Dealer Support November 2022

Brother’s print solutions are designed to support your teams in any setting, helping them work securely and e ciently. This is... brotherzone.co.uk/workplace-by-brother

worktables

Inclusive office design is about accommodating choice, flexibility and practicality – a work environment that benefits everyone. Worktables are a modern office trend based on a multi-purpose table system that can be customised for a variety of uses and environments. Worktables offer companies one way to reconfigure their workspaces with a focus on collaborative spaces while offering unassigned individual workstations.

Making innovations

It’s half-way through November which means, I think, we are now officially allowed to talk about the C word… Christmas! The Halloween decorations have been firmly put away, Mariah Carey is defrosting as we speak, and the countdown is on. It may seem early and I’m sure there are plenty of Grinches who think it is way too soon to start thinking about the festive season, but after another challenging year I think we could all do with some festive cheer. Also, it is the first Christmas since 2019 that promises not to marred by COVID restrictions, so that is something to look forward to if nothing else!

I’m sure lots of us will be heading online to search for and buy our loved-ones Christmas presents and we kick-off our November issue by discussing how dealers can adapt to this trend of e-commerce and succeed online. As e-commerce increases in popularity there is a concern that close dealer-customer relationships will suffer as a result. But we explore how you can ensure clients stay loyal by continuing to use traditional methods in a more effective way.

As 2022 draws to a close it seems an apt time to look forward to the new year. We speak to industry leaders to find out the products they think will be trending in 2023 - and how dealers can innovate to meet the customer demand. As well as looking forward, we also look back. In the second in a new series where we catch up with some of the interviewees who we spoke to during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, we sit down again with Sarah Mewett who gets us up-to-date on what’s been happening at Paperstone since we last spoke in October 2020.

Prioritising diversity and inclusivity in your business is key to retaining and fostering talent - so what measures can you take to develop this? We take a look at some of the areas you can take action in to promote diversity and inclusion in your organisation. Continuing this theme of improving company culture, Lawrence Savage, marketing manager at Exaclair Limited, brings the magazine to a close with his FINAL WORD on how to care for your employees in a crisis.

As always, don’t forget to chat to us on Twitter and let us know your thoughts and opinions: @dealersupport.

Ellie Potter Editor

THE MONTH THAT WAS

BOSS LOTF conference: roundtable hosts announced

The Leaders of the Future Committee have curated an excellent roster of speakers to support attendees with tools and techniques for how to stay at the top of their game throughout their leadership journey. The leading industry figures below will be facilitating interactive roundtable sessions.

Developing High Performing Teams – Keeley Shepherd, key account manager, Consumer Business Group, 3M UK Stakeholder Management – Simon Allan-Brooks, MD UK and Ireland, Viking UK Self-Motivation and Wellness – Lauren SheldonRay, head of health, safety and wellbeing, Lyreco

Exertis Enterprise adds NGX Storage to portfolio

NGX Storage is the latest vendor to be added to Exertis Enterprise’s portfolio, bringing a unified storage space offering of up to 20 petabytes, under a single namespace, to businesses throughout the EMEA region.

“Exertis has a great track record of storage solutions sales and delivery,” Beyhan Çalıskan, founder and CEO at NGX Storage, explained. “Partnering with Exertis will allow us to reach the large distribution network of Exertis and present our next generation technologies to its customer base. Our collaboration will push the digital transformation boundaries with NGX Storage’s scalable, flexible and high-performance solutions to meet the challenging business requirements of enterprises.”

Win/Win Negotiation – Paul Nicholson, sales director, Office Supplies, Commercial Conflict Resolution – Kim Thurgood-Brown, senior business development manager, Exertis Supplies Leading Change – Darren Lloyd, CEO, United The keynote speaker for the conference is Leanne Spencer who will present: The Cadence Approach: the secret to beating burnout and performing in life and work.

The day will run from 10.30 – 3.30pm, and BOSS Members can take advantage of a combined discounted Conference and Award ticket which gives access to the BOSS Awards that evening at the same venue.

Kodak Alaris partners with Publisure

Kodak Alaris and Publisure have announced a partnership which will combine the Publisure fullyintegrated multi-channel communications platform with data capture solutions from Kodak Alaris. Publisure delivers a hybrid mail and digital delivery platform that future-proofs organisations’ outbound communications. By integrating scanners and software from Kodak Alaris, customers will benefit from a complete solution for both inbound and outbound content management. Using a combination of both companies’ solutions, organisations can centralise all communications in a single environment and create a secure, auditable and cost-effective workflow that will transform how they process mail.

ExaClair shortlisted at the upcoming BOSS Awards

ExaClair Limited are delighted to reveal that they have been shortlisted as finalists at the 2022 BOSS Federation Industry Awards - scheduled to be held on the 24th November at the Kimpton Clocktower Hotel, Manchester.

The range of premium Exacompta Teksto stationery products has been nominated for the ‘New Product of The Year’ award, which is designed to acknowledge innovative products that have been launched during the past 12 months.

Lawrence Savage, marketing manager at ExaClair, explains, “The trend for ecologically-aware products is increasing in pace, particularly among the younger generations, who are known to be extremely conscious of environmental issues.  This consumer demand is driving manufacturing innovations; the Teksto range illustrates the continued commitment that the Exacompta Clairefontaine Group has to developing sustainable products.”

Integra in partnership with Rocada

Integra Business Solutions has announced an exciting new partnership with Rocada. Members will have access to the full range of over 4,500 products direct from Rocada’s distribution centre in Barcelona, together with an initial 50 core lines held in stock at its East Midlands warehouse for delivery to dealers or drop ship to customers. This core range will also be supported with Fusion data and a dedicated customer service team will provide additional product advice and support.

“Rocada is a relatively new entrant to the UK’s office supplies market and has a unique product offering that fits well, not only in the new hybrid working model, but also in contemporary offices,” said Integra’s purchasing director, Allison Fishlock. “We look forward to working with the Rocada team to develop the support and solutions available to members.”

Taking place on the 30th of November 2022, Optimise IT is the largest IT conference and vendor showcase event in the UK focusing on the mid-market. Hosted by the Espria experts, along with key strategic partners, the event will showcase the latest developments and services all designed to help empower the digital workspace.

The Espria brand launched in September 2022, bringing together Connection Capital-backed Mode Solutions, a provider of unified communications services and document management solutions with IT managed services provider, eacs, which it acquired in June 2022. Now, following demand from their customers, Espria is continuing the events history with its most recent iteration.

