2005 CEO Summit: Quality All Around
CBI Corporation implemented a performance measuring process in 1999 to save a large client who had asked the company to handle a complex kit-making and fulfillment job. After struggling for six months, CBI applied the principles of Six Sigma, a method for improving results by measuring each business process along the way. CBI became one of the client's main suppliers, simultaneously improving profits and customer service.

At DMIA's 2005 CEO Summit, CBI's president, Cliff Bregstone, CFC, showed 94 attendees the keys to Six Sigma success, steps and tools required to implement it, and ways to market quality achievements. The event, sponsored by Midlothian, Texas-based manufacturer Ennis Inc., was held Feb. 2-4 at the Renaissance Vinoy Resort and Golf Club in St. Petersburg, Fla. Twenty-four printing pros attended the annual meeting for the first time, a CEO Summit record.

Bregstone is the outgoing chairman of DMIA's Fulfillment Special Interest Group. The gist of his workshop: problems are caused by processes. "Unless you believe that the vast majority of problems and waste come from process and training, not people, continuous business improvement will not happen," Bregstone told attendees, who worked in groups to identify root causes to common problems.

To achieve Six Sigma, a process must not have more than 3.4 defects per 1 million opportunities. That ambitious goal impresses Tim Smith, president of EAGLE, Orange, Calif., which is implementing a quality improvement system at the distributorship. "I met with my accounting department, and we are changing the definition of what an error in accounts receivable is so we can track improvements in that area," he said.

Another highlight of the CEO Summit was a question-and-answer session with Paul Reilly, former chairman, president and CEO of Cenveo. Reilly, who serves on the Envelope Manufacturers Association Foundation board of trustees and on the board of GATF/PIA, spoke candidly about Cenveo's business strategies and its relationships with distributors. He said the independent channel is well-positioned to grow because they're versed in solution selling, which he defined as "taking risk from the client and placing it upon yourself." Andrew Harnett, vice president of marketing at manufacturer New Jersey Business Forms, Englewood, N.J., said, "The Paul Reilly talk was huge—very interesting. What struck a chord was how much business is out there from large independent reseller companies that we are not getting."

During the CEO Roundtable, attendees shared insights about providing employees new medical coverage options such as health savings accounts (HSAs), improving communication between distributors and manufacturers, unbundling charges for services, managing and training salespeople, and more. "Having the opportunity to sit around with dozens of fellow owners and hearing their interest and support of our efforts was quite encouraging," said Randy Eubanks, vice president of sales at Suncoast Marketing Inc., a distributorship in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. "The collective knowledge and experience really adds depth to your resources."

Bill English, CFC, president of distributorship Superior Business Solutions, Kalamazoo, Mich., facilitated a panel discussion on e-commerce. The panel included Ross Barker, president of supplier Forms Management Data Systems, Reno, Nev.; Charles Hickey, programming manager at supplier Xetex Business Systems Inc., West Lawn, Pa.; Keith McBride of supplier TopForm Software Inc., Norcross, Ga., John Smilko, vice president of supplier Kramer-Smilko Inc., Bel Air, Md.; and Keith Walters, chairman, CEO and president of Ennis Inc., based in Midlothian. They discussed with attendees changes and money-making opportunities in the e-commerce market, as well as common mistakes and misconceptions among printing firms.

The CEO Summit concluded with a closing session presented by James K. Meek, CIMA, first vice president of investments at Legg Mason.

Click here for photo coverage of the event.

Sales and Marketing Tip
Set An Email Response Schedule
You can use auto-reply confirmation messages to set expectations of a considered response or order fulfillment, but you'll have to set a schedule for reviewing all customer correspondence to make sure orders are shipped on time and in-depth responses aren't forgotten. Full story.

E-Commerce Spotlight
Meet the Year's Best Small Business Products
Small businesses have never had so many products to choose from. It's now easier than ever for small business owners to find hardware, software and services tailored to their specific needs. So when it comes time to invest in your business technology, you can start with these 24 winners. Full story.

Product of the Week
The Business Forms & Documents Glossary
Completing customers' printing jobs to their specifications requires a solid knowledge of the terms used in the industry. Updated last year, this is an invaluable reference for industry pros to minimize miscommunication during the order process. Code: BFGLOSS. Member Price: $6. To order, contact Tina Davis.

Top 100 Manufacturers Surveys are Due!
Print Solutions Magazine editors are compiling the Top 100 Manufacturers issue, and that means it's time to submit your information. This popular issue ranks manufacturers by fiscal 2004 sales through distributors. It includes sales per employee rankings, fastest-growing manufacturers and more. The best way to submit your Top 100 information is to complete the online form at this link: http://www.printsolutionsmag.com/top100manufacturers05.html. If you prefer to fax a hard copy, download a PDF. Fill out the form and fax the completed pages to Darin Painter, Managing Editor, at (703) 549-4966. Only surveys returned to DMIA by 6 p.m. EST on Friday, Feb. 18 will be included.

Office Depot Posts Higher 4Q Earnings
Office Depot Inc., Delray Beach, Fla., said its fourth-quarter profit increased year-over-year on improved North American retail sales, which offset sluggish catalog sales in the Business Services group. Net income totaled $52.8 million, or 17 cents per share, up from $45.8 million, or 15 cents per share, a year ago. The latest quarter includes charges of 13 cents per share for goodwill impairment, the cancellation of a corporate headquarters project, other facility termination costs and tax rate changes.

