In such instances, vendors will often modify their equipment to accommodate publisher needs. As a result, Britt was able to eventually find such a vendor that was able to print and keep the heat-seal strong in order to prevent dangers to consumers.
Think globally
In dealing with vendors around the world, Britt also has to overcome international communication challenges. "I think that the greatest asset to us has been e-mail," she enthuses. "Prior to that, phone lines were difficult because of the different time zones. Faxing was tough because of the time delay and the fear that the pages didn't send. Now with e-mail, someone will take a digital picture, send a JPEG and ask, 'What do you of this?' With the digital pictures, you can respond immediately, instead of having to mail, which loses one week of production. It's great for anything you don't have to physically touch. I think people in different countries have made a tremendous effort to work with us. Their technology has improved greatly, as well."