Millers Blog

October 2009 - Posts

• Measuring and Improving Performance by Dick Coleman

  How do we know we are improving? If we are improving, do we know where and why? Awaiting every Miller’s production group each morning are numbers and spreadsheets generated to give them an immediate and very accurate assessment. These numbers compare our performance in quality, timeliness and productivity, both group and lab-wide, with the same period last year. Constant, steady improvement is our goal. Although our percentages steadily continue to approach 100%, we know they can be improved. Developing this information was a large task, but we know it is the only way to evaluate ourselves. We have had this invaluable information available to us for the past seventeen years so we certainly have a handle on our performance. Each year adds another year of experience. To our knowledge, no other lab has this detailed of a monitoring program in place. How we perform is such a priority that it is the basis of our company vision statement, “to deliver our services with the greatest quality and speed in the industry”. Our criteria of quality, timeliness and productivity is the true litmus test to our performance – our value to you. You are the one who directly determines our quality. Each order that leaves the lab is carefully tracked.  If an order comes back to us, either as a remake or credit memo, the statistic is assigned to the work group that was responsible for the order.  We use these statistics to not only monitor quality, but to also set goals for improvement in each area. How about our timeliness? It is even better than last year at this time. How often have you been pleasantly surprised by receiving one of your Miller’s orders earlier than expected?  Here is an interesting statistic. Roughly 1 in 200 orders is shipped later than the promised delivery date while better than 1 in 3 is shipped ahead of the promised delivery date! Many believe that a business must decide on either quality or timeliness. This is not the case as long as proven systems are in place and adjustments can be made on the spur of the moment. Our labor efficiency (sales/salaries) is our measure of productivity. How does this affect you? Because of our improved efficiency, we have been able to hold our prices since 2001 on almost all products within the lab – in spite of our increase in wages. We take great care in carefully managing our labor costs. Our staff has been trained to be very flexible and quick to adjust its schedule. Work schedules even adjust daily depending on incoming volume, flight and weather delays as well as other conditions beyond our control.   Without these daily statistics, we can only guess on performance. They are accurate feedback but they also bring to light the specific areas where we need to improve. So why is this collection of numbers so exciting? This year’s performance – in all three categories – is the highest in our recorded history! Hopefully, you have noticed. Striving for continuous improvement – this is our promise to you! Posted Oct 30 2009, 02:48 PM by Julie Brown with 3 comment(s) Filed under: Newsletter Columns

• Introducing Miller's Remote Suite PLUS Proofing!

  Check out Miller's Remote Suite PLUS Proofing!  Just recently released, our new Proofing application is PC and Mac compatible.  It joins our other PLUS Final Print and Fine Art applications, and just like those, has an easy-to-use interface to help you place your proofing orders in just a few minutes.  A few other features include... ...Our new and improved Proof Impression Cases!  Your design now wraps around the entire box and is finished off with a high gloss lamination and black satin ribbon.  Order it individually in the new Proofing app or as an add-on to your proofing order.  Learn More ...ProFiles 2 Mpix for the shoot and burn workflow.  When creating a proofing order, select our new ProFiles 2 Mpix option.  We'll create an Mpix account for your clients and upload it with high-res images for ordering.  Learn More ...Our Press Proof Books now available in Proofing.  Although our Press Proof Books are printed on Miller's press paper, as a proofing product, we decided to add them to PLUS Proofing too.  You will continue to be able to order the same offering in Miller's Remote Studio Press and Press Quick Order.  Learn More If you've previously installed Remote Suite PLUS, it will automatically update with the latest changes, including the new Proofing application.  Don't have Remote Suite PLUS installed?  Download Now Please note: All new orders should be created with Remote Suite PLUS Proofing, as Remote Studio Proofing will not be available after October 18, 2009.     Posted Oct 15 2009, 01:24 PM by Julie Brown with 3 comment(s) Filed under: Millers, Proofing, Remote Suite PLUS

