Is your packaging department being suppressed?


Six signs that packaging isn’t being taken seriously in your business.

The budget has been allocated across departments and for some reason packaging has less value than procurement and legal…..Why is that? The value of a tool like packaging can often be overlooked and remain unfulfilled. Packaging is so much more than ‘just a box’, so why is it being undervalued?>>

Undersold or Bang on the Money?
How valued is packaging in your company?

When savings have got to be made in a retail business, what’s the first department that’s reviewed? Packaging! Cutbacks and standardisation are the war cries of ultimate money saving plans. It’s true that in any situation there are always savings to be made but continual improvement should be a company wide ethos.

It’s fair to say that packaging will be viewed differently from company to company. Consumer packaging relies on communication and convenience, whilst industry wants protection of goods. You shouldn’t assign greater importance than the packaging can deliver, but equally so, it’s place in your organisation should not be undersold.

A true indication of how packaging is viewed in an organisation, lies with top tier management. How they communicate to the rest of the company about packaging will filter top to bottom. If annual reports and stockholder meetings show no recognition, then your department really is in trouble. Be sure that your management team are on board and not just playing lip service, without action. Champion your department, showing true value to the rest of the company.

Companies have philosophies all the time, so what does your philosophy say about packaging and its place in the business? There are universal principles and company specific ones. The specific principles are the ones that will speak volumes: the definition of packaging’s importance and how it’s supposed to be used. If it’s not defined clearly enough, then it’s value may not be taken seriously.

Who decides who is recruited into your department? Are vacancies specific enough about the level of expertise required, or is your company expecting them to ‘learn on the job’? If recruitment is being taken out of your hands, maybe suggest a review of the job description and person specification, so that you can be sure of the right candidates.

Packaging is not an island. It integrates with a variety of different departments: product development, procurement, legal, marketing, production and logistics to name a few. As a department it can not be placed within another department, it has to be given autonomy because it’s influence within other department’s decision making is far reaching.It should be positioned relative to the departments it serves.

If your company is demanding great things from packaging, ensure that salaries reflect this, so you can secure the top talent. Ask for money within your budget to explore new innovations, visit the latest shows to stay on trend and network with other companies.

The final indication of whether your company values packaging….do they share your accomplishments? If they don’t….toot your own horn!

At allpack® we cherish everything about packaging that we have learnt over a twenty five year history. We understand your pain when your value is misunderstood, but we also work really hard to ensure packaging stays at the top of everyone’s agenda. We offer a range of services and solutions for companies struggling to comprehend the importance packaging plays and we’re happy to discuss intuitive ways forward to support change for the better.

We believe in a better package, so contact us for a no-obligation consultation to help put packaging firmly back on your companies map!


 
Source: ‘Six Indicators of effectively leveraged packaging’: Sterling Anthony, CPP, Contributing Editor: Pack World.com 19 April 2018