Best Issue in Years
The March issue of Print Solutions magazine has to be the best I've read in recent years. I read every inch of your publications, and although I can't quite put my finger on a specific reason, the March issue was totally informative and very fresh. My compliments to all involved.
Bill Denny Jr.
Distributor Sales
Ultra Forms Plus
Kalamazoo, Mich.
Security Article More Than 'Ordinary'
Kara S. Carpenter's article "Safe Harbor" was one of the better document security articles I've read lately (Feb., p. 32).
She used the correct term "ordinary care" to describe what companies must do to protect their documents. Bravo! Other publications continue to speak of "due diligence," a term that doesn't appear anywhere in Uniform Commercial Code literature regarding this topic. "Due diligence" is very misleading.
I do believe one source in the article failed to make his point regarding ink-based features having an effective life span of three to five years. No rationale was given for this statement, and it certainly isn't true.
Additionally, tip No. 4 in the story says, "Security features are worthless if the document's recipient doesn't know what to look for." I understand the point, but if the client has placed a minimum of three security features on its check, the company will be able to demonstrate they exercised "ordinary care" and thus avoid a loss and a court date (whether the recipient knows how to validate the features or not).
Thanks for a good, concise article.
Richard Parrish
Manager of Distributor Sales
Miami Systems/Shelby Division
Shelby, Ohio
How to Motivate Employees
This is an age-old question that many companies have spent vast resources to answer. At Ward/Kraft Inc. we ask a little different question: How do we motivate behaviors?
We ask this instead because it's nearly impossible to motivate a human being. First, you hire people who are motivated. We expect our employees to be motivated when they get here. But that's not enough. The first step is to establish department objectives necessary to achieve company goals. Next, identify exactly what behaviors you need from each team member to achieve the objectives. Then, communicate these expected behaviors to your employees and set up consequences for both demonstrating the expected behavior and not demonstrating the expected behavior. Finally, follow up and follow through, follow up and follow through, follow up and follow through....
At Ward/Kraft, we don't call our employees "employees"; we call them members. They're members of the Ward/Kraft family, and they truly appreciate this concept. Each person knows what he or she must do for the company to succeed.
We aren't in the business of motivating people in general. Successories™ does that. We're in the business of rewarding behaviors that enable us to be the ultimate provider of innovative business and document solutions.
Motivate behaviors, not people. You'll live longer!
Michael Del Chiaro
Senior VP, Sales & Marketing
Ward/Kraft Inc.
Fort Scott, Kan.
We do many personal things for our employees. For example, we have a gentleman working in our sales-support area who is a die-hard fan of the University of Connecticut women's basketball team [which recently finished its season undefeated and won the NCAA championship].
He has season tickets to see the team when it plays at home, but doesn't have the opportunity to go to away games. This year, we bought him and his wife plane and game tickets as well as hotel accommodations to see the Huskies play in the Sweet 16 and Elite 8. He was thrilled.
Personal gestures let employees know you care and that you pay attention to their passions.
Mary Genovesi-Neal
DMIA Membership Liaison, Region 1
Marketing/Client Relations
Preferred Printing Services Inc.
South Windsor, Conn.
We have sales contests for Palm Pilots as well as gift certificates to restaurants and racing schools. We also have an Employee of the Month award, which is voted on by everyone in the company. The winner gets a 20-minute chair massage at the office by a professional masseuse.
Jamie Mentzer
President
Mentzer Printing Ink
Indianapolis
Different things motivate different people at different times. In other words, you can't please everybody all the time. But we effectively do several different things (and constantly look for more). Here are some ideas:
* Say "good morning" to everyone as consistently as possible.
* Hold monthly group luncheons.
* Give movie tickets as small rewards.
* Award small, interest-free loans ($500 up to twice per year).
* Name an Employee of the Month who's nominated by peers. Give the winner a $50 gift certificate and preferred parking, and place his or her name and picture on a plaque in the foyer.
* Send birthday and anniversary cards to home addresses.
* Offer performance incentives tied to 401(k) plans.
John Shannon
Vice President/General Manager
Madison Forms Corp.
McFarland, Wis.
