FM Guide - Dealer Support May 16

MAY 2016

40 RESTROOMS AND REPUTATIONS The absolute necessity for washroom products fit for purpose

45 HARD HAT ZONE How to sell more PPE

46 IN THE MONEY

Preparing customers for the new polymer bank notes

49 IT’S A SIGN

Benefitting from the health and safety signage rules

53 CLEAN UP IN THE KITCHEN

Why selling kitchen supplies is about much more than tea and coffee

FM GUIDE

INTRODUCTION

A word from our sponsor Welcome to the latest edition of the Dealer Support Facilities Supplies Guide.

As products continue to evolve and buying habits change, wholesalers and resellers continue to look for new products to sell to their existing customers and facilities supplies is one of the fastest growing product areas.

Resellers have embraced new product areas over the last ten years and have continued to change themselves from office supplies dealers into business supplies resellers.

VOW has worked closely with key branded suppliers and manufacturers to increase the range and understand the size of the opportunity – which we believe to be around £5 billion a year across all sub-categories. Those categories include cleaning, catering, health and safety, premises and industrial, retail and security and packaging.

Trends and developments within the facilities supplies category continue to keep the story fresh and enable us to have something new to sell and talk about. We’ve seen big successes with premium coffee and healthy fruit and herbal teas, for example.

The opportunity to reach a new type of consumer is also there,

Customer testimonials “During 2015, we increased sales within our facilities supplies category due to an intentional focus on the catalogue. Our relationship with VOW means that we can access the benefits of their direct manufacturer relationships. This, in turn, enables us to offer exclusive promotions to our customers as well as creative marketing messages via emails, direct marketing and VOW’s FS specific catalogue. We also work with VOW to undertake internal promotions that include specific facilities supplies focus brands. The FS category will continue to remain a major growth area for us at ACS and we look forward to working with VOW to explore other creative marketing ideas.”

ELIZABETH STEVENSON, ACS BUSINESS SUPPLIES

38

MAY 2016 www.dealersupport.co.uk

DEBBIE NICE, CATEGORY DIRECTOR FACILITIES SUPPLIES CATEGORY, VOW

with janitorial products giving the reseller the chance to target the healthcare, catering and industrial sectors. Changes in legislation have created new reasons to talk to consumer and we have seen a large increase in sales since the introduction of the new global CLP regulations (Classification, Labelling and Packaging system).

VOW offers a number of unique advantages. We have over 5,000 facilities supplies lines available on next day delivery, an exclusive cleaning brand called 2Work and more than 100 direct relationships with some of the biggest facilities services brands.

This means we can give our resellers the highest levels of back end and commercial support and help them to ensure their transition into facilities supplies is as seamless and successful as possible.

VOW continues to be committed to the facilities supplies category and welcomes your feedback and comments on the range development and marketing.

To find out how your business could grow its facilities supplies offer, contact VOW by calling 0844 980 8000.

“We have concentrated on this market sector seriously for the last two years. VOW’s stock availability gives us a service edge over the other market competitors. As they are continuing to improve their range and price points I can only see Citrus continuing to grow this sector in the years to come. It is now as big as our EOS sector sales.”

GORDON PROFIT, CITRUS OFFICE GROUP

“Unrivalled choice and availability, competitive pricing and product promotions – an all-round easy choice!”

BRIAN KING, JENKINSONS

ZOLL® AED Plus Defibrillator ZOLL® AED Plus Defibrillator ZOLL® ZOLL® AED AED Plus Plus Defibrillator Defibrillator ZOLL® AED Defibrillator • Suitable for Plus workplace, sporting

••Suitable for workplace, sporting Suitable • Suitable forschools, for workplace, workplace, sporting sporting venues, hotels, retail and •venues, Suitable forschools, workplace, sporting venues, venues, schools, hotels, hotels, retail retail and schools, hotels, retail and places of worship venues, hotels, retail and places places of worship worship places ofofschools, worship • Detailed instructions for CPR include places of worship Detailed • aDetailed instructions instructions forfor CPR CPR include ••Detailed instructions for CPR include metronome to assist with frequency •aDetailed instructions for CPR include ametronome metronome a metronome toassist to assist assist with with frequency frequency to with frequency of compressions metronome to assist with frequency of compressions compressions ofaof •compressions The only AED to use inexpensive of compressions The • The only only AED AED touse to use use inexpensive inexpensive ••The only AED to inexpensive 123 photo flash lithium batteries, • The only AED tolithium use inexpensive 123 123 photo photo flash flash lithium batteries, batteries, 123 photo flash lithium batteries, 10 included 123 photo flash lithium batteries, 10included 10 included included 10 • Defibrillator 10 included dimensions (H x W x D): Defibrillator • Defibrillator dimensions (H(H W xW D): x D): ••Defibrillator (H xx W xx D): 310 x 270dimensions xdimensions 80mm • Defibrillator dimensions (H x W x D): 310 310 x 270 x 270 x 80mm x 80mm 310 x 270 x 80mm 310 x 270 Defibrillator, x 80mm soft carry case, ten batteries, Kit contains: electrodessoft with first responder kitbatteries, Kit CPR-D-padz Kit contains: contains: Defibrillator, Defibrillator, soft carry carry case, case, tenten batteries, Kit contains: Defibrillator, soft carry case, ten batteries, instructional training,with DVD, operator’s guide.

CPR-D-padz CPR-D-padz electrodes electrodes with first first responder responder kitbatteries, kit Kit contains: Defibrillator, soft carry case, ten CPR-D-padz electrodes with first responder kit instructional instructional training, training, DVD, DVD, operator’s operator’s guide. guide.

CPR-D-padz electrodes with first responder instructional training, DVD, operator’s guide.kit instructional training, DVD, operator’s guide.

