PagePath’s MyOrderDesk is an eCommerce solution that combines, Web-to-Print, automated proofing, pricing, reordering and more. It seamlessly integrates into a printing organization’s existing website or can be used as a standalone site. MyOrderDesk is known throughout the printing industry as the leader in Web-to-Print software.

Elderly people are often targeted. When threatened with legal action, they may rush to settle.  Another goal of the con artist is to obtain bank account and Social Security numbers. Unless you are a cosigner, you are not responsible for the deceased’s debt and you should not pay, whether or not it’s a legitimate bill.

Police say con artists are ramping up their old false winnings game. In difficult times, people are eager to win at something. Some will send thousands of dollars to “pay taxes in advance” to receive lottery winnings.

After getting the money, the con man disappears.

One type of improper “bill collection” may be initiated by legitimate companies. It involves accounts that are settled for one reason or another. But five or six years later, the company sells a list of old debts to a collection agency for pennies on the dollar. In one case, a cardholder’s brother asked to borrow his card so he could use it “just to check into a hotel.” The brother charged $3,000, moved to another city and couldn’t be found. The card company settled for $1,500. Six years later, a collection agency came after the former cardholder for the balance. In spite of the threats, he insisted the account was settled. He never heard from the collector again.

Other cases involve smaller amounts of money.

A collector called to say a woman owed $55 in bank charges on an account that had been closed for several years. He said he could ruin her credit by reporting that she had a bounced check and never paid for it, which wasn’t true. Though some people would be bullied into sending money, this woman was not.

The AARP Foundation offers advice about fraud. Call 1-800-646-2283 for information.

Jim Dummer is the Sales Manager at PagePath Technologies. PagePath was founded in 1983 and is headquartered in Plano, Illinois. PagePath’s MyOrderDesk is an eCommerce solution that combines, Web-to-Print, automated proofing, pricing, reordering and more. It seamlessly integrates into a printing organization’s existing website or can be used as a standalone site. MyOrderDesk is known throughout the printing industry as the leader in Web-to-Print software.

We’ve turned out the lights and saved power wherever we can, and we’ve checked for every possible savings on material and supplies.

These steps would help any organization preserve the bottom line, but there is one factor that can do more.

Keeping people satisfied with their work is a big item. We all have more to do today. Some of us are wearing two hats, according to job descriptions.

That could be one reason university professors say today’s workplace is rife with rudeness and lack of respect for each other. Some 60 percent of their study respondents say the situation is getting worse.

Workers who are in a hurry may think they don’t have time to be polite. But it saves time in the long run because it increases cooperation and creativity.

Civility goes beyond please and thank you (but those words can help). It includes listening and body language.

A study published in one psychology journal says positive relations with co-workers are a big factor in how people feel from day to day. They are less stressed, even if they are very busy, and more productive.

Besides respecting others, as well as yourself, it’s important to know what makes you angry or frustrated. Decide that when it happens, you will have a solution-driven attitude. Focus on the problem, not the other person.

When one person becomes a role model for civility and respect, those qualities can spread to others.

Joe Kern is the Marketing and Customer Care Manager at PagePath Technologies. PagePath was founded in 1983 and is headquartered in Plano, Illinois. PagePath’s MyOrderDesk is an eCommerce solution that combines, Web-to-Print, automated proofing, pricing, reordering and more. It seamlessly integrates into a printing organization’s existing website or can be used as a standalone site. MyOrderDesk is known throughout the printing industry as the leader in Web-to-Print software.

Putting in a lot of extra hours could help a little, but it’s not the answer. Neither is trying to do two things at once. Some steps that would help:

• Become an expert at what you do. Study the work practices of people who are very efficient and copy them. You will find that they are extremely well organized. Learn from experts in your field.
• Decide what is the most important thing to do. Decide how to do it, then concentrate on that alone until you are finished. No email, phone calls or pleasantries for people who stop by to see you. Tell them you can’t stop now to chat or deal with anything else.
• Be open to new ideas. Consultant Brian Tracy says some overwhelmed people think they already know all they need to know on a subject. Never stop learning.
• Be flexible. Saying “I changed my mind” solves many uncomfortable situations people get into. They stay there because they are unwilling to admit they have changed their minds.
• Face up to mistakes. Saying you made a mistake is a sign of mental maturity, personal strength and individual character.
• Become an expert on time management. Read books, listen to audio programs and take a course. Then practice every day until you master time management skills.