For over 20 years the event has attracted industry leaders and technology-shapers, providing them with a platform to network directly with key decision-makers who are looking for ways to deliver their IT strategies more efficiently and effectively.

Konica Minolta supports young people exploring careers in the digital world

NEWS EXTRA

Demand for MPS continues to rise

The number of pages printed via Brother’s MPS contracts over the last three months grew by 13%, surpassing the previous record levels achieved in April 2022. The business attributes the rise in page volumes to significant demand from the grocery and healthcare sectors, with channel partners providing support for GP surgeries and pharmacies, in particular.

An increase in MPS page volumes is also matched by an uptick in devices currently used as a part of MPS contracts - up 25% in the quarter compared to this time last year.

MPS can provide a number of benefits for businesses.

SAVES TIME AND IMPROVES EFFICIENCY

By using an MPS, customers will receive support in the event of a device malfunction, as well as toner and ink cartridge replacement, therefore saving staff time and improving the efficiency of the printing system.

ENCOURAGES PRODUCTIVITY

Employees can minimise the time they spend on day-to-day printing tasks and

prioritise important work projects, therefore encouraging productivity in the workplace.

REDUCES SPENDING

It can be expensive to maintain a printing system - maintenance and supply expenses can add up quickly. An MPS can mitigate these costs by offering flexible payment options, managing device and supply costs and providing forecasting tools to help businesses manage their budgets.

LESSENS ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

An MPS can reduce a business’s environmental footprint by managing the waste of paper and toner in the printing process - by monitoring and tracking print usage an MPS can reduce wasteful printing.

KEEPS INFORMATION SAFE

An MPS can support a secure printing method by implementing measures such as secure sign-ins to avoid documents being stolen from print trays; an MPS offers secure waste disposal and hard drive wiping functions in the event of a device malfunction.

“The continued increase in demand for print via MPS, highlights its growth in popularity as firms focus on driving

productivity and cost-efficiency,” said Greig Millar, general manager for sales, services and solutions at Brother UK. “This also points to an opportunity for print partners, with customers looking to adapt print infrastructure as their hybrid working arrangements evolve.

“MPS contracts benefit resellers as much as the businesses they support, as securing customers on contracts provides partners with clarity over their order books, recurring revenue from supplies, and an opportunity to build strong relationships and demonstrate the level of support they can offer.

“The immediate priority for resellers looking to tap into this opportunity is embracing MPS and its benefits, and understanding how to relay these to customers.”

Brother UK has posted another record-breaking quarter for its managed print services (MPS) division, signalling growing popularity among businesses for contract printing

By using an MPS, customers will receive support in the event of a device malfunction

barriers between you and your dream prize - so you will now have the chance to win a prize in every month of its current ADVENTURE incentive.

During each month of the incentive a choice of Marriott Bonvoy, Virgin Experience Days and John Lewis and Partners vouchers will be available to win; the lucky winners will be able to travel, experience and indulge with thousands of prizes at their fingertips.

Open to all VOW UK and Ireland resellers, there are over 40 winners so far! All you have to do to win is drive up sales

of the supporting brands until the end of June. The reseller that overachieves their monthly brand target by the highest percentage will win.

PLUS, the platinum sponsors are offering a grand prize to the reseller that overachieves their target for that brand over the six-month incentive period. The winners will receive their choice of a voucher at a value of an amazing £4,000!

Getting online and selling with e-commerce

As the UK reached 60m e-commerce users in 2022 it’s no surprise that businesses are using e-commerce in their sales strategies to reach new and existing customers - so, is it time for you to make the move to e-comerce?

Office products are changing to support flexible workspaces and sales strategies must change to meet increased demand as more people adapt to virtual e-commerce environments. We know that customer demands are always changing, but the most significant shift in recent times has been the call for products to support hybrid working. The percentage

of employees adopting hybrid working has jumped from 13% in February 2022 to 24% in May of the same year. So, how can e-commerce benefit your sales strategy?

ENGAGEMENT

Engaging with customers is at the centre of any good sales strategy; it increases sales opportunities and, in e-commerce, this is maximised by the vast reach of online platforms like social media.

A recent survey by Monster revealed that 57.6m people were active on social media in 2022, which opens up a huge opportunity for sales. By using platforms like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn you can further your chances of engaging your audience and forging relationships with potential customers. Creating genuine content which engages your audienceand avoiding copying and pasting generic content or using automated ‘liking’ tools -

will help build relationships; for example, according to the Monster survey, 31% of B2B professionals say that social selling has enabled them to build deeper relationships with customers.

However, social selling relies on accessibility. Having a website and social media sites are only worthwhile if they are active. In the Monster survey, more than 10% of social sales reps stated they have closed five or more deals due to being active on social media. If you are not able to commit to being actively posting on social media, or engaging with customers through posts, comments and messages, this may not be the best strategy for your business.

CHATBOTS

Chatbots are artificially intelligent online assistants that can be used by online

retailers to engage customers on online e-commerce platforms – they provide an effective alternative for a sales rep who doesn’t have the availability to be active across social media channels.

They are accesible, and there’s the option to have one running 24/7, providing an omnichannel service that connects all the touchpoints of your business (social media, website, online shop etc.) They can be programmed with all the relevant product knowledge needed to help inform online customers which product is best suited to their needs so, at their best, chatbots can help you to provide a seamless online shopping experience.

They are also cost effective; according to Chatbots Magazine they can reduce customer service costs by 30% - and customers love them too, with 62% of UK consumers would preferring to use a customer service bot rather than waiting for human agents to answer their requests.

PRODUCT DATA

To get the most out of e-commerce businesses must have comprehensive product data; this includes the product illustrations, diagrams, performance charts, instructions and information - appearance,

size, material and additional characteristics. Tim Beaumont, MD at Nemo Office Club, stresses how important product data is in the selling process. “Product data is a key part of our conversation with suppliersevery bit as important as price. It is no good us striking an excellent deal if members do not have the means to sell it online.

“Hybrid working means resellers are having to increase and broaden their purchasing to meet demand for both home and office working, leading to an even greater need to get on top of product data.

“Resellers are buying from an increasing number of sources to cover demand for a wider breadth of product, which has highlighted the importance of good available data, competitive buying power and a pricing strategy to be competitive whilst meeting any minimum order quantities when sourcing”, Tim told us.

