| Mention "Ben" of Ben & Jerry's Homemade Inc., South Burlington, Vt., and most people think of the company's co-founder, Ben Cohen. He and his childhood friend, Jerry Greenfield, started the company with $12,000, a renovated gas station and a dream of selling ice cream. From founding the company in 1978 to merging it with Unilever in 2000, the two entrepreneurs tasted nothing but sweet success. Although document providers might admire Cohen's business skills, they're more likely to show interest in the other Ben at the company.
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Ben Nooney, design department manager, has worked at Ben & Jerry's for 10 years and oversees a staff of 10 people. While the company's packaging department outsources its pint-sized ice cream containers on contract, Nooney outsources other products, such as posters, stationery and copy paper, on a job-to-job basis. He prefers direct-sellers, partly because he has a background in printing. "I feel that I have the expertise, and I don't need the additional markup [from] a print broker," he says.
When he first meets a sales representative, Nooney looks for a good reputation, longevity in the field, compatible equipment and willingness to invest in a long-term business relationship. If possible, vendors should also offer chlorine-free paper products (specified in specs Nooney sends out) that meet the requirements of Ben & Jerry's 1988 Statement of Mission for social responsibility. Most importantly, Nooney appreciates problem-solvers. "I've had terrible experiences with printers I still use," he says. They kept their relationships with him by admitting mistakes, suggesting alternatives and striving to never repeat the mistakes, he says.
One printer lost Ben & Jerry's business after it provided annual reports with poor-quality ink and slanted printing, he says. Nooney didn't have time to outsource the reports elsewhere because shareholders needed to receive them 30 days before a company meeting. After a lot of reprinting and waste, the printer delivered a substitute batch. Though shareholders received their reports, Nooney felt disappointed with the printer's claim that the paper was at fault. "I did some independent research myself and found that not to be the case," he says. "So that relationship kind of abruptly ended. It's just a matter of not taking responsibility."
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Ben Nooney, design department manager at Ben
& Jerry's Homemade Inc., South Burlington, Vt., ordered 600 posters to
promote a new sundae called Apple Crumble. The 25 x 37-inch posters
featured 4-color process printing on 80# Zanders Mega Dull cover. Ben
& Jerry's distributed them to its 270 franchises.
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One of Nooney's favorite printers is a New Hampshire-based firm that offers technological savvy and strong communication, he says. Several years ago, Ben & Jerry's added up the dollars lost due to random theft of the company's discount coupons and realized they took a large scoop out of the company's income. When the manufacturer learned of the problem, it suggested using its new digital prepress capabilities to print the coupons on demand. Ben & Jerry's stopped keeping the coupons in stock, limiting the tasty temptation for coupon handlers to pocket a few. The printer also helped Ben & Jerry's by offering electronic file transfers via an ftp site before most other printers did, Nooney says. If he needs a 4-color print job at the last minute, Nooney can design the job, place it in the ftp folder and expect it to be printed overnight or the next day, he says.
Ben & Jerry's completes its distribution in house, Nooney says. Years ago, the company saved costs by establishing a warehouse and hiring personnel to track and distribute gifts and paper products. As the company grows, this arrangement could change, Nooney says. "We continually look for process improvement," he says. "Who knows where it's going to be tomorrow?"
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APPROACHING THE COMPANY
"Just call me," says Ben Nooney, design department manager at Ben & Jerry's Homemade Inc., South Burlington, Vt. "I'm not going to get offended--as long as [callers] don't get offended if I don't call them back." Nooney is too busy to return all of the phone calls he receives each day. He would rather talk to vendors who happen to reach him when he's available to answer the phone.
Using a phone might be a good approach with Nooney, but using a phony attitude isn't. He doesn't enjoy listening to "flashy and aggressive" vendors, he says. "If you start knocking other vendors to make yourself look better, that's a no-no," he says.
Sales representatives usually project good images when they demonstrate their consultation skills, Nooney says. "They try to understand what our needs are or what we're doing here, and they try to see if they have processes that fit," he says. "That's the best way to go about it." After that, he likes follow-up emails.
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