DEALER SUPPORT MAY 2020
May 2020
Issue 299
ISSUE 299
LEITZ WOW
SHOW YOUR TRUE WOW COLOURS
SOHO TRENDS PRINT DEVELOPMENTS DEMAND AND SUPPLY
inspiring success
SOHO TRENDS The sales opportunities
Show your style. Introducing the new colours of WOW, the brilliant range from Leitz. Quality office accessories in striking colours and sophisticated designs that let your personality shine through.
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PRINT DEVELOPMENTS What do home workers need? DEMAND AND SUPPLY Leveraging high-demand items
Keep organised and productive wherever you are
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3/12/19 2:42 PM
FROM THE EDITOR
We march on
SALES SUCCESS
While small businesses and individuals working from home are nothing new, they may not have previously been on the radar for some dealers – but now is the time change that
[22] MAY 2020
SOHO TRENDS
SOHO TRENDS
S
SALES SUCCESS
OHOs – small offices/home offices – are
maintain the line between work and life. “In an ideal world
not only a growing industry, they’ve
you’ll have a dedicated room to hide away and concentrate,
become a necessity thanks to the impact
or a spare room you can convert to a study,” says Simon
of COVID-19. Even small business teams
Howorth, marketing and design manager at Dams. “But
that would normally operate within
sometimes that’s not possible and you may have to make do
remote locations have been forced to shift to working from
with a desk in the living room, a corner of the kitchen or even
their own homes, and the home office environment is now
sharing a space with a partner. Lying in bed with a laptop,
the perfect sector for dealers to home in on. Categorised
for example, will strongly detract from your productivity, not
as a business involving between one and 10 workers, SOHO
to mention your concentration - and just because you can
companies have become increasingly popular over the last
lounge around in your pyjamas all day doesn’t mean you
few years, with many more people ditching the standard 9-5
actually should; it’s important to take a shower, get dressed,
and going freelance.
and treat it like your real job.” FURNITURE
Dealers who are only now getting involved with SOHO businesses are already late to the party
Maintaining a routine – by, as Simon says, getting dressed, washed and ready for work as usual – is vitally important to maintaining productivity, but that dedicated space is even more so. It’s true that finding an area in which to work – especially if you have a partner, friend or family member also working from home within the same space – is challenging, even for those who already had a home office; these workers may never had had to share that dedicated space before, so their routine may be as upside-down as everyone else’s. The first step to establishing working environment(s) at home
According to the Office of National Statistics, in 2019, 5.82 million businesses were categorised as ‘small’ (0 to 49
is the right furniture. Even if an employee only has a corner of the kitchen to work with, they can still be furnished with the right
employees), with 99.9% of the business population being
chair and a desk riser so that they can transition between sitting
SMEs. At the start of 2019, 4.5 million of the small businesses
and standing to maintain back health. For those who have at
in the UK had no employees, meaning that 76% of them
least a little room, a space-saving corner desk, or curved shallow
employed nobody besides the owner(s); this shows that
desk, will ensure that there’s a specific working environment,
dealers who are only now getting involved with SOHO
restoring some sense of normality to weekdays - and there
businesses as a result of the current pandemic are already late
are sales opportunities here for other ergonomic furniture
to the party.
accessories such as back rests, wrist rests and foot rests.
One of the perks of running a SOHO business is having the freedom to create one’s own space, away from corporate
Storage is another important element of furniture in the home office – especially for those with children who can, and
pressures, and this is something that home workers – those
will, get into all sorts of places they shouldn’t. Dealers should
who are fortunate enough to have kept their job and be
consider this angle when discussing with customers the
able to work from their own spaces – are also discovering.
benefits of good office storage and security, in general, is also
For the dealer, getting involved with these small and micro-
an area to concentrate on, as data stored at home is rarely as
businesses, as well as existing customers’ home-working staff,
secure as it would be in the office environment.
provides the perfect opportunity to support them, whilst keeping your own organisation running nicely.
According to David Orr, head of strategy at Dynamic, furniture that’s easy to put together is something else to take into account when it comes to small businesses and
HOW TO CREATE AN IDEAL WORKSPACE IN THE HOME
individuals who are now operating from home. “Many
For both small offices and home offices now operating from
still have the mental scars of terrible experiences trying to
people’s living quarters, it can be challenging to adjust and
assemble low-cost flat pack furniture,” he says, “and the
www.dealersupport.co.uk MAY 2020 [23]
www.dealersupport.co.uk
Nell Walker
EDITOR Nell Walker
CREATIVE TEAM Billy Odell
EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Eleanor Potter
DIRECTOR Vicki Baloch
HEAD OF SALES Matthew Moore
All email addresses are formatted firstname.lastname@intelligentmedia.co.uk
Dealer Support is the leading monthly publication for dealers in the business supplies industry. It provides information on the industry (both in the UK and overseas), information for and about the UK’s independent dealers, as well as information and advice on running a small business. The views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily the views of the publishers. Copyright of all the material published remains with Intelligent Media Solutions Limited. No part of this magazine may be reproduced, copied, stored in an electronic retrieval or transmitted, save with written permission or in accordance with provision of the copyright designs and patent act of 1988. Printed in the UK by Buxton Press www.buxtonpress.co.uk Annual subscriptions are available at a cost of £68.00 for UK and overseas by surface mail, £90.00 for airmail. Subscription enquiries should be sent to the address opposite
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Page 22
It’s been either a few weeks or 400 years since we went into lockdown – who can say? – but, either way, we’re probably all firmly in the swing of working from home by now. If you’re a dealer, I’m very interested to know how this time has affected your business, so far – have you managed to tap into any new (to you) markets and sectors due to the shift? Were you already caring for home workers and are you now thriving because of that? Or are you struggling to adapt? All of these are understandable, and all of them are valid; we’re here to continue holding your hand and helping you weather SOHO trends and this storm for as long as it goes on with opportunities another of our topical mini-magazines. Dealer Support Live’s 2019 slogan of ‘adapt, improvise, overcome’ has never been more relevant. After the usual overview of the news, in this issue we discuss some of the in-demand items and product segments, and how they can be leveraged by dealers for better sales. Then we discuss print-specific developments for home workers, and we share an in-depth question and answer session with BOSS Chairman and CEO of Office Power, Simon Drakeford. We dive into some of the historical benefits of flexible working - and why these should be embraced and continued post-lockdown - before exploring some of the trends and sales opportunities which lay within the SOHO (small office/home office) sector. We talk in more detail about what home office needs most on the furniture front, before discussing how to keep motivation levels high when adapting to home working. Rounding off the issue is a Final Word from Sean Starkey who discusses the lessons he’s learned in times of crisis. Thank you all for sticking with us during this strange time - I can only hope that our expert advice and support is helping you get through this. On a personal note, many of you already know that this is my last issue as editor of Dealer Support – I’d like to extend my thanks for more than two years as part of this wonderful industry. I wish you all the best of luck.