ONLINE PLATFORMS

Tim believes that the importance of e-commerce for dealers has been building for a while, although the COVID pandemic certainly accelerated this. “In truth e-commerce is the rapid direction business was heading before COVID, and the majority of our members were in a good

In truth e-commerce is the rapid direction business was heading before COVID

position to adjust to the increase in demand”. Now, with 60m e-commerce customers across the UK, and the demands of hybrid workplaces growing, it is now almost inevitable for customers to be buying products through online platforms. “Yes, there are other ways to market, but the expectation now is that consumers will look online for products before purchasing,” Tim emphasises.

LOOKING FORWARD

As businesses continue to move towards more and more e-commerce, online platforms must match this pace if they are to drive customers away from larger companies like Amazon. “Already we are seeing a move towards redirecting customers that might be buying from marketplaces such as Amazon and eBay over to buy direct from a dealer’s website,

where the margins are greater and control over customer relationships is retained,” Tim says - but this is just one part of the “marketing jigsaw”, as Tim puts it.

“As dealers’ e-commerce platforms become more robust, and high-quality data becomes increasingly available, the confidence to sell online increases. Our

industry has many good platforms for e-commerce.” The more they sell online, the more dealer confidence in selling online grows, and more product data will be available. This leads to closer customer relationships which, ultimately, means they will be better equipped to meet the needs of those customers - especially important in the age of the hybrid workspace and its dynamic demands.

As the push from consumers towards e-commerce strengthens, the industry continues to learn and adapt - but not all customers are the same, and needs will differ across the industry. Your e-commerce platform must also change to meet those needs as they emerge if you’re going to sell successfully well into the future – so your e-commerce strategy will never be ‘finished’ and savvy dealers will keep theirs constantly under review.

There are other ways to market, but the expectation now is that consumers will look online for products

Best judgement for business: revisited

2020 – THE BUSINESS JOURNEY

Paperstone is an online-only dealer with an interesting history and a unique ethos. Launched nearly 18 years ago, as a reseller of EOS products alone, forward-thinking CEO and co-owner Jim Brown didn’t expect his customers to start asking for traditional office products – but they did! Despite plans to be a major cartridge supplier, people soon began requesting paper, then stationery and, soon, Paperstone had to find itself a wholesaler.

But it’s not as if Jim and his business partner hadn’t researched what people wanted in the first place. “We started Paperstone in my friend’s flat; we did a lot of market research about what people wanted – and what they wanted was cheap toner cartridges,” says Jim. “So we found some suppliers, launched a business – without a catalogue or a website – and used the flat’s landline as a ‘phone number - customers would ring up and have my friend’s hungover flatmates answering sometimes! But we kept growing, got a catalogue and a website up-and-running, and it was onwards and upwards from there. The customers were asking for stationery, so that’s what we gravitated towards, and we became an OP business.”

John Philips, sales manager, joined Jim and his co-founder, Max, two years in. By that point, Paperstone already had a decent-sized office in the west end of London. John had been in office products

In the second in a new series where we catch up with some of the interviewees who we spoke to during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, we sit down again with SARAH MEWETT who gets us up-to-date on what’s been happening at Paperstone since we last spoke in October 2020

since 1997. “Except for one year when I exited the industry, thinking there was more to life than stationery – I was wrong!” he says. “So I joined Jim in 2006, left again to do some project work for a traditional dealer in Essex, and then re-joined Paperstone.”

“We dragged him back, kicking and screaming,” says Jim. “We struggled without him because John’s got such a good knowledge of product and industry; it wasn’t quite the same without him driving that area, so we poached him back.”

John says that the pace of decision-making, and growth, within many other OP dealers is slow; he returned to Paperstone to regain the kind of professional energy he thrives on.

Another key cog in the Paperstone team is Sarah Mewett, head of marketing, who’s helped shape the image of the business and spread the word about its innovative way of operating. While she had no prior experience in office products she’s brimming with experience in marketing, and this allowed her to shape and refine what the business already had, and develop it into what it could be.

“I found there were so many great things going on, from the brand’s point-of-view, which hadn’t been clearly defined, and people weren’t totally aligned with the values of the company,” Sarah explains. “I wanted to solidify what made Paperstone different from everybody else, so we started e-mail marketing, supporting the sales team in how they communicate – anything which, for a brand where people are predominantly finding us online, would humanise the brand.”

2020 - THE BENEFITS OF ONLINE

There are major benefits to having been an online dealer from the start, most notably that it gave Paperstone a foot in the door earlier than most resellers; it also allows for additional flexibility and agility. Paperstone has an in-house tech team that can support customers immediately with any problems they might be having with the website – helped further by the fact that the business is independent, so nobody has to jump through hoops to make changes. Paperstone is also stockless, so it never has to try to get rid of stock that nobody wants.

The company is able to react to customer wants and needs very quickly, enabling it to get involved in some of the more unusual product segments, which have proven lucrative. “Originally, when we launched, we were a bit niche,” says Jim. “Because we grew out of the internet the big stationery companies were already covering the mass market and we were there to pick up lots of sales in the weird and wonderful segments.

“Over time we grew stronger at the general offering, but we can still fill the gaps in-between as well. Surprisingly, our more recent

growth areas have been in core office supplies products – like desktop filing and paper – which goes against the market, and is ironic for a business that started off the way we did.”

It helps that Paperstone caters to a huge range of verticals and sectors, and recognises the patterns and demographics within them. The business keeps getting smarter, and more and more customers respond to that – Paperstone has between 50 and 100 new businesses buy from it every day, whilst also still catering to customers who have been with it since 2004.

So, with a seemingly perfect formula already in place, what does the future hold for Paperstone? “We don’t plan too far in advance,” says Jim. “We don’t plan a whole year – more like two quarters. We do what we want, when we want, and we’re looking at what challenges we face right now. We storyboard it all, map it out, and leave gaps in our schedule for inevitable changes but, really, our future holds more of the same – we know how to grow, we have what we need, and we have a great system.

“We’ll keep doing what works well, and pushing forward.”

2020 – COVID QUICK FIRE QUESTIONS

Has the flexibility of being an online-only dealer helped since COVID hit?

Being online has been very fortunate for us during the current crisis. More and more people started shopping online - and we were in a fantastic position to service their requirements. We saw a staggering 100% uplift in new customer sales during the first six weeks of lockdown. We were glad to be able to help as they were very scary times for everyone, but we were also fortunate to be very profitable as well - we even had customers doing a weekly food shop with us for a while!

How has business changed?

