Independent Dealer March April 2025

INDEPENDENT DEALER

the official publication of WSA

Editorial & Contents Transatlantic cooperation

This issue sees the final instalment of the four-part series we have been running on diversification written by members of British consultancy firm TSP, entitled “The Building Blocks to Success.”

The diversification drum has been banged for many years in this industry—and, indeed, this magazine—so what, you might ask, do the Brits have to add to the subject that could be of any use to Americans?

To be honest, I was unsure myself when my colleague Steve Hilleard first suggested we should reprint the articles that originally appeared in our UK-based sister publication Workplace 360 But, having read the pieces, I realized how valuable they might be to any independent looking to extend the reach of their dealership.

There is a clear and well-constructed roadmap of the thought processes and businesses strategies that firms should follow when considering which categories might be right for them to expand into and

Rowan McIntyre, editor and publisher rowan@idealercentral.com

the questions that need to be asked before such an undertaking is attempted.

If you haven’t already read the articles, I strongly suggest you do. Past issues of the magazine are available in the archive section of our website, which can be reached from a link on our home page (or you can just click here).

On a separate note, we are planning to conduct a readership survey in the next couple of months, as we have not done one since I first took over this role some seven years ago! This will hopefully give us a clearer idea of how we are doing serving the IDC and what you would like to see more (and perhaps less of) in these pages. Please let us know your thoughts.

Adam Noble considers when to pursue product or business diversification—or both?

We learn more about the South Carolina-based security and print finishing manufacturer’s offering

Top tech tips: Lisa Veeck talks to dealers using the industry’s leading technology platforms

52 West McDonald: Is AI workflow streaming worth it?

56 Tom Buxton: Do you need to price match?

58 Marisa Pensa: Converting opportunities into clients

60 Mara Gannon: Growing your business on LinkedIn

62 Troy Harrison: How to change sales behaviors

Blaisdell’s Business Products turns 75

John Blaisdell opened Blaisdell’s Business Products in San Lerado, California in 1950, when retail reigned supreme in the office products industry. By 1960, he realized this would not always be the case, so he hired Doug Songey to open a business-to-business (B2B) division. Shortly after, Blaisdell passed away unexpectedly and Doug bought the business, keeping the Blaisdell’s name. In 1985, Doug retired, selling the business to his son John and his two business partners. That was when Margee, John’s wife, first became involved in the family business. In 2003, John died and Margee took over the business as CEO.

With 18 years of experience serving in various roles, Margee knew it was time to make some changes to ensure Blaisdell’s continued success. She closed the retail store, sold the building and focused on B2B.

In 2005, she met and married Michael Witt—a union that brought together five children. As the children got older, Margee was able to devote more of her time to growing the business. By 2012, Blaisdell’s annual sales had increased to $8 million and

Margee knew she needed help.

“I have always been good at the marketing and sales side of the business, but I have no interest in things like delivery vans,” Margee admits. “I needed a chief operations officer. At that time, Mike was the general manager of a large car dealership and making good money. I asked him if he wanted to take a risk and come to work with me. I figured, ‘Why should he be making all this money for other people when he could be making it for our family?’”

Mike knew his wife had a point, but he wasn’t ready to jump right in

without knowing if it would be a good fit: “I told Margee I would come to the office and observe for two weeks and then give her my answer.”

At the end of the two weeks, Mike liked what he saw and decided to take the plunge—and the move paid off handsomely. In 2013, Blaisdell’s relocated to Oakland, California and between 2012 and 2019, the company grew from 20 employees to 62. In that same timeframe, Blaisdell’s enjoyed double-digit year-on-year growth, hitting nearly $40 million in annual sales in 2019. But then came the pandemic.

Margee and Mike Witt

Winner’s Circle

“In 2020, because of COVID-19, our sales dropped to $26 million,” Mike recalls. “In 2021, they fell to $22 million. Sales have remained flat for the last two or three years because in San Francisco, for example, only about 36 percent of employees are back in the office. We used to have four full-time delivery trucks; now we are down to two.”

Yet the co-owners are confident 2025 should see an uptick in sales, thanks to a couple of factors. “San Francisco has a new business-friendly mayor who wants to see employees come back to work,” explains Mike. “And there’s the recent mandate that federal workers have to return to the office at least four days a week. Hopefully, when people return, they will need more office products.”

to employees working from home, Blaisdell’s started selling more to the healthcare and education sectors. The company has also steadily been expanding into other categories.

“After we moved to Oakland in 2012, we got into breakroom,” says Margee. “Then we got into custom print and promotions. About 10 years ago, we also began offering ergonomics—a category that has been big for us. In 2016, we expanded into contract furniture; and just before COVID-19, we started selling janitorial. Recently, we’ve started getting into maintenance, repair and operations.”

But an office products dealer that has stayed in business for 75 years must be doing more right than merely expanding its inventory.

“We attribute our continued success

to our focus on our customers—which is something we do well—and our people,” reveals Margee. “Mike and I agree our employees are our most important asset. We have a very low turnover rate, including people who have been with us for decades.”