Fully Automatic

Fully Fully Automatic Automatic Analyses the patient’s condition and delivers Fully Automatic Fully Automatic Analyses Analyses the the patient’s patient’s condition condition and and delivers delivers a shock without input from theand user.

Analyses the patient’s condition delivers the patient’s condition and delivers aAnalyses shock a shock without without input input from from thethe user. user. aashock without input from the user. shock without input from the user.

Cardiac Science™ Cardiac Science™ Cardiac Cardiac Science™ Science™ Powerheart® G5 AED CPRD Cardiac Science™ Powerheart® G5 AED CPRD Powerheart® Powerheart®G5 G5AED AEDCPRD CPRD Powerheart® G5 AED CPRDusers, • Clear instructions for first-time

• Clear • Clear instructions instructions for for first-time first-time users, users, Clear instructions for first-time users, giving you the confidence to act in • Clear instructions for first-time users, giving giving you you the the confidence confidence to to act act in giving you the confidence to act inin an emergency giving you the confidence to act in anan emergency emergency emergency • Gives guidance on proper compression an emergency • Gives • Gives guidance on proper proper compression Gives guidance on proper compression rateguidance and depthon when youcompression deliver CPR • Gives guidance on proper compression rate rate and and depth depth when when you you deliver deliver CPR CPR rate and depth when you deliver CPR • Seven warranty for deliver the defibrillator. rate and year depth when you CPR •• Seven • Seven year year warranty warranty for for the the defibrillator. defibrillator.

Seven year warranty for the defibrillator.

• Seven yearDefibrillator, warrantybattery, for thepair defibrillator.

Kit contents: of defibrillation (adult), CPRD padbattery, (only with CPRD version), Kit Kit contents: contents: Defibrillator, Defibrillator, battery, pair pair ofofdefibrillation ofdefibrillation defibrillation Kitpads contents: Defibrillator, battery, pair defibrillator manager software, defibrillator manual, pads pads (adult), (adult), CPRD CPRD pad pad (only (only with with CPRD CPRD version), Kit contents: Defibrillator, battery, pair of version), defibrillation pads (adult), CPRD pad (only with CPRD version), getting started card and steps todefibrillator rescue guide. defibrillator defibrillator manager manager software, software, defibrillator manual, manual, pads (adult), CPRD pad (only with CPRD version), defibrillator manager software, defibrillator manual, getting getting started started card card and and steps steps toto rescue to rescue guide. guide. defibrillator manager software, defibrillator manual, getting started card and steps rescue guide. getting started card and steps to rescue guide.

Did you you know? know?

Did Did Didyou youknow? know?

Did you Your AEDknow?

(Automated External

Your AED (Automated External Your Your AED AED(Automated (Automated Defibrillator) battery External and pads Your AED (Automated External Defibrillator) battery and Defibrillator) Defibrillator) battery battery and pads pads have shelf lives.

It’s important Defibrillator) battery and pads have shelf lives.

It’s important have have shelf shelf lives. lives.

It’s important to know when to replenish these have shelf lives.

It’s important toto to know know when when to to replenish these these know when to replenish so you when never to have a possibility to know replenish these so so never never have haveawhen so you never have apossibility possibility ofyou ityou not working you need so you never havewhen awhen possibility ofof of it it not not working working you youneed need it not working ititmost. of not working when you need itititmost. most. most. it most.

Many people think an Automated External Many Many people people think think anan an Automated Automated External Many people think Automated External Defibrillator (AED) is difficult toExternal use.

In reality Many people(AED) think an Automated External Defibrillator Defibrillator (AED) is difficult is difficult to to use. use.

In In reality reality nothing could be further from to theuse. truth.

Once Defibrillator (AED) is difficult In reality Defibrillator (AED) is difficult to use.

In reality nothing nothing could could be further further from from thethe the truth. truth.

Once Once switched on,be clear voice prompts guide you nothing could be further from truth.

Once nothing could be further from the guide truth.

Once switched switched on, on, clear clear voice prompts prompts guide you you every step of thevoice way. switched on, clear voice prompts guide you switched on, clear voice every every step step ofof of the the way. way. prompts guide you every step way.

In fact asthe easy every stepit’s of the way. as 1,2,3.

InIn In fact fact it’s it’s asas as easy easy asas as 1,2,3.

1,2,3. fact it’s easy 1,2,3.

In fact it’s as easy as 1,2,3.

1. Turn on and apply pads 1.1.1.Turn Turn onon on and and apply apply pads pads A defibrillator should be stored in an easy Turn and apply pads 1. Turn on and apply pads A defibrillator A defibrillator should should be stored in in anan easy easy to access area, usuallybe instored a cabinet attached

A defibrillator should be stored easy A should be in in anan easy to defibrillator to access access area, area, usually instored in a cabinet aiscabinet attached to the wall.

Ausually defibrillator light attached and can be to access area, usually in a cabinet attached to access area, in aiscabinet attached to carried to thethe wall. wall.

Athe defibrillator Ausually defibrillator light isthere, light and and can can bebe to scene.

Once open the tothe thewall. wall.

A defibrillator is light and can to Athe defibrillator isthere, light and can be be carried carried to to the scene. scene.

Once Once there, open open thethe defibrillator and apply the pads. carriedtotothe the scene.

Once there, open the carried scene.

Once there, open the defibrillator defibrillator and and apply apply thethe pads. pads. defibrillator and apply pads. defibrillator and apply thethe pads.

2. Follow voice prompts 2. 2.

Follow Follow prompts as an expert at the Thinkvoice ofvoice the prompts defibrillator Follow voice prompts 2.2.Follow prompts Think Think ofvoice of the the defibrillator defibrillator asas anan expert expert at at thethe

scene. It will tell you what to do and when.