A few things have changed as a direct result of COVID. We already had a ‘phone and computer system that allowed the team to work normally from anywhere - we just hadn’t tested it with the entire company working remotely! Fortunately, it held up perfectly, and

Over time we grew stronger at the general offering, but we can still fill the gaps in-between as well

productivity was great, so now you are no longer required to come into the office – ever!

Most people have returned, as they prefer the team environment, but around 25% haven’t come back to the office at all. This hasn’t caused any issues so far and, hopefully, we can continue as we are indefinitely.

Sales have been adversely affected; our current daily run rate is 25% down from January. This is due to the drop in demand and the fact that remote workers, generally, consume less OPalthough we have plans in place to help better serve home users, so watch this space!

Have you made any operational changes to the business? Sadly, despite our best efforts, we still had to make four roles redundant. The changing OP landscape, and uncertain economic outlook, meant we needed to adjust to be ready for whatever COVID and winter 2020 throws at us. We’re still operating the full optional remote working policy, as mentioned above. Perhaps the biggest change has been that, in April, we also changed wholesaler due to the demise of Spicers. Previously 90% of our spend went to Spicers,

so switching to VOW was never going to be without challenges. That said VOW, and Kath Briggs in particular, have been brilliant and, despite the challenges, they have been right by our side from day one. Without them, this would have been a very different interview, for which I am very, very grateful!

2022 – THE CATCH-UP

When we spoke last time you said that you saw a staggering 100% uplift in new customer sales during the first six weeks of lockdown - but then your current daily run rate was 25% down from the previous January. How did this trend pan out over the two years since then?

New customer acquisition is back to pre-pandemic levels. We didn’t expect that, but after looking at the data we can see more businesses looking for a new office product supplier than we expected. We feel this is down to two main industry challenges – pricing and service. The pricing challenges have forced a lot of companies to search online for a better deal – increasing our opportunities. The drop in service levels is driven by the UK’s driver shortages (pun

The pricing challenges have forced a lot of companies to search online for a better deal – increasing our opportunities

unintentional). Some dealers’ next day delivery completion rates are as low as 60%! This is way below customer expectations and, again, pushes more customers into the market.

We asked you in back in 2020 what the future held for you. No-one then could have predicted just how different the future would be - but now we have the benefit of hindsight – what have the last two-and-a-halfyears been like for your company?

Like most companies, we had to adapt. Sadly, we lost a few members of the team at the start of the chaos as we just didn’t know what the future held. The remaining team dug deep and worked the craziest of hours and, as the storm calmed, life slowly returned to the new hybrid working normal. By then we had significantly expanded product categories, explored new sales channels, invested in additional website traffic, and onboarded new suppliers. It’s not been an easy process but, as Winston Churchill said, “Never let a good crisis go to waste”. The result is that we are far more efficient than we were pre-pandemic; last month’s sales were 10% higher than in 2019!

In 2020 you mentioned that you don’t like to plan too far in advance. How did that attitude benefit you during COVID when things were constantly changing?

It benefitted us immensely. Like many people, we had no idea what was going to happen from one week to the next. Back to work? Another lockdown? We had no idea, and took each day as it came! As things started to settle down we started to look further into the future and now, for the first time since early 2020, we are back to quarterly planning. We even have a rough plan for 2023 but, you never know, it could all change!

In our previous interview you said that 25% of your team were working from home. How does the office/remote working split look now?

Very similar, but staff are slowly returning more and more. It’s not been easy for anyone. People get comfortable working from home, and their lives have adjusted to fit this new found flexibility. The challenge is that those changes don’t always benefit the rest of the

business. Over the next couple of years, I expect the figure to drop to 10%, but it will happen gradually.

You’d recently made the switch to VOW when we last spoke; how is that working relationship now?

We have a fantastic relationship, but it hasn’t been without its challenges. Being stockless means your suppliers are a crucial part of your business – the most critical part, in fact (if you exclude your team).

VOW have had a challenging couple of years and those challenges have impacted our service and, ultimately, affected our growth - but with adversity comes innovation, and these innovations have enabled us to build better, more robust, processes. Pain + reflection = progress!

Last time we asked you to share some key lessons you had learnt during the peak of the pandemic. Now that we are somewhat moving forward, post-pandemic, what additional lessons have you learnt?

When life is feeling really tough, you need to take a step back to reflect on what you really value. I’ve also been listening to more podcasts to hear other people’s perspectives. One I’ve particularly enjoyed is Steven BartlettThe Diary of a CEO.

With your new found perspective make one small change in the right direction - then don’t stop making small changes!

The result is that we are far more efficient than we were pre-pandemic; last month’s sales were 10% higher than in 2019!

2023

THE RETURN

Dealer Support LIVE returns next year at Coventry Building Society Arena

e’re back!

WDealer Support LIVE will, once again, create an interactive experience that brings the magazine to life. Plans are well underway to make it everything the dealer community has asked for in a day that promises to provide clarity, guidance and relevant advice to dealers across the country.

You’ve given us a lot of feedback over the previous years and we’ve not only listened, we’re putting it into practice. Dealer Support’s 2023 event will boast more opportunities to learn via in-depth seminars, an even broader spectrum of exhibitors, and an opportunity to network with peers - along with the popular Q&A session for delegates to get involved in.

WE NEED YOUR INPUT!

We’re currently in the process of putting together the themes and topics that will prove most useful for you – the dealers – on the day. Please email hello@dealersupport.co.uk if you have any ideas that you’d like to see addressed on the day.

WHY JOIN US?

The future is very uncertain; after two years of battling through the challenges of the pandemic, the economic challenges we’re now facing mean that

difficult times aren’t letting up anytime soon. But the industry has already proved its resilience and adaptability – and our event will focus on supporting dealers to continue to succeed despite the hurdles they are likely to face.

The event will continue to give dealers a balanced view of the current marketplace in order to help future proof their operations, preparing them for whatever that future might hold. Our Number One priority is for our guests to go away feeling more confident about the future - and loaded with practical knowledge they can apply immediately to their own businesses.

OPEN Q&A

Once again, we will host our cutting edge Q&A panel where delegates will have the chance to direct questions, openly, to a group of key industry figures bringing together a variety of key specialities.

EXHIBITION

Our exhibition is always a valued and integral part of Dealer Support LIVE; it offers dealers an opportunity to chat to, and learn from, a broad range of supplier partners, giving them the chance to see, first hand, what’s new in the sector.

INFORMATION TO GO

Dealer Support LIVE offers marketplace insights and business solutions that will help dealers make informed decisions about the direction of their businesses. There will be the quick and easy wins that can be applied straight away, as well as more in-depth business modifications that are thought and time intensive.

