Articles
Selecting a Packaging Partner - 3 Tips to Keep in Mind
You're a professional who plans carefully for success, and that means you're selective about the people you do business with---researchers, chemists, product marketers, accountants, you name it. But how thoroughly do you think through your choice for a packaging partner?
Tip: Consultants are specialists.
Specialized knowledge is a useful thing. A packaging consultant/specialist can tell you everything there is to know about a narrowly defined topic, whether it's material selection, design, or vendor qualifications. But that very specialization is what limits a consultant when it comes to seeing the big picture. Somebody who is focused only on environmental responsibility, for instance, might completely miss an opportunity to apply a new type of packaging solution if it’s not usually considered an ecological sensitive choice---even if it could be, with a little bit of tweaking. Or the design maven might nix your perfectly workable idea if it sounds like it won’t look right---even if, with a bit of perspective, it could.
So who can help? A packaging partner is a professional resource who understands the challenges not only of specific to packaging but also those inherent in supply chain management. Thorough knowledge of a collection of cross-functional disciplines is what sets a true partner apart.
Tip: Perspective is key.
The consultant has his or her place in the process, but the consultant doesn’t have the necessary perspective to drive the process. That's where the packaging partner comes in.
A packaging partner can help you think through your packaging challenge, from concept to delivery, to ensure a result that fulfills all of your requirements, from package stability to materials compatibility to branding and point-of-sale positioning. Because the partner is knowledgeable about every phase of the packaging creation process in a broad range of industries over myriad applications, the partner can help you determine your needs and then meet them, on time and on budget. Specialized consultants simply don’t have the experience or the exposure to think creatively about the process.
Tip: Business is about relationships.
Do you fire your accountant every year? Do you want to hire a new design team for every product you develop? Of course not. But many otherwise savvy business people think of vendors as widgets, interchangeable and easily replaced. And some vendors figure that once they're on the list of approved suppliers, all they have to do is whatever got them there---and nothing more. Does this sound like a mindset that will foster innovation and creativity? Will your next great idea come from doing business this way? We don't think so.
A good packaging partner will get to know your company---its goals, its competition, the market in general, and what's the next big thing. Because a real partner is interested in mutual success, a real partnership can spark great ideas. And in the end, ideas are the only things that will set you apart from the competition. So choose wisely!