2020
office products collection Initiative provides your customers with all the core items they need in their workspace! We wanted to take this opportunity to reassure members that the Initiative range is still readily available from Antalis and VOW together with our chosen EOS partner. To help support you we have an extended price freeze up until the end of June 2020 and you can access free online catalogues, email marketing, social media content and more. If you aren’t an Integra member and need access to a high quality, value for money range then please contact us on 01633 653000.
• Exclusive to Integra members • Over 800 core products for the flexible workspace • Available via Antalis, VOW & direct • Highly competitive ink & toner range • Extended price freeze until 30th June 2020 • FREE marketing support
To view the range visit www.initiativeofficeproducts.co.uk and for more information contact Integra on 01633 653000
M AY 2 0 2 0
Contents INDUSTRY 06 NEWS AND VIEWS
The latest news and views from the industry
08 DEMAND AND SUPPLY How can dealers leverage high-demand items at this time?
12 PRINT DEVELOPMENTS IN HOME WORKING Don’t exclude the rise of home working from your selling focus
16 Q&A
Simon Drakeford on what the industry needs right now
12
MANAGEMENT 20 THE BENEFITS OF FLEXIBLE WORKING
How have businesses fared, up to now, in the flexible working structure debate?
SALES SUCCESS 22 SOHO TRENDS AND SALES OPPORTUNITIES
16
They may not have previously been on the radar for some dealers – now is the time change that
26 FURNITURE FOR THE HOME OFFICE
A major element in caring for home-based workers lies in office furniture
28 KEEPING MOTIVATION LEVELS HIGH
How to keep your team’s motivation high despite disruption
31 FINAL WORD
The state of the business world, according to Sean Starkey
26 “In an ideal world you’ll have a dedicated room to hide away and concentrate, or a spare room you can convert to a study”
22
INDUSTRY
T H E M O N T H T H AT W A S
THE MONTH THAT WAS
Coronavirus update: job retention scheme BOSS is providing updates on the job retention scheme for its members via their website. BOSS is encouraging all of its members to read the full
Spectrum Industrial partners with FusionPlus Data Spectrum Industrial has announced an exciting new partnership with FusionPlus Data that will make its data more accessible to business supplies resellers. Commenting on the new agreement,
content of the updated document; it emphasises that the detail of the
Steve Plaistowe, office products channel
scheme is yet to be published, and its views will need to be revisited once
manager, said: “We’re delighted to be
the precise terms of the scheme - and any accompanying legislation -
working in partnership with FusionPlus Data
become known as this unprecedented national crisis evolves.
to enhance the quality and accessibility of the
A new Q&A document has been uploaded on the website www. bossfederation.com/coronavirus. BOSS will continue to seek clarification where there is remaining
product content data for our range of signs and safety solution products.” Spectrum’s, now fully-attributed, product
ambiguity, and has already fed back some concerns – notably, in relation to
file combines elements of its broad ranges
the three week ‘minimum furlough period’.
of safety products - including signage, safety posters, fire extinguishers, A-boards,
In the meantime, what we know is:
shadowboards, recycling sacks and signs,
• Employees must have been on your payroll on 28 February 2020.
floor graphics, ladder asset tags and ratchet
• Employees can be on any type of contract including;
straps - providing resellers with a broad
1. Full-time employees. 2. Part-time employees.
range single source provider. Spectrum Industrial is proud to have been
3. Employees on agency contracts.
manufacturing here in the UK for 25 years
4. Employees on flexible or zero-hour contracts.
at its 85,000 sq ft Doncaster-based head
• Furloughed employees cannot undertake any work on behalf of your organisation.
office, which includes factory, warehouse and offices. The company’s large capacity
• Equality and discrimination laws apply in the usual way.
warehouse provides for a high level of stock
• Employees on sick leave, or self-isolating, can be furloughed after they
across over 5500 Spectrum SKUs, which
recover.
enables the business to service its customers
• Employees who have been identified as vulnerable, and subject to ‘shielding’ for 12 weeks, can be furloughed. • Employees can be furloughed more than once, with a minimum of three weeks and a maximum of three months. • Claims can be backdated to 1 March 2020.
[06] MAY 2020
www.dealersupport.co.uk
on short, one to two day, lead-times. “We always get excited when we introduce supplier partners with a new category of products to the dealer community,” says Steve Bilton.
T H E M O N T H T H AT W A S
INDUSTRY
Superstat increases free social media service for dealers Superstat has ramped up its social media posting service, ‘INSocial’, to help dealers stay engaged with their customers during this difficult period. The INSocial service is a series of weekly posts designed to keep customers and browsers aware of the dealer’s name and the services they offer. In an effort to help out dealers during the coronavirus pandemic the service will
Exertis to provide airtime packages for B2B resellers through ATP Enable
now be several posts per week at no
Exertis has announced an agreement with ATP Enable to provide its B2B resellers
your team. Training course three – start
with the opportunity to add airtime to their mobile hardware sales, thereby
the conversation.
extra cost.
E-learning courses available free of charge until mid-April BOSS has announced that three training courses are free for use until mid-April. Training course one – remote workers, health, safety and welfare. Training course two – managing stress within
increasing their revenue and margin. Through ATP Enable, Exertis will allow its resellers to compare, build and quote on SIM only airtime deals from all the major networks including 02, Three, EE and
KPP enters into binding agreements
Vodafone.
for the potential acquisition of a
“We are pleased to be able to provide this additional service and revenue
majority stake in Antalis
opportunity for our B2B resellers who can now simply add a SIM Only airtime
KPP, SEQUANA SA and BPIFRANCE
package to their mobile, laptop and tablet device sales. With ATP Enable, there’s
have entered into binding agreements
an easy-to-use portal that removes the complexity of finding the best airtime deals,
for the potential acquisition of Sequana
as well as showing the margin available,” said Rik Hubbard, Exertis, commercial
and Bpifrance’s 83.7% stake in Antalis.
and services director for mobile.
Antalis was informed of the signing
ATP Enable is a complementary service to Exertis’ trade-in programme and DaaS which is also open to B2B resellers. “We are excited to be partnering with Exertis, and to see this being introduced
of a binding option agreement on 31 March 2020 by KPP - the leading paper distributor in Japan, Asia and Australia
to their resellers. The portal has been created so that, even if you’re new to
- to purchase all the shares held by
airtime, you can easily find the best deals and create a quote in seconds. ATP also
Sequana, Antalis’ majority shareholder,
manages the whole connection process, so you don’t have too. There is a variety
representing 75.2% of the share capital,
of tariff options; these get refreshed regularly, and we offer a variety of substantial
and 82.5% of the voting rights, at the
commissions that are paid to the reseller. It creates another reason to speak to
price of 0.10 euro per share.
your customers to keep them engaged with your business,” said Richard Nisbett, managing director, ATP Enable.
www.dealersupport.co.uk MAY 2020 [07]
INDUSTRY
D E M A N D & S U P P LY
DEMAND & SUPPLY: leveraging highdemand items At a difficult time such as this, it’s important to understand exactly what your customers need, as those needs have undoubtedly changed. Here, we explore what those changes are likely to be
[08] MAY 2020
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D E M A N D & S U P P LY
E
INDUSTRY
very cloud has a silver lining’, they say,
to match that need, is paramount at a time when many of
meaning that even during bad times,
them could still be struggling to adapt to the widespread
there are positive opportunities. This is
home working currently happening.
certainly true of the situation in which we find ourselves currently; all of our
THE MOVING CATEGORIES
lives have been turned upside-down,
• Floor tape. This has shot up in popularity due to
that’s a fact – but it’s not all doom and gloom for dealers who
supermarkets, smaller shops, hospitals and GP surgeries
are adaptable and can quickly shift their focus towards what
using it to ensure customers and patients remain two
businesses need, right now.
metres apart.
