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Serving Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Wyoming
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WSPA Welcomes 10 New AlphaGraphics Locations As Members!
WPSA is thrilled to welcome 10 additional AlphaGraphics locations in Arizona to its membership roster, bringing its franchise total to 12 members.
Joining existing locations #4 and #11 are AlphaGraphics #37, #39, #87, #106, #153, #291, #436, #613, #610 and #714.
AlphaGraphics is a global leader in marketing and print communications with more than 270 locations. Each locally owned franchise operation offers a full suite of services from direct mail to mobile sites, email campaigns to signage. For more information visit www.alphagraphics.com.
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Arm Your Company & Your Customers With Pro Print Facts
Print is often erroneously seen as being bad for the environment. Some of our customers may even hop on the green-washing bandwagon. What many fail to realize, however, is that going digital is actually worse for the environment. It takes a great deal of energy to make the laptops, tablets and smart phones that consumers use to access digital communication.
In 2013 U.S. data centers consumed an estimated 91 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity, equivalent to the annual output of 34 large (500-megawatt) coal-fired power plants. (1)
Information and communication technologies, including computer and peripheral equipment, telecommunication equipment and networks, and data centers, account for 1.7% of global carbon dioxide emissions. (2)
The global print and paper industry accounts for only 1% of global carbon dioxide emissions. (3)
(1) America's Data Centers Consuming and Wasting Growing Amounts of Energy
(2) The Impact of Information Technology and Energy Consumption and Carbon Emissions
(3) Paper's carbon footprint isn't as high as you think
The latest addition to this multi-faceted program is a six-part "Be Prepared" poster series aimed at you, the printer. It will give you strong, fact-based responses to address common objections you hear about print. Access and print these posters and print them prominently in your workplaces and certainly to your sales team. CLICK HERE for the artwork to print.
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Ask The Tech Experts
Ask The Tech Experts is a resource of PIA's Center for Technology and Research that features the responses to questions covering a wide gamut of topics. If you would like to ask a technical question, simply email Dillon Mooney at dmooney@printing.org or call PIA's toll-free hotline at 1-800-910-4283.One of my customers wants security features added to the document I'm printing in order to combat counterfeiting. What are my options?
There is a range of options depending on the product's value and its risk of counterfeiting. Casual counterfeiters (a.k.a. "digitfeiters") can be deterred more easily. An unusual substrate that is hard to obtain can be used, as can an overprint coating. If printed digitally, a clear toner may be added on some presses that fluoresce under UV light. A fake watermark can also be printed on the reverse side of the substrate that is not obvious to a weekend fraudster. Higher counterfeiting risk calls for more sophisticated and covert devices. Using several devices at once is necessary. You can use fine-line security patters (a.k.a. guilloches), digital or paper watermarks, void pantographs (to stop copying), and various microdot and difficult-to-reproduce geometric patterns. You can also purchase paper with embedded fibers and other security features, as well as specialty ink that color shifts or iridizes. Many of these sophisticated techniques are licensed, requiring you to obtain the technology and know-how from companies specializing in security features. Also, using security devices expected to thwart professional criminals brings significant liability and a tough learning curve. Consider hiring a security printing consultant or leaving the job for a bona fide security printer.
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Lessons From Lindgren: Paying Sales Reps
The unique (and terrible) part of the sales rep's job is that they (and we) can easily see and measure what they do. The rep is out there on the high wire every day. They and everyone else knows when they fall off. This is a situation where pay for performance is the right way. If the rep gets a salary, they get a raise (or let go) based on performance - a delayed action commission. Recognizing this, commission compensation is almost universal usually with a periodic draw against the amounts earned.
The object should be to get the rep and the firm on the same path, so a straight percentage of sales is a common solution. This is a start, but it fails to recognize that all jobs are not created equal - pricing is different and/or there might be a lot of buy-out dollars.
Firms have implemented complicated solutions to this problem, but they frequently lead to unintended consequences or to sales reps who think that the system is designed to rip them off. For a number of reasons, the best all-around solution seems to be a commission on value added. Value added is defined as gross sales minus materials and buy-outs at cost. The advantage of this is that it's simple and understandable. The sales rep knows what the job billed for and can understand that checks were written to the paper merchant and the binder. Because of the importance of meeting all of the client's needs, it continues to compensate the rep for jobs that are mostly buy-outs, but at a rate that won't hurt the firm. More importantly, the rate on value added will be higher than the rate on gross sales because it's on a smaller base. For example, if the commission of gross sales were 10%, the equivalent commission on value added would be around 14% thus giving the rep a better incentive to ask for a few more dollars.