Joe Kern is the Marketing and Customer Care Manager at PagePath Technologies. PagePath was founded in 1983 and is headquartered in Plano, Illinois. PagePath’s MyOrderDesk is an eCommerce solution that combines, Web-to-Print, automated proofing, pricing, reordering and more. It seamlessly integrates into a printing organization’s existing website or can be used as a standalone site. MyOrderDesk is known throughout the printing industry as the leader in Web-to-Print software.

JDF is here to stay and with good reason. It can deliver significant financial, operational and competitive advantage to those companies who leverage it the right way. Here are five reasons why JDF will save  you money:

1. JDF reduces print production costs by removing manual, repetitive steps from the production process. And lower production costs yield higher gross margins
2. JDF shortens lead time, the downtime that eats into a printer’s value add percentage. Shorter lead times yield higher value add
3. JDF optimizes the equipment on the production floor, generating greater productivity out of existing investments. Greater productivity yields faster return on capital invested
4. JDF also makes it easier to manage order volume variations yielding tighter resource management. When volume is down, fewer people on the production floor reduces overhead cost
5. JDF Reduces mistakes. Less mistakes equals less waste.

Getting a flyer printing project to work effectively for your business  is like looking for a husband (or a wife) to be with you through thick and thin, for richer or poorer, till death do you part.

In order for your relationship with your flyer printing project to succeed, it takes a lot of hard work and perseverance. It’s not something that you can just come up with in a flick of your fingers. You need to have the patience to carefully plan your flyer printing design to get the attention of your prospective clients.

What makes an effective and successful flyer printing project? Here are a few of the factors that should be considered in your flyer printing project:

White Space

White space is basically used to lead your target readers’ eyes to the most important part of your flyer printing project.

Contrary to popular belief, your white space is not there to create an aesthetically pleasing appearance in your flyer printing piece. White space is provided to emphasize, as well as provide your eyes with an area in your flyer printing design where they can rest, to be able to see the focal point of your print flyers.

Although it’s a tad tempting to squeeze in as much information in your flyer printing project, always remember that a sea of gray or black text only makes for an overwhelming design that will only confuse your prospective readers.

“S”- Pattern

Actually, the pattern looks more like the letter Z than the S. It is how your target readers’ eyes go when scanning an ad – it starts from the top left corner of your flyer printing ad then ends up at the bottom right.

Although they look at your flyer printing design according to the S-pattern, make sure that you make it easy for your target readers to understand what you have to say to them. It doesn’t do you any good if your target readers suddenly ask whether they’re still reading the same flyer printing piece halfway to your design.

Consistency

Being different is laudable, especially when it makes you stand out from the rest. But making it hard for your target readers to know your top from your tail is also not commendable.

People expect consistency in whatever marketing material they come across (e.g. brochure printing, flyer printing, postcard printing, catalog printing). They want to see certain elements at certain areas of your flyer printing piece. And believe it or not, they do look for them whenever they look at your flyer printing ad.

Simplicity

Always keep your flyer printing project simple and short. People have other things to do aside from skimming through your print flyers. So make it easy for them to get your message fast. Don’t put too much elements that will only make them distracted. Include fewer elements in your flyer printing project.

Joe Kern is the Marketing and Customer Care Manager at PagePath Technologies. PagePath was founded in 1983 and is headquartered in Plano, Illinois. PagePath’s MyOrderDesk is an eCommerce solution that combines, Web-to-Print, automated proofing, pricing, reordering and more. It seamlessly integrates into a printing organization’s existing website or can be used as a standalone site. MyOrderDesk is known throughout the printing industry as the leader in Web-to-Print software.

