Exertis Supplies: a look at the last six months

Andrew Beaumont, MD of Exertis Supplies, tells us about what’s happened since March, and offers some insights into what to expect, going forward

Give us a quick overview of how the last six months have been for Exertis Supplies

Fast paced and eye-opening. We have always been a company that has thrived on challenge and opportunity due to our strong management team and a flat structure. However, I can certainly say that the pace of decision making and implementation has pushed our boundaries and showed us just what we are capable of. I’ve been incredibly humbled by the levels of commitment and professionalism shown by all my colleagues to ensure that we continued to service the dealer community throughout this very difficult time.

What is the biggest problem you’ve faced?

Finding time for all the Teams meetings!

How has COVID required you to change the operational side of the business - and how will that evolve as we learn to live with the COVID threat?

Keeping our operational staff safe in an environment where there is an ever-changing set of recommendations and guidelines has been our number one priority. This remains our priority today and is an area that we will refuse to compromise on however the situation evolves.

What are your thoughts on how dealers can service customers who have large numbers of employees working from home, and how can Exertis Supplies help?

At Exertis we provide everything the home worker needs, from office furniture and stationery to all the computer and printing equipment. We also provide online meeting rooms of many different sizes, depending on the users’ needs. Everything the home worker needs can be ordered from us. This is backed up with a very well-established delivery service that is contracted out to one of the best carriers in the UK. Carriers have invested heavily in people and technology to meet increased demand. It would be very difficult for dealers and distributors to match the efficiency and quality of this service so I would say to dealers ‘embrace it’ and look how you can take advantage of the opportunity.

With the demise of Spicers, what are the pressures on the industry now and how has Exertis Supplies changed to accommodate independent dealers and dealer groups?

We’ve taken a long, hard look at how we do business and are more convinced than ever that our low-cost approach is right; it allows us to concentrate on what we are good at. We are currently increasing the size of our range, and filling some gaps that have become more apparent following the changes, but, fundamentally, we believe we have a longterm, sustainable model.

We recognise that sales have pivoted from traditional OP to tech, PPE, sanitisation etc - how are overall sales recovering, and what are the product lines that will be most relevant over the next 12 months?

We are pleased that we have been able to work with an increasing number of suppliers and customers - and this has led to a good level of sales in challenging times. The core ink, toner and office products categories will underpin our business for many years and, additionally, the future will be very much driven by technology. Having access to the whole of the Exertis IT product portfolio, via Exertis Supplies, means our dealers can easily access the products for the ‘new normal’.

What do you think the lasting impact of COVID will be on the business supplies industry?

For a year or two I think we will all be nervous of the potential to see a ‘second wave’. The good companies will continue to invest and grow; the less efficient and less responsive companies will fail or be bought! It’s not just COVID, however; the independent dealer is also facing a big threat from the increasing power of the contract stationers. At Exertis we try to ensure that our actions help dealers be competitive against other channels and that we don’t become our customers’ competitor.

If you could go back to January, and give yourself three key pieces of advice to prepare for what was to come, what would you say?

Have a technological ‘work from home’ platform already in place to utilise, buy more stock of PPE and trust the team around you - they definitely will not let you down.