Although the main consideration at the moment is those
• A4 paper. That’s right, paper is on the rise thanks to those
working from home, and what they need to get them through
working from home needing it to function in their jobs,
the next few weeks of lockdown, there are other aspects to
parents needing it to print out work for children learning
think about - such as the businesses that are still operating
from home, and shops making their own signage to
as usual – like supermarkets, other shops, healthcare organisations and the finance sector. These organisations
remind people of social distancing rules. • Distance signage. All types of businesses are using
are working overtime to ensure the country continues to
signage to remind people of the social distancing rules
run during this difficult time, and they need the support
and to point out hand-washing stations and other key
of dealers. Dealers are uniquely positioned to provide this support because they have in-depth knowledge of their
facts. • Consumables. This includes peripheral products for
products, they’re used to having to move with the times, and
machines, such as ink cartridges and paper for printers, as
they have solid, mutually trusting, relationships with their
well as catering products like coffee and sugar.
customers.
• Laptops. There are many additional products that can
We talk a lot about the importance of asking the customer exactly what they want, based on the requirements they need filling, rather than simply providing the specific products and services they think they need – and there is no better time than now to do this. Contacting your customers to ask what their current requirements are, and creating a bespoke service
be upsold here, such as cable tidies, mice, keyboards, additional screens, carry cases and covers. • Storage. Think external hard drives, memory sticks and cards, power cables and battery packs. • Bluetooth head sets. To enable people sharing their home workspaces with others to conduct business calls in peace.
Dealers are uniquely positioned to provide support
www.dealersupport.co.uk MAY 2020 [09]
INDUSTRY
D E M A N D & S U P P LY
• Security software. To ensure that staff are able to remain legally compliant when working from home. • Multi-function devices. These are helpful for home workers who don’t necessarily have the space for multiple pieces of hardware. WHAT THE EXPERTS SAY
It’s not all doom and gloom for dealers who are adaptable
“We used a sales analysis tool to see what the end-user is searching for across 250 dealer sites,” Steve Bilton, MD of FusionPlus Data, told us; he estimates that the number of individual businesses searching these sites amount to around
These are the products that are highly in-demand, right now, so
100,000. “These are the websites of dealers of every size, from
it’s up to the dealer to keep ears to the ground regarding where
£1m turnover to £100m turnover and what we discovered
they can source them if they need to. While there has been a
confirmed all of our expectations.” So, now, it’s up to dealers
general drop in turnover, for many, it hasn’t been as dramatic
to respond. Here are some of the top searches.
as some might have expected, thanks to the items that are in demand right now being dealers’ bread and butter. Some
Facilities management/janitorial
businesses are doing very well, and some are even adopting
• Gloves
different sales models, such as launching B2C websites.
• Hand sanitiser • Dettol/antibacterial spray
WHAT THE WHOLESALERS ARE DOING
• Toilet roll
The BOSS Federation spoke with some of the industry’s key
• Masks
suppliers about the changes they’ve made to support dealers
• Soap
during this difficult time. Exertis reported that it has seen
• Bin bags
significant variation in the number and types of orders it has
• Hand wash
received, and has advised that its next-day delivery service may be disrupted – but that it expects to conduct business as usual,
Traditional office products • Chairs
and that dealers can help by placing orders early in the day. Spicers reported that maintaining distribution is key, right
• A4 paper
now, so that the most crucial supplies – namely PPE, hygiene
• Desks
products and consumables – get to where they are needed.
• Printers
It is focusing on keeping the UK productive and remaining as
• Labels
agile as possible.
• Staples
VOW Wholesale also aims to continue supporting its
• Drinks
dealer network, reporting that it has the infrastructure in
• Sugar
place to continue operating as normally as possible – and, while some items are in high demand, and selling out, the wholesaler is in close contact with its own suppliers to ensure it’s able to source what it needs. It’s important to mention that all three of these businesses are also paying close attention to the rules around social distancing and home working for their staff. The industry is adapting, behind-the-scenes, to make sure these products are available – talk to your own wholesaler, to manufacturers and to dealer peers to find out what you need to know to see your businesses through this trying time by acquiring what the customer needs most.
[10] MAY 2020
www.dealersupport.co.uk
INDUSTRY
BIG ASK
Print developments in home working What does the home working print market look like, and how is it expected to evolve post COVID-19? We asked the experts
M
ore and more, print manufacturers are
business-grade, compact desktop printers for home workers,
having to pay attention to different
and the industry has certainly begun to respond to this trend.
working areas beyond the kind of office
The main driver of product development in this sector is,
environment we all know well. Flexible
of course, the need for high productivity –speed of printing,
working comes with new challenges, and
reliability and large ink yield supplies – which has to be
it would be remiss of dealers to exclude
balanced with low costs and small footprint. A key insight to
the rise of home and mobile working from their selling focus
bear in mind is that the home worker needs the same - or
– all types of businesses, big and very small, need printing
even better - service than that which has been experienced in
equipment. So, what are some of the latest developments in
the office, whilst not having an abundance of space.
this area, and what’s new for 2020?
On the other side, an employer needs to reduce how much they spend on acquiring, maintaining and servicing
ALICE RAMSDEN DE GOMEZ,
home devices. As a result, printers that minimise refills and
PRODUCT MANAGER AT EPSON
reduce costs are ideally suited to home offices, where users
UK
need a feature-packed unit with intuitive navigation and
The small office/home office (SOHO)
compact design.
is an exciting and growing market that reflects the fast-paced lifestyle
launch of new products that will cater to this demand and
and greater convenience which
combine the best of both worlds for those working from home.
the digital age has introduced.
As we now use more connected devices than ever, these
The growth of flexible working
printers will need to boast flexible connectivity that makes it
arrangements has caused an increase in the demand for
[12] MAY 2020
2020 will be a year of innovation and we can expect the
www.dealersupport.co.uk
easy to print from mobiles, tablets, laptops and even wearables.
Can you assure customers of their printer security?
Xerox® VersaLink® family of office printers. Xerox technology has built-in security to help safeguard your business. Offer a true differentiator to customers and new ongoing profitable revenue for you. xerox.co.uk/partners ©2019-2020 Xerox Corporation. All rights reserved. Xerox® and VersaLink® are trademarks of Xerox Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.
