Vision? Customer relations?

[Lukas Engqvist]

Some things are hard to write. These days I am not so involved in day operations of prepress, but last week I visited my old job. It was sad to hear how they were disappointed by the local sales reps, getting the feeling that being a stable customer made them uninteresting to the regional sales. Competitors are frequently courting with all kinds of offers but the current supplier seems to think they are "home and safe" and can be taken for granted.

But in a modern world will any relationship hold with the attitude of being taken for granted? I cannot say if it is a regional problem or a corporate one, but feel the need to post that those who have influence at a corporate level should have a heads up. Having good ideas and great solutions is nothing if a company does not care for its loyal customers. There are some companies with inferior products but better customer care that are taking over markets, and no one can lay back thinking that their position is unthreatened.

I am posting this while there still is time for those that are awake to look over their customer policies. The web is public so I will not be more specific that I have been. I have hope that it's not too late to salvage the relationships that I feel are at stake.

[rich apollo]

I don't think your concern is limited to your region, Lukas. Companies are shedding employees at a furious rate and making ever decreasing investments in training.

My foremost example of worsening customer service is automated telephone answering. The communication to me is that the companies employing those systems place a greater value on the salaries they save than on the customers' time.

Of course, we as customers have to be willing to pay for service. The current bottom-line, race for the bottom market doesn't foster that.

[Lukas Engqvist]

And this we call progress? Might as well climb a tree and learn to speak Oooook!

[Armya Inc]

Some things are hard to write. These days I am not so involved in day operations of prepress, but last week I visited my old job. It was sad to hear how they were disappointed by the local sales reps, getting the feeling that being a stable customer made them uninteresting to the regional sales. Competitors are frequently courting with all kinds of offers but the current supplier seems to think they are "home and safe" and can be taken for granted.

But in a modern world will any relationship hold with the attitude of being taken for granted? I cannot say if it is a regional problem or a corporate one, but feel the need to post that those who have influence at a corporate level should have a heads up. Having good ideas and great solutions is nothing if a company does not care for its loyal customers. There are some companies with inferior products but better customer care that are taking over markets, and no one can lay back thinking that their position is unthreatened.

I am posting this while there still is time for those that are awake to look over their customer policies. The web is public so I will not be more specific that I have been. I have hope that it's not too late to salvage the relationships that I feel are at stake.

Lukas, I agree with your concerns. The question is whether the customers are also willing to pay for the time and the services provided by the service provider. I am a service Provider for Prepress Equipment in Toronto area. In rare cases, few customers of mine are willing to do everything to delay the payment or cut nickels and dimes without realizing this will effect the quality of the service to them. In some cases seems like it isn't important to have a fast, reliable and quality services in order to get their machine on production level, but to save on Pennies. I am sure you are a loyal customer and expect the best, but there aren't many loyal customers like you. My comment also doesn't apply to all my clients. Most of them are loyal and I will go extra miles for them.

[Happyprinter]

Lukas, it's to bad that in these harsh economic times companies are not willing to step up and take care of their clients. Reason would suggest that when times are tough and business slow, a supplier will go above and beyond to keep current customers and court new ones. Unfortunately our experience has been just the opposite with most of our suppliers also. Deep cuts in company employees, wages and skilled personnel and a general attitude of I will do the very least I can to get thru the day has taken it's toll on our business community and nation. But, always hopeful things will turn around!