Think defibrillator as an expert at Think of defibrillator asto an expert atwhen. thethe scene. scene.

Itofthe will Itthe will tell tell you you what what to do do and and when.

The defibrillator monitors heart rhythms scene.

It will tell you what to do and when. scene.

It will tell you what to do and when.

The The monitors monitors heart heart rhythms rhythms sodefibrillator it defibrillator only delivers a shock when necessary; heart rhythms The monitors heart rhythms soThe so it defibrillator only itdefibrillator only delivers delivers amonitors shock a risk shock when when necessary; necessary; meaning there’s no of shocking someone so only delivers a shock when necessary; so it itonly delivers shock when necessary; meaning meaning there’s there’s noano risk of of shocking shocking someone someone who doesn’t need it.risk meaning there’s no shocking someone meaning there’s noit. risk of of shocking someone who who doesn’t doesn’t need need it.risk who need it. it. whodoesn’t doesn’t need

3. Help save a life* 3. 3.

Help Help save save a life a life *is*used early the chances If a defibrillator 3.3.Help save a life *used save a life If Help aIf defibrillator a defibrillator is is* used early early chances chances of survival can increase by the upthe to 50%.*

If isincrease used early chances adefibrillator defibrillator is used chances ofIfaof survival survival can can increase byearly by upthe up tothe to 50%.* 50%.* of can increase byearly up to to 50%.* ofsurvival survival can increase by up 50%.* *Early recognition and call for help, early CPR, Defibrillation and

Available now from Available Available now now from from Availablenow nowfrom from Available

post resuscitation care are important elements of the chain of survival. *Early *Early recognition recognition and and call for callhelp, for help, earlyearly CPR,CPR, earlyearly Defibrillation Defibrillation and and postpost resuscitation resuscitation carecare are important are important elements elements of the ofchain the chain of survival. of survival. *Early recognition andand callcall for help, early CPR,CPR, earlyearly Defibrillation and and *Early recognition for help, early Defibrillation post resuscitation carecare are are important elements of the of survival. post resuscitation important elements of chain the chain of survival.

FM GUIDE

WASHROOMS

Restrooms and reputations As fewer of us are prepared to tolerate sub-standard washrooms, the opportunity is there for dealers to sell plenty of products to their customers, as Austin Clark finds out

40

MAY 2016 www.dealersupport.co.uk

WASHROOMS

C

reating a premium experience in the office buildings and amenities has multiple benefits. For property management companies, quality will attract and retain tenants, while for the tenants themselves, a classy and well-maintained interior will help to retain staff and impress visitors.

The demand for high-end offerings spans from the lobby to offices and even restrooms, which can often be overlooked and therefore offer resourceful dealers plenty of sales opportunities. After all, each aspect of an office building or venue reflects upon the entire business, so every impression counts – including in the restroom. From the brand of hand soap to the quality of the hand towels, success is found in maintaining a high-end restroom by paying attention to the little details – products dealers can easily supply.

Valuing workforces A recent study conducted by Harris Interactive revealed that 93% of office staff believe the condition of a workplace restroom is an indicator of how a company values its workforce. It’s therefore in the best interest of businesses to ensure they are offering the finest products and services to their visitors and tenants.

An upscale restroom must always be clean and hygienic, avoiding clutter of excess paper towels, broken dispensers, sitting water and other unsanitary conditions. Beyond these basics, focusing on the lighting, background music and chic, consistent décor can be critical in giving restroom-goers a better experience. Then there are the small finishing touches that make a difference between bog standard and luxury. Staff and visitors want top amenities, including comforting tissue products, gentle hand soap, absorbent hand towels and, sometimes, complimentary beauty products.

All of these items represent a small investment by a business and provide great value for money considering the potential return on investment from securing a deal with a customer, retaining staff or, indeed, recruiting the best talent to the business.

No organisation will ever lose out by investing in quality restroom consumables.

www.dealersupport.co.uk MAY 2016

41

FM GUIDE

WASHROOMS

Selling the goods When asked what restroom/washroom products are selling well, Chris White, key account manager at SCA Hygiene Products UK, manufacturer of the Tork brand, says: “As a manufacturer we make paper hygiene products, but what’s really selling well through the dealer channel are our unique products. These are what we call system products and include our Tork Matic hand towel roll, our SmartOne toilet paper and our Foam Soap.

“To sell more of these products dealers first of all need to get to know their customers so that they understand their needs. Then they need to make those customers aware that the sorts of solutions we offer dealers through VOW are about much more than just the case price. It’s about the total cost, including the dispenser, the product and the overall saving that comes from our systems.”

Chris continues: “Discussions between dealers and their customers should revolve around the benefits of systems. It’s about the value in monetary terms and the added value to the business that can be introduced through an efficient toilet paper or hand towel system. You’re then not competing week after week on price; systems lock customers in so that profitable business returns time and time again.”

When asked if margins are healthy on Tork’s innovative products, Chris says: “With our products, more cash margin is available than there is with more traditional or lower-end products. Dealers are selling higher-price products so the cash margin is there but, because of the way single sheet dispensing works, cost-savings are available for customers too. Our systems are designed to reduce the amount of product users take. For example, the SmartOne toilet paper dispenser reduces consumption by 40% compared to a jumbo roll.

That means dealers are sending less product to a customer too, which brings further benefits. Dealers are sending less and making more.”

Another benefit of selling Tork’s products is that very little understanding of regulations are required by dealers, allowing conversations to focus on the cost-saving benefits mentioned above.

“Like I said before, the hardest part for any dealer is steering conversations beyond the case price.

Once over that hurdle it’s simply about presenting the business case. At the end of the day, everybody uses toilet paper and hand towels.”