Changing commission systems can be very traumatic. A practical approach is to explain to the reps that their commission would be figured both with the old way and the new one for a phase in period (six or nine months) and that they would receive the higher of the two amounts during that period. They will usually find that they will earn more with a properly structured value added approach since they will get the benefit of selling more buy-outs and share in better pricing.
Bob Lindgren is the President and CEO of Printing Industries Association of Southern California, the largest affiliate of PIA. Mr. Lindgren has more than 40 years of experience in the industry and is an expert in the area of print finance.
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Listen First
Help your employees serve customers better by teaching them to practice "naive listening."
Listening naively means paying attention to what they say without making judgements - lie a child listening to a fairy tale. Children don't say, "but there's no such thing as magic." They listen patiently because they want to get to the point of the story.
Similarly, don't interrupt a customer who's making a complaint. Wait until they are finished before asking questions and offering suggestions. Employees who can truly listen to what they customer is saying (and not saying) will be better able to help them solve problems.
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Exclusive Savings From Apple
As a member of Printing Industries of America through WSPA you are eligible to take advantage of preferred pricing on the latest Apple products and accessories.
Program Benefits
Special member pricing on Apple products
Exclusive promotions
Free shipping on all orders
Mac customization
Free engraving on all new iPod and iPad models
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How OSHA Ready Is Your Plant?
The average OSHA fine in the printing industry is expected to increase to $17,000 this year as hundreds of new inspectors target our industry.
How OSHA ready is your plant?
A safe and healthful work environment is a key factor in running a successful operation. The health, safety, and environmental responsibility of your company is one of the main concerns of Printing Industries of America, which employs a three-person team just for this discipline. PIA's Environmental, Health, and Safety (EHS) Affairs Department knows and understands the printing industry inside and out and are available to help with all of your EHS needs!
Among the consulting services they provide:
- Compliance program reviews
- Agency permit preparation and reviews
- Agency correspondence and communications
- Environmental compliance audits
- Safety compliance audits
- EPA and OSHA inspection assistance
- Agency interaction
- And much more!
The next time you have a compliance question or need assistance regarding safety, sustainability or the environment don't hesitate to contact the experts at Printing Industries of America.
You pay business insurance. Why not insure against being potentially fined thousands of dollars by engaging one of PIA's EHS consultants.
Call toll-free at 800-910-4283 ext. 792 or email EHS@printing.org. |
Estate Tax Plans Are Not Only For The Rich And Famous
In 2012, Congress passed the American Taxpayer Relief Act, which finally provided business owners and their advisors with some needed certainty around planning for gift and estate taxes.
To recap, each person currently has an exemption amount of $5.45 million (for 2016), which can be used to pass assets to heirs free from gift tax during life, or estate taxes at death. Assets can still pass tax-free between spouses, and "portability" allows a surviving spouse to use any exemption not used by his or her deceased spouse. This effectively gives a married couple the ability to pass $10.9 million to their heirs without incurring any federal transfer tax liability.
As a result, planning for estate taxes has become less of a concern for many business owners. In fact, the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center (TPC) estimates that only 0.2 percent of all estates from 2015 will owe estate taxes. Put another way, 99.8 percent of decedents will probably not be subject to the federal estate tax!
As reassuring as that sounds, don't relax quite yet. There are other tax issues lurking for the next generation that still need to be addressed when reviewing your estate and business succession plans.
- State Level Estate Taxes. Although most individuals will not owe federal estate taxes, remember that a number of states impose their own state level estate or inheritance tax. Currently, fifteen states (CT, DE, DC, HI, IL ME, MD, MA, MN, NJ, NY, OR, RI, VT and WA) have an estate tax, and six (IA, KY, MD, NE, NJ, and PA) have an inheritance tax. Two states, Maryland and New Jersey, impose both. Each state has an exemption under which assets can pass to heirs without incurring the state level tax, but these amounts are significantly less than the federal exemption amount in all but three states. Additionally, most states do not offer portability of the deceased spouse's unused exemption, so special planning documents are needed to take advantage of both spouses' state exemption.
- Future Income Taxes. In the past, conventional wisdom included lifetime gifting of assets to heirs, with the objective of reducing the size of an individual's estate at death to below the federal exemption amount. Keeping the value of the gifts to less than the annual gift tax exclusion amount (currently $14,000) each year could allow for a significant reduction in the size of an estate over the years, with no lifetime use of the donor's exemption amount.
