I'm very excited about being DMIA's president this year. I promise I'll be worth every dime in salary that the association pays me.
DMIA has many challenges ahead. I hope my leadership will contribute to its future success. This year, I plan to focus on three prime issues: 1) Moving all DMIA members to a single membership category to reflect the industry's changes; 2) Continuing to expand our technology offerings to make our products and services available any time, anywhere; and 3) Getting more members involved in DMIA to build an even stronger association.
This coming year as president marks my 25
th
anniversary in the printing business. Not bad for a guy who's only 35 years old, huh? If there's anything I've learned in my 25 years, it's that you can't learn to be innovative if you're not actively present and participating. For this reason, my theme for the coming year will be "Participate and Prosper."
I challenge each of you and the best people you work with to get more involved in DMIA's offerings. I've received so much more from this association than I've put in. I owe the success I've had to the DMIA people whom I've known and learned from.
DMIA has approximately 1,800 members. While that's a nice number, it could be better. The potential membership is around 8,000. Independents have a 63.7 percent share of our $7.57 billion industry. My focus will be to expand our membership and involve as many members as possible, just as I've been involved since 1987.
The printing industry has gone through many changes. Changes will continue to come at an even faster rate. If you love change, you're in for a very exciting ride. How have things changed since my first meeting? Let me share some of my history. I started my career at UARCO in 1977. Our competitors were clearly defined. We were on one side. Distributors were on the other. I was a manufacturer, plain and simple. I believed that was the only viable channel. UARCO did a great job of keeping blinders on you.
After five different cities and 13 different job positions, I finally saw the light. The blinders came off. I discovered something called the independent. I told my wife I wanted to start my own company and be an independent. She said, "You're going to become a jobber? I thought they were all scum." They even had my wife brainwashed! I assured her it was a good thing. The future of printing was in the independent channel. Except for the 50 percent pay cut, Katie was pretty happy.
I had to learn about the new world of distribution. I learned about new products and services. I found out products could actually be made in less then eight weeks. It was more than I could handle. My company, FMC Resource Management, went from a storage place to a warehouse to a full-blown distribution center. But just as I got comfortable, our customers started telling us they wanted more. They wanted single shipments, and not from multiple points. They wanted delivery on the same or next day.
"You've got to be kidding," I thought. The only way we could do this was if we manufactured some products ourselves. I'm a distributor, not a manufacturer! The answer from our customers was simple: "We don't care. We need this type of service if we are going to satisfy our clients."
OK, I'm a flexible guy. Actually, I'm not very good at saying no. So, off we went. On-demand printing. DocuTech™. One-color press. Two-color press. Heidelberg. We even had embroidery equipment. "What have I gotten myself into?" I asked. "What am I now, a distributor or manufacturer?" After some evaluation and soul searching, I came to one conclusion: It really didn't matter as long as we had satisfied clients.
I had a terrific company. I was really enjoying the growth and success we were having--$26 million in sales in just 13 years. Our traditional forms business went from about 85 percent of our total business to less then 10 percent. In 1996, a company named Merrill Corp. made me an offer I couldn't refuse. I sold my company but continued to run it as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Merrill. For the next four years, I really learned that the customer will always dictate the channels of distribution. As providers, we must migrate to the path the customer needs. We cannot get hung up on what we perceive ourselves to be.
That's why it's important that a single membership, coupled with special interest groups covering your company's specialties, be incorporated into DMIA. Doing so will increase our focus. Doing so will enable DMIA to better reflect our industry's reality. And doing so will help DMIA better meet the needs of today's and tomorrow's membership.
Last year, a tennis friend of mine asked me to help him with a new label concept. He created a digital label solution. I couldn't resist a new challenge. Now I run a company called Maverick Label. What kind of company is this? I call it a "dismane"--part distributorship, part manufacturer, part e-commerce provider. Maverick Label reflects the changes that have taken place in our distribution channel. I believe that's what the future will hold for many of us.
Probably the most amazing change in business today is to see former competitors banding together to form partnerships. Companies that previously hated each other are now partners. Only together can they best serve customers. It doesn't matter what type of company you have. The important question is, "Are you providing value to your customers?"
I believe value is delivered in four ways: 1) Exceptional customer service--exceeding, not just meeting, customer expectations; 2) speed of delivery--products and services must be delivered in almost real-time standards; 3) best-price perception--your customers must believe they're getting the best deal; and 4) innovative products and services--providing ideas that save your customers time or money. If you're not offering at least one of these values, your business future may be at risk.
Believe it or not, I found a company that offers all four values. A few years ago, I had a tire that was slowly going flat. I kept putting air in it. It kept going flat. It finally dawned on me that something else might be wrong. I'm not the brightest guy when it comes to mechanical stuff! I went to Les Schwab Discount Tire to find a solution. I explained my situation. The person at the counter told me he would help.
I barely drank a half cup of coffee in the lobby when the mechanic came back. He said, "We fixed the problem. There was a small nail in the tire. We also noticed your tire was not properly balanced. We took the liberty of fixing that, too."
I thought to myself, "How much is this going to cost?"
I asked the gentleman how much I owed. His response was, "Mr. Trumper, you owe us nothing. All we ask is that when you need tire replacement, think of Les Schwab Discount Tire."
I was perplexed. Either these guys are not very good businesspeople or they know something I don't.
Six months later, I needed new tires. I thought I would try Les Schwab. As I walked in, an unfamiliar face said, "Mr. Trumper, how can we be of service to you today?"
I was caught off guard. I looked down at my jacket to see if I had left a nametag on. There was none. I asked him, "Do I know you?"
He replied, "At Schwab, we like to know all of our customers." Boy, did I feel special! They considered me to be a customer, and I had yet to spend a dime.
I asked, "How do you know my name?" He explained the camera in the parking lot monitored license plate numbers. With that, they could greet each customer by name. High-tech with high-touch--a perfect match.
This is a company in a not-so-glamorous business, exceeding my wildest expectations. Remember the name is Les Schwab Discount Tire, not Schwab Premium Tire. Needless to say, this company exceeds all service standards--standards we should all strive for.
I have since purchased four complete sets of tires and two batteries from Les Schwab. Would I consider going someplace else? Not likely. They earned a customer for life. Their free tire fix turned out to be a great investment. They knew something I didn't. They taught me a lesson I will never forget.
The question needs to be asked: Would each of us get the same feedback from our customers? From our prospects? I hope so.
I've learned many lessons in my lifetime. Some I've learned the hard way. One of them is to never give up on your dreams. I'm living proof that dreams can come true. Thanks for listening!
