From: TomCrouser@aol.com
Date: Sat, 10 Aug 1996 19:36:06 -0400
Subject: Letters: Employee s Back Problem and More
Content-Length: 20258
X-UIDL: 839725526.019

Crouser Report OnLine Copyright 1996 Thomas P. Crouser, August 11, 1996 -
Material may not be reproduced in whole or in part without prior written
consent of the copyright holder.
***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** *****


Are You Ready To Hire Your First Salesperson?

 That s the topic of our
breakfast meeting, Wednesday, August 21st in Dallas at 7 am for the Printing
Industries Association of Texas. $35 members, $70 non-members. Message
piatexas.jan@NT1.azone.net (Jan Thornton) for more information. See you
there.
***** ***** *****
Letters: Employee s Back Problem and More
Transmitted from Charleston, West Virginia

Update: Hotline Cy Stapleton is at home recuperating from a recent heart
problem. Hope you re feeling better soon, Cy. . .Carl Zellers, long-time head
of the Printing Industries Association of Northern Ohio and all round good
guy, passed away in June after a short illness. Carl spent many years working
with printers from his base in Cleveland. I ll miss Carl s steady source of
support and wisdom and I m sure many more in the industry will also.

Index: This week our letters are about:  $1 BUYOUTS of Leases; one reader s
comments on FAVORITE Vendors; Response to GottaNow on the RISO purchase altern
ative; RISOs, Ricos, and LaserMaster; Is an office supply company s One CENT
Copies unfair; offer to host an independent Xerox DOCUTECH Centers  spot on
the web; an Employee BACK Problem; An Owner s DISABILITY concerns; and one
owner s FOCUSING Problem.
*****
From:	Flustered
To:       TomCrouser
Re:       $1 BUYOUTS of Leases
 
I just finished paying of my lease and then I get a letter in the mail from
the leasing company saying I owe $407.00 I call to find out what this is for
and they tell me it is the 10% buyout. I told them I thought I had a $1.00
buyout. They told me they don t usually write leases for a $1.00 buyout and
did I have a letter stating this. Well after 3 years I started to think, did
I have a $1.00 buyout???   Sure enough I checked my files and found the
letter and original contract which even said that there was a $1.00 buyout.
Is this common practice for leasing company s to see if you don t have the
letter any more?  Flustered.
***
Hey, Flustered. . .Awhile back, accounting standards for leases were changed
(probably late 1970 s), and the $1 buyout leases were then considered
financing leases and required disclosure on the balance sheet, etc. in order
to conform to standard practices. Around that time, many, many leasing
companies did away with their $1 buyout leases and went to fair market value
at the end for the buyout (which is considered by many to be in the 10%
range). So, my guess is a $1 buyout is unusual for the typical lessor and the
leasing agent just assumed (and you know what that does) the 10% buyout. Of
course, they should have had the paper work too, but then we assume (there it
is again) big financing companies know what they are doing. . . .so, the
moral of the story is to be sure to keep your Fixed Asset Files in tact.

Fixed Asset Files? Yea. . . .the ones where you put all the paperwork on each
piece of equipment and anything else that pertains so you will have it in
times like these. Anyway, good thing you saved yours. Congratulations, but
no, I don t see a conspiracy here. . .Tom
***** *****
Have you checked NAQP OnLine this week? If not, 

go NAQP

 on America OnLine
and read the new issues posted there. Also, find out about a really simple
way to start surfing the World Wide web - not as fast or cheap as a direct
ISP connection, but much easier and available NOW.
***** *****
Subj:	FAVORITE Vendors
From:	Bpcf
To:	      TomCrouser

Hi. . .I enjoyed reading the list of favorite vendors (Hotline Cy s Column)
since some of mine were on it too.  West Texas Printing does very good work
and now that they have a better system for payment , it is a pleasure.
 Distance makes shipping take longer but worth it.  They also have a sister
company   CUSTOM CARDS - which is real good for specialty items.  They do
foil stamped graduation programs each June for us as well as some specialty
cards. (Custom Card Co. 1-800-842-2361). I also use Stouse and am very please
with their work.  Big selection and response.  I really like dealing with
Discount Labels (1-800-457-2400) and they have been very good at redoing a
job at no cost (provided this doesn t happen often).
 
