The Four Ps of Managing Printing Operations During COVID-19

There is no playbook for dealing with a crisis as far-reaching and unpredictable as COVID-19. But staying informed can help your business get through this — and maybe even come out stronger on the other side. To help print service providers navigate these unprecedented times, Ricoh Business Booster will be providing coverage of key news as well as strategic advice and best practices from industry and subject matter experts.

The Four Ps of Managing Operations

There are four essential areas to consider when managing operations: people, profitability, production and promotion. The core pillars of any printing organization, they will be the focus of our upcoming coverage. Managing these factors successfully in an emergency is crucial, and our recommended strategies will be useful regardless of how your print business is faring in the particular situation. Having plans in place for a future pandemic, natural disaster or other crisis will help your business meet what the future brings. Preparedness is the key to a successful rebound.

Protect PEOPLE

Shielding your company from the pandemic starts with protecting employees and customers. Printing companies that are continuing operations must implement policies and procedures designed to protect employees from contracting COVID-19 in the workplace.

Cirrus Visual in Tucson, AZ, reports on its website that the company is adhering to strict protocols to limit the potential spread of the virus: “We have implemented several safety and social distancing practices into our commercial printing facility to ensure the safety of our staff and clients. This includes allowing only limited staff in building, split shifts, use of gloves and additional cleaning of work areas.”

Pinpoint PROFITABILITY Improvement Areas

Data is the key tool for print providers to steer operations in an uncertain environment. NAPCO Research and SGIA teams are launching a research effort to measure and track key business indicators, along with key challenges and opportunities. This research will provide key and ongoing benchmarks to help print providers optimize decision making. Look for results from the Covid-19 Print Business Conditions Indicator Research in future articles posted on the RBB site.

According to recent a Printing Impressions’ blog by industry consultant Mike Phillie, print providers are focusing on ways to maintain and improve profitability in today’s business conditions. He writes that the printing company chief executives and owners he recently spoke with are evaluating all areas of their businesses to find ways streamline processes and enhance profitability.

Develop PRODUCTION Plans Focused on Safety and Stability

As mentioned above, protecting staff is paramount. Printing companies should first and foremost implement safety procedures to protect employees from getting sick at work. The next focus is to make sure production is not disrupted. Do you have a plan to handle service interruptions? If staff get sick or suppliers can’t make deliveries, what will you do?

Now might be the time to reach out to associations or other peers to form partnerships with companies with similarly capabilities. A number of print providers are sharing their backup plans with customers and prospects, indicating that they have a network of peers to support their business in the case of any unplanned service disruptions. The Ricoh Business Booster Community Forum is another great resource to find support in the face of disruption. It is also important to maintain ongoing contact with suppliers to make sure they have plans in place to guarantee the delivery of critical materials and services that support production.

Finally, leverage the remote diagnostic and monitoring tools you already have access to. Use them to help you effectively monitor operations so that you can temporarily limit onsite staff while keeping operations seamless. If you haven’t already tried videoconferencing with clients, take advantage of applications like Zoom or Microsoft Teams. These tools can support your continuing engagement with customers and in lieu of visits to your facility.

Continue PROMOTION Efforts

Your messaging to customers and prospects continues to be important. According to a recent American Association of Advertising Agencies (4As) survey, 43% of consumers find it reassuring to hear from brands they “know and trust” as the COVID-19 pandemic spreads and 40% want to know how companies are responding to the coronavirus pandemic. This finding points to the need to communicate to customers and prospects how your company is responding and actions taken to protect and support staff, customers and the community. Describing the actions your organization is taking to reduce risk, protect staff and support your community shows clients (and prospects) that you are a reliable partner.

In addition, offer suggestions to your audience on how you can help them. Propose timely floor graphics, signs for curbside pickups, “we’re open” posters or inspirational prints. Remind your customers that they can keep up brand engagements with a print newsletter or direct mail.

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