INDUSTRY
BIG ASK
ANDY JOHNSON, HEAD OF
RICHARD STEWART, PRODUCT
PRODUCT AND SOLUTIONS
MANAGER, DOCUMENT
MANAGEMENT AT BROTHER UK
SOLUTIONS, CANON UK LTD
More consumers are choosing
Canon has seen real spike in demand
to use business-grade printers at
for home working solutions since the
home, whether that’s for running
beginning of March. This has come
documents off for work or helping
in many forms, from small consumer
the kids with their homework.
inkjet devices to larger, desktop-
From inkjets to colour laser all-in-
based, laser printers. The demand has
one devices, they’re being enticed by the better reliability,
come from both businesses looking to procure home printing
lower costs per page and more convenient functionality that
solutions for their staff in bulk, as well as from individuals
modern mid-range devices can offer when compared with
working from home needing print and scan technologies who
more basic, entry-level models.
are buying for themselves.
Business inkjets, for example, are particularly well-aligned
We also have a number of existing customers who are
to meet the needs of people working from home. They are
looking to add home working solutions to their existing
energy efficient and use high yield cartridges, which make
managed print services, where they want the same level of
them cheap to run, and they provide access to useful, add-on
service, security, and accountability for their staff away from
features, from mobile printing to scanning straight to the
the office as they would in the office. That is where cloud print
cloud, which are helping them work more productively.
management solutions, like uniFLOW online, can help. Any
Suppliers are also offering consumers the option to buy
printer with an internet connection can connect to the
these devices in bundles. Our All in Box, which provides a
company’s cloud-based tenant and be managed in the exact
high specification inkjet printer and three years’ worth of
same way as any printer in the office.
supplies, is removing the hassle of ordering ink and toner. Alongside standalone devices, cloud connectivity is
Canon products bring a wide range of user benefits to home working. These include large colour touch screens
providing businesses with the opportunity to roll out, and
with smartphone-like touch control for intuitive control,
operate, a decentralised managed print service for people
a smartphone app, scan-to-cloud services - and even a
working from home. This can allow employees to reap the
free of charge toner recycling service. From easy set-up,
benefits of remote monitoring and automated supplies
maintenance, connectivity and enhanced scan productivity,
replenishment to reduce downtime, while giving IT managers
we are always looking at optimising the end-user experience.
an oversight of their decentralised print fleet and support
With so many of us being currently asked to work from
from a vendor like Brother.
home, remote working needs to be as easy as possible, and
As the homeworking print market evolves, we’re working alongside our partners to ensure they can provide their customers with the right products and services to make those small, incremental gains that boost productivity.
optimising your home office with efficient tools is vital in order to boost productivity. It remains to be seen if home working policies for businesses will evolve post COVID 19 to become more commonplace. This period has highlighted that, regardless the place of work, the technology does exist to facilitate employees’ print and scan requirements both in and out of the office. In some cases, these challenging times have turned into an opportunity for companies to identify areas of improvement and to make that transition from office to home as seamless as possible for their employees. It seems like this is the right time for everyone to fully embrace a culture of digital transformation and, although all change comes with challenges, enabling workers to avoid disruption while creating value faster and more effectively is the key to success.
[14] MAY 2020
www.dealersupport.co.uk
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HOME OFFICE ESSENTIALS WITH A SPLASH OF COLOUR
SMART AND QUIET SHREDDERS TO ENSURE THE SAFE DESTRUCTION OF YOUR DOCUMENTS
MONITOR THE ENVIRONMENT OF YOUR HOME OFFICE AND WORK IN CLEAN AIR
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INDUSTRY
Q&A
Strange times – wise words A
s BOSS Chairman and CEO of Office Power, Simon Drakeford and his team
rise in PPE and packaging. Almost every dealer we’ve spoken with has been affected
talk to hundreds of dealers every day -
by the drop in demand from their customers, as well as their
as well as discussing the latest events
teams’ shift to remote working and stock shortages in the
with peers from both within and outside
supply chain.
of our industry. At this strange time, communication, and awareness of what’s going on in the
WHAT’S YOUR INSIGHT INTO WHAT MAY HAPPEN
market and the wider world, has become more critical than
GOING FORWARD – SHORT AND LONG TERM?
ever. To help share some industry insights - and shed some
In the short term we predict that once dealers have fulfilled
light on how the COVID-19 is affecting dealers, and the office
the remaining demand from March’s boom, the ones who
supplies industry as a whole, we asked, Simon, to answer our
can’t immediately reduce their fixed costs will struggle. They
questions around some of the most hotly discussed issues.
will need to reconfigure their businesses in order to adapt to the remote workforces, disrupted supply chain and a
WHAT’S HAPPENED TO TRADING FOR DEALERS OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS?
dispersing customer base. Dealers with drivers and warehouses will need to rethink
Over the last few weeks we’ve spoken with many dealers
the logistics of their situation fast, and come up with more
both inside and outside the Office Power community and
flexible ways of servicing their customers, which will allow
the feedback we’ve received varies greatly. On the whole, it
them to de-risk their business and enable staff and customers
seems that dealers in the North are holding up better than
to order online and reduce cash flow problems. On top
those down South; this is most likely because working from
of this, we think there will also be concerns surrounding
home is less prevalent and there is a low service company mix
collecting cash, and dealers will look to chase debts in order
in the north.
to cover immediate costs.
Dealers who have a heavier weighting of standard
With many dealers furloughing large portions of their
industrial classification (SIC) customers - for example,
workforce, there’s likely to be increased pressure on the
construction - are coping, and there are others finding some
remaining staff across businesses to fulfil operational tasks;
success in pockets of unusual demand patterns such as the
because of this many dealers will need to run the risk of
[16] MAY 2020
www.dealersupport.co.uk
Q&A
INDUSTRY
deliveries. When the lockdown is eased many employees will continue to work from home, either through choice
Start thinking now about how you will shift your product mix to meet and support changing working patterns
or at the request of their employers seeking lower rent on office space service costs; this will increase both the number of deliveries and the geographic area to service. • Work on checking in with as many customers as possible, as frequently as possible. However, make sure you have an efficient process for actioning this. DEALERS NEED CLARIFICATION ON THE VIABILITY OF DELIVERIES TO EMPLOYEE HOME ADDRESSES – DO YOU HAVE ANY THOUGHTS ON THIS?
deprioritising selling to keep the business going. We’re likely to see an upturn in the use of digital channels,
Because of work from home restrictions, our industry’s nonkey worker status, and a significant drop in demand, many
particularly social media, and email will enjoy a short-lived
suppliers have reduced the flexibility of their delivery services.
revival to appeal to the SoHo and consumer traffic. Alongside
The dispersing of the workforce means that many van routes
this, mobile traffic is set to increase significantly.
are now not able to accommodate the increase in multiple
It’s very difficult to predict the full extent of the long-term impact of this pandemic, mainly because of unpredictable
delivery locations. Dealers are trying to accommodate this in the short term
statistics and the uncertainties of how an exit from social
by delivering items themselves, but this is not feasible in the
distancing will work.
long-term. What’s clear is that this reduced flexibility has,
Working from home is the biggest influencer on when behaviours may normalise into new world demand patterns. It’s likely that there will be a staggered return to work which
and will, continue to lead to an increase in supplier–to-endcustomer deliveries. Dealer systems will need to be configured to manage
will be turned on regionally - it’s also possible that this will
a significant increase in number of delivery addresses per
be turned on and off, periodically, to manage the impact
customer. Ultimately, the cost to serve this change will
on mental and physical health, economic performance and
increase and dealers need to consider the proposition to
pressure on public health services.
accommodate this.
