Take it from us — printing can be complicated. Each project has its own needs and encounters its own complications throughout the printing process. Of course, hurdles of some kind are always anticipated, especially throughout the prepress process.
As a print buyer, you want to be aware of the printing particulars that impact your print product; not line-by-line specifics. You don’t have time to get stuck in the weeds and lose sight of the bigger picture.
When it comes to printing, you need someone looking out for you. A representative who works hard and understands the entire printing process, from prepress to packaging.
At Walsworth, we believe in creating value for our customers with end-to-end digital and print solutions. But that value relies on our ability to execute. It doesn’t matter how quality a printer’s solutions are if they can’t deliver on them each day and with every project.
That’s where our Customer Service Representatives (CSRs) step in. They are the crucial point-of-contact who guide our customers throughout the printing process.
Since Walsworth’s hometown Marceline was founded as a railroad hub, a passenger train is an apt analogy to describe their importance to our operation:
If our printing presses are the engine, our Customer Service Representatives might be the train conductors. They make sure the train is on schedule; they coordinate with the crews and make sure customers are comfortable. They have an eye on everything; the train doesn’t move a millimeter without their approval.
If you peel back the process behind any one of our print projects, you’ll find the fingerprints of a Customer Service Representative.
Extensively Trained, Experienced Experts
Given the prominent role they play in every project, our Customer Service Representatives don’t just hop on board after hiring. Newcomers to the department spend six weeks training to learn about everything from our unique prepress process through our finishing processes. After this training, they are paired with a mentor for continued development. That being said, “new” is relative. Our CSRs have been part of the Walsworth family for 20 years on average.
Regardless of experience, Customer Service Representatives are constantly learning and training. There are numerous training sessions throughout the year that update the entire team on new operating procedures.
For Dana Kelly, a passionate problem solver and CSR who has been with Walsworth for 22 years, learning is a key part of the job.
“I will never know everything about the printing business, but I’ve learned to keep asking and I will find the right person to answer my question,” Kelly said.
The core focus of our CSRs is to act as the intermediary between the customer and the press facility. They are customer advocates working to make sure their customers’ needs are continually met and that the project proceeds smoothly through the printing process.
Given this relationship, they must understand all aspects of the printing process: From the minutia of proofing to big picture planning around deadlines.
But beyond having an expert understanding of the printing process, our CSRs also have empathy in no short supply. They must be problem solvers who care and great communicators who are quick to respond to customer needs.
Putting people first
It’s fitting that “customer” is the first word in their job title, because at the end of the day, the customer is their top concern.
Our Customer Service Representatives are experts at what they do, and not just because of their extensive training and experience. Our CSRs are integral to our operation — and to any successful print operation for that matter — because they value the people behind the project.
They create value for customers through helping the project overcome any complications first and foremost. But equally important to the collective success of a project is the close working relationships our CSRs cultivate with customers. These strong foundations help projects overcome any challenge. In this sense, they truly embody Walsworth’s value of putting people first.
“We feel like we are your only client,” said Chris Keene of the Zoological Society of Milwaukee. “Customer Service is very responsive, and the print quality is always very good.”
Some of the relationships between customers and CSRs even span decades. These representatives have been there for customer milestones such as marriages and births, as well as more somber moments. No matter what the future holds, you can bet our CSRs will be there for customers in whatever way they are needed. Not all of these ways are necessarily in their job description. But it’s some of the most important work our Customer Service Representatives do.
Whether it’s last-minute changes or late-night phone calls, our CSRs are driven. They do whatever it takes to deliver a quality print product on time and budget.
All of our employees are important in helping keep Walsworth running — from prepress and technical support, to press operators and the sales teams. As our CEO Don Walsworth always says, “Our people make the difference.”
But without the tireless efforts of our Customer Service Representatives, our train would never leave the station.
