From the Outside Looking in

By Dana Johnson

I can remember the first time I met the KPB team, nearly five years ago. They were a new vendor that our marketing team was trying on. Maybe it was the southern lilt to one member's voice, the easy enthusiasm they all exhibited or the genuine way they talked to me, but it only took a few moments of conversation before I felt like we were friends. And it took probably five minutes after that before I stopped viewing them as a vendor and started viewing them as a partner. You can’t fake those things. They just are. Follow up the personal connection with unwavering consistency, meeting ridiculous deadline requests with a smile, and suggestions for how to save cost, and you have a winning combination. KPB provided all of those in spades!

Consequently, my vendor did become a true business partner and ultimately, a friend. But it’s not just me with whom this has happened. I’d venture to say it happens with most of KPB’s clients because caring about people is not just their business philosophy, it’s what drives them as a company.

Fast forward five years and imagine my curiosity as I found myself working here. Would the impression I had as a client hold fast behind closed doors? Could the philosophy of investing in people be felt by the employees? Would the commitment to excellence be evident in the culture here? The answer to all of these is yes. The owner’s personal brand does not stop with them. It permeates throughout the building. Even on the busiest day, you’ll see people banding together to make it all happen. This translates to a supportive work environment where each person is dedicated to producing a great product every time.

Stop by sometime; you can feel it in the air!

Timeliness vs. Quality

As a printer, if you found a mistake on a piece and knew that fixing it would make the job late, what would you do? Even though it can be an uncomfortable conversation, these are our thoughts ….

Contact the customer, share the issue, and let him or her make the decision.

A recent example: A large, new client has a quarterly catalog they brought to us to produce. We saddle-stitched the books incorrectly and went into panic mode to correct the problem and still deliver the product on time. There was no way we could meet the deadline if we fixed all of the books. We called the clients, tail between legs, and told them the books did not look good. They kindly agreed to give us the time to fix the catalogs. In return for their understanding, we added a complimentary varnish that enhanced the look of the catalog and reduced smudging.

In the end, everyone was thrilled with the outcome. We were lucky they had a little time to give and they were very pleased with the high-quality product we provided. There are definitely situations when meeting a deadline may reduce the level of quality able to be provided, but we have found that keeping clients in the loop is vital in empowering them to make the final call that best suits their needs. Just like mom always said, honesty is the best policy.

What have you done in a sticky situation like this one? Would you admit the mistake? Let us know; we always want to learn from others’ experiences!