A philosophical difference exists between Public Sector Service Providers vs. Commercial Sector Service Providers, and it is significant.

 

There should be one base philosophy driving those of us who provide in-house/in-plant services. As in-house providers for services like printing and mail facilities, we exist to support the needs of an organization, needs that typically could be provided by the private sector. But it is important for in-house service providers to realize we are not the end-all for like services for our organization.

In order to build maximum value, find what you do well, excel at those services, add complimentary services and stay focused on the bottom line for your organization. For those of us in the public sector we have an added dynamic that has to be included in our focus. Not only is it important for us to focus on why we exist and what we do for our organization: State, County, City or other governmental entity, but also to consider the needs of the tax payers to whom we are ultimately accountable.

 

In this frame, we are typically the subject matter experts and are the go-to staff on matters relating to printing, mail services and other document management services. We are here not only to provide services, but also to advise, recommend and in many cases, influence decisions our customer base will make to achieve the highest quality and value for the tax payer while meeting the needs of our organization. This should be viewed as a fiduciary responsibility, not just as a goal or target.