Ultimately, dealers will need to be more flexible, open to adapting their business models, and technologically-enabled
DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER NEWS OR ADVICE TO HELP
if they are to survive this drawn-out adjustment to a new way
DEALERS?
of working and succeed in the long-term.
It’s predicted that 75% of a dealer’s customer base will temporarily go home, and only 50% will permanently come
WHAT ARE YOUR TOP TIPS WHICH DEALERS CAN
back - so, dealer businesses need to be configured for the
ACTION NOW TO PROTECT THEIR BUSINESSES DURING
‘work anywhere’ customer. As always, Office Power is ready
THIS PERIOD, AND ENSURE THEY ARE STILL VIABLE AT
and waiting to support this change, protect these dealerships
THE END OF THIS VERY DIFFICULT PERIOD?
for the present, and futureproof them for the years to come.
• Turn as many fixed costs into variables as soon as
Dealers can easily turn their fixed costs into variable costs.
possible; furloughing doesn’t come under this as it’s a
They should look for an e-commerce platform that has all the
government grant. This is critical for the current health
functionalities a dealer needs to be able to seamlessly service
and future success of your business.
the everywhere worker. They should research how they can
• Focus on your online offering. Think about how well your functionality will hold up for a dispersed customer base who are working from anywhere and will need open pricing.
improve buying power and relationships to secure stock, cost prices and service levels. Finally, it is important that dealers invest in sales and
• Start thinking now about how you will shift your product
marketing tools that enable timely and relevant contact with
mix to meet and support changing working patterns.
customers, and flexible delivery options which enable dealers
• Start to strategise about the long-term impact on
to service their customers wherever they are.
www.dealersupport.co.uk MAY 2020 [17]
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The team at Northamber are here to support our staff and partners during this difficult time and send heartfelt wishes to anyone dealing with the impact of the outbreak. Our focus remains on continuing to deliver the excellent levels of personal service, support and supply that our customers have come to expect from us over the last 40 years. The team here at Northamber are all set up to work wherever they need to, so that business can continue to operate as normal. We use what we sell to enable remote and home working. If you would like any advice of guidance please don't hesitate to contact us as we remain here to help and support you and your end users with technical help, commercial support and flexibility.
Total Distribution™ ©Northamber 2020 E&OE. May 2020
MANAGEMENT
FLEXIBLE WORKING
The benefits of flexible working Post-coronavirus the working world is going to look very different. Having had a taste of working from home, many will now expect greater flexibility and a change in the number of days they spend in the office. So how have businesses fared, up to now, in the flexible working structure debate?
F
lexible working is a buzzword that’s
found that 47% of employees didn’t have a flexible working
gained a lot of traction in recent years
structure encouraged at their workplaces.
but, ultimately, it simply refers to a
However, any employee who has worked for the same
way of working to suit an employee’s
employer for 26 weeks is eligible to request a flexible
needs. For example, it can mean making
working structure – and employers are obliged to deal with
adjustments to start and finish times
applications for flexible working in a reasonable manner. We
to allow an employee time to drop off/pick up a child from
expect to see an increase in the number of applications in Q3
school, or even working from home where necessary.
and Q4 of 2020.
This simple gesture can improve an employee’s loyalty to their employer and make them feel more motivated. It
IS IT BETTER TO BE FLEXIBLE?
can also have the added benefit of making them feel less
Flexible working acknowledges that employees have a
stressed - and any improvement to their health and wellbeing
life outside of the office, and a nine-to-five job, plus a
is ultimately good for business.
commute, can take up a considerable portion of the day. The Powwownow survey found that almost 45% of people spend
HOW POPULAR IS IT?
over an hour commuting per day, which can lead to increased
Pre COVID-19 a lot of employers were starting to offer flexible
stress levels – 66% of commuters say they feel stressed or
working as a perk but, surprisingly, many employers were
flustered at least once a week. Flexible working can enable
happier sticking with the traditional nine-to-five office hours
employees to travel at off-peak times, or avoid dreaded
approach - as demonstrated by a Powwownow survey which
journeys altogether.
[20] MAY 2020
www.dealersupport.co.uk
FLEXIBLE WORKING
Parents and carers often need a more flexible approach to
MANAGEMENT
from the office. However, there are lots of tools available to help
working hours to allow them to fulfill all of their obligations,
employees work remotely, such as web conferencing, online
and many other employees appreciate flexibility simply as
messaging and cloud applications for file sharing.
a perk - in fact, 67% of employees wish they were offered flexible working. The offer of flexible working can be a handy incentive
Overall, there are so many potential advantages to a flexible working structure that it’s worth considering. Most employers would be glad to see an improvement in their
when it comes to recruitment and staff retention – 70% of
employees’ health and wellbeing, if not for their sake, then for
respondents to the survey claimed that being offered a
the business – reduced stress levels and increased motivation
flexible working structure makes a job more attractive to
is good news for the bottom line.
them. In addition, 30% of people would rather have flexible working than a pay rise – so it can be a cost-effective way to
HOW CAN DEALERS SUPPORT HOME-BASED WORKERS?
make employees feel valued at work.
For help on how to get home-workers set up, have a look
Naturally, some managers will always be concerned that
through the ideas presented in the How to support the
employees are more likely to be idle when they are not under
new work at home workforce. dealersupport.co.uk/how-to-
close scrutiny; however, 58% of people believe that working
support-the-new-work-at-home-workforce
away from the office would actually make them feel more
Consider how your business model might need to change
motivated.
for a post-COVID19 world.
WHAT ABOUT THE DRAWBACKS?
shift to home-working, how will dealers be able to deliver to
One drawback of flexible working is the mistrust it can cause.
business, office and multiple residential accounts? Can your
Employers can become very distrusting of their employees if
front and back-end systems turn on sub-accounts for home
they feel like they can’t keep an eye on them if they’re not in
workers? Is it worth investing in a second website for B2C
the office. Managing home workers can be tricky and, indeed,
sales, and what skill sets might be needed to tap into the
around 56% of people in the survey believe that managers
burgeoning SOHO market?
