Winner’s Circle

we are transitioning to become more of a marketing company.”

As part of its digital marketing strategy, Officewise has developed three separate websites. “One is for supplies for customers to buy online as they have since the 1990s,” explains Tommy. “The second one is for our contract furniture. We’re a Herman Miller dealer and the company is not fond of mixing its furniture with office products. Our third site is Navajo— we’ve partnered with a young Hispanic business, since many state entities want to do business with a minority business.”

While increasingly, customers prefer ordering electronically, Tommy is adamant that dealers should not completely do away with in-person sales calls: “Owners or top leaders need to stay involved in sales. I’ve stayed involved for 30 years, which I believe leads to consistent success. As time passes, if customers never see the owner or top management, it is a recipe for losing customers. With companies like Staples, Amazon and Office Depot, people never see the owner. Customers like knowing who the owners are. And Staples, Office Depot, and Amazon are never going to call on customers. It’s what sets us apart.”