I contacted Keith Clark for calendars as recommended on the list and talked
with Kay.  She is planning to come out to see me and see what we can do with
them  She is also going to look into the idea of being in our NJAQP trade
show if we feel they have something for the group.  

Hodgins Engraving (1-800-666-8950, Fax 716-343-0412) is a favorite of mine
for engraved signs and stamps.  They provide excellent service as well as a
terrific catalog to work with.  They will also give you promotion material to
mail out to your customers.  Bob Hodgins is always at the NAQP and NJAQP
shows and is now on-line hodgins@bataviany.com.  His company also does
business cards and labels but I don t have much experience in those areas.  

One of the computer forms companies that I like is MICROFORMS
(1-800-3334-3676) in Michigan.  They will do short-run computer forms and no
extra charge for PMS color. 

Now that we have a color copier I am looking for ideas to market it and
ideals of things to do to sell it. . . .I look forward to your e-mail and the
responses.  Thanks for the info.  . .Carol 
***** ***** *****
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***** ***** *****
Subj:	Response to GottaNow on the RISO
From:	Marthabell
To:	      TomCrouser

Response to GottaNow on the Riso. . .Your 5:1 equipment purchasing guideline
seems pretty good.  Our recently published NAQP Operating Ratio Study shows
an average asset turnover at just under 3 times; and almost exactly 1/2 of
all assets are fixed and half are liquid (cash, A/R ).  

I have the Riso 3750 non-connected.  The NAQP Group Purchasing Program lists
the machine at $13,116 for the 11x17 version.  This machine runs like a high
speed copier, can print envelopes and card stock while the customer waits.
 The real benefit is cost.  Since installing the Riso in 12/95, I have
416,000 copies with 1200 masters and NO SERVICE CALLS.  I am on time and
materials.  The only problem has been the increase in cash sales on the
while-you-wait program.  But I m not here to moralize with you.  If anyone
wants to discuss the machine with me, they are welcome to call.  Henry
(816-531-7774) P.S. Please suggest all of your contributors put up their
profile on AOL.
*****
Subj:	RISOs, Ricos, and LaserMaster
From:	8ball@netdoor.com (Peary Lomax)
To:  	TomCrouser@aol.com

Tom. . .Having owned (and still own) a LaserMaster printer, I can offer some
first-hand, unbiased advice.  Don t.  The LaserMaster service department is
in a state of advanced putrefaction, and I m attempting a modicum of
compassion with that statement.  There are major problems with TrueType
fonts, compatibility with Win95, and a simple driver upgrade costs more than
$2,000.00, for which money one could purchase a new printer. (Woof!)  Our
current printer is a GCC Technologies Elite 1208, which has none of  the
aforementioned difficulties and outputs tabloid-size paper or polyester
plates.  The plates (we ve tried 2 different brands) simply do not perform
very well, however, but when we tried to purchase plates from LaserMaster we
were promptly informed that they only sell their plates to those superior
human beings who own a LaserMaster printer.  Since our LM printer won t
output a sheet larger than 8.5 x 14, we don t qualify.  Go figger.

In an attempt to fill the gap between a copier and an offset press, we
experimented with both Riso and Rico, and both suffer from the same ink
problem.  Set-off is guaranteed, quality is very 

iffy

, and skew adjustment
is not possible.  In short, they ain t whut they claims t  be!  Maybe in a
few years . . .

You ll get a chuckle out of this.  We attempted to buy a process camera last
year, only to find that, for all practical purposes, they re extinct.  So.
 What now?  As I mentioned previously, the polyester plates we ve tried just
don t 

cut it

, and the price of a platesetter or imagesetter with RIP and
software approaches the national debt.  We re baffled, befuddled, and
confused, and are starting to think in terms of placing a raft in a pond with
a card table thereupon and declaring ourselves an offshore gambling
establishment.  Swapping armor-piercing rounds with La Cosa Nostra seems much
more comfortable than attempting to decipher the acronyms which plague
today s printing business . . . never MIND trying to decide upon an equipment
purchase! Aidez-moi! Hope you and yours are well, happy, and prospering.
Peary Lomax
*****
Subj:	One CENT Copies
From:	73054.3641@CompuServe.COM (Dave House)
To:       TomCrouser@aol.com (Tom Crouser)
 