NETWORKING

No-one knows the challenges and benefits of running a reseller business better than those who do it. Dealer Support LIVE is a fantastic opportunity to network with other business leaders in the sector, sharing experiences and solutions and forging long-lasting, professional, relationships to benefit you, your business and your customers.

DON’T JUST LISTEN TO US

We think the day is well-worth the time out of the office, but just don’t take our word for it – take a look at the red circles to see some of the comments we received after our 2021 event.

TICKET INFORMATION

are

waiting for? To find out more about the day, and to book a ticket, head to https://dealersupport.co.uk/ dealer-support-live/

So, what

you

“Given the unpredictable times that we find ourselves in, I think the planning and effort that went into making this a successful event was spot on. Well done.”

“Excellent event - keep up the good work.”

“Thanks for a useful and entertaining day.”

“Very good event, thank you.”

Everyone’s welcome

Building an inclusive workplace requires hard work and dedication from everybody across your business, from the most senior executives to new starters. Whilst the task of developing a diverse and inclusive workplace can seem overwhelming, there are some areas where you can start taking action.

EMPLOYEE BEHAVIOUR

An inclusive workplace starts with those who work in it, so the behaviour of your employees should reflect the workplace you want to build. In order to do this, you can implement measures such as:

● Setting clear standards of behaviour for inclusion.

● Encouraging employees to treat all colleagues with respect.

● Empowering employees to challenge exclusionary behaviour and providing the relevant support and channels for them to do this.

LEADERSHIP

As a leader, you set the tone of your workplace. Implementing change at the top will encourage all employees to act in a similar manner.

This can be done in a number of ways:

● Diversify your boardroom/managing team to imbed inclusivity at the heart of your business.

● Evaluate your own unconscious biases and work to unlearn these.

● Become a role model by acting with inclusivity when managing and leading your team.

POLICIES AND PEOPLE MANAGEMENT

To truly commit to diversity and inclusion in your workplace you should develop effective policies, implement training and run discussion groups in your workplace. This can include the following:

● Outlining your commitment to your employees across areas such as:

Prioritising diversity and inclusivity in your business is key to retaining and fostering talentso what measures can you take to develop this?

- encouraging diversity and inclusion;

- creating a workplace free of bullying and harassment;

- monitoring the make-up of the workforce in relation to aspects such as age, sex, ethnic background, sexual orientation, religion or belief and disability;

implementing policies to support specific employee needs, such as flexible working.

● Setting out a commitment to running bias training for staff.

● Running focus group discussions with employees to identify areas for improvement.

For the acas diversity and policy template, you can look here: https://www.acas.org.uk/equality-policy-template

MEASUREMENT AND ASSESSMENT

As you move to implement diversity and inclusion in your workplace, it is important you measure inclusivity to identify the areas where your business needs to improve.

SURVEYS

Creating surveys is a great way to collect inclusion data. You can use customised questions specific to your business to measure inclusivity in your company across all levels of seniority and identify areas of need for change. For example:

On a scale from one-to-five, where one is strongly disagree and five is strongly agree, how would you rate the following statements:

● I would recommend this organisation as a great place to work.

● My employer always inspires me to give my very best at work.

● A year from now I still expect to be working for this organisation.

● I feel my uniqueness of my background and identity are valued at [include name of your organisation].

● I have a real sense of belonging working at [include name of your organisation].

● I feel I’m respected by my colleagues.

EXISTING DATA

Whilst it is important always look to the future when building a diverse and inclusive workplace, sometimes you must start by looking back. There is an abundance of existing data you can use to get your journey to diversity and inclusivity started; it can help you identify the most prominent areas in your business that need to

be improved. This data includes information such as geographical, clinical and demographical characteristics.

FOCUS AND FEEDBACK AND GROUPS

Sometime the most direct way is the best way. By organising focus and feedback groups you can go directly to your workforce and hear the areas they would like to see improvement in and hear real experiences. This will give you a new perspective on how your business is run, and make your employees feel like their voices are valued.

BENEFITS

So, what benefits can you expect from a diverse and inclusive workplace?

EMPLOYEE RETENTION

A diverse and inclusive workplace benefits everybody, especially your staff. By promoting inclusion in your workplace through encouraging a diverse workforce, ensuring safe workspaces free of bullying and allowing flexible working for your employees, you are more likely to retain your workforce for longer. According to a CIPD report, nine-in-10 employees consider flexible working to be a key motivator to their productivity at work (89%) – even more than financial incentives (77%).

NEW TALENT

It’s predicted that 25% of the UK workforce will be Gen Z by 2025, it is important to make sure your workplace reflects the needs of the new generation of workforce. In a recent Monster report, 83% of Gen Z individuals stated that an employer’s commitment to diversity and inclusion was significant to them when choosing where to work, and that diversity and inclusion were just as important as workplace benefits.

REPUTATION

Corporate reputation isn’t just rooted in environmental issues anymore; it will, increasingly, be measured by inclusivity. Promoting diversity and inclusion in your business portrays a positive image to your industry and customers - and also helps with employee recruitment and retention. Bringing diversity and inclusion into the workplace can be a challenge but, as it continues to grow in importance for the next generation of employees, it will be key to attracting, retaining and fostering the talent that will keep your business growing.

Whilst it is important always look to the future when building a diverse and inclusive workplace, sometimes you must start by looking back

Product innovation and industry trends for 2023

Businesses have faced massive challenges this year and undergone an incredible amount of change; as we approach 2023, this is not expected to slow down. Next year we will see further changes across the industry. Demand for hybrid working opportunities is set to increase,

sustainability will be higher up the agenda and businesses will have to react to rising costs – all while working on products that reflect new and changing customer demands. So, what do industry professionals expect in to see in 2023?

THE TRENDS

As businesses continue to manage hybrid working environments there will be a focus

on tools to support effective and flexible teamworking. “In the office the focus needs to be on collaboration, and making the most of the time spent together – through adjustable office layouts, switching out furniture and introducing new tools that promote flexible and effective teamwork,” explains Elisabete Wells, regional marketing manager at Acco. This could involve tech tools to connect hybrid and office workers,

We speak to industry leaders to find out what they think will be trending in 2023 - and how to innovate the meet customer demand

or a dedicated desk layout to encourage agile working and collaboration.

“Based on trends, we’re focusing in on collaboration products for the office and ergonomics products for the home office,” she says. “More specifically, we are looking at design-led, compact, lightweight, and stylish products that fit well into any home environment.”