Deluxe, Primary Payment Systems Form Alliance to Fight Fraud
Deluxe Financial Services, St. Paul, Minn., and Primary Payment Systems Inc., an affiliate of First Data Corp., formed an alliance to help financial institutions fight fraud and secure more business. The alliance introduced Deluxe Detect, powered by Early Warning, a relationship-screening tool that enables financial institutions to reduce fraud at the new account desk by providing identity verification and reliable risk assessment in real time. New applicants are screened against the Early Warning databases, which contain public and non-public data, including contributions directly from financial institutions and other financial services organizations.

Call for Entries: 2005 Print Solutions Magazine PEAK Awards
Win a Print Excellence And Knowledge (PEAK) Award from Print Solutions Magazine and show your talent to the rest of the world! A coveted PEAK award is a valuable marketing tool that will raise your company's profile and show clients and prospects that your work is the best in the industry. Unique in recognizing companies that meet customers' printing needs, PEAK awards demonstrate outstanding problem solving and creative approaches to design, manufacturing, fulfillment, cost savings reporting and other processes that solve problems or improve some aspect of a client's business. Deadline for entries is March 31. Click here for complete information and entry forms.

Floor Mat Firm Ships with Pressure Sensitive Labels
A manufacturer of automobile floor mats needed new labels for its polybags and shipping containers. The adhesive on its old labels was failing, and labels often peeled off during transit. Glen Hogenkamp, account manager at PPI Graphics, Canton, Ohio, suggested the manufacturer switch to pressure sensitive labels. "We considered tags, but they were knocked off when the containers were loaded on the truck," he says. Full story.

TradeMart 2005
The industry is moving faster than ever, and DMIA's TRADEMarts make it easy and convenient to stay updated. Attending a TRADEMart is your best chance to take advantage of the product innovations and dynamic ideas that are hitting the marketplace.

New York Seminars Include:
Pressure Seal for the Financial Services Market: Distributor Case Studies —InfoSeal, LLC
Six Financial Mistakes Business Printing Owners Make—and How to Avoid Them —Wellesley Investment Advisors Inc.
Distributor Turns a $500 Folder Quote into a $7,000 Filing System Sale: A Case Study —ASE Dealer
Selling Variable Data Solutions for a Marketing Campaign —Wise
Technology Driven Print —Telemark
Commercial Printing Sales Unwrapped —Performance Press Inc. and PrintSouth
Unique Promotional Products to boost Sales —Specialized Printed Forms/IMCOM Inc.
Closing The Sale With Pressure Seal —Wilmer
Selling Direct Mail —Professional Graphic Communications, Inc.

Burlingame Seminars Include:
Security Required—Document Risk Management —Appleton
Sealing Deals with Pressure Seal Solutions: A Case Study —Wilmer

For more information on TradeMarts, click here.

Small Distributor Summit
This summit is for distributors with sales volume below $2.5 million. This year's program has new topics, new technologies and new insights. Designed exclusively by member distributors, this program brings top-notch education in a format that works for you. Your peers developed all of the programs, the schedule and the manufacturer sessions. Join us from March 12-14 at Embassy Suites Outdoor World, Dallas.
Click here for more.

Hot Sites
The Encyclopedia of World History
The Encyclopedia of World History on this site represents a substantial revision from previous editions, as it also reflects the growing body of knowledge about the histories of regions outside of Western Europe and North America. The encyclopedia is complemented by a number of illustrative and informative maps, including ones that visualize India before the Muslim conquest and Italy in the 15th century. Visit the site.

Great Performances
With a well-established track record, the Great Performances series on PBS continues to offer a host of compelling broadcasts ranging from dance recitals to musical theater. This site allows visitors to learn about the program schedule, offer their own feedback on the programs, and view a host of multimedia presentations related to the programs themselves. The site is divided into six sections, dedicated to each of the "lively arts" that Great Performances explores in each season. Visit the site.

Here are this week's top unusual source requests received by DMIA:

1. Bio Hazard Bags; 6" x 9 7/8"; clear plastic; Zip Lock; QTY=25M
2. CD Calendar Jewel Cases; will have custom printed 4cp insert; QTY=250
3. Leaf Bags; 16" x 12"; prints 1-2 colors; two ply paper stock; QTY=146M
4. Party Crepe Streamers; imprints 1 color; QTY=minimum
5. Candle Boxes; 3" x 3" x 3"; prints 1-2 colors; chipboard material; QTY=100-500
6. Banners; 14" x 108'(ft.); prints 2 colors; 4 mil white polyester; QTY=25-50 rolls
7. Stamp that will mark White permanent ink onto metal; 1/4" x 3/4" image area; QTY=3
8. Cellophane Sheets to package retail products; 27 3/4" x 15 1/2"; prints 4cp with bleeds; QTY=100M
9. Slides; originals created in PowerPoint; QTY=200 each of 6
10. Presentation folder; 9" x 12"; prints 4cp/4cp; with saddle stitch booklet stitched to spine; QTY=5M-20M

If you have a source request—for anything—call the Hotline at (800) 333-2828 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Eastern Time, or use the Source Hotline Database online. For new sales ideas every day, try our 1,000 Sales Ideas Database. Manufacturers, if you produce any of these items and would like to check your listing with the Source Hotline, please email Cheryl Rush.