Hi Tom. . .Just wanted to get your opinion on an office superstore doing 1c
copies (for  100+ copies of 1 original).  Obviously they re not making money
at it, but it  does take away  from everyone s HV/HS copy business.  I can
understand a 1.9  cent copy, hey, they are paying for
maintenance/toner/paper/electric and possibly gaining some collateral sales,
but 1 cent is below cost.  Is that legal or is it  anti-competitive? Thanks,
Dave 
*****
Hummm. Well, Dave, it s awfully competitive if anything. Actually, the
anti-competitive price thing hasn t been very successful. . ..or at least I
haven t heard much success with it. Very difficult to prove and varies state
by state. So, is it legal? Don t know unless some very strict conditions are
met such as purposefully trying to drive competitors out of business, etc.
Check with a local lawyer and see what they say. Let us know. Keep in touch.
Tom
*****
Subj:	Independent Xerox Docutech Centers - offer to host.
From:	martin@usa.net (Martin L. Turnbull)
To: 	tomcrouser@aol.com

Tom. . .After searching the Xerox web site for a web page Independent
Docutech printers, all I could find was XEROX factory document centers.
 Xerox will sell Docutech s to printers, but does not support them nationally
with a web page.  I offered to host Independent Docutech Xerox printers for
Xerox and Xerox declined to support these printers.  Their reply: 

Thank you
for your message. We re not able to take advantage of your offer to host a
Xerox sponsored independent DocuTech providers service on the PrintUSA web
site. However, we appreciate you taking the time to let us know this service.
If we can be of any further help, please let us know.

 Just food for thought.
Kind regards, Martin
***** ***** *****
My Next Saturday Morning Power Pricing Seminar will be in Colorado Springs on
August 24th. Call (304) 342-5100 if you want to attend this FREE session.
***** ***** *****
Subj:	Employee BACK Problem
From:	Pained
To:	      TomCrouser@aol.com

Hi Tom & Pam. . .How are you guys doing? (We) talked to Pam at the NAQP
convention at your booth but Tom, you were really busy. That s good!

I do have a new problem I would like to share with you. It involves my
bindery worker Denise. She has been with us for over 4 years now. Denise does
90% of our bindery work and delivers finished jobs to our customers. She does
an excellent job, is a solid performer and is very pleasant with our
customers. Her job involves lifting of paper everyday whether it be a small
stack or a full carton of paper. The other day she came to us with a note
from her Chiropractor. The note said, 

This is to certify that Denise is
under my care. In order to avoid aggravation of her condition, I recommend
that he/she be excused from all lifting activities until (no date). Remarks:
Has severe headaches and neck pain after lifting.



Before she gave me the note she asked if she could have somebody else do the
delivery of the heavier boxes of printing to our customers so she wouldn t
hurt her neck and get headaches anymore. I told her that was fine with a
puzzled look on my face. Before this she had never said anything about having
problems lifting. The next day I decided to call her Chiropractor. The
Chiropractor explained that Denise has the worst case of TMJ that she had
ever seen. She said that when Denise lifts a heavy item she grits her teeth
which in turn causes headaches and neck pain because of this TMJ. The
chiropractor said the TMJ, neck pain and headaches are all caused from
lifting. She also confirmed that this will be an ongoing problem and that I
should work it out with Denise on how much she could lift without causing her
problems.

What are my options here? Do I risk keeping her working in bindery as it
involves lifting throughout the day every day? She hasn t asked for any
reimbursement of Chiropractor bills yet. After thinking about this for the
past couple days I feel that my only option is to let her go before lifting
something really knocks her neck out of place. I guess if she wasn t such a
good employee and I didn t have to train anybody else it would be easy to let
her go. She is valuable to our team but she isn t if she can t lift. What are
your suggestions on this problem? Thank you a lot, Tom & Pam. Pained.
*****
Hey, Pained. . .You present a very difficult problem. Since lifting is an
integral part of her job and since she can no longer lift without potentially
doing damage to herself, then your choice is either to accommodate her or get
someone else to do the job. As you state, neither seems to be a good choice.

My reading of the Chiropractor is that he is describing a possibly temporary
condition which results when lifting occurs. If she doesn t lift, the
condition doesn t exist and she is not injured. He is not, in my reading,
claiming an injury has occurred and she can t work. Just that she can t lift.
That may be temporary or permanent. I would seek some clarification of this.

