A NEW CHAPTER BEGINS

The Superior Sample Company of 2013 looks dramatically different than the one in 1980 which first employed retiring Senior National Accounts Manager, Pat Smoots. Long before text messaging, the wide world web, reality TV, or even fax machines, Superior Sample was a cutting edge supplier to some of the leading companies in the furniture and wall covering industries. In fact, according to Pat Smoots, accounting was still done with a pencil ledger book and typewriter.

"When I first joined Superior Sample in 1980 as a payroll clerk, I had just ended a part-time job at a local eye doctor in hopes of finding full-time work," said Pat. "It was all manual work with no computers to be found in the office until several years after I started."

Pat retired from Superior Sample effective April 24 this year after an amazing 32 ½ years with the company. Her start in 1980 as a payroll clerk eventually led to an accounts payable position in 1985 and then on to customer service support in 1988. "It's pretty amazing to look back at my experiences with Superior Sample over the years and I'm especially fond of the relationships I've had inside and outside the company." 

One particular memory involved a last minute winter flight to Detroit with company owner Rex Hagen and his daughter Nancy, in support of a leading customer's 35th anniversary celebration dinner. "We were on the runway and Nancy and Rex pulled out flashlights and tried to judge the amount of ice on the wings to make sure flying was safe," she recalls. "It was kind of scary to think that in a small 4 seat airplane that flashlights were being used from inside to decide if it was safe enough to fly." Pat giggles about it now, but at the time, she said, it was quite frightening. 

In 2000, she was promoted to outside sales for a new industry being pursued by the company to diversify from furniture and wall covering. "We really hadn't developed the knitwear business for sampling, but our process of manufacturing and close customer service allowed us to earn business with some of the leading companies in that industry," she shared. Superior Sample innovated sample cards for a leader in the knitwear industry, that became a standard by which other companies have tried to emulate. In 2006, Pat moved to a full-time role of outside sales until her retirement last month. She finished her career with Superior as Senior National Accounts Manager while training National Accounts Manager, Joy Bauer to take on a similar role for Superior Sample. 

Company President and co-owner, Peggy Daniels said this about Pat, "Although an employee of our company all these years, she is more like family to us and most of our team. I know our customers have loved having her as a primary contact and it's been bittersweet to see her go." 

Pat now looks forward in her retirement to spending more time with her family, relaxing and enjoying life. Pat also looks forward to taking art and pottery classes in the fall. One thing for sure is that although this chapter of Pat Smoots being a regular face of Superior Sample to the customers has closed, a new chapter has definitely begun for her and Superior Sample. 

With the warmest of wishes, we hope for the best in her retirement and are excited about the continued growth of Superior Sample in the sampling industry.

CELEBRATING 55 YEARS

Although many companies in the U.S. have celebrated over 50 years in business, it's very special to us to be in continuous operation for 55 years. As such, we celebrated the marking of this anniversary date this past December 2012 with a company wide appreciation dinner.

There are many past and present employees and customers who made Superior Sample Company what it is today and we are ever grateful to each of them for their loyalty and commitment.  Future employees and customers will benefit because of the great foundation laid before them.

We look forward to another great year in 2013 and hope to serve even more customers through the hard work and commitment to excellence from our dedicated employees.

BRANDED SAMPLING

The power of your company image is sometimes overlooked when creating samples of your products. When a potential client is considering multiple vendors for a product you offer, it can sometimes be a matter of what sticks out about your samples.

If you offer fabric samples, wallpaper samples, or swatch samples of other materials, what may set the sample kits apart may be how you BRAND them. Branding is simply the way in which your company labels the products you offer with your logo or company image. An attractive brand label on your sample kit may elevate your company over the competition.

For your next sample project, carefully consider how your company is being branded on the swatch book, stack book, or even display board... it may just be the edge your product samples need to get noticed.

FABRIC SAMPLE PLANNING

One of the tedious parts of developing a fabric swatch sample project is in the knowing of what is required from Superior Sample and the customer. Having worked in Superior Sample's customer service department since 1993, there have been many experiences working with a customer to plan their fabric sample project.
The first and most important aspect is to know the type of sampling product you want to have produced. Our PRODUCTS page shows the various types of sample products we assemble for customers each year. Seeing our various product photos as a reference can assist in making this decision.