Assuming the predictions are correct, and there is a huge
need to learn skills to manage a remote workforce effectivley. Of course, if an employee is responsible for their own
LOOK AFTER YOUR TEAM
workload, the incentive is there to get everything done on time.
To offer the appropriate support to your own home workers
Another obstacle is when an employee is absolutely required
make sure that you book in regular video conference
in the office. For example, IT support, or a member of a team
meetings. Identify good work that they are doing and
that often works collaboratively, might be able to achieve more
highlight it to others; recognition is a positive motivation. For employees who can feel isolated, and miss the social interaction, you could also set up an instant messaging service which would support real-time communication with others in the business. KEEP YOU AND YOUR TEAM INFORMED AND UP-TODATE WITH INDUSTRY NEWS Our goal is to report on what’s happening and inspire business solutions for dealers. Dealer Support magazine and website are written for you and your team so that you can make informed decisions for your business.
It’s free to subscribe using this simple form: DEALERSUPPORT.CO.UK/SUBSCRIBE Please forward this to your all your team members
www.dealersupport.co.uk MAY 2020 [21]
SALES SUCCESS
SOHO TRENDS
SOHO trends and opportunities While small businesses and individuals working from home are nothing new, they may not have previously been on the radar for some dealers – but now is the time change that
[22] MAY 2020
www.dealersupport.co.uk
SOHO TRENDS
S
SALES SUCCESS
OHOs – small offices/home offices – are
maintain the line between work and life. “In an ideal world
not only a growing industry, they’ve
you’ll have a dedicated room to hide away and concentrate,
become a necessity thanks to the impact
or a spare room you can convert to a study,” says Simon
of COVID-19. Even small business teams
Howorth, marketing and design manager at Dams. “But
that would normally operate within
sometimes that’s not possible and you may have to make do
remote locations have been forced to shift to working from
with a desk in the living room, a corner of the kitchen or even
their own homes, and the home office environment is now
sharing a space with a partner. Lying in bed with a laptop,
the perfect sector for dealers to home in on. Categorised
for example, will strongly detract from your productivity, not
as a business involving between one and 10 workers, SOHO
to mention your concentration - and just because you can
companies have become increasingly popular over the last
lounge around in your pyjamas all day doesn’t mean you
few years, with many more people ditching the standard 9-5
actually should; it’s important to take a shower, get dressed,
and going freelance.
and treat it like your real job.” FURNITURE
Dealers who are only now getting involved with SOHO businesses are already late to the party
Maintaining a routine – by, as Simon says, getting dressed, washed and ready for work as usual – is vitally important to maintaining productivity, but that dedicated space is even more so. It’s true that finding an area in which to work – especially if you have a partner, friend or family member also working from home within the same space – is challenging, even for those who already had a home office; these workers may never had had to share that dedicated space before, so their routine may be as upside-down as everyone else’s. The first step to establishing working environment(s) at home
According to the Office of National Statistics, in 2019,
is the right furniture. Even if an employee only has a corner of
5.82 million businesses were categorised as ‘small’ (0 to 49
the kitchen to work with, they can still be furnished with the right
employees), with 99.9% of the business population being
chair and a desk riser so that they can transition between sitting
SMEs. At the start of 2019, 4.5 million of the small businesses
and standing to maintain back health. For those who have at
in the UK had no employees, meaning that 76% of them
least a little room, a space-saving corner desk, or curved shallow
employed nobody besides the owner(s); this shows that
desk, will ensure that there’s a specific working environment,
dealers who are only now getting involved with SOHO
restoring some sense of normality to weekdays - and there
businesses as a result of the current pandemic are already late
are sales opportunities here for other ergonomic furniture
to the party.
accessories such as back rests, wrist rests and foot rests.
One of the perks of running a SOHO business is having
Storage is another important element of furniture in the
the freedom to create one’s own space, away from corporate
home office – especially for those with children who can, and
pressures, and this is something that home workers – those
will, get into all sorts of places they shouldn’t. Dealers should
who are fortunate enough to have kept their job and be
consider this angle when discussing with customers the
able to work from their own spaces – are also discovering.
benefits of good office storage and security, in general, is also
For the dealer, getting involved with these small and micro-
an area to concentrate on, as data stored at home is rarely as
businesses, as well as existing customers’ home-working staff,
secure as it would be in the office environment.
provides the perfect opportunity to support them, whilst keeping your own organisation running nicely.
According to David Orr, head of strategy at Dynamic, furniture that’s easy to put together is something else to take into account when it comes to small businesses and
HOW TO CREATE AN IDEAL WORKSPACE IN THE HOME
individuals who are now operating from home. “Many
For both small offices and home offices now operating from
still have the mental scars of terrible experiences trying to
people’s living quarters, it can be challenging to adjust and
assemble low-cost flat pack furniture,” he says, “and the
www.dealersupport.co.uk MAY 2020 [23]
IN S AD LE U SS TSRUYC C Q E SUSE S TSI O OH NOT ITM RE N D S
disappointment factor when it is finally completed can be
STATIONERY
huge. Commercial-grade desking and seating is easy to put
Another growing market for home offices and small offices
together. When professional installers are making these, with
has, consistently, been stationery. While this may be either
the clock ticking, speed of build is key – and, once done,
stagnant or declining in larger offices, small offices value high-
customers rightly demand a robust unit that delivers the
quality, colour co-ordinated and/or personalised/branded
comfort, style and quality they want.”
pads and pens, while home office workers want stylish stationery that’s genuinely functional.
TECHNOLOGY
With our entire day – working as well as personal – centred
There are plenty of ways in which technology can make home
within one place, organisation is more important than ever.
working easier for people, whether or not they normally work
Culturally, we in the UK already have difficulty separating
in that way. For those sharing their home workspace with
work life and home life, so home workers are crying out for
others, head sets are a godsend for making sure ‘phone calls
simple management solutions to help with this – which is
remain private, and as quiet as possible – even if you have
where weekly and daily planners, diaries, bullet journals and
two adults sharing one table. Desktop scan and shredding
coloured pens and highlighters come in. The simple joy of
machines are also necessities when working from home,
organising your day and your week within a sleek, stylish book
as well as compact multi-function printers and associated
– and with all the associated accessories – is the kind of small
consumables – such as paper, cartridges and toners.
victory many of us need right now.
Additionally, power sources – such as cables, battery packs and chargers – are an everyday essential across all types of
FM AND CATERING
technology for the home office.