If, however, she is claiming that she was injured on the job because of
lifting (which she will probably eventually do), then that s another can of
worms. . .and what we have here is a clear case of too many people making too
many jokes about lawyers when we really need one. . .and I believe you do.
This situation is much too full of twists and turns to adequately advise you
upon and will require competent legal assistance to protect your assets. Even
then, there probably will not be a clear-cut answer. My guess is the attorney
will want to get a second medical opinion and, if they don t confirm the
first, then it might be 

do your job and you get to keep it.

 That, of
course, won t sit well with the worker which will create other problems.

So, my first cut of the situation is to remove the condition. Keep her from
lifting heavy things.. . . .In the interim, please review this situation with
an attorney in Iowa who does employment law. Probably find one in Sioux City
without problem. . .You, of course, stand a much better chance of living
through a nasty separation (assuming one is necessary ) IF you have
appropriately maintained your employment at will rights (although you may
still have to pay unemployment or Worker s Compensation). So, check it out
and let us know what happens. . .Good luck. . .Tom
*****
Subj:	An Owner s DISABILITY
From:	Cautious
To:	      TomCrouser@aol.com

FINANCIAL PLANNING . . .We have been told by our Merrill Lynch Financial
Planner, whom we have used for about eight years now for our IRA mutual
funds, that one of the worst financial things that can happen is a lasting
disability.  He suggested long term disability insurance to supplement the
short term we have through our health insurance.  This would be just for us
(the husband and wife owners) - not the staff.  What insight can you give us,
Tom, into this?  He has contacted an independent insurance agent and had her
give us some quotes and we have also gotten some information from the man who
handles our health insurance - although he did an estimate based on the staff
all having it because he said it was too expensive for just 2 of us.  We re
talking $300 - $400 a year in premiums for each of us, approximately, to go
the individual route. And, supposedly, the individual plan would not increase
in premium and could not be canceled - haven t seen that in writing, yet
though!  What do you think?
*****
Hey, guys. . . .One of the significant risks individual business owners has
is that of long term disability. Typically, we try to cover short (up to 26
weeks) term disabilities within normal benefit packages but rarely do I see
long term disability as a benefit to all workers in this business. There are
some long term (over 26 week) social security benefits available, by the way.
So, if you are concerned about long term disability (and we all should be),
then I would put it on the list of capital budgeting items and prioritize it
within your other spending. (Not saying I would rush out and buy it, but I
certainly would include it along with working capital; retirement funds;
educational funds; equipment needs; and current living needs. Then prioritize
and buy if a high enough priority in your individual case.)

In general, I highly recommend short term disability first, then long term.
By the way, had a client actually have to collect on disability insurance
when she broke her back and couldn t work for many weeks. First question on
the claim form was, 

Did you lose your business because of this injury.

 She
said that hit her like a ton of bricks. Being common enough to print on a
standard form was significant enough, let alone the fact that it was the
first question. Anyway, $300-$400 per year for premiums doesn t strike me as
being out of line.

Good luck and stay healthy! Tom
*****
Subj:	FOCUSING Problem
From:	Fuzzy In The Midwest
To:	      TomCrouser@aol.com

I would like to know your thoughts. . . .Seems I have a real focusing problem
I have had all my life. In college the only way I could study was to write
down everything I read over and over. Really slows down the process. This
problem has only got worse and now is really interfering with my ability to
manage the business. In spite of all it takes many times longer to do things
than it should. I am thinking about going to the doctor and see if medication
will help. . .You know, the stuff that helps kids keep their mind on what
they are doing. This problem is getting unbearable . What do you think?
Fuzzy.
*****
Hey, Fuzzy. . .I d sure get a medical checkup first, but I m not so sure I
would be ready to jump into medication for what you are describing is, I
believe, a learning disability. . . .sort of like people who see numbers and
words in reverse. . .out at (one of the universities located near you), I bet
they have people who work with learning disabilities. . . .or someone who
could put you in touch with someone. . . that s where I would start. . . let
them test you and see what they say. Then there is typically a prescribed
course of training, etc. which helps you augment whatever the difficulty is.
. . . I did the same thing years ago and they put me into a speed reading and
comprehension course. Anyway, that s where I would start. . ..and a checkup
with the family physician never hurts. Let us know what happens. . . .Tom
*****
That s it for this weekend. Pamela and I will actually be in the office some
this week as we catch up on many things. Next week it is off to Texas,
Colorado and Iowa. See you soon. . .Happy Trails,

Tom and Pamela Crouser
***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** *****
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