42

MAY 2016 www.dealersupport.co.uk

It’s about the value in monetary terms and the added value to the business that can be introduced through an efficient toilet paper or hand towel system Sustainability matters The Tork website – www.tork.co.uk – features some handy information on the system-based products, alongside videos showing how they work, which is a handy resource for dealer salespeople. There’s also an extensive volume of information regarding sustainability – something the company takes seriously.

“SCA is the leading manufacturer of paper hygiene products in the world and one of the leaders in terms of sustainability,” adds Chris.

“We’re on the FTSE for Good Index and are Europe’s largest private forestry owner, which means we can control our production all the way through from seedling to finished product. We manufacture in the UK and across Europe too, which is an important point to mention. More and more businesses, especially local authorities and hospitals, but pretty much anybody with a CSR policy, are concerned about product sourcing.”

Chris mentioned that the public sector is buying Tork products; are there any other strong verticals dealers should be looking towards?

“Not really,” he says, “as growth is pretty much across the board. What we’re seeing is that organisations are looking to invest more in their washrooms and how their washrooms look, especially if they’re customer facing. First impressions count, so if a restaurant’s washroom looks good and uses quality products, its customers are more likely to think highly of it.

Businesses are also doing everything they can to retain staff – quality washrooms help.”

Creating a quality washroom, while also making smart decisions about the environment, reflects positively on companies. Facility managers should therefore be encouraged to take notice of this trend now and make plans to incorporate these products and services into their strategy – with dealers well-placed to show how. DS

Creating value through sustainability For Tork, sustainability is about more than the environment. It’s about delivering practical benefits for people and adding value to your school or business every day. Our approach is about benefiting people by improving hygiene and ease of life and benefiting nature, through reducing environmental impact across the product lifecycle. Tork makes sustainability work for you.

Save time and effort with packaging that’s easier to handle

Read the SCA Sustainability Report at sca.com/sustainability

Tork Easy Handling™ packaging is designed to make handling easier for everyone. The smart design means that:

Save time with easy product choices

- Boxes are easy to carry, thanks to convenient, comfortable grips - Boxes are easy to open without a knife, thanks to taped sealing - Carry bags are easier to hold, thanks to convenient handles - Used, flattened boxes are easy to carry in large numbers

Reduce waste and usage High quality paper towels absorb more moisture quickly so you use less and waste less.

Making skincare accessible to all Tork skincare dispensers are easy to use for everyone, even for people with reduced hand strength such as the elderly and children.

75% of Tork products in EU carry a recognised third party Ecolabel.

You can select Tork products with confidence, knowing that they meet high environmental standards set by an independent organisation.

Responsibly produced paper products from a sustainable company SCA, the maker of Tork, has environmental management accreditations such as ISO 14001 in 100% of its tissue production plants in Europe. SCA is recognised by many external indices and rankings as a sustainable company.

Reduce consumption with dispensing systems that control use Tork SmartOne® single sheet dispensing reduces consumption by up to 40%*.

*Statistics from internal research conducted in European countries on 7729 users. Tork Jumbo Toilet Roll against Tork SmartOne® Twin Mini. Reduction accounted in tissue square metres

High-Performing products for High-Performing people Inspired respiratory protection Our respiratory protective equipment includes disposable, reusable, powered and supplied-air respirators to protect against harmful gases, vapours and particulates. The 3M range gives you excellent choice when it comes to the level of protection, comfort, style and maintenance you need to work effectively and safely.

Always one step ahead Our wide range of tried and tested head and face protection systems includes 3M™ Uvicator™ Sensor Helmets – designed to integrate with eye, face and hearing protective products. These multi-systems mean you can customise your Personal Protective Equipment to suit your needs and personal preferences.

An eye for detail The 3M™ Speedglas™ Auto-Darkening Filter (ADF) was the first of its kind on the market and set new standards in eye protection and comfort for welders. We’ve since expanded the range to provide outstanding state-of-the-art protection.

We hear you With everything from disposable earplugs to hi-tech electronic defenders and detection equipment, 3M hearing protection looks after one of our most delicate senses. We’ve designed our products to be comfortable, easy to use and highly effective against temporary or permanent hearing impairment.

The eyes have it Our eye protection range comes with full reassurance of quality and offers a unique and carefully crafted balance of style, comfort and safety. Options include durable anti-scratch and anti-fog coatings and lens variations to meet a wide range of needs.

We’ve got you covered 3M’s coveralls give you comfortable protection you can rely on. We’ve designed each model for specific applications; from simple dusts to aggressive chemicals.

PPE

SELLING PPE Personal protective equipment is a must

for most businesses. So how can dealers make their customers aware of the requirement to have the necessary products in place – and then how can they secure the sale?

W

orkplace safety is of paramount importance in every sector. That makes personal protective equipment a hugely significant opportunity for dealers – the majority of clients will likely have a need for some form of personal protective equipment (PPE).

Do employers have to provide personal protective equipment to employees?

The relevant Health and Safety Executive (HSE) regulations – Regulation 4 of the Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992 – state that: Every employer shall ensure that suitable personal protective equipment is provided to employees who may be exposed to a risk to their health or safety while at work except where and to the extent that such risk has been adequately controlled by other means which are equally or more effective.

The accompanying guidance adds: employers should, therefore, provide appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) and training in its usage to their employees wherever there is a risk to health and safety that cannot be adequately controlled by other means.

Armed with these guidelines, dealers have a great opportunity to sell PPE products. But what is PPE? What is PPE? HSE defines PPE as equipment that will protect the user against health or safety risks at work. It can include items such as safety helmets and hard hats, gloves, eye protection, high-visibility clothing, safety footwear and safety harnesses.