With individuals struggling to get their hands on janitorial products and catering items from supermarkets and local
CO-ORDINATION AND STYLE
shops, there’s an opening for dealers to help supply home
Something that’s become increasingly important to home
workers with cleaning sprays and wipes, hand sanitiser and
workers is the styles and colour schemes of their office
soap, as well as milk, coffee, tea and snacks. This will help
furniture and accessories. This has been true of those with
the customer keep their environment clean and safe, while
existing home offices for decades, and is certainly true of
maintaining some semblance of an ordinary working day with
small offices whose style reflects their brand. With those
the right food and drink.
home workers who are still adapting to the shift, having office accessories that match the style and colour scheme they already have can make the transition much more comfortable, thus boosting productivity. Colour co-ordinated office products have already been rising in popularity in recent years, and they will continue to surge if dealers spread the message that these types of products are available and can create a style that matches existing surroundings, all in a a range of inspiring colours. Colour co-ordinating also helps with organisation, which is a particular concern within home offices. ‘The systematic use of colours for folders, trays or storage boxes helps enormously with structuring documents’, the Leitz website says. ‘With the different colours, everything can be assigned correctly at just one glance, because colours have a subconscious effect. They allow us to, intuitively, recognise certain patterns through optical bundling, without having to think much about them.’
[24] MAY 2020
www.dealersupport.co.uk
dams for all your workplace needs
Dams have a proud heritage that spans over 50 years of commitment to the office furniture industry. Our comprehensive product range of over 9,500 items includes desking, seating, storage, screens, tables, reception and soft seating furniture to ensure we offer a one stop shop solution ‘for all your workplace needs’
www.dams.com sales@dams.com t.0151 548 7111 uk manufacturer
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full range supplier
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delivering service
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Square Only use blue and/or white. For more details check out our Brand Guidelines.
SALES SUCCESS
FURNITURE
With many of their staff scattered, and working from their own homes, employers find themselves having to make sure they provide for the wellbeing of those staff within their own personal spaces – and a major element of this is their home office furniture
W
hile many flexible workers may have
and design manager at Dams. “This can be a big problem for
worked from home on previous
maintaining good posture and if your home office is in your
occasions, there’s a good chance they’ve
kitchen or living room it really doesn’t help you keep a neat
never invested in decent office furniture
dividing line between work and play. Investing in a proper
for their own living space. Not everyone
office chair is a better solution, so that you can select your
is fortunate enough to have the space
ideal seating position.
to do so, after all, or perhaps they can’t justify it if they
“Even when working from home, it’s not uncommon
normally work in an office. However, UK workers are now in a
for people to sit and work for long periods without regular
position where thousands of them have to work from home,
breaks, so it is imperative that home workers have a chair that
and had to make the shift at fairly short notice. This means
is comfortable and offers great functionality when sitting for
that businesses all over the country have their staff working
long periods, but without having to compromise on style.”
remotely using sub-standard office furniture, making this area an ideal one for dealers to get involved with.
“Whilst not wishing to appear an ‘ambulance chaser’ this trend has impacted significantly on our own businesses sales,” adds David Orr, head of strategy at Dynamic. “Onliners, in
SEATING
particular, are selling very successfully to consumers eager to set
Employers may not have considered the fact that they have
up instant offices at home – and that starts with a comfortable,
a duty of care towards their staff even when they’re working
legal and efficient desk, chair and storage scenario. Whether for
from home, and the furniture they use is a huge part of this.
a transformed extra bedroom, or a dedicated study space, the
When staff are, potentially, sitting down for 6-8 hours a day,
home office needs to achieve the same qualities any company
they must have functional and supportive equipment in their
office does, and employers have a legal obligation to ensure a
immediate area.
home office conforms to standards.”
Unfortunately, this is not the case for everyone – and the
Seating in a home office should be supportive, adjustable
solution begins with seating. “Many people invest in a desk
and stylish, preferably with enough functionality to ensure
for their home office but still insist on using a kitchen chair,
that any chair can be adapted to any size or shape of user.
armchair or stool to sit on,” says Simon Howorth, marketing
For additional seating support, individual back rests can be
[26] MAY 2020
www.dealersupport.co.uk
FURNITURE
SALES SUCCESS
added, and can also transform and update any existing type
levels of home workers,” says Simon. “Because home
of seating. While, as Simon says, a lot of people using the
office workers tend to spend longer at their desks sit/
wrong seating are using the right kind of desk, this is not the
stand desking, and 24-hour seating, is a preference for
case for everybody; this lockdown period is seeing, in many
many,” David adds.
cases, more than one worker per household scrabbling for spaces to work in. This is not ideal – nor is it compliant, in many cases.
• Fully adjustable chairs featuring a wide array of support functions and style options. • Monitor arms. • Secure storage, complete with several colour options.
DESKING “One of the regulations relating to home offices is the DSE
Educating your customers on these needs is vital to ensuring
(display screen equipment) regulations,” says David. “A DSE
those customers keep hold of their team and keep operating
assessment measures the risk of the way we use computers,
as normally as they can, during this difficult time. It’s also
laptops, tablets and other display screens at work. This will
a great time to remind them that the move towards home
include the function of our desk, storage and seating options.
working can be a good thing; according to a FlexJobs survey
It highlights how the kitchen table and a four-legged chair
from 2019, 65% of 7,000 workers surveyed said that they were
are not compliant – and have the potential to land employers
more productive when working from home.
with seriously hefty fines.” This means that managers must be
“There’s no doubt that the sudden increase in working
aware of their people’s working conditions and amend them
from home is presenting problems for many people,” says
as necessary by supplying the right equipment. Sitting at
Simon. “But, for others, working from home is giving people
the dining table on an ordinary chair isn’t good enough, and
the opportunity and the freedom to create the space they
employers are responsible, during this time, for making their
need to do the work they need to do. The coronavirus has the
workers comfortable.
potential to permanently shift working patterns as companies forced to embrace remote working by the pandemic find that
SPECIFIC HOME OFFICE FURNITURE TRENDS THAT THE
their employees do not want to return to the office once the
EXPERTS HAVE SEEN
government restrictions are lifted.”
• Low-depth desks, ideal for smaller workspaces. • Desking that comes with a variety of desktop finishes, to ensure it matches the room/the house. • Height-adjustable desks, with or without motors.
David agrees. “The message to employers and consumers moving to home office working is clear - embrace the new working method that is our best shot at keeping the wheels of industry turning where possible, but make sure you pick
“[They] transform the home office with healthy flexibility,
product that is compliant, real value and delivers users
dramatically improving health, well-being and energy
comfort and efficiency.”
www.dealersupport.co.uk MAY 2020 [27]
SALES SUCCESS
M O T I VAT I O N
How to keep motivation levels high whilst working from home Keeping your team’s motivation high despite disruption
M
uch has been written about the various tools and
workforce relies on their understanding of the ‘common goal’ – having
techniques that can enhance motivation whilst
clear direction, and understanding what success looks like. Goal-
working from home; however, it’s individual’s
setting is a fundamental part of personal development, and essential for
attitudes that will have the greatest impact on
managing teams remotely.
successful remote working. The location of your workforce shouldn’t determine their results
PERSONAL GOAL-SETTING
if they have been given the necessary support to become productive
In order to harness the power of goal-setting, individuals need to be
individuals.
personally invested in achieving their targets. This means taking the time to understand the benefits to be gained by the accomplishment of each
PERSONAL LEADERSHIP PILLARS
goal, including the personal satisfaction of the progress that’s been made,
It’s important to instill confidence in your workforce, equipping them
and the achievement of large and small victories. Encourage employees
with essential qualities to ensure the work continues to the standards
to set personal goals, as well as business ones, as success in one area
expected. These qualities fall under the six essential pillars of personal
breeds motivation in all others.
