Welcome! We're glad you're here.
Whether your journey through here is just one of curiosity, or to seriously gather information about retaining us, our goal is to satisfy your needs. While 34 years of General & Sales Management in the printing and book industry has provided many challenges, valuable experience and lessons learned have been the benefit. Listed below in summary fashion are areas of greatest interest and value. Additional questions, discussions, and feedback is always welcome.
Mission Statement
Hengsbach & Associates works with top management in the print, book, and publishing areas helping clients develop their people, focus on strengths, and win the competitive battle for customers.
Areas of Expertise
Sales Force Support & Accountability: First the statistics: Approximately 80% of companies with outside sales forces do not have compensation plans that support corporate goals. Furthermore, clearly written objectives are not given in more than 60% of those same organizations. All too often little or no training is given. Finally, no more than 40% of managers hold their people accountable considering annual performance reviews, written performance improvement plans, and regularly scheduled One to One's. It's no wonder that, when business is down, the conclusion is often reached that it's sales' fault. Virtually always, coaching IS needed, but the wise person looks inward first to their management style, level of support, and procedures. You may find this approach surprising, but we have found it very productive.
Certainly, sales profiles, work ethic, energy level, listening skills, empathy, experience and such, need to be studied. However, removing excuses that Sales can always find is critical.When all issues are removed by looking at corporate support first, sales, virtually always, will be much more open to producing & meeting objectives. They will "get it", if they feel they are being treated well, are valued, and part of a team that wants them to succeed. When the company wins they win; it's as simple as that.
A final emphasis here is fostering excellent communication. One of our favorite books is "Fierce Conversations" by Susan Scott. Honest, caring, but direct interchange is a must in developing trust and a team. This will be a thread through the whole experience.
Digital Workflow Management: The best minds in print forecasting estimate that within 5 years, digital delivery of print will amount to 25% of the market. Since few of us could withstand that sort of reduction in volume, it makes sense that we get involved in a real way with the technology. This means not only outsourcing, but getting your people involved, and learning all you can about the workflow. Some have used frustration of losing money as an excuse; sadly many of them will be left behind.
The name of the game now is Digital Aggregation, which is the digitally purposing, or repurposing of content so as to be able to deliver, or store it, in a variety of ways. It might be output to an I-Pad, or traditionally printed, but it could be for a Book of One, or digitally printed to complement traditional offset. In any case, we need to see ourselves not only as printers, but as deliverers of print in a variety of ways.
Hengsbach & Associates will facilitate understanding of the issues within your organization, assist you in avoiding the pitfalls, and yes, even help you make it a profitable venture. It's all about commitment, acquiring talented people, and embracing the technology, which ideally results in finding the right niche, as defined by your customers..
Strategic Planning: One of the most common business challenges found in the print area now is companies trying to be all things to all people. Certainly, one stop shopping is often a sound strategy, but without careful planning, it may result in a scattered approach that erodes service AND profits.
When most businesses, especially family-owned, grow to where they are respected, a force in their niche, & profitable, it is not random good fortune. Chances are there was an entrepreneur who discovered something that their prospective customers valued & needed, developed core competencies to provide it, & then streamlined the process to maximize return. Unwittingly perhaps, but they went through a process in developing their business.
Usually then, one of two things happen next: 1) Complacency can set in, especially if they believe they can ride the status quo, or if they're older & ready to cash out, or 2) They expand helter skelter, looking for additional products to produce on existing equipment(whether the customer needs them or not). Or they look for a magic bullet product or service that complements their existing operation. Either way can succeed, but what really needs to happen is Strategic Planning.
Strategic Planning is most of all a process. It requires commitment from the top, solid performance from the management team, and opinions and ideas from the bottom up. It is participatory and team oriented. Other wise, less than perfect results can occur when one, or even two persons dominate.
It is a journey AND a destination, where we learn from each other (customers, competitors, suppliers & employees), and discover, without personal agendas, where we are going. The destination is growth & profitability, and once we get there, we plot a new course for a higher one.
Family-Owned Business Challenges/Opportunities: Many companies with family member ownership, and/or management, struggle with how to maintain family values while pursuing growth. Often employees do not understand that the family has the right to pursue their goals in addition to those of the company. Morale of employees is often affected, as well as the cohesiveness of the family. We believe both can be achieved, but often the process needs an outside facilitator. That's where we come in; we understand the issues, and how to resolve them without stress on the family.
Some initiatives here are to evaluate the current state of the family and business, and look at how they interact. Questions will be pondered, such as: How should promotion of family members within the business be earned? Is there a difference between ownership and managing within the business? How can second and future generations of family members best be mentored?
Emphasis will be put on discussion of such things as goal setting, accountability, succession planning and resolving conflict. Questions, discussion, and the discovery of the right course of action for the goals, as set by the company, will be the key. The journey will be a big part of this process.
Fierce Conversations: As alluded to above, communicating clearly to others is a non-negotiable requirement for success. More than 75% of small to medium sized companies have some sort of dysfunction or disjoint when it comes to UPWARD information exchanges. Simply put, most employees are reluctant to honestly communicate to their superiors for fear of censure or at least disapproval. When these frustrations build, they often can burst out at the worst of times, doing damage to both parties. In the last month alone, three VP's, all at different companies, talked candidly to us on how to express deep concerns to their CEO 's. One CEO refused to see business & market realities, another was treating employees with demotivating behavior, and the third was micro managing without spending enough time to be knowledgeably involved.
Accordingly, we start at the top with the President or CEO, examining their management & communication style. What do they want to accomplish? How do they see themselves? Are they comfortable with their communication? Do they see their reports communicating candidly to them?
These questions will lead to their staff, and in the protected environment we provide, The answers will lead to productive interchanges - fierce conversations. This is one of those clear times where a third party is much more effective in raising the issue. We will be happy to facilitate for you. Try us with your questions; we will be happy to pave the way with answers.
Executive & Managerial Coaching: It's not only lonely at the top, ethics and issues complicate decisions. Adding to the challenge is the attempt to serve 3 masters; customers, employees, and shareholders. Thirty years of sales and general management experience has provided the foundation for understanding and mentoring in this area. Five years were spent running a $20 million family-owned company which was sold at a handsome level providing excellent shareholder return.
Whether it's facilitating a top manager's performance, or counseling the management of a top sales person, our most important asset is our people. However, this all starts at the top. If the CEO is not happy, motivated, and comfortable in her role, then it filters down to her managers and to their reports. Driving the Agency to this position has involved a significant level of listening, understanding, and empathy, which in turn is taught to the organization. Emphasis is put on removing emotion and making challenge resolution a process. The objectives must be defined, data gathered and reviewed, all from a disciplined approach.
Next enters the heart. Just as the objective view gets its due, so must our values. Yes, we must use both sides of our brains! Simply put, what is the right thing to do? .
Book Components Including BaseOne: The Agency has written and submitted 3 patents in this area, for BaseOne. They are centered around a plastic substrate instead of paper, which provides for better durability. less cost in some instances, less weight, and a dramatically improved appearance. The Agency has important experience in the development and sale of book covers, book jackets, BaseOne covers and jackets, and the UV and digital printing of each. Marketing, sales force selection, retention, and development within this product area is a specialty. Additionally there is significant knowledge of strategic direction, the competitive marketplace, & customer awareness and needs.
Projects undertaken might be to evaluate the current production, marketing, and sales of book components; to question/discuss strategic direction; and to facilitate implementation of the course of action chosen.
|