Hearing protection and respiratory protective equipment provided for most work situations are not covered by these Regulations because there are other more specific regulations that apply to them. However, these items need to be compatible with any other PPE provided.

Selling PPE With an obvious need from customers and plenty of products to sell, how can dealers encourage their customers to spend on PPE? Clearly the best way is to go armed with the legislation so that organisations know about their legal duties. Secondly it’s worth learning about the products being sold. Helpfully, VOW has produced a series of ‘How to Choose’ guides covering areas such as eye, hearing and respiratory protection.

For example, the guide to eye protection encourages end-users to think about both the legislation and the different hazards that workers need protecting from. These include: • • • •

Mechanical – flying debris, dust or molten metal Chemical – fumes, gases or liquid splash Radiation – heat (infra-red), ultraviolet light or glare Laser light – over a wide spectrum of wavelengths from ultraviolet to infra-red.

Armed with this information, dealers can encourage their customers to carry out a full risk assessment, assessing the hazard and exposure levels against required safety standard. Of course, any assistance that can be provided will make it more likely for that customer to buy from their friendly, helpful independent dealer.

Further help Nick Prazsky, key account manager – wholesale in the stationery and office supplies division at 3M says: “Selling PPE is definitely about knowing your stuff and knowing what the laws are helps too. That’s why 3M provides monthly webinars on a variety of topics to help customers to sell our products. Our YouTube channel also features a host of Safety Product hints and tips.”

Manufacturer websites, such as 3M’s, also offer plenty of helpful resources that make selling PPE as easy as possible and a profitable for dealers. DS

www.dealersupport.co.uk MAY 2016

45

FM GUIDE

CASH HANDLING

Is your business ‘polymer note ready’?

Later this year the Bank of England will start to roll out new polymer banknotes.

Dealers have the opportunity to make sales on the back of this change, starting by making customers aware of the proposed changes

D

oes your business handle cash? If so, you need to start planning now for the new polymer bank notes set to arrive this autumn.

Polymer notes will be launched by the Bank of England in September 2016 when the first £5 polymer notes will start passing through bank machines, followed by the £10 polymer note in 2017 and the new £20 polymer note in 2020.

The old bank notes will be withdrawn in the 12 months after the polymer version of that note is launched, which means that the old and new notes of each type will be in circulation together for 12 months.

Research by the Bank of England has shown that polymer notes are cleaner, more environmentally friendly and more secure as they have enhanced counterfeit resilience. Polymer notes are also more durable than linen banknotes (notes are made from pulped linen rather than paper) and last two and a half times as long in circulation, so will prove more cost-effective in the long run.

To get ready for the changes, businesses that handle cash, whether through self-service check-outs, ATMs, ticket machines or any other machine that weighs, counts, sorts, accepts, dispenses or recycles banknotes, need to consider the following: • Who is responsible for cash handling in the business?

• What preparations have already been made for the introduction of polymer notes?

• Do our current machines accept and count polymer notes?

• Have we checked to see if our current equipment can be updated for polymer?

• If our machines can be updated, who is doing this and when?

• Have we established a time-line for becoming ‘polymer ready’?

There are said to be a high number of machines that are unable to accommodate polymer notes, which means time is now of the essence in identifying whether your machines can be upgraded or will need to be replaced.

One of the leading suppliers of cash handling is Safescan – www.safescan.com – who have a full range of banknote counters ready primed for the new polymer notes. Available through VOW, the machines offer dealers a great sales opportunity – especially for those who get in nice and early ahead of the planned changes. DS

46

MAY 2016 www.dealersupport.co.uk

There are said to be a high number of machines that are unable to accommodate polymer notes

TIMELINE 2016 Businesses adapt machines for the polymer £5 note Full design and security features unveiled on 2 June Businesses train staff to recognise and authenticate the new £5 notes New polymer £5 note issued in September New polymer £5 notes issued by the three Scottish issuing banks: Bank of Scotland, Clydesdale, RBS 2017 New £1 coin issued by the Royal Mint in March Businesses adapt machines for the polymer £10 note Withdrawal of linen £5 note from circulation before new polymer £10 note is issued New polymer £10 note issued By 2020 Withdrawal of linen £10 note from circulation before new polymer £20 note is issued Want to know more?

Head along to www.bankofengland.co.uk/banknotes/polymer to find out more about the new notes and the latest news regarding their introduction. From August Safescan will make available the required updates for their machines, free of charge.

Working for you

SignMaker

Any sign, any time…

Half the cost* 1.

Customise and download your sign in minutes

2.

Select a Sign Cover

3.

Seal, protect and trim with a Rexel SignMaker

www.rexeleurope.com/signmaker Available from VOW *Based on an average annual purchase of 20 pre-made signs at a cost of £359.40 over 3 years, compared to SignMaker 3 year cost of £180.72 over the same period.

www.rexeleurope.com/signmaker

SIGNAGE

It’s a sign How can dealers tap into the lucrative health and safety signage market? With the help of the experts at Rexel, we find out

I

dentifying and highlighting health and safety hazards is a legal requirement for every business and signage is an effective way of warning employees of the possible dangers they may be exposed to. Signs are used in the workplace to identify prohibited actions, show safeguards that must be followed, warn of hazards and direct towards special equipment or emergency exits. Following the European Union’s (EU) Directive in 2013, standardised health and safety signage was introduced across Europe to ensure that signs would convey the same message wherever witnessed. Within this directive, ISO 7010 dictates the colour, shape and graphical

symbol required on each sign in order to ensure they are all uniform.