There are a handful to chose from but they pretty much do the same thing- allow you to surf the web. And what you have to be careful of are the multitude of add-ons and plug-ins and tool bars available. There are some that I would consider a necessity: Adobe Flash, Adobe Acrobat, Java, Microsoft Silverlight to name a few. These allow you to access the content on almost any web page you visit.

For your business PC this should be good enough. But alas, there are tool bars for almost every search engine, plug-ins that let you play games or stream music, plug-ins which offer to optimize your PC or Internet connection. These are not required in a business environment, so don’t install them! Not only could they slow your PC down, they could also cause conflicts with other programs or even be malicious. I have been called several times to help friends and family that somehow have downloaded viruses or spyware. They usually masquerade as anti-virus programs or toolbars that will make searching easier. If you are running your business from a PC it’s best to keep it lean and mean and only run the software you require.

Phillip Grandsard  is a Software Developer at PagePath Technologies. PagePath was founded in 1983 and is headquartered in Plano, Illinois. PagePath’s MyOrderDesk is an eCommerce solution that combines, Web-to-Print, automated proofing, pricing, reordering and more. It seamlessly integrates into a printing organization’s existing website or can be used as a standalone site. MyOrderDesk is known throughout the printing industry as the leader in Web-to-Print software.

You may not be sure exactly which role the new person will fill, but you know you need help. Decide first if you are looking for someone to take on some of your responsibilities or for someone to whom you can delegate tasks. If you want to delegate, carry a clip board around for a day or two and list everything you do. This will help you create a job description.

The Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE) has another idea: Consider whether you could use someone with skills you don’t have.

What skills are you weak in that might make your business grow?  In your job ad, give a clear outline of duties. Play up the opportunity to influence the direction of the business, advise consultants quoted in Money.

For the interviews, SCORE recommends:

• * Provide candidates with a company profile in advance so they can relate their experience to your company.
• Prepare a list of questions. Use openended questions like “Tell us about a challenge you overcame in your work life.”
• Allow a full hour between interviews. Create a relaxed environment and spend 30 to 45 minutes with each candidate. Use the rest of the hour to write down your thoughts of the person immediately after the interview.
• Ask each person the same questions so you can compare their answers.
• Be careful not to dominate the discussion. You should talk only 20 percent of the time and encourage the candidate to speak 80 percent of the time. The more they talk, the better picture you will have of them.
• When looking at candidates’ employment histories, be wary of someone who moved around a lot, particularly for more money.

Class registration, $49 per class, will give participants access to the live webinar classes as well as the recorded video of the session and any slide deck or class materials. To register for a class, click the links below. If you have any questions on the classes themselves, feel free to contact Joe Kern at 866-770-7569 or by email at jkern@pagepath.com

Facebook Marketing 101 for Printers

Next session, Janaury 15, 2010 at 1:00pm Central

Twitter Marketing 101 for Printers

Next session, Janaury 22, 2010 at 1:00pm Central

Blog Marketing 101 for Printers

Next session, Janaury 29, 2010 at 1:00pm Central

I’ve always been a Fundamentals kind of guy. The first company I worked for, UARCO Business Forms, had a fantastic sales motto. It said, “Solve the problem. Earn the order.” How can you go wrong with a foundation like that? I believe that regardless of the economy, the fundamentals do not change. It’s amazing to me that there are still people out there who “sell printing.” What are they thinking? Have they never heard of Dale Carnagie? Even today I was coaching a guy who told me he goes door to door. That really shocked me, but his lack of success as a sales rep did not. So, I model every program I put together after what I learned way back when about solving problems.

When was the last time that you sat with a client and talked about his challenges? Fears? Opportunities? Did you ever wonder why no one returns your voice mails? You complain about the lack of courtesy but maybe your messages, well, suck! Why not learn to talk about THEM and not you; about solutions and not printing? Hey, if what you are doing is working, that’s cool, but is it really working?

Do you want to know how to grow your business? Here’s a freebie for you. These are the fundamentals:

• Diligence
• Call Quality
• Creativity
• Differentiation
• Luck

Improve the quality of your calls. Make them relevant to the customer. Increase the quantity of calls and be pleasantly persistent. There you go. In four sentences, I just gave you a world of wisdom. Want more? Take the Sales Challenge. I start a new one every month (HEY! There’s another sign up coming in now!). I’d be happy to help you!