The next step will be to decide quantities. This is simply a calculation of the number of customers you want to reach with the samples and the locations where these samples will need to be sent.

The dimensions of each sample piece will also be a factor in the fabric swatch sample plan. Some of our products can be die-cut into various shapes and sizes and then applied to a card or board for display as well.
Projects involving binders can take some additional forethought as to whether you want to have custom screen printing on the binder, custom photography of your product within the pages inside or on the cover, or many other variations.

The quote process from Superior Sample is very refined and we use hundreds of past projects as a reference to determine potential questions needing answered for your fabric sample or swatch sample project.

For more information about how to obtain a checklist of items needing reviewed for the planning of your fabric sample or swatch sample project, please don't hesitate to contact our customer service department or a Superior Sample sales representative.

SWATCH SAMPLING INSIDE AND OUT

In our many travels throughout the United States, we have visited companies who use a variety of approaches to obtain their swatch samples. A common method is to produce the swatch samples internally using staff and limited creative alternatives to do so. We ask clients to show us their swatch sampling and find that many have hand-assembled them in low quantities so they can have something to send out to customers.

Our primary question to these clients is whether they realize the hidden costs of internally producing their swatch samples. Things like the non-production that occurs when employees are tied up being focused on hand-assembly of swatch cards, ring sets, or even memos. The precision of cutting, aligning, and even coordinating the materials into a pseudo-production assembly line are all time factors that can make internal creation of swatch samples a costly idea.

Enter Superior Sample.

The amazing fact is that Superior Sample can produce relatively small volumes to large volumes of swatch samples, swatch cards, stack books, or even display boards for a cost that includes efficient processes and a much wider variety of creative options. Outsourcing versus insourcing may be the easiest way to "WOW" your customers with your product samples.

SWATCH SAMPLE QUALITY ASSURANCE

Of all the things Superior Sample does well, the quality of our production of swatch samples is something we continually strive to improve. Quality swatch sample production begins with the people who make it happen. (*pictured are several employees receiving recognition for years of service)

Our customer service staff works closely with each client to ensure the materials are the best quality for the job specification. This includes an inspection of the swatch materials like wallcovering, fabric, leather, vinyl, or even wood. Our quality assurance process is not dedicated to a select few. It involves every staff member who will be involved in the project. This simply means our receiving department, production team members, and even administrative support members may scrutinize the product and process at any given time in order to improve quality.

However, it isn't simply caring about quality that makes a difference. It is also knowing what to look for and how to address any concerns as they arise. This can only be achieved through experience. The swatch sample production team at Superior Sample has been so effective because so many staff members have chosen to stay with Superior Sample for more than 15 years on average.

We are proud to have such a dedicated and caring staff, and it shows in the quality we deliver to our clients.

SWATCH SAMPLE DISTRIBUTION IDEAS

It used to be that swatch samples were only used in stores or showrooms while a customer met with a sales person to discuss their options. Sure, the wallpaper industry has a history of sending sample books home with a client so they can envision a pattern or theme while holding it up to their bedroom wall.

But what about today? How do customers access samples for their review?

The same methods exist as yesteryear, but an amazing trend (thanks to the internet) seems to be prevalent on most professional websites offering a product where sample reviewing is highly likely before a purchase is made.

In a non-scientific approach, we checked out dozens of product manufacturer's sites as well as their many retail sales sites to learn that a very common method of obtaining swatch samples is to simply order them online to be delivered directly to the customer's address.

With the cost of printing (in the past) personalized sample delivery to a home would have been difficult to promote. Now, with the advent of the instant information highway called the internet, consumers all around the world are able to quickly and efficiently order a set of samples to be sent to them for review. Most sites offer these samples to be sent with little to no charge at all.

Why does this matter?