As well as the EU’s standardisation directive, employers must follow a series of guidelines from the Health and Safety Executive on how best to display signage in the workplace. Firstly, they must be large and visible enough to understand. When warning of hazards associated with a piece of equipment, the sign must clearly point to the location of that equipment. As well as this, all signs should be permanent fixtures unless the hazard or workplace is temporary. The number of signs in one area should be kept to a minimum to reduce the risk of confusion and prevent avoidable incidents.

www.dealersupport.co.uk MAY 2016

49

FM GUIDE

SIGNAGE

Diverse opportunities The facilities management industry covers vast vertical markets such as construction and manufacturing. Within these broad markets, it is difficult to identify the ideal person to discuss signage solutions with, resulting in a barrier to market entry for dealers. Research by Rexel* has identified key figures which are responsible for assessing health and safety signage requirements within organisations. Office and facilities managers, compliance or health and safety managers are the common decision makers but dealers will find that, particularly within smaller SMEs, business owners will also have responsibility for raising awareness of hazards within the workplace.

A commonly shared pain point for these decision makers is the flexibility and availability of a sign solution. With constant updates to health and safety legislation to reflect changes in the global environment, workplaces are often legally obligated to reproduce the same signage, ensuring that it adheres to current regulations. Businesses require a smart solution that allows them to make any necessary changes to signage without incurring significant costs.

Rexel’s SignMaker is the ideal product to provide users with this much needed flexibility without the need to order pre-made signs.

options for emergency exit signs that point left, right, up or down.

The easy to navigate online library enables users to quickly search for and select their desired sign online, customise and resize (from A5 up to A3) to meet their individual requirements and then download the end product. Simply print the design on the office printer, insert it into a cover, run it through the SignMaker and you have a finished, professional sign. It is also possible to upload an image or logo, enabling the creation of truly customised and branded signage.

A wide selection of Rexel sign covers are available, ranging from standard gloss, matt, self-adhesive and even hanging sign covers to protect signs from external wear and damage. The SignMaker’s built in trimmer and corner rounding tools mean each sign can be trimmed and finished in a matter of minutes. After use, customers will be pleased to find that the machine’s compact design means SignMaker is easy to store and does not take up valuable office space.

From sign selection to finishing, the complete process is fast and efficient, thanks to SignMaker’s combined sign creation and design capabilities. It is a significant reduction in the usual time it takes to specify, order and wait for the delivery of outsourced signs. SignMaker removes the complications, leaving the process of obtaining and displaying health and safety warning signs in the workplace simple and fast. In addition, SignMaker customers can also benefit from significant cost reductions of up to 50% versus off-the-shelf signs**.

This low cost and timely signage production system is a useful addition to any workplace, helping to ease the problems associated with obtaining the correct and up to date workplace health and safety signage for facilities managers at the moment they need them. DS

Businesses require a smart solution that allows them to make any necessary changes to signage without incurring significant costs

Variations As a powerful all-in-one solution, the SignMaker machine is supported by a comprehensive website available at www.rexeleurope.com/ signmaker. The site offers innovative online functionality and provides the necessary tools to design high quality and functional signage within minutes. SignMaker’s comprehensive online library offers universal signage templates as directed by the ISO 7010 with workplace hazard categories including emergency/escape signs, mandatory signs, prohibition signs, warning signs and hand signals. Within each category, there are a number of variations for each sign to suit the individual hazard. For example, users will find

50

MAY 2016 www.dealersupport.co.uk

*Rexel SignMaker Market Research August 2015 **Based on an annual purchase of 20 pre-made signs at a cost of £359.40 over 3 years, compared to SignMaker’s 3 year cost of £180.72 over the same period

速

A range of cleaning & hygiene products designed to give you the best in affordable, effective & professional cleaning We have over 150 lines across the range of products which vary from paper disposables, cleaning chemicals, cloths, skincare, computer & general cleaning wipes and refuse sacks, all of which are manufactured to comply with environmental legislation.

2Work cleaning products exclusively available from VOW Call us now on 0844 980 8000 or visit www.voweurope.com.

THE NEW LID

THE NEW SHAPE

THE NEW TIN

Seal in the flavour

More convenient to handle and store

A premium look and feel

• The new hinged lid uses ‘Click-to-Close’ technology • That means it’s always ready to seal in the flavour of the coffee • It uses ‘Click to Close’ Technology for simple and secure re-sealing

• The Nescafé® brand is a real sign of quality with your customers*

• The new shape makes the tin more comfortable to hold in one hand

• The new tin, with its bright and shiny finish, has been designed to be presented confidently front of house

• It’s easier to serve from and much simpler to reach every last granule of coffee

• It will boost the overall image of your hot beverages

• It’s also really space efficient and much easier to store back of house or on a counter top

Available from Call us now on 0844 980 8000 www.voweurope.com ®Reg. Trademark of Société des Produits Nestlé S.A *IRI MAT 52 AUGUST 2015

KITCHENS

AL R L O F N E G ED N I S R E T A C

Kitchen areas are an important part of any workplace, which is why dealers should be selling much more than tea and coffee into them.

S

Austin Clark finds out more

ome offices are full of tea drinkers, others are greater consumers of coffee, but whatever the hot beverage of choice, tastes are changing. Gone are the days of cheap and nasty instant coffee or indeterminate bargain basement tea bags. Today, office workers know what they like to drink and usually it’s of a good quality.

Various market reports point to higher quality tea and coffee driving growth in the sector. High quality coffee is the now the norm on the high street – and in the home thanks to the rise and rise of pod coffee machines and barista style instant – while tea drinking is evolving with the rise in popularity of premium tea, green tea and flavoured

drinks. Office kitchens are therefore full of numerous different drinks, which means dealers need to ensure they offer the full spectrum of drinks that workers demand.

Good coffee – in an instant While our taste buds have been tantalised and educated with ground coffee, it’s interesting to note the continuing growth in the instant coffee category too, which shows that convenience is still important.