Bill Farquharson has a long history of driving sales momentum through his various training programs and initiatives. Every Monday, over 4,000 people from all over the world listen to Bill’s free audio—and now video!—sales tip, which ranges in subjects such as time management to overcoming objections to beating voice mail. Bill is unapologetically Old School in his thinking and coaching, but New Age in his approach and communication style. As a columnist and Blogger for Graphic Arts Monthly, Bill shares wit and wisdom from the experienced mind of a 27 year print sales veteran. Bill can be reached at bill@aspirefor.com or by calling 781-934-7036.

1. “I’ve got some bad news, folks. Christmas has been canceled.”
2. “Lord, help the mister, that comes between me and my sister. And lord help the sister, that comes between me and my man.”
3. “Do you really think I would check thousands of little lights if I didn’t think the extension cord was plugged in?”
4. “Your Santa Claus is intoxicated!”
5. “I won’t let all this commercialism ruin my Christmas.”
6. “You’re soft! You’re sloppy! You’re unruly! You’re undisciplined … and I never saw anything look so wonderful in my whole life.”
7. “Oh sure – imagination is when you can see things but they’re not really there.”
8. “Okay, this is extremely important. Will you please tell Santa that instead of presents this year, I just want my family back?”
9. “You see gum on the street, leave it there. It isn’t free candy.”
10. Charlie, stay away from those things. They’re reindeer, you don’t know where they’ve been. They all look like they’ve got key lime disease.

Answer the following:

1. Who wrote the original story that “A Christmas Story” was based on?
2. According to the 2003 Movie “Elf” what is the best way to spread Christmas Cheer?
3. What was the name of the angel that helped James Stewart in “It’s a Wonderful Life”?
4. In the 1988 film “Scrooge,” the character played by Bill Murray is a cold-hearted…?
5. What State is the movie “White Christmas” based in?
6. Who lost $8,000 in It’s a Wonderful Life?
7. What was the name of Rudolph’s dogsled driving friend?
8. In A Charlie Brown Christmas, who plays the dusty innkeeper in the Christmas play?
9. In It’s A Wonderful Life, what two friends share their names with two Sesame Street characters?
10. Which hospital is Kris Kringle taken to in Miracle on 34th Street?
11. In National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, with what is Clark planning to surprise the family as a present?
12. In what building does Buddy the Elf’s biological father work?

Post your answers below. Have a Wonderful Holiday Season!

My point here is that your backups don’t protect your data unless you can do a restore. With that in mind, ask yourself a few key questions.

When was the last time you tested restoring critical data and when is it scheduled to be tested again?

• Who’s responsible for this and can you see the results?
• Do you know how long it will take to get your critical data back in working order?

Are your backups treated like the invaluable resources that they truly are?

• Are they rotated offsite in a secure fashion (ideally encrypted in case of theft)?
• Do you keep backups over a period of time in case you need to recover data from long ago? Not all data loss is immediately apparent and even backup tapes can fail.

What is your restore plan if critical equipment is missing? For example:

• Backup system is unavailable (e.g., broken tape drive).
• Equipment using that data is unavailable (e.g., server hard drive failure).
• Physical location is gone (e.g., fire, flood, etc.).

Don’t put blind faith in the “Backup Success” message generated by your backup software. Setup a process to periodically verify that your most critical data can be restored and build a plan to address the various scenarios that would require data restoration (e.g., file deletion, equipment failure, catastrophes).

William Jens is a Software Developer at PagePath Technologies. PagePath was founded in 1983 and is headquartered in Plano, Illinois. PagePath’s MyOrderDesk is an eCommerce solution that combines, Web-to-Print, automated proofing, pricing, reordering and more. It seamlessly integrates into a printing organization’s existing website or can be used as a standalone site. MyOrderDesk is known throughout the printing industry as the leader in Web-to-Print software.