Mike adds: “During COVID-19, we sacrificed profit to keep our workers employed. It’s the kind of thing small businesses should do; it’s about doing the right thing. It’s paid off in the long run, as we have very loyal employees who appreciated that.”

And doing the right thing also means giving back. “We are generous within our community,” says Margee. “We’ve developed numerous programs to give back by donating products, money and volunteer time to 18 or 20 different charities.”

Mike quantifies the amounts: “Since 2011, we’ve given back $530,000 in hard dollars. This is in addition to many thousands of dollars in products and time.”

Both Margee and Mike are optimistic about the years ahead. “Revenues have been down for reasons outside our control, but we are still doing very well and feel positive and bullish about the future,” says Margee. “We’ve always found that, rather than look strictly at the bottom line, if you focus on the customer and do the right thing, revenue comes and the bottom line takes care of itself.”.

Louisiana dealer boosts printing resources with acquisition

Louisiana dealership GBP Direct has announced the merger of accounts from Jefferson Printing, a well-established commercial printing company in Metairie, Louisiana.

The move will extend GBP’s local presence in Louisiana’s custom printing market, while Jefferson Printing’s customers will continue to enjoy the same high levels of service to which they are accustomed.

“This merger not only preserves the legacy of Jefferson Printing’s products and services but also strengthens our ability to support the growing needs of the business community,” read a company statement. “For years, Jefferson Printing has been a trusted provider of high-quality printing solutions, serving businesses and organizations throughout the Greater New Orleans area.

Known for its commitment to excellence, customer service and expertise in offset and digital printing, Jefferson Printing has built a strong reputation in the community.

“With this agreement, GBP Direct will continue to uphold Jefferson Printing’s legacy while bringing enhanced resources, technology and expertise to better serve our clients. We look forward to providing the same exceptional service with expanded capabilities to meet all printing and marketing needs.”

Office Peeps, Watertown, South Dakota, bowl for Junior Achievement

Staff from Office Peeps, Watertown, South Dakota, recently took part in a bowling event to help raise money for Junior Achievement (JA) of South Dakota, a nonprofit that aims to inspire and prepare young people for success.

The dealership took part in the JA Watertown Bowl-A-Thon held at the end of January at Tommy’s Lanes in Watertown.

Each team raised $400 to bowl. The five-strong Office Peeps team included employees from sales, service, purchasing, customer support and furniture installation.

The money raised goes toward JA for materials and staff to support business volunteers entering classrooms to prepare young people for success by teaching principled, market-based economics and entrepreneurship that will help build a more sustainable world.

“JA helps students make a connection between what they are learning in school and success in life, including careers,” says Office Peeps president Joel Vockrodt, a JA board member who has been a volunteer for more than 15 years. “I am amazed by the power of a businessperson in the classroom. It’s fun, and your advice and example will stand out to students simply because you are someone other than their teacher or parent.”

McCartney’s goes solar

McCartney’s Workplace Solutions, Altoona, Pennsylvania (PA), has introduced a new solar panel system at its Howard Avenue facilities.

Partnering with local Central PA provider Groundhog Solar, LLC, the initiative highlights the company’s ongoing commitment to sustainability. The system went live in early December and is poised to generate more electricity than McCartney’s consumes annually.

“By embracing solar power, we aim to promote renewable energy, reduce our carbon footprint and contribute to lowering energy costs in our community,” says Tracey Baker, who heads McCartney’s sales, design and marketing efforts.

“This investment aligns with similar sustainability efforts by our manufacturer and supplier partners and reflects our dedication to making Central PA a better place to live and work.”

Beyond solar energy, McCartney’s sustainable efforts include recycling waste materials such as furniture, scrap metal, cardboard and packaging. The company also has a toner cartridge recycling program and offers a wide range of recycled, sustainable and environmentally conscious products.

“At McCartney’s, we realize that the future of business must work in tandem with the environment—for the betterment of our health, economy and world,” Tracey says.

Storey Kenworthy & Workspace presents 2024 grants

Storey Kenworthy & Workspace Foundation for Giving, Des Moines, Iowa, recently completed the presentation of its grants to their recipients for 2024. Five grants of $5,000 have been awarded to nonprofit organizations whose initiatives resonate with Storey Kenworthy & Workspace’s fundamental philanthropic focuses, including abuse and violence prevention; children and education; diversity, equity and inclusion; and mental health awareness and services.

The five Iowa-based grant recipients are:

• Every Step Foundation, Des Moines (mental health)

• Wings of Refuge, Ames (abuse and violence)

• Chrysalis Foundation, Des Moines (children and education)

• The Iowa Center, Des Moines (diversity, equity and inclusion)

• North Liberty Community Pantry, North Liberty (children and education)

The philanthropic priorities are selected by Storey Kenworthy employees every presidential election year. The company’s community engagement committee and senior leadership team vote on the final recipients.

“Storey Kenworthy has a long history of giving back to our communities and also feels it’s important to support causes that are important to our team members,” said Nicole Boyington, a partner at Workspace Solutions and executive director of the Storey Kenworthy & Workspace Foundation. “We believe it’s our duty to share our success with the communities—to ensure they are places that are thriving with people that are thriving.”