That therefore leads to an obvious solution for coffee drinkers in the workplace – high quality instant coffee.

The manufacturers continue to innovate in this area, witnessed by the rise of the barista-style coffee mentioned earlier, and new packaging designed to make life easier for all concerned.

www.dealersupport.co.uk MAY 2016

53

FM GUIDE

KITCHENS

More than just drinks While dealers are successfully selling tea and coffee into offices, the opportunity to sell further kitchen-related products into offices is massive.

Sugar and biscuits are two obvious extensions, but what about teaspoons, mugs, washing-up liquid, tea towels, dish cloths, mops, buckets… the list goes on and on.

Nick Prazsky, key account manager – wholesale for the stationery and office supplies division at 3M says: “What is the opportunity for dealers? Well it’s huge. With coffee the number one SKU being sold, and at a premium price for the convenience, why could that not apply to kitchen cloths, scourers and so on too?

“The opportunities are massive and dealers really need to think about the associated products.

At 3M we’re seeing real growth across kitchen cleaning products such as floor cleaning pads and even anti-slip mats.”

A good exercise any dealer can do is gather the whole team together and then list every item you can think of that a typical client might use in their kitchen. You’ll be surprised how many products there are, especially when you start linking everything together. For example, a mop leads to a bucket, which leads to a cleaning product, which leads to a slippery floor warning sign and so on. All of these are products dealers should be selling – with existing customers an obvious target.

Cash cow Debbie Nice, category head for facilities supplies at VOW says: “With traditional office supplies sales considered to be static, it’s important for us all to look for new products to sell to our existing customers. In order to minimise further investment in resources, resellers need to maximise the share of spend with their existing customers and facilities supplies are a natural fit to their existing portfolio of products.”

Crucially, facilities supplies opens up numerous opportunities over and above more traditional office supplies, with different budgets spent by different departments, helping dealers to milk existing clients, which is, as we all know, easier than winning new ones.

54

MAY 2016 www.dealersupport.co.uk

With coffee the number one SKU being sold, and at a premium price for the convenience, why could that not apply to kitchen cloths, scourers and so on Debbie adds: “Facilities supplies often gives dealers the opportunity to approach a different buyer within one of their existing accounts, enabling them to offer the advantages of being an existing supplier already offering a credit account and delivering into their site, often daily.”

Customers certainly do appreciate the one order, one delivery, one invoice benefits and that’s a key reason for customers to buy from dealers. By making sure they fully understand the product ranges, identifying the correct decision maker for FM in their clients and then selling it in as service and complete range, dealers can thrive. At all costs, independent dealers should avoid going in on price on key lines because that will simply erode their margins.

Why stop there?

As canteens and kitchens are a crucial gathering place for staff, Nick says that there are also opportunities for dealers to sell in products such as 3M’s Command hanging strips and hooks. “We’re seeing growth across the janitorial and maintenance sectors, all of which dealers should be taking advantage of. Customers need the products, so why not make it easy and sell everything a business needs at the same time?”

So, while tea and coffee is still vitally important to any workplace, so too are the related products that are used every day. The good news is that dealers are perfectly placed to tap into this demand. DS

CELEBRATING

ROYAL-TEA

WIN EVERYTHING YOU NEED

FOR A RIGHT ROYAL

PAR-TEA Celebrate Her Majesty The Queen’s 90th Birthday with PG Tips.

We are giving you a chance to win a Limited Edition Par-tea Bag. Simply answer the question below.

Monkey TM & (c) Comic Relief Ltd. 2016

Bag includes: 1 mini monkey, 2 tea towels, 1 apron and 1 hopping bag

What does the PG in PG tips stand for?

Send your answer to pgtips.ufs@unilever.com to have the chance to win the perfect birthday par-tea bag!* *Valid until 30/06/2016

“D qu “D qu SS oti SS oti U ng U ng B1 r B1 r 2” ef 2” ef to ere to ere qu nc qu nc al e al e if if y y

C C us onus on t to a to ta da c t d a c t y y

ISSUE 20 0

C us on to ta da ct y

FEBR UARY |

“D qu SS oti U ng B1 r 2” ef to ere qu nc al e if y

0

SUPP ORT

ISSUE 20

BIG DEAL ER SUPP ORT

NG

ES

NAGI

204

PLAN

| MA

PER

ISSUE

T | PA

ISSUE

FEBR UARY |

PRIN T | PA

IN BR

ES

0

PLAN

ISSUE 20

PER

MADE ITAIN | LO NDON

THE BIG

N

ISSUE

GREE

DISTIE REVIEW 2012 The major players in IT wholesale

| MA NAGI

204

IDS LEAGUE DISTIE REVIEW Last 2012 chance to enter!

The major players in IT wholesale

N

T | PA

GREE

PRIN

ING

FM GUIDE Tune in to facilities manageme nt

NG

GROW

| IDS LEAGUE

12 |

ISSUE

S 20

12 |

NE 20

PIC OLYM

T JU

ING

NDON

GROW

| LO

PPOR

DISTIE REVIEW | FM GUIDE

12 |

ITAIN

S 20

IN BR

PIC OLYM

MADE

ER SU DEAL

| LO NDON PIC OLYM S 20 12 | GROW ING GREE N .indd

ne12

1

e for Mor

.indd

ne12

1

IDS LEAGUE Last chance to enter!