Jeremy Cooper, creative marketing consultant, is also focused on the need to support businesses as they adopt a hybrid workplace model. “Today, work is everywhere and everywhere is work. The flexibility of working from home, combined with the odd day or two in the corporate office, seems to be the norm, which means that products for hybrid working –especially those which are portable, offer health benefits and optimise productivity –will continue to grow in demand.

“Hybrid working is very much the focus of our new product development plans for next year. The roadmap includes a series of exciting launches – including a new range of portable ergonomic solutions, cutting-edge monitor arms and intuitive technology for assuring optimum indoor air quality.”

The experts also predict that employee wellbeing will be a standout trend for 2023 so products that promote this,

both at home and in the office, will be an important channel of innovation. According to Elisabete, this will be particularly prevalent in the provision of ergonomic office products, “Workers need ergonomic products to support their wellbeing wherever they are set up.”

As businesses continue to return to the office the requirements and demands

expect a full recovery in laser demand.

Steve also highlights the anticipated demand for sustainability in printing processes. “Innovative companies - those which make the investment to design and make IP-safe compatibles - are also designing better environmental products and reducing C02 footprint.”

of office working will have to be met. Steve Weedon, CEO at Printrite EU, highlights the rising demand for laser printing in the office. “During the COVID pandemic we saw more demand for ink jet products to feed homebased printers, but now we’re beginning to see rising demand for laser products again as workers get back to the routine of being officebased.” However, as some businesses do not plan a full return to office working, he does not

The demand for sustainability doesn’t end there though. Lawrence Savage, marketing manager at Exaclair, points out the importance of measuring the environmental impact of the purchasing decision-process - and the subsequent demand for products which put sustainability first - as, according to a report by RecylingLives, 81% of people prefer to buy from sustainable sellers. “Sustainability remains as a key influencer within the purchasing decision-process, so we are continuing to develop products that feature various environmental credentials,” Lawrence says.

The growing trend of sustainable innovation in the industry is also set to be met by ACCO, “We are doubling down on our commitment to sustainability by improving the recyclability and ecofriendliness of more of our products and their packaging”, Elisabete says. “We are also widening our Leitz Recycle range of carbon

According to a report by RecylingLives, 81% of people prefer to buy from sustainable sellers

neutral and 100% recyclable desktop and filing products, which are made of up to 100% recycled material.”

Lawrence and Exaclair will take that sustainable commitment into 2023 and drive innovation by reusing material offcuts. “Demand for more ecologically-aware items, and the need to cut production waste, has driven the innovations behind our Exacompta Teksto range of filing and organisational products, which reintroduces material offcuts from production back into the manufacturing process.”

He also predicts a growth in journalling in 2023 to support personal wellbeing, and a high demand for related stationery products.

“More people are conscious of enhancing personal mental health and wellbeing - this will also relate to other luxury stationery activities, such as calligraphy, influencing greater demand for high-end writing instruments and paper.”

In fact, Lawrence says the luxury stationery sector is expecting a boom.

“According to the latest statistics at The Business Research Company, the premium stationery sector is expected to see a boosted CAGR of 4.12% up until 2026. This will be primarily driven by the current emerging trend for personalised items - which has recently been top of the tree when it comes to online searches for stationery.”

THE IMPACT OF RISING COSTS AND INFLATION

Rising costs and inflation in the UK are causing massive changes and increasing the pressure on businesses to meet customer demand. “It’s highly likely that costs will continue to raise before they stabilise, but product innovation is at ACCO’s core and will continue regardless,” explains Elisabete.

As the workplace continues to change in the aftermath of the COVID pandemic innovation will be key to supporting businesses through this challenging time; Elisabete is confident that ACCO’s plans will ensure they are always in front of the trends. “We are constantly monitoring

market and consumer trends to stay ahead of the curve and develop products that end users need. We work 18 months ahead, so our innovation budgets for 2024 are already secured and development is underway.”

Steve Weedon agrees that demand for innovation will be felt across the entire OP industry. “We will not cut innovation spending since it’s a core principle of our business and reaps rewards – for example, the innovative, eco-friendly, products that are in high demand now. Product costs are likely to rise but I doubt if we will see prices increase as a result in the aftermarket. We prefer to position Pelikan branded products as an alternative to OEM but, with a 30% saving; we will continue this position through 2023.”

Jeremy also points out that, despite the demand for innovation, businesses must adapt to the growing, and often uncertain, economic pressures that are set to continue into 2023. “New products are the lifeblood of all expanding businesses, but economic pressures resulting in reduced end-user demand means is important to develop more cost-effective products and solutions to hit eye-catching price points.”

One particularly prevalent challenge facing the industry is the rising cost of production, energy and transportation. Lawrence believes the difficulties here

can be reduced. “Dealers are increasingly seeking to source from suppliers which have the advantage of localised manufacturing facilities within the UK and Europe.”

This not only helps costs but is also a more sustainable option, which appeals to the younger generation. “Recent YouGov research illustrates that 70% of Gen Z members - who now make up approximately 40% of consumer markets across the globe - are willing to pay more to address their concerns over sustainable items. With this in mind, manufacturers are increasingly looking at smarter ways to cut production and waste disposal costs, whilst also innovating products that reduce excessive packaging usage to satisfy this environmental ethos,” he says.

PREPARING FOR CHANGE

As the economic pressures from rising costs and inflation change, so will the needs of customers. To prepare for changes in demand, dealers can work in close partnership with suppliers to increase availability and alleviate pressures with services such as marketing and training.

“ACCO are constantly launching new products and making them available to the reseller community as soon as we have them in stock in our Midlands-based warehouse.” says Elisabete. “We also help to alleviate

some marketing pressure by providing free e-tail optimised content like copy, images, videos for effective online selling, as well as sell sheets, and product training for our channel partners. We understand that having these strong partnerships benefits both sides.”

Lawrence also highlights the importance of collaboration between dealers and suppliers. “Across the sector manufacturers are launching technical product innovations on a regular basis and it’s important for them to work in collaboration with dealers in order to create marketing collateral that can effectively communicate the benefits of these, whether from a cost or environmental aspect,” he says, and he believes collaboration brings its own benefits. “By proactively being involved in this process, dealers can build a more personalised

Product costs are likely to rise but I doubt if we will see prices increase as a result in the aftermarket

experience for their customers.”

