Defining Good Customer Service
So what separates the excellent from the not-so-great when it comes time to define good customer service? According to sales guru Leslie Groene, there are some things you can can do to develop extreme customer loyalty based on great customer service. Get to know your customer. Building a relationship with our customer is an important part of customer service. Ask them what they need from you and from your business, and then deliver it. Do a customer survey and find out their hot buttons. Let them know you value their opinions and value them as a person. Courtesy is key. No matter what, you and your employees must always be courteous, polite, and friendly to your customers and clients. When anyone in your business is rude or discourteous, it reflects on your entire company. Then your customer tells all their friends about the rude behavior and you lose a lot of potential business. Develop a customer retention program. It's tough to find new customers and clients. So once you do, give them consistent TLC. Maybe it's giving them a few minutes of your time gratis, or a gift certificate to a restaurant for making a referral... Or a free product or service after a certain number of purchases. Even something as simple as a thank you note does wonders for customer retention. Put some thought into how you can reward your customers for loyalty. Groene Consulting has been serving the corporate community since 1997, and specializes in Sales Training and Coaching as well as Business Development. Contact Leslie Groene for more information.
|
 Defining "Regular Rate of Pay"
Paying overtime isn't always as simple as it seems - particularly if you want to conform with federal laws. "Regular rate of pay" is a key part of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), the federal law governing minimum rates of pay and overtime rules. A nonexempt (hourly) employee must be paid overtime based on their "regular rate of pay."
This sounds simple, but it can get complicated when premiums and bonuses enter the picture. The easy example is a $10/week premium for working nights. For a 40 hour person this raises their regular rate of pay by 25 cents/hour. More difficult are bonuses. If an hourly employee is paid a bonus for achieving certain production targets, FLSA describes this as a non-discretionary bonus and requires that it be added to the regular rate of pay for the calculation of overtime. The reason is that it is applied according to a formula and thus the employee can expect to receive it if the target is met. On the other hand, if the employee receives a bonus because the employer decides to pay one (a discretionary bonus) and the employee has no expectation of entitlement, then the bonus need not be added to the regular rate of pay and affect overtime.
|
 Introducing The New BIA The NEW BIA, formerly the Binding Industries Association, a special interest group of Printing Industries of America, is your postpress resource, offering a broad range of value-added services allowing members to become more competitive and profitable. Since 1955 finishing professionals and industry suppliers have trusted the BIA to help them grow successfully. Today, members receive a full range of benefits, including: - Exclusive discounts on registration for the BIA Annual Conference (May 17-20, 2015 in Minneapolis, MN)
- Access to professional peer networking forums
- Free economic reports focusing on postpress companies
- A monthly e-newsletter
- Integrated Learning Center courses (www.printing.org/ilearning)
- Free technical support
- Quarterly magazine
- Access to the BIA members-only listserv
" The needs of the industry have changed. The fresh look of the NEW BIA reflects the refocus of the organization's efforts to provide members with unparalleled networking opportunities, the latest information on technologies changing the industry, and educational resources to support and grow your business. The NEW BIA is providing postpress companies with the tools they need to evolve with the industry," said Chris Eckhart, President of Eckhart & Co. and member of the NEW BIA Board of Directors. Companies can now join the BIA directly. Membership through Printing Industries of America Affiliate Organizations is no longer a prerequisite; however, members through Printing Industries of America Affiliate Organizations (like WSPA) receive the greatest discount on the cost of membership. For more information on BIA membership benefits, or to join The NEW BIA, contact Elise Cohen, Director, The NEW BIA, at ecohen@printing.org.
|
 New Workers Comp Investigating Tool: Facebook
More employers are using Facebook and other social media sites to spot employees who file fraudulent workers' comp claims. In most cases, workers who are supposedly too injured to work will describe (or show) their strenuous activities. Examples: A California worker with work-related back injuries posted his bowling tournament scores. And an employee who was in too much pain to get out of bed posted video of himself competing in a rodeo.
|
 Tech Tip: Gradients and Banding When they're created properly, gradients are a great way to add flair to any design. When created improperly,however, banding can occur. Banding is visible when each available shade covers an area large enough for you to see individual strips of that color. Why does banding happen? All output devices are binary, and therefore cannot print shades of ink or toner. Instead, various sized dots (AM screening) or uniform collections of dots (FM screening) are used to simulate shades of gray. These dots are placed in varying sizes (AM) or amounts (FM) side by side to create a gradient. Generally speaking, if the individual bands of dots are more than 1/32 inch wide, the eye sees them as distinct strips, and the illusion of a smooth gradient is lost. Below are some techniques you can apply to reduce or eliminate the appearance of banding in gradients: - Use a gradient that changes at least 50% between two or more process components.
- Increase the percentage of change in the gradient.
- Add a Gaussian Blur or Noise filter in Photoshop.
- Avoid creating gradients that blend from very dark colors to white.
- Use shorter gradients. Generally, gradients in digital printing should not exceed 7.5 inches in length.
For more Tech Tips - visit the WSPA website at www.wsprint.org.
|
Weekly Photo Feature:
ARE YOU KIDDING ME?
Each week E-Connects will share incredible photos on just how lax companies can be when it comes to safety.
The goal - to keep a safe work environment front and center on the minds of all of your employees.
When a safety ladder is unavailable, you can always stack grocery carts to get the height you need - NOT!
If you come across a funny safety pic you think should be featured, email Michael Makin at mmakin@wsprint.org
|
|
Last Chance for Denver Mingle Bells
The holiday season is fast upon us and the festive spirit is in the air. The first of our seasonal Mingle Bells was held last night in Phoenix at the Hilton Scottsdale Resort and Villas. It was a wonderful event! It is not too late to sign up for our Denver function which will be held next Tuesday, December 16th from 5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. at Denver Bookinging (1401 W. 47th Avenue - near Pecos) Please let us know if you can make the event by sending an email RSVP to Michael Makin at mmakin@wsprint.org.
|
Quote For The Week
"It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change."
Charles Darwin
|
|
|
|
|