16:52

12 12 12 /2012

16:52

THE BI 200t G ISSU h ed E ition of D ealer MAN AGIN Supp Takin ort G PR g on INT MPS – pa PAPE rt 1 R Pape THPL AN rworE BIGES ld 20 ISSU 200t 12 h ed E itionin revie of D w ealer MAN AGIN Supp Takin ort G PR g on INT MPS – pa PAPE rt 1 R PL Pape ANES rwor ld 20 12 in revie w

months free freenow Subscribe g ritin th w tive! trac

S_Ju

/2012

07/06

07/06

ey mon your

oo e sm ith th ice is at er w pr y lett en the ever n. Ev rve of® ll-pe er y cu TIS ba ate ev ® ATLAN tu BIC Accen

01_D

FM GUIDE Tune in to facilities manageme nt

ES

ITAIN 1

PLAN

IN BR .indd

ne12

S_Ju

01_D

PER

MADE

e for Mor

S_Ju

• simply re-inkable • easy handling • including practical storage box • brilliant imprints

AIN BRIT turing E IN ac MAD at manuf A look e 12 m S 20 at ho MPIC OLY DON for gold N LO rs go Deale N REEN ITAI G g e INGacturin th IN BR W E ith anrvufiew w MAD GRO mte at in roup al G A lookAne 12 merci m S 20 at ho Com MPIC OLY DON for gold LON go rs le Dea REEN GG e IN th W GRO rview with up te An in ercial Gro m Com

Subscribe now Subscribe receive now receive months

ing writ ooth tive! e sm trac ith th ice is at er w pr y lett en the ever n. Ev e of® pe rv ller y cu NTIS ba e ev tuat C® ATLA BI Accen ing writmoney e! ooth your activ e smforat e is tr ith th ic er w Mor pr e y lett en the ever Ev of n. rve ® ll-pe er y cu NTIS ba ev e tuat C® ATLA BI Accen

01_D

Compact stamps for modern teachers guarantee thousands of funny and motivating imprints!

PRIN

12 |

y tifull Beauooth sm

NG

NE 20

204

THE

T JU

Issue

NAGI

PPOR

204

2012

May 2012 Issue 203

| MA

ISSUE

ER SU DEAL

12 |

June

ISSUE

NE 20

y tifull Beauooth sm

BIG

T JU

y tifull Beauooth sm

INSPIRING BUSIN INSPIR INSPIRING BUSINESS SOLUT INGSOLUT BUSINIONS ESS ESS SOLUT IONS RS IONS FOR DEALERS FOR DEALE FOR DEALERS

204

THE

PPOR

DEALER SUPPORT MAY 2012 | ISSUE 203 DISTIE REVIEW | FM GUIDEDISTIE REVIEW | FM GUIDE | IDS LEAGUE | IDS LEAGUE

ER SU DEAL

OL

May 2012 Issue 203

DEAL ER

Issue

204

FEBR UARY |

2012

Issue

SUPP ORT

June

2012

RS RS RS ALE ALE ALE R DE R DE R DE S FO S FO S FO TION TION TION OLU OLU OLU SS S SS S SS S SINE SINE SINE G BU G BU G BU IRIN IRIN IRIN INSP INSP INSP

DEALER MAY 2012 | ISSUE 203 2012 | ISSUESUPPORT 203

June

DEAL ER

DEALER SUPPORT MAY

MOTIVATIONA L STA COOL FO MPS R SCH O

May 2012 Issue 203

AIN BRIT turing E IN ac MAD at manuf A look e 2012 m at ho PICS LYM O DON for gold LON go rs Deale EN RE GG the WIN GRO rview with up te An in ercial Gro m Com

DISTIE REVIEW 2012 The major players in IT wholesale

FM GUIDE Tune in to facilities manageme nt

IDS LEAGUE Last chance to enter!

receive

ey mon your

/2012

07/06

16:52

THE BI 200t G ISSU h ed E ition of D ealer MAN AGIN Supp Takin ort G PR g on INT MPS – pa PAPE rt 1 R PL Pape ANES rwor ld 20 12 in revie w

months free

Don’t risk missing out on the latest industry news, business advice and dealer interviews Don’t risk missing out on the latest industry by making sure you register for your free news, business advice and dealer interviews subscription to Dealer Support today. by making sure you register for your free subscription to Dealer Support today.

Already subscribed? Contact us to renew your subscription in good time.

Already subscribed? to renew your Don’t risk missing outContact on the us latest industry subscription in good time. news, business advice and dealer interviews by making sure you register for your free subscription to Dealer Support today.

020 7288 6833 Already subscribed?

020 7288 6833Contact us to renew your subscriptions@intelligentmedia.co.uk @ subscription in good time. @ subscriptions@intelligentmedia.co.uk www.dealersupport.co.uk/subscribe/

www.dealersupport.co.uk/subscribe/ 020 7288 6833

*TERMS & CONDITIONS In order to qualify for a free subscription, the recipient must be a director, manager, proprietor and/ or buyer in dealers, wholesalers and distributors supplying office products, individuals manufacturing office products, and other individuals with purchasing authority in the UK or Ireland. For those who *TERMS & CONDITIONS do not qualify there is a £68 annual fee. For details or to subscribe, contact Natalia Johnston on In order to qualify for a free subscription, recipient mustorbevisit a director, manager, proprietor and/ subscriptions@intelligentmedia.co.uk, +44 the (0)20 7288 6833 www.dealersupport.com/subscribe/ or buyer in dealers, wholesalers and distributors supplying office products, individuals manufacturing office products, and other individuals with purchasing authority in the UK or Ireland. For those who do not qualify there is a £68 annual fee. For details or to subscribe, contact Natalia Johnston on subscriptions@intelligentmedia.co.uk, +44 (0)20 7288 6833 or visit www.dealersupport.com/subscribe/

@ subscriptions@intelligentmedia.co.uk

www.colop.co.uk

www.dealersupport.co.uk/subscribe/

*TERMS & CONDITIONS In order to qualify for a free subscription, the recipient must be a director, manager, proprietor and/