However, there is an important difference between lifetime gifts and transfers at death that can have a significant impact when it comes to future tax liability-the tax basis of the property in the hands of the new owner. The basis of property is important, as it is used to determine capital gains or losses when the asset is later sold.
Lifetime gifts receive a "carryover basis," which means the recipient takes the donor's basis in the property. For highly appreciated assets such as business interests or real estate, this could subject the new owner to significant capital gains tax liability if he or she wants to sell the asset. In contrast, assets received at death take a basis equal to the date of death value. In the case of appreciated assets, tax liability on the growth of the asset can be eliminated when transferred this way. Taxpayers and their advisors need to be mindful of the basis and current value of their assets when determining the best way to pass them on to their heirs.
So, just because 99 percent of us probably won't need to worry about estate taxes, tax liability may come in other, less expected, ways. Working with knowledgeable tax and legal advisors is important. Meet with them on periodically to review and update existing plans and identify tax strategies. Because not having an estate plan is something you don't want to pass along to your heirs.
Source: Federated Insurance
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Every manager and every employee has a horror story to tell. Whether it's a nightmare customer, a network crash, or a last-minute deadline, such stories can be useful guides for dealing with future crises. Here's how to learn from your worst experience. Preserve the basic facts. As soon as possible after the incident, nail down what happened, why it happened, who was involved, and what the immediate results were. Record the facts and share them for discussion. Analyze actions and reactions. One element that often disappears in the aftermath of a problem is who did what - the roles played by the people involved. Trace participants' immediate reactions and responses - or lack of them - with an eye to what you can learn from what people did or failed to do. The human aspect of the drama can hold great lessons for employees who end up in similar situations. Track the fallout over time. Most horror stories focus on a single moment when something went wrong, but the impact can last quite a while. Look for long-term fallout such as procedures that are still faulty, employees who still won't confront a similar problem, and so on. Talk about preventing recurrences or, if they're unavoidable, dealing with them the next time they come up.
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Limited Space Available For Tech Session Featuring Julie Shaffer
Technology plays such an important role in the strategic direction of printing companies. The right investment in technology can provide profitable dividends for years to come. The wrong investment can spell disaster. Fresh on the heels of Drupa, the world's largest printing equipment exhibition, this session will explore the latest technology trends and developments impacting our industry. This 90 minute program will cover: - What technologies dominated Drupa this year, from ink jet to Benny Landa's nanography
- What vendors are poised to make bold moves
- What investments in technology might provide the greatest ROI for your company.
Space is limited for this program so register before it sells out! CLICK HERE to register. Program SpeakerJulie Shaffer is the Vice President of Education and Marketing Strategies with Printing Industries of America. She joined PIA in May 2000. A member of the executive management group, Julie overseas all of PIA's education initiatives including conferences, webinars, and the Integrated Learning Center. She is an industry expert on topics such as digital file prep, prepress productions, web-to-print, social media, digital printing, 3D printing and integrated media. |
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Ratio Deadline Approaches - Don't Miss Out!
Choosing to participate in the new Dynamic Ratios can lead to the possibility for greater sales and profit growth.
Even if the Dynamic Ratios allow you to increase in profits by a minimum of 1%, this equates to $10,000 for a $1-million-per-year printer.
Financial benchmarking through use of the Dynamic Ratios provides YOU with the business intelligence needed to make YOUR business more profitable. What are you waiting for?
Participants receive a free report volume and access to an online dashboard.
CLICK HERE to participate. Deadline: June 30, 2016.
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Weekly Photo Feature:
Are you Kidding Me?!
Each week, E-Connects shares incredible photos on just how lax individuals can be when it comes to safety. Some pictures showcase carelessness, others plain stupidity. The goal - to keep a safe work environment front and center on the minds of all of your employees. Pictured: Seriously?!If you come across a funny safety pic you think should be featured, email Michael Makin at mmakin@wsprint.org. |
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Free Resources At Your Finger Tips
As a member of WSPA, you are automatically a member of Printing Industries of America, the largest graphics arts trade association in the world. PIA's website has literally hundreds of free resources for you and your employees. Have you checked out www.printing.org/free?
If you need any assistance logging in to access the free member content, simply call PIA's Member Central at 1-800-910-4283, ext. 770.
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Quote For The Week
"Character builds slowly, but it can be torn down with incredible swiftness."
Faith Baldwin
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