• Winners of the 2009 Miller's $100K Charity Program

  After an exciting year of charity giveaways in 2008, we’ve now kicked off the Miller’s $100K Charity Program for 2009.  With your help, we’ll once again be handing out $100,000 in charitable contributions during this year’s tradeshow season.  Simply drop by the Miller’s booth at any of our scheduled conventions to register.  If your name is drawn, we’ll give you $1,000 to donate to your favorite charity in your name!  Winners and their selected charities to date are listed below: SPA Peg Bucker and Michael Hewitt: Donating $1,000 to the Churchill Animal Protection Society Steve Ervin: Donating $1,000 to the Eugene Field Foundation Nicholas Williams: Donating $1,000 to the Saguaro High School Band Boosters Phillips Mitchell:  Donating $1,000 to Refuge Ministries Elizabeth Sampson:  Donating $1,000 to Autism Advocates of Indiana Imaging USA Meagan Yohnke: Donating $1,000 to the Wounded EOD Warrior Foundation Jay and Jeanette Pierstorff: Donating $1,000 to the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum Mac McDougal: Donating $1,000 to the Humane Society of Southern Arizona Linda Hamilton: Donating $1,000 to the American Cancer Society Christine Paulsen: Donating $1,000 to the Spinal Cord Society Jim Peterson:  Donating $1,000 to the Sedona Jazz on the Rocks Patty Fox:  Donating $1,000 to the PPA Charities John & Cindy La Barge:  Donating $1,000 to Home Care & Hospice Danny & Teresa Emrich:  Donating $1,000 to the Boys & Girls Club of the Greater Cook County Area Jessica Edwards:  Donating $1,000 to The Empty Stocking Fund of Cumberland, KY Don and Corlis Adams:  Donating $1,000 to The Flint Riverquarium Teri Quance:  Donating $1,000 to Victim Relief Ministries Mid-East Carmen Frederick:  Donating $1,000 to the Pregnancy Resource Center Valerie Traynor:  Donating $1,000 to the Golden Retriever Foundation SYNC Lisa Sibley:  Donating $1,000 to the Local Community Housing Corp./Cops and Kids Kathleen Hall:  Donating $1,000 to the Metropolitan Ministries c/o Feinstein Challenge WPPI Janet Parker:  Donating $1,000 to Christian Homecare Services Inc. Corey Brown:  Donating $1,000 to Heart 4 Kids Kalise Smith:  Donating $1,000 to Big Brothers Big Sisters Kristi Klemens:  Donating $1,000 to Grace for Children Foundation Daniel Peluso:  Donating $1,000 to the PKD Foundation Julie Kettler:  Donating $1,000 to Beavercreek Baptist Church Tait DeBaca:  Donating $1,000 to Planet Pethood International Robin B. Langsdorf:  Donating $1,000 to Shoot For Success, Inc. Brandon Miller:  Donating $1,000 to XP Family Support Group Karen Lindberg:  Donating $1,000 to The National Humane Society of the United States Anthony Holguin:  Donating $1,000 to the Assistance League of Saddleback Valley Jeremy & Hara Cook:  Donating $1,000 to Globe International David Jensen:  Donating $1,000 to Friends of Pets Aaron Marron:  Donating $1,000 to Apostolic Assembly of the Faith in Chris Jesus Connecticut Lynne Wentworth:  Donating $1,000 to the Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep Foundation Rocco Leone:  Donating $1,000 to St. Jude's Children's Hospital North Carolina Bonnie Berlin:  Donating $1,000 to The Arts Council of Winston-Salem and Forsyth County Lance Richardson:  Donating $1,000 to Chordoma Foundation Rose Mary Cheek:  Donating $1,000 to Day Spring Ministries ProPhoto Expo - California Bill Watson:  Donating $1,000 to Moment By Moment Victoria Wispell:  Donating $1,000 to Mustard Seed Tutorial Center Christine McDowell:  Donating $1,000 to Good Neighbors Campaign Daniel Avila:  Donating $1,000 to American Heart Association Ohio Matthew Farson:  Donating $1,000 to Hope Street Kids Heart of America Art & Soul Photography:  Donating $1,000 to the International Institute of Christian Studies Brian Baer:  Donating $1,000 to Merryman Performing Arts Center Jerry Kramer:  Donating $1,000 to Mount Pleasant Community Church Kate Wright:  Donating $1,000 to Log Providence Missionary Baptist Church Building Fund MARC Spring Convention Tonya Davis:  Donating $1,000 to Baby Fold SEPPA Billy Ross:  Donating $1,000 to H.O.P.E. Center Darrell Galloway:  Donating $1,000 to Griffin High School Anne Grant:  Donating $1,000 Sally's Angels, Inc. Mississippi-Alabama Melissa Tash:  Donating $1,000 to IMS First Stop Texas School Melissa Darst:  Donating $1,000 to Lena Pope Home, Inc Louisiana Jay Faugot:  Donating $1,000 to St. Thomas More Catholic High School Foundation Chris Martinez:  Donating $1,000 to The City of Love Oklahoma Meghan Norton:  Donating $1,000 to Edmond Women's Club Tennessee Michelle & Tracy Batte:  Donating $1,000 to Veterans Administration/VA Hospital of Nashville, TN Florida Gina Weaver:  Donating $1,000 to Tree House, Inc. PPANE Isabella Britain Hill:  Donating $1,000 to Akita Rescue of the Mid-Atlantic Susan Malboeuf:  Donating $1,000 to Nashua High School Music Booster Association Leigh DiLeonardo:  Donating $1,000 to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children SWPPA Ginna Melhorn:  Donating $1,000 to Ft. Bend Young Life Katherine Stone:  Donating $1,000 to Jeremy's Friends After Dark Austin, TX:  Donating $2,500 to Operation Smile Austin, TX:  Donating $2,500 to Dress for Success Thanks to all who registered!  To learn more about the Miller’s $100K Charity Program or to find out what convention we'll be attending next, click here. Posted Oct 05 2009, 10:01 AM by Julie Brown with 6 comment(s) Filed under: Millers, Charity