However, for Steve, it is about the partners themselves - what they have to offer and how well they are suited to your business needs. “If a dealer sells on price, and skates on thin profit margins, he soon learns that there is always someone out there who thinks he can do it cheaper. To separate away from the crowd selling the same product in a different box you must have the ability to innovate and develop better products,” he says. “We have been doing this since 1984 which is why we hold over 3,000 patents and are the only company in the industry that offer TUVaccredited bio-based and eco-friendly products that reduce C02. These products are sold on a value-add basis, and do not need to be lowest priced in the market on the day to sell.”

For Steve, innovation began in 2022

with a product that eliminates waste toner in the printing process. “Our innovation and development strategy for 2023 is a continuation of what we have been doing for the last five years”, he says. “We are determined to improve on the basic OEM technology to eliminate waste toner being discarded with the cartridge when the printer calls for a replacement cartridge. In 2022 we launched the first products that eliminate any waste toner that usually collects in the hopper - which can be up

to 15% of the original toner load. This is a major C02 saving since the waste toner is mostly carbon particles.”

There will also be demand for new processes to support customer needs in 2023. “Our best advice to dealers is to think ‘out of the box’,” says Jeremy. “Look for new opportunities and become the all-encompassing solutions provider for the workspace by helping their customers to work healthily, safely and productively - and delivering outstanding value.”

By identifying the trends and challenges for 2023 businesses will be able to provide innovative products to meet these demands. As we reach the end of 2022, we can all agree it has been a year of challenges and changes. This is not expected to stop for 2023, so businesses must find ways to innovate and meet growing industry trends and customer demand.

You must have the ability to innovate and develop better products

Forging long-lasting customer relationships

The value of dealer-customer relationships cannot be understated. Selling to somebody once is easy for a good salesperson – selling to that same person a second, third or fourth time is where the challenge lies. The key lies in the creation of what is often termed ‘warm calls’. While cold calling remains an integral part of running many smaller businesses, it’s turning these into ‘warm calls’ which can change everything and create a positive response in the customer. The question is, how does a dealer take that concept and develop it into a fully-formed relationship?

START WITH SMALL TALK

Simply remembering the names of the people you’re speaking to – including any receptionists or assistants along the chain – will

help ingratiate you with them. Developing a back story for your relationship by asking about the customer’s health, hobbies and home life also creates a jumping off point for future conversations, and you will be remembered as a dealer who bothers to ask personal questions in a caring way.

DEDICATE ONE SALESPERSON OR TEAM TO ONE CUSTOMER

The idea of repeatedly contacting a company, and having to speak to a different person with the same story every time, is not an attractive one for most people; in fact, it often puts them off calling at all and drives people to buy their products via the internet - which can lead to mega-markets like Amazon taking more dealer business. A dealer with enough salespeople on its team would do well to ensure that each one looks after specific accounts to ensure they have the

opportunity to build relationships and are aware of the customer’s history and needs. Installing a robust CRM system will help to keep track of all of those details, especially if one salesperson is away and another has to take on their clients.

DON’T OVERSELL

Over-selling comes with the risk of under-delivering - and under-delivery undoubtedly leads to the loss of many a customer. The desire to keep the client close may make over-selling a tempting idea, but avoid it – honesty will serve you far better. In the same vein, dealers should admit when there is something they cannot deliver and make up for it in other ways, such as excellent customer service.

HELP EVEN WHEN THERE’S NO MONETARY PROFIT IN IT

If, for whatever reason, you can’t deliver something your customer needs, helping them to acquire it another way – even if that means sending them in the direction of a different dealer – shows trust in your partnership, and is appealing to the client because it shows that your relationship is more than just mercenary.

GO THE EXTRA MILE WITH SOURCING

The former two points are unlikely to come up at all if you have the resources to put in the extra effort and ensure your customers want for nothing. A dealer offering a little bit of everything, and keeping its finger on the pulse of the industry’s changing landscape, is likely to automatically receive more customer attention, after which it’s just a matter of keeping hold of that attention.

TRAIN YOUR SALESPEOPLE PROPERLY

Whether your salespeople are trained for two weeks or six months before being given free reign of the ‘phones, they should be properly taught how to speak to people in a way that feels more like a warm call than a cold one, including simple ways to make small talk, retaining a friendly tone and, most importantly, being aware of any information they might be asked for by a customer. It will obviously reflect badly on the business if the salesperson doesn’t know the ins and outs of the dealer they represent; a knowledgeable contact will be valued by the customer.

THROW IN REWARDS

As well as running regular promotions and special offers, as most dealers do, a reward scheme for both new and long-term customers can function as a great way of achieving additional business. Even small gifts can help; these can relate to the size of the order, the number of orders placed or simply the length of the relationship.

CREATE AN AFTER-SALES SERVICE

It takes a matter of moments to call a customer after a delivery has been received by them to check that they’re content. Many clients won’t say a thing if they’re unhappy with a service – they will simply cut their losses and find a new dealer. Speaking to them after the sale will help you to discover what they actually think of your service, where their pain points are and, potentially, lead to the next sale.

DEAL WITH COMPLAINTS PROPERLY

No ship runs entirely smoothly 100% of the time, and mistakes are inevitable. The key way for a dealer to maintain business with a customer it has let down in some manner is to own up to the error and rectify it, rather than shifting the blame. This level of professionalism is likely to be appreciated and shouldn’t negatively impact a strong customer-dealer relationship - plus, it helps a business learn – the occasional failure should be seen as an opportunity to develop. s

Ultimately, treating customers as business partners, and not simply sources of money, is the only way to ensure they stay with you, so take every opportunity to create a professional friendship.

Over-selling comes with the risk of under-delivering - and under-delivery undoubtedly leads to the loss of many a customer

utumn is with us and, in the office supplies industry, that can only mean one thing - the event which sustains us through the hard winter, the miserable spring and the bleak summer months, the event which makes being an office products dealer all worthwhile: the supplier and buying group conference.

A time to dance, drink and sing a new song of false hope and pretend optimism in our wonderful industry. We’ll have motivational speakers who live in their own alien world of happiness and laughter expecting us to do the same, suppliers handing out biscuits and cuddly toys to make up for their inefficiencies over the past

year and, of course, the dinner and drinks where very many office supplies people have disgraced themselves - and suffered the long, slow death of driving slowly back the next morning.

The motivational speakers (or sales trainers as they’re more commonly known) have no shame whatsoever. After they’ve done their turn, and received rapturous applause because everyone is caught up in the spirit of the conference, they genuinely believe we are going to start the following week in a joyful mood, greeting everyone we meet with pleasant ‘Hellos’ and smothering them in stationery love!

