Rocket Toward
Better Business
You don't have to wear a NASA suit or own a pocket protector to understand that growth in today's business atmosphere takes more than selling products. Delivering items such as invoices and business cards can bring our companies praise, but customers today expect more than high-quality products, low prices and delivery in T-minus-nine seconds. They need--they often demand--services that will save them time and money.
"Customers today
expect more than high-quality items, low prices and delivery in T-minus-nine
seconds."
Business is skyrocketing for some distributors specializing in value-added offerings. Our cover story this month, "Blasting Off with Services" (page 44), takes an in-depth look at four firms that have reached new heights by launching different services: fulfillment and warehousing, electronic statement processing, creative services, and consulting. The article, written by assistant editor Rita Tiefert, explains why the distributorships chose to offer services, how they overcame challenges, and what key concepts they used to blast off successfully.
After you explore the cover story's service-oriented insight, read about a powerful tool distributors can use during re-entry (re-entry into hospital accounts, that is). A government pilot study released April 30 says group purchasing organizations such as Novation and Premier--often the nemesis of distributors targeting the medical market--don't always save hospitals as much money as they promise. In fact, "there were several instances in which individual hospitals using large GPOs' contracts paid prices that were at least 25 percent higher than prices negotiated by hospitals on their own," the study says.
Some distributors already have used the study, which DMIA acquired and publicized on the association's members-only broadcast email system, to gain lucrative business. "A New Tool to Win Hospital Accounts" (page 62) is a must-read article for printing pros who target the health-care niche. (You can download a PDF version of the study at www.printsolutionsmag.com/pdf/gaoreport.pdf).
This issue also includes a profile of a distributorship--Executive Data Control Inc. in Springfield, Mo.--whose high-tech leaders are very down-to-earth. The company began in 1967 as a traditional forms distributorship, but has evolved into a provider of electronic forms, one-to-one marketing, commercial printing, advertising specialties, graphic design services and more. Learn more about the distributorship by turning to "Hitting the Right Notes" (page 18).
Companies that deliver value-added services are more likely to grow than firms that focus solely on products. What new services can your firm launch? A world of opportunity is out there...
Darin Painter
Managing Editor
Judging the Book by Its Award-Winning Cover
Roxanne Rash, Print Solutions' art director and production manager, won an award for the lenticular cover of the September 2001 issue. The award, Rash's 27th during her 10 years on the magazine, was from the 2002 Society of National Association Publications EXCEL Awards contest, which attracted nearly 900 entries in multiple categories. Rash won a silver award in the cover illustration category. The magazine staff has won 69 awards for writing, design and online excellence in 13 consecutive years.
Profile Brings 2 Awards
Darin Painter, Print Solutions' managing editor, won two awards for his story "Nothing for Granted," a profile of DMIA President Mark Trumper that appeared in the September 2001 issue.
These latest awards, Painter's 8th and 9th in his three-plus years on the magazine, are from the prestigious American Society of Business Publication Editors Awards Competition, which is open to any nationwide printed business publication. The contest drew more than 2,000 entries. Painter won a silver award in the Individual Profile category in the East region and a silver award in the nationals.
Print Solutions has amassed 68 awards for writing, design and online excellence in 13 consecutive years.
Editor in
Chief
Peter L. Colaianni, CAE
Vice President, Publications & New
Media
Brad Holt
Managing Editor
Darin Painter
Assistant Editors
Kara S. Carpenter
Rita Tiefert
Circulation Manager
Diane Saunders
Art Director/Production
Manager
Roxanne Rash
Contributing Editors
Mark J. Trumper
J. Buster Weinzierl, CDC
Publications Committee
Gary W. Nelson,
Chairperson
Allen
Conway
Ric Fisher
Ginger Garrett
Dennis King
Kevin Lombardo
Marvin A.
Makofsky, CFC
Markus
Marfurt
Dominic
Mencarini
Donald D.
Patteson, Jr.
Nick Nesci,
CFC
Jeffrey P.
Townsend, CFC
Mark
Trumper
Advertising Sales
Jack
Burris
The Townsend
Group Inc.
4920 Elm St.,
Ste. 325
Bethesda, MD
20814
Phone: (301)
215-6710
Fax: (301)
215-7704
Print Solutions
Online
Print Solutions,
the only industry magazine to win awards for writing
and design excellence, is available online at
www.printsolutionsmag.com.
The site includes daily news, a comprehensive archive
of Print Solutions articles,
a complete media kit, links to industry companies and other features not included
in the magazine.
Print Solutions
is the official publication of the Print Services & Distribution Association (PSDA), the Association for Business Printing Independents.
Unsolicited manuscripts are welcome. Please address all submissions to: The
Editor, Print Solutions
Magazine, 433 E. Monroe Ave., Alexandria, VA 22301-1693.
Phone (703) 836-6232, fax (703) 549-4966. You can reach us via email at
bholt@printsolutionsmag.com
Visit our World Wide Web site at www.printsolutionsmag.com.
Volume 40, Number 7, July 2002.
Print Solutions
(USPS 205-400, ISSN
1535-9727) is published monthly by DMIA, 433 E. Monroe Ave., Alexandria, VA
22301-1693, (703) 836-6232.
Subscriptions: $29/year for DMIA
members included in dues, $49 for non-members (plus postage for Canada and
foreign). Periodicals postage paid at Alexandria, VA, and additional mailing
offices.
Postmaster: Send address changes to
Print Solutions,
433 E. Monroe Ave., Alexandria, VA 22301-1693.
Statements of fact and opinion are
the responsibility of the authors alone and do not imply approval on the part of
the Publications Committee, Officers or Membership of DMIA.
Copyright 2002 by DMIA. Articles may not be reprinted without
publisher's permission.
Printed in the USA.
