Spotlight: The Secret to Steve DuPlessis’s Success

At the recent In-plant Printing and Mailing Association (IPMA) annual conference, I noticed that one of the attendees was a provider from Texas. I recognized him from several recent RSA customer placements. His presence intrigued me because it was so unusual.

Steve DuPlessis, VP of Production, Sales/Support at XBS Southwest told me that he was at the conference for several reasons, including to support his in-plant customers, and that he has been at the conference before. Vendors typically attend only the vendor fair portion of conferences. When we spoke, it was toward the end of the final day of the four-day conference, which was also unusual.

A Lot to Learn at an In-plant Conference

DuPlessis shared that he attended the conference to learn and present to his team:

• The problems in-plant print centers are facing
• The trends and how his group can help in-plants address those trends
• How vendors are performing for in-plants and their expectations
• First-hand how in-plants rely on their peers.

DuPlessis was also there to be helpful:

• He talked with in-plants around the US, connected with attendees on LinkedIn, and utilized the conference app to learn about and engage with attendees. He built relationships and his network at the conference.
• He did not sell at the conference. Rather, he listened carefully and talked with in-plant attendees after sessions and during breaks and social functions. He was helpful and offered problem-solving ideas, even when the in-plants were not in his territory.

A Customer Solution Fit Philosophy

DuPlessis’s philosophy is to build and offer a solution that fits and satisfies the customer in the long term. As a tenured industry professional, he believes that a solution is a puzzle, with software and hardware both contributing to the overall solution. If a customer is dissatisfied with a software solution, it could jeopardize equipment when a contract renews.

Workflow automation as a solution is helping print operations address challenges and was a hot topic of conversation in numerous sessions. This resonated with DuPlessis’s philosophy of how software relates to hardware.   

DuPlessis’s Success Secrets Revealed

After meeting Steve DuPlessis in person at the conference, I can see why he is successful. He is firmly committed to providing the right solution to customers, educates himself (and his team) about customer wants, needs, and trends, and takes advantage of every moment of a conference to meet, learn and grow. That shouldn’t make him unusual, but it does.