In an age where the average consumer spends many hours researching their purchase options on the internet before actually making a buying decision or even visiting a showroom, it can be very effective to offer your product samples through your website. Many sites use a shopping cart checkout process where the customer can add a sample kit or grouping based on their own criteria. Frankly, using this method of sampling wherein individual colors, fabrics, etc can be kitted or customized into a single kit per consumer may save costs in the long run.

Ultimately, Superior Sample has seen many methods used to get the samples in the hands of the end buyers of the product, but the effective method of using the internet as a virtual sample shopping hub is quite helpful based on the fact of the many companies already choosing this method of promotion and delivery.

INNOVATIVE SAMPLING IS THE KEY

Swatch sampling can be something boring or something innovative. The way a product sample is presented to a potential customer can greatly impact their decision to make a purchase sooner than later.

One of our customers, Gildan®, is known as an industry leader in textiles and fabrics. One of their lines, t-shirts, has many options of colors from which to choose. Instead of a simple square or circle swatch cutout, we worked with their marketing department on an innovative way to display their product samples. Our internal design department came up with a die cut shaped like a t-shirt, which ended up becoming a revolutionary way to present their fabric color choices of an otherwise traditionally understood product. Not only did it impress Gildan®, it also helped their many customers with increasing their consumer orders.

When an end user of your product can actually see how the swatch sample will look as a completed product without using mental visualization, it makes their decision making that much quicker.

At Superior Sample, we are proud of the innovation we've introduced through the years and continue to do today. When it's time to consider a facelift for your existing swatch samples, give Superior Sample an opportunity to design a new sample which becomes the key to unlocking the door to more sales.

THE POWER OF SAMPLES OVER PICTURES

Remember the days when going shopping meant throwing on a presentable outfit and driving to a nearby store to "shop" for a product? Sure, we all still do this for the basics of life like food, cleaning products for our home, or even a gallon of paint. However, when it comes to things like electronic devices, automobiles, or even planning a vacation, the internet has become our primary resource for "shopping".

Not too long ago it was conceived that we could virtually (and I mean virtual-reality) do all our shopping sitting in front of our home computer while the delivery trucks back their way into our driveways. Idealistic? Sure. Realistic? Nope.

There are just some consumer products we will likely continue to rely on a face to face "shopping" experience. Some products need to be touched, smelled, seen up close and personal, or even tested out before we buy them.

Many companies today will invest heavily in marketing their products using the latest technology, but many of these should also remember the power of the five senses when it comes to a consumer making a buying decision.

Product samples are "STILL" the king when it comes to helping a customer process their options before a purchase. Even grocery stores offer in-store, delectable samples in order to help a buyer make a decision.

FABRIC SWATCH SAMPLE IDEAS

One of the hardest decisions to make about swatch sampling is how to make the swatches in a size and shape so customers who view them will experience the most benefit.

This is where our design department can help most. Since Superior Sample started in 1957, we have learned a great deal about how to create swatch samples which appeal to a variety of customers in a variety of industries. Our design innovation led us to create a unique die cut in the shape of a Tee-Shirt for one of our long standing customers. This eye-catching design helped this customer to better display their color options for the hundreds and hundreds of customers they sell their products through.

Whether it's a Tee-Shirt or some other fabric swatch sample, the immediate impact the swatch sample will have on a customer is critical in their buying decision.

Most companies consider a generic geometric shaped fabric swatch sample like a square, rectangle, or even a circle. However, because Superior Sample has die cut production equipment, why not consider a more unique shape that better represents the product your fabric swatch sample represents?

SIMPLE SAMPLING

Sampling is a great way to show customers your products. Often times the value of a color sample, material sample, or even entire swatch ranges can push an indecisive buyer to commit to a purchase

Over the years at Superior Sample, we've produced the simplest to most sophisticated samples. Whether the project required die cuts, binders, ring sets, swatch cards, swatch books, or hang sets, we've about done it all.

The key to a successful sampling project is to know your intended end-user and the likely distribution channels of the samples. Lead time of materials used for the samples along with sample design will need to be considered when setting a sample delivery deadline. Our talented staff will help every customer from start to finish with their orders.

We can and will help every client get the best sample products produced with high quality and service at an affordable price.