The Webinar will discuss PagePath’s Solutions for:

• Web2Print
• Auto PDF Creation
• Inventory Management
• eCatalog Systems
• Online Pricing
• Shopping Cart Check Out
• Much More

Register for a session now by clicking a date below:
Wed, Jan 13, 2010 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM CST
Wed, Jan 27, 2010 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM CST

Once registered you will receive an email confirming your registration
with information you need to join the Webinar.

System Requirements
PC-based attendees
Required: Windows® 2000, XP Home, XP Pro, 2003 Server, Vista

Macintosh®-based attendees
Required: Mac OS® X 10.4 (Tiger®) or newer

Today’s post is a guest post by Margie Dana. Margie is well known throughout the printing and buying community as an independent marketing specialist who focuses on improving the printer-buyer relationship. She was a corporate print buyer for 15 years. In 1997, Margie founded her first business (www.printconsulting.com) to shine a light on the printing industry. She’s an accomplished copywriter, marketing specialist, and popular public speaker. You can reach Margie at (617) 730-5951 or send an email to mdana@BostonPrintBuyers.com.

1. You’re in the Communications Business.

Whether or not Twitter is a flash in the pan or here for the long haul, it’s currently gaining popularity among adults. (According to the Pew Internet & American Life Project, 1 in 5 Americans use Twitter or another social service.) It’s a very popular way to communicate digitally. Try it if only to know what it’s like. Take part in the digital dialogue or risk being left behind.

2. You Can Build Relationships for Business.

Find & follow other print buyers as well as designers, paper pros, printers, mail specialists, direct marketers, and on and on. These relationships can and do yield value. You’ll get questions answered, discover new resources, and learn about events, books, articles, and news items that are meaningful to you.

3. You Can Keep Up with Industry Changes.

Breaking news in and around print and the graphic arts, as well as the ‘bigger picture’ of Media, is reported on Twitter. If you follow the right people as well as the right media outlets, you will regularly be in the know.

4. You Can Add Value for Your Employer.

The role of the professional print buyer is changing radically. Now is the time to actively add value as you evolve to reflect current business trends. Being on Twitter will open your eyes to new ways of doing business, new ideas to bring to your firm. If you’ve chosen your followers wisely, they will all have something to offer you. And if you’re looking for employment, you might get some solid leads. If nothing else, people in the field will get to know you.

5. It’s Free, and It’s Easy.

There’s really no excuse for you not to give Twitter a shot. Participate as much or as little as you want. I visit it a few times each day to see if there’s news or posts or events or fresh ideas that intrigue me.

I find that being on Twitter gets me outside of my own head. Tweets by folks I follow expand my world cumulatively – 140 characters at a time. I learn about all kinds of creative ways to be a professional communicator as well as a professional in communications. If this old dog keeps learning new tricks, you can, too.

That was the income in 1969 when John S. Barry took over operations. He immediately decided to eliminate all but one company product, WD-40, and he renamed the company after it.

Soon after, he introduced the trademarked blue and yellow aerosol can. For the next 25 years, the company’s single product, packaging, and sales strategy remained virtually unchanged, according to the editors of INC. magazine.

Others in the company wanted to advertise WD-40 as an industrial, automotive or hardware product. But Barry wanted to keep the product in the public domain so both individuals and companies would buy it, use it and keep it on hand.

It must have been a good idea, because by 2008, sales of WD-40 hit $317 million. The product was sold through almost 70 different channels.

Barry would find out what worked and keep on doing it. And though he retired from the board in 1999, his formula still works.

When WD-40 was rolled out in China, it was with essentially the program that was introduced in 1972.

In Leigh Buchanan’s story for Inc on Barry, she notes that John Barry was a simple and humble man. If anyone asked him what he did, he would say he worked in a warehouse.

And he saved money. When he had meetings outside of the office, they were often held at Denny’s. He believed in his product and wanted everyone who worked for the company to believe in it too. When he visited the home of a man from his ad agency, he noticed a squeaky gate.

He was not happy and wondered how, if his ad people weren’t convinced they should stop squeaks, how could they know how to convince America?

