Sales vs Production: Sales strikes back!

[Michael Josefowicz]

If I have customers that do a lot of repeat order activity with mostly the same files, and I don't want to deal with inconsistencies in document specs, I usually just set them up with editable online templates. Customers can just order what they need through the website, and everyone can move on with their day. I don't see the point in involving a salesperson for reapeat order activity. I don't even want customer service reps involved if possible.

The problem I have with this approach is two fold.

First, it depends on dis incentives as opposed to incentives, as in with sticks and carrots. I think this falls on the stick side. I've found that carrots is a much more sustainable approach. I would vote for comp for CSR's, instead of a cap on comp for the salesperson.

Second, it eliminates the chance to really understand your client's problems. Once you make it easier and easier for your customer to submit through a website, without a person as part of the conversation, it drives the commodity sale, without building the relationship and getting the information the company needs to keep building "better mousetraps".

You are actually training your customer to not need you.

[brent]

Hmmm...don't know if I agree with it training the customer to not need you. Once a client is set up for online ordering of his corporate items, they see how easy it is to order their day to day printing without having to deal with the printing company at all. They are busy doing their jobs...so making it as easy as possible to order printing is a godsend to alot of our clients. They know that when they hit the submit button their job will be at their doorstop printed within a couple of days...no muss, no fuss. They get used to it...they fall in love with it. They can't live without it!!! well you get the picture.

We have had customers leave us for price a couple of times in the past year, but everyone has come back....why? Because ordering printing from our company is easy and not a hassle. Once clients get used to ordering their printing online, they will be hesitant to go back to the old fashioned way of sending an email with updated info, and going through the whole typesetting-proofing garbage.

To me (and to our company), this locks them in to us...and is an AWESOME mousetrap!