True, a few of us will be full of good intentions - but we all know what’ll happen on Monday morning. When the

first customer tells us about the dent in their filing cabinet or the shortage in their delivery…the office supplies blues will sink in before we’ve been able to give the motivational joy a chance.

Office supplies conferences used to take place in wonderful exotic locations like Hawaii or Barbados where we spent the entire three days drinking rum cocktails and wearing only coconut shells on our private parts, but the venues have changed now to colder climates and cheaper locations. We still come back with alcohol poisoning, but we don’t even have a tan to compensate anymore.

I guess the organisers must cut their cloth to suit, as we all do. It’s a sign of the times...but hey, they can’t take away the singing and the dancing!

The good Father rejoices at the thought of the upcoming office supplies event of the year

Bringing hope, peace and unity to the good brethren of business supplies

Support the fight against breast cancer with HP Papers

1. Pour approximately 100ml of hot water into either a small heat-proof bowl or cup.

2. Crack your egg into the water, which should only just be covering it.

3. After pre-heating your air fryer for one minute, pop your cup inside and air fry on 200C for four-to-five minutes.

4. Drain away any excess water and remove the egg from the cup or bowl, serving it up with a slice of hot buttered toast.

Stowaway feline

As reported by BBC News, a stowaway cat has been reunited with her owners after travelling a hundred miles in the back of a van to the Isle of Coll.

Tia sneaked inside her neighbour Doug Craig’s van as he was loading it to fix a broadband connection at Coll’s fire station.

Several hours later, after the Openreach engineer had completed the job, he spotted her in the van. The pet was reunited with owners Elyse and Martin Hamilton and their children, Stanley and Beatrix, the following day. Unbeknown to the driver, Tia was in the van for a three-hour ferry crossing to Arinagour in the Inner Hebrides.

Did you know?

The bumblebee bat is the world’s smallest mammal. Weighing in at 0.05–to-0.07 ounces, with a head-to-body length of 1.14-to-1.29 inches, and a wingspan of 5.1-to-5.7 inches, the bumblebee bat—also known as Kitti’s hog-nosed bat—is the smallest mammal in the world, according to the Guinness Book of World Records. To see this tiny bat for yourself you’d have to visit one of a select few limestone caves on the Khwae Noi River in Kanchanaburi Province of southwest Thailand.

Monitoring the climate

THUMBS UP!

Sky News has reported that the Natural History Museum is creating hi-tech gardens full of sensors to look at how wildlife reacts to changes in climate and can be better protected in our towns and cities. The gardens will allow researchers to look at the kind of life that makes these environments home, from insects and frogs to tiny, microscopic organisms invisible to the human eye. Sensors installed across the site will monitor conditions like temperature, humidity and sound as the climate changes Although there are some five acres of grounds surrounding the site in London, for more than 25 years only one small corner has been used as a dedicated wildlife area.

Scientists are now working to create a garden across the entire area as part of a living gallery, which will open to the public towards the end of next year.

PUB QUIZ

1. What colour can be found on 75% of world flags?

2. Who was Henry VIII’s final wife?

3. How many countries are there in Oceania?

4. Who wrote the 1974 novel, Carrie?

5. In what year was the Chernobyl disaster?

1.

Answers:

Pie in the roundabout Animal rights group PETA has called for officials in Leicester to rename the city’s Pork Pie Roundabout to promote healthier food and help the environment, Sky News has reported.

PETA - People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals – said, ‘This is not a pie-in-the-sky request’ in a letter sent to Leicester Mayor, Sir Peter Soulsby. The organisation said the junction should be called Vegan Pie Roundabout to ‘help reduce Leicester’s concerning obesity rates’. The term ‘vegan’ was coined in Leicester in 1944 and changing the name would be a ‘great way’ to celebrate the city’s ‘pie-loving heritage’. The roundabout in south Leicester gets its name from a nearby library which is said to look like a pork pie when viewed from above.

Caring for your employees in a crisis

The impact of record high inflation rates and sharp price increases across the global economy has been widely reported over recent months. The latest figures from the Office for National Statistics highlight that the cost of living has continued to increase in 87% of households throughout Great Britain, meaning that the squeeze on disposable income is being felt more than ever.

It’s not surprising to hear that additional research by the Financial Capability Strategy for the UK (www.fincap.org.uk) shows that over half of employees state that current financial worries are preventing them from performing at their best. This research also indicates that poor financial wellbeing can cost employers the equivalent of up to 17% of salary costs. As a result, four-in-five larger businesses are beginning to explore how they can offer greater support to their employees in these challenging times.

EMPLOYEE SUPPORT

Seeking a second job, or employers looking to offer higher renumeration to their workforces, can be seen as obvious solutions, but there are other, more affordable and effective, courses of action that can be taken. For instance, an increasing number of organisations are signing-up to employee

benefit packages, such as high street retailer rewards and perks schemes, or access to other special discounts for staff members. Benefits like these can go quite a way towards making weekly shopping bills - as well as treats such as meals out - more affordable.

Promoting a healthy work-life balance is also a vital component and it may be that investment in further training, or offering more flexible or shorter hours to give employees the ability to tackle childcare expenses more effectively, will help to alleviate the financial pressure on

or pause any regular savings, organisations can ease these concerns by offering a salary sacrifice scheme, short term employee loans, or access to other financial support and guidance.

TACKLING COSTS

From a business perspective, absorbing every recent cost increase is unrealistic – but open discussion about how these are passed on is vital for customer relations. Setting up cashback rewards, loyalty discounts and introducing payment instalments can help spread the cost of buying, and suppliers can explore alternative ways to reduce their outgoings, especially when considering soaring energy costs.

individuals. Running car share or cycle to work schemes, workplace lunches and gym memberships can also help stretch salaries a little further.

With 42% of UK adults claiming that the cost of living is forcing them to reduce

Turning off equipment when not in use, installing light movement sensors for less frequented areas or minimising waste disposal fees by utilising innovative manufacturing techniques to reintroduce material offcuts into the production of new items are just some of the ways businesses can consolidate their expenses for a more sustainable future.

LAWRENCE SAVAGE, marketing manager at Exaclair Limited, talks about how businesses can offer support to their employees in challenging circumstances

Four-in-five larger businesses are beginning to explore how they can offer greater support to their employees

Lawrence Savage Marketing manager at Exaclair Limited