The man who stopped the squeaks died in July at the age of 84.

What is your advertising strategy?

Like many blogs, this one grew out of a personal experience that got me worked up and I remain worked up about it. So, we’ll call this blog therapy. I recently had a friend relate a troubling story to me.

My Friend Rides The Wrong Horse (“But It Felt So Good”)

He was a long time employee of Company X, which he joined when he was young – his first job in fact. When he joined, it seemed pretty cool that he was being paid more money than most of his peers in other jobs. He got a raise whenever others in the company got a raise, and he soon learned that it didn’t matter how hard he worked. In fact, his older “wiser” coworkers made it clear to my friend, that the FNG (e.g. “new guy”) should not excel or “show off”. That was a BIG no-no and would not be tolerated. His pay was determined by “suits” in a locked room. The workers’ advocate was a nameless, faceless lawyer-looking big shot “suit”- an impressive guy with a brand new luxury car each year.

A few years ago, the company was struggling – really in financial trouble. My friend saw it on the news. But amazingly, he still got nice raises. The big shot negotiators boasted they had simply threatened the company owners, giving them two choices:

1. Give the collective bargaining units the pay bumps they were “due” or
2. They would strike and put the company out of business. Hmm, pay what you cannot afford or be put out of business. Call me whacked, but this sure sounds like, “Give me what I want or I will hurt you”. Don’t people go to jail for that?

Back to the Point

So, care to guess what happened to my friend 6 weeks ago?  Some of you already know!  The company was REALLY in financial trouble earlier this year. When the negotiations were completed this time, after the same old Door Number 1 “give us what we want” or Door Number 2 “we’ll hurt you” ultimatums, it turns out the company owners had found a Door Number 3: move manufacturing to Malaysia and say, bye-bye to the glorified blackmailing. Doh!

Just Another Casualty of the Struggling Economy?

My friend is deeply depressed. He is pissed off (at the &^%$ company). He is 54 years old and has basically one narrow skill. And now there’s thousands of people in the unemployment line with the same skill. How many people do you know in this position?  How many stories sound alike?  How many storytellers blame “the company”?  How often do you hear how “un-American” corporations are being when they move manufacturing, or begin buying from, another country? I feel terrible for my friend but I think blame might be better placed a number of years back and in a different direction than “that greedy &^%$ corporation”.

I Thought This Was About Salespeople’s Union!

Right, the original point! So, I have these two other friends. They have had at least 6 or 8 jobs in the same time as my now-unemployed friend. They have made great money some years and not-so-great in other years.

But guess what?

They are both employed right now and they’ve never been unemployed for more than a few days. Why? Because they are survivors! Early on, they learned if they got up earlier, made more sales calls, and generally worked harder, they made more money. They have also worked at jobs that were “beneath” them when they had to. In the process they have learned about many different things and in my humble opinion; they have more eagerness and spirit than pride. What a system! Call me whacked, but it sounds a lot like the original immigrants that built our country. It sounds pretty flippin’ American to me!

I Changed My Mind – Now it’s About How Valuable and Impressive Salespeople Are!

Based on my observations over a number of years, I assert as inarguable, that the Sales division/department of ANY company is the most valuable – THE most important function of ANY company. Let your mind wander a bit. Look at organizations you know. Imagine if the salespeople were part of a collective bargaining group – if actual sales performance were irrelevant. Time on the job would determine the pay rate! Sell more, sell less, all receive the same pay. I asked a few salespeople this question and they just looked at me… blink… blink. It would not even process for them. One blurted out a huge sailor curse string. One laughed and walked away (to make more phone calls).

My Gratitude

I am not a salesperson at PagePath Technologies. I am certainly eager and I know I work very hard, but I am one of the those who benefit by the MyOrderDesk salespeople’s efforts. I am a business manager. And I’m grateful that most, if not all salespeople (at least the ones I know) think they’ll be just fine “bargaining” on their own (I believe it’s in our country’s best interest also). God’s blessed America.

How valuable are your salespeople? Think they’d benefit from a labor union? Love to hear you comments.