This is the body of an email we recently received from a major paper company's US facility:
"'No Gift Policy' effective 1 October 2016:
"The policy applies to all employees and suppliers. Here's a brief overview of the policy:
"-- Employees may not accept gifts of any value from current or potential suppliers;
"-- Employees may not accept meals from suppliers;
"-- Suppliers may not bring food into company facilities;
"-- Employees may not accept entertainment from suppliers such as hunting or fishing trips, golf green fees, sporting events, etc.;
"-- Gifts of any kind, if sent or delivered to an employee, will be donated to a local charity. This includes calendars, pens, note pads, etc." (Emphasis added)
We expect this policy will gain acceptance with other paper companies as well. Such a move has been in the works for a long time. This particular company, a major European manufacturer, likely sees this policy as an extension of their environmental stewardship emphasis and their intentions to be the most ethical and honest business in the industry. We applaud them for taking such a stand since for decades we have seen the supplier/mill relationship abused.
What does this mean going forward? Well, if enough companies adopt this policy we may just exhaust the supply of material for Nip Impressions' annual August editorial emphasis: "Pulp Rats."
Joking aside, it means you, a legitimate supplier to the industry, must find new ways to keep your name top of mind with your prospects and customers. Yes, your job just got harder.
Here at Paperitalo Publications, we see at least part of the solution to your new found visibility problem in advertising. We would not be in business if we did not believe a steady stream of communications from the supplier community to the mill community was not an imperative.
Big splashes are an excellent way to introduce a new product or change the perception of a product, but the way to make sure your name is top of mind is to have your name where your clients and prospects are likely to see it nearly every day--Paperitalo Publications. That is what that pen or calendar used to do for you.
As for continuing changing conditions in the supplier/mill relationship, let's discuss other changes we have seen recently or in the past.
One company requires vice presidential approval to go to conferences. Further, the employee attending the conference, under threat of termination, is only allowed to go to sessions for which they are approved. They are not allowed to go to hospitality suites or to any supplier sponsored events.
We have seen another company that removed all nameplates (that did not contain vital performance information or serial numbers) from all equipment on their site as it was installed.
A third company allows no suppliers beyond the front lobby, even to troubleshoot the suppliers' own equipment.
We have all used collateral materials forever. Here at Paperitalo Publications we use them and will continue to use them where we are allowed to do so. You should, too.
However, there has been so much abuse of, shall we say, "supplier favors" over the years that we are completely sympathetic to companies who have decided the line in the sand is at the edge of the beach, so to speak. This does not eliminate the need to keep one's name top of mind with the prospect and the customer.
We are here to help you do just that.
Economically, professionally, every hour of every day.
Jim Thompson is CEO of Paperitalo Publications.
