What bothers you most? How would you fix it?

[otherthoughts]

I guess I would have to say that the lack of teamwork and the failures in communication were ultimately what bothered me the most. To be honest, I didn't realistically have any idea how to fix things when I was a participant in the industry.

I've been retired for many years now, so perhaps the time away has left me feeling far less charged about the issues than I used to be? I'm not sure about this, but the real issues and their solutions seem far more in focus and apparent to me now? Or maybe I've just been away too long?

I'm assuming that the customer wants the best possible result for the price he pays, and that everyone involved with producing that result, want's to provide the best possible result as well. I call it "Teamwork" when that actually happens. Now some of the players may have competing interests to deal with in addition to the customer's. Despite those competing interest's, everyone essentially want's things to run smoothly, with a minimum level of hassle. Am I right?

So this begs the question, if everybody is essentially on the same page, why are there so many problems?

I believe that failures in communication are largely responsible for the bulk of problems and frustration. Communications are a two-way street. The Customer must ask the appropriate questions, the CSR must answer the Customer's questions accurately and typically ask the Customer some questions of his own. Every member of the "Team" needs to communicate accurately and thoroughly to other members of the team.

Every single one of us were born into this world knowing very little. Those who know something, should help those who don't. If team-members are facing the same detractors over and over again which stand in the way of producing the best results possible. Then either these team-members aren't making their issue(s) known effectively enough or that the team-members they are speaking to, just aren't listening?

Printing standards are intended to further the reliability and communication of color. But perhaps the most contentious and passionate debates argued on the PP forum, speak more about disagreements in procedures and the proper way to do things, not specifically about color standards.

Communication Standards seem to be something that we'll have to handle ourselves, that is, until the day when computers and software are able to handle this as well. Where will we be when that day comes?

Anyways. that's my take on what I think bothered me most. And in regards to explaining how I would fix those things.....well...that's not my strongest suit

Regards - OT

[RUsure]

From an older prepress guy:
When a job "arrives", the Sales department may not want to hear about any questions - prepress has a motivation problem; Prepress may not feel that their input/prognostications are appreciated or understood - sales has an expectation/reality-check problem . . .
Couple that perception battle with the industry's OCD problem consisting of the search for the latest/greatest technology (a "must-have") that the majority of the customer base can't appreciate and certainly doesn't want to pay for - you've got Accounting depts. recommending lay-offs of the $20-40K production people, while the top-heavy layer of VP's & "tech kingpins" search for more & better ways to invest in the vicious cycle of upgrades.
The vendor says that this latest demonstration "shows that your problems have met their match", well - problem solved! Buy it and (maybe) train somebody.
So, Estimating says that prepress should take 30 min. for every job & press make-ready should be 20 mins., tops.
And, don't forget the Six Sigma and/or Lean debates/meetings/implemetations.
Debt-service vs. production, expectations vs. motivation . . .

[Lammy]

Everything bothers me. My solution, win lotto and put my name on the shingle.

[rbailleu]

correlary to lammy -- win the lottery and retire. communicate with the bar tender at the beach

[HPC]

correlary to lammy -- win the lottery and retire. communicate with the bar tender at the beach

Especially if you are trying to do business in the state of Illinois!!! I vote for the bartender, too!!!

[dabob]

Everything bothers me. My solution, win lotto and put my name on the shingle.

If I won the lottery . . . all they would know about my leaving is the whoosh sound and the breeze that came from nowhere and went out the front door.