leadership that are crucial to developing the self-motivation and selfdiscipline needed to overcome challenges and deliver results. Personal
EFFECTIVE TIME MANAGEMENT
responsibility, plan, positive expectancy and persistence are the other
With strong personal leadership, and an understanding of clear direction
essential elements that make up the six pillars of personal leadership. It’s
through goal setting, employees will be well-prepared to practice
through a combination of these qualities that workers will learn to lead
effective time management. Their to-do lists can be formed around
themselves effectively in extraordinary times.
the tasks and priorities that will generate the most progress towards
Through experience, fueled with positive expectancy, employees
achieving goals. Otherwise known as ‘high-payoff activities’, the most
can crystallise their thinking and effectively focus their efforts, using this
important work can be prioritised, and employees will not necessarily be
challenge to stay motivated and ensure high quality work is delivered.
driven towards the latest request to arrive by email. Essential personal leadership skills, combined with a deeper
CLEAR DIRECTION
understanding of goal-setting and time management, should allow
Whilst it’s important that employees are taught the skills needed to
business to continue as usual, despite employees being in separate
become effective personal leaders, the collective productivity of your
locations.
[28] MAY 2020
www.dealersupport.co.uk
THE independent event for UK dealers HERE’S A DATE FOR YOUR DIARY Thursday 15th October 2020
SUPPORTING THE INDUSTRY THROUGH COVID-19 BOSS have been in frequent dialogue with Government to highlight how our supply chain is supporting critical businesses through the COVID-19 crisis and to call for additional support for businesses in our sector.
COVID-19 BUSINESS SUPPORT BOSS members can access advice on employment support and business finance. BOSS have created templates, policies and FAQs covering: • COVID-19 Job Retention Scheme
• Mental Health & Wellbeing
• Homeworking
• Operating Procedures
• Disaster Recovery
• Employment Law
Visit www.bossfederation.com/coronavirus or email coronahelp@bossfederation.co.uk
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FINAL WORD
SALES SUCCESS
Brexit or bust; Coronavirus or cash? Sean Starkey, MD of Durable, reflects on the big issues currently affecting businesses across the world, and the tough lessons he’s learnt during previous crises
W
coronavirus. By the way, on supply chain, know your suppliers several levels back, if applicable; companies which failed to do this in previous crises soon found that the capacity had gone.
ithout wishing
some of our team in case of more complex
to sound like the
paperwork requirements. We sought out
‘Merchant of Doom’,
new customers, new channels and invested
THAT LIGHTBULB MOMENT
we certainly have been
in new products when core stationery
There isn’t one obvious answer, but we
going through a tricky
started to suffer from volume declines.
are focused on diversification into new
patch these last couple
That’s Brexit, but I can’t help but notice that
channels, on service excellence to our
of years – but what can we, or should we,
these preparations and forward-thinking
customers and on the health of our staff
do to overcome this challenging period?
initiatives will also help us now that there is
worldwide. All these areas have one thing in
The FTSE 100 posted its biggest quarterly
a risk of disruption from COVID-19.
common - investment in the growth, wealth and health of our company. For me, the
fall for more than three decades. Starting the year at 7,542 it is currently running at
WHAT HAS IT TAUGHT ME?
game-changer was joining Durable, in 2008,
around 5,800. GBP-€ has dropped from
In both my personal and business life,
just in time to see and feel the effects of the
1.20 to 1.14 having seen a low of 1.06 mid-
to never take anything for granted – and
sub-prime mortgage market collapse, its
March. The UK is in full lockdown, eagerly
also to put in place plans, or mitigate,
effects on the banking sector and resultant
awaiting news of an exit plan…and don’t
for such eventualities, however good the
effect on companies almost worldwide.
forget Brexit and its impact!
intervening years are or aren’t. We retained
The GBP-€ collapsed from 1.45 to almost
that additional stock when Brexit faltered on
parity at that time, and I was forced to make
this on people’s personal lives – and, in
three separate occasions and will now run
decisions I didn’t want to make, forced by
particular, health, which is all-important –
its course from January 2021 onwards. Sure,
the market rather than by strategic and
these situations have a, not inconsiderable,
we have replenished and turned it over, but
intelligent debate and research.
effect on our business lives and pensions,
we retained the value to protect us. Was it
financial stability and so on.
luck or good judgement? In these uncertain
again and so, whatever life throws at us, we,
times, it would certainly have made sense
perhaps, should always have one eye on that
ROBUST, ADAPTABLE AND DIVERSE
to turn the stock back into cash, and it felt
‘Merchant of Doom’, that naysayer sitting on
So what can we do? Well, plenty actually!
counter-intuitive to see our logistics KPIs
our shoulders, whilst remaining optimistic,
Never has there been a more important
show such poor stock turns.
excited for our future, and safe in the
Notwithstanding the effect of all
I vowed never to make that mistake
But, thank goodness, we kept that
knowledge that we will get through this – we
goes. The onset of Brexit resulted in my
investment there because now we are able
always do, because we are part of the robust
own company, Durable, making a heavy
to ensure outstanding service levels to our
and buoyant industry that is office products.
investment in stock to weather any storm
customers, whilst many others suffer at the
brought about by supply chain issues,
hands of the logistical nightmare that is
healthy scepticism, whilst continuing to be
and we re-organised and multi-skilled
Brexit and the impact to supply chain from
successful and, above all, healthy.
time to mend the roof, as the saying
[31] APRIL 2020
www.dealersupport.co.uk
Let’s all hope we can maintain a
www.dealersupport.co.uk MAY 2020 [31]
inspiring success
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OEMS AND MPS How are OEMS helping sell MPS? DRIVING CHANGE Inside the newly-launched Go2
EDUCATION
new products and category trends
Issue 296
STEVE MCKEEVER
MARKETING
DRIVING CHANGE
2020 VISION
2020 VISION New products and categories
More Shredding. Zero Jamming.
February 2020
TRANSFORMING THE CHANNEL
PHIL JONES
OEMS AND MPS
IT PREDICTIONS
2020 VISION
inspiring success
Next Generation Shredders
ISSUE 296
January 2020
DEALER SUPPORT FEBRUARY 2020
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DEALER SUPPORT JANUARY 2020
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Decemebr 2019
inspiring success
IT PREDICTIONS FOR 2020 What to expect for the year ahead
PHIL JONES Brother UK’s MD talks learning and leadership
www.fellowes.com
MARKETING Why now is the time
0203 794 8555 info@intelligentmedia.co.uk
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TRANSFORMING THE CHANNEL IN 2020 Predictions from Phil Jones
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DELIVERING WHAT’S BEEN PROMISED Steve McKeever’s advice for dealers BREAKING INTO EDUCATION Making your way in a lucrative sector
