When I first started with FedEx Kinko’s in 2001 we were a young sales organization. I was one of the first Account Managers they hired in Canada. We had a new to the industry Director of Sales and, with a few exceptions, all of the sales people we hired came from outside the print industry. As a group, our print industry experience was limited.
Our task was to penetrate corporate accounts and bring commercial print business to our local Kinko’s locations.
The team did a great job selling our products - and we grew the commercial portfolio substantially - but it was an uphill struggle.
Looking back our biggest challenge was understanding where we fit in the market. We tried to be everything to every client. We took mixed messages to the market. Depending on which rep you spoke to, we offered best in class quality, process, pricing, customer service and turn around!
This focus on being a complete full service provider was a mistake. Our reps sold jobs that our production team - or technology - couldn’t support. This created friction between our sales and operations teams. It also created collisions with clients; we over promised and under delivered. Our clients, frustrated, found other providers - an easy task in the print industry
Frustrated with our inability to deliver - sometimes on product’s that we had no right promising in the first place - our sales reps left in droves, and turnover rates were high.
The good news? We redefined where we fit in the market place, simplified our message, and targeted clients that fit our model.
We focused on the one value add that no competitor could match - quick turn times due to our 24 hour, and multiple production, facilities. Our turn around times were best in class, no one else could deliver a print job quicker than my team.
This is the message we took to market. We targeted companies that required quick turns; convention and corporate training groups. In my last year at Kinko’s we had lots of growth and - restructure aside - zero turnover!
I’m going through this process with my current team. We are defining were we fit in the market and crafting a clear message to our prospects.
What I’ve learned is my oganisation doesn’t have to be all things to all prospects and finding your niche is a beautiful, an profitable, thing!
