Written by Emily Freed
Now that I have explored and looked into each stage of the ordering process, there is the matter of the daily operations that keep Promotional Partners running smoothly. Keith is the co-owner of Promotional Partners and the husband of Olivia. He is also responsible for, in his words, the “way behind the scenes operations.” In general, he operates as a financial manager in regards to reaching out to suppliers, payroll, and managing safety operations. All of these tasks are of the utmost importance in order to keep the ordering, design, and tracking process working well.
The first area of his role that Keith showed me was how he manages the incomes of Promotional Partners and how he makes sure that the amount is distributed to the proper places at the proper times. He explains “I work closely with Sherri as she manages each order after it has been placed and I look to see how much we have coming in, so I can figure out where we need to spend.” Taking care of the payments made to the suppliers allows the designers and Olivia to easily place orders that best suit the client's purpose without having to worry about financial ties with that supplier.
Keith is also in charge of the safety operations at Promotional Partners. He explained to me that all of the products that are ordered through Promotional Partners follow the most recent laws that involve quality control and safety. This ensures that no matter what item the client is receiving, the product has passed inspection and is deemed safe to perform the purposes of that product. Again, this allows the ordering process to be worry-free for the clients and internally because none of the parties have to worry about the safety of the product.
Keith goes on to explain that his background in the environmental engineering field allows him a deeper understanding of the regulations on each product. This background also allows for the creativity of the company to be sustained and supported. Keith’s prior experience permits him to have a focused viewpoint on how the “behind-the-scenes” operations should be organized.
Similarly to the previous blog posts, Keith also emphasizes the importance of internal communication. He explains that by communicating with the team on projects, even though is he not directly involved, he has a better understanding of how to support the “front house” operations. Without this communication, he would not be able to know how to appropriately make payments and financially support the creative process.
Looking behind the scenes at Promotional Partners has offered insight into how complex and unique the process of the company is. By offering a personal approach to ordering promotional products that spread the message of the client's business in whatever setting they need, Promotional Partners exceeds a “one click and order” business. This process is in-depth and travels through many different people in order to get the best results for the clients and even though it is complex, Promotional Partners makes it a “piece of cake” for everyone involved.