Innovative Office Solutions takes part in blood drive

Innovative Office Solutions, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, has participated in a local blood drive. An impressive 19 pints donated in January helped save 57 lives, bringing the company’s total donations to 1,258 pints. Innovative hosts two blood drives per year.

“Innovative hosts biannual blood drives to make a meaningful impact on our community,” says HR generalist Casey Gohman. “Donating blood saves lives and by hosting these events, we aim to raise awareness and encourage others to contribute. Every donation helps those in need receive the care they deserve and we love doing what we can to help!”

EON Office rebrands

EON Office, Denver, Colorado, has refreshed its brand as EON Workplace. The move was made to better reflect the company’s enhanced offerings.

“We’re thrilled to share that we’ve repositioned our brand to EON Workplace,” says a spokesperson. “This evolution reflects our dedication to serving today’s dynamic workplace environments with supplies and solutions. As the workplace landscape has shifted post-pandemic, so have we—expanding our solutions to support modern office environments better.”

Restock. Refresh. Reset.

Labels & supplies to organize your workspace

Secrets of Success

United Business Supply, Cleveland, Ohio

In 1925, T.J. Monachino’s parents opened Superior Office Products, a small retail office products dealer that also housed a convenience store and offered a small delivery service. In the early 2000s, the couple moved the store outside Cleveland and made a few acquisitions. However, the business was hit hard by the 2008-09 recession and closed. In 2012, however, with the help of family friend Craig Stout, Monachino revived the business.

“It’s been off to the races ever since,” he enthuses, relating that the company did about $500,000 in 2012. Today, some 22 acquisitions later, the company has extended its reach into western Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Southern Michigan.

Making acquisition an art

“We’ve gotten really good at acquisitions,” Monachino says, explaining one of the top reasons for United’s ongoing success. “We’ve acquired companies with annual sales ranging from $300,000 to $20 million. Like anything, it’s a skill we continue to improve.”

Yet just buying a company isn’t enough. “I think a second reason for our success is that we have gotten really good at integrating the companies we acquire into our operations,” he says. “The companies continue to operate under their names and we try to hire every employee who wants to stay. We also rely on experts to introduce our other categories, like janitorial, industrial and safety. We have at least one expert on staff in each category and that is all they do; they go on sales calls with reps.”

Monachino believes this expertise is essential to doing well in non-office product categories: “A pen is a pen. But in the other categories, you are selling knowledge, explaining why a floor may be too slippery and needs a different product. I don’t think you can do it without experts. There is too much to know.”

While knowledge is key, so is customer loyalty, which Monachino has found can be encouraged for free.

Company info

Headquarters: Cleveland, OH

Top management: TJ Monachino, CEO; Levi Beurden, chief culture and technology officer; Nick Sills, chief operating officer; Patty Pompeani, director of sales

Main wholesaler: Essendant

Number of employees: 141

Category sales: 35% janitorial, 15% furniture, 50% office products and other

“We give away a lot of free stuff: cookies, staplers, safety vests, tape dispensers—all kinds of things,” he says. “With specific size orders, they can pick what they want from the list, which we rotate with different things. Also, if they order product from at least three of our five categories, they can get free shredding. We shred about a million pounds of paper free each year. The bins cost us $40 each, but it’s worth it because it builds loyalty.”

According to Monachino, Amazon is a competitor primarily in the office products sector; but United has found a way to beat Amazon at the delivery game: “Many customers will see something on Amazon, send us the link and have us order it and deliver it. They pay us for the convenience of knowing we will put it in the right place.”

Looking ahead

Monachino suggests that dealers looking for ongoing success should “continue to look for ways to be valuable to your customers and be different. A lot of dealers talk about their customer service, but it’s not enough alone anymore. You have to be innovative—to find things that make it hard for customers to go someplace else.”

As for the future? “In the next five to 10 years, I see us continuing to expand in janitorial, industrial, furniture and safety,” the CEO predicts. “We’d like to get our annual sales to $100 million in the next couple of years and making acquisitions will continue as one of our main strategies.”

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New CEO at Essendant

There has been another leadership change at US wholesaler and fulfillment company Essendant.

Taking on the top job is Dave Rickard, interim chief transformation officer since last July. Before Essendant, Rickard held senior roles at US Foods, Uline and Boston Consulting Group.

“Dave will continue to position Essendant to achieve its mission to deliver ‘The Better Way to Commerce’ while developing and

Noyes appointed to SPR government role

Former Clover exec Steve Noyes has joined wholesaler S.P. Richards (SPR).

Since the beginning of the year, Noyes has served as SPR’s director of government sales. He is charged with helping the wholesaler’s dealers develop their public sector sales. He will also cultivate strategic relationships with the stakeholder community, including the General Services Administration, the AbilityOne Commission and National Industries for the Blind.

Noyes spent 16 years at Clover Imaging Group, where he was SVP of global accounts and public sector sales. In 2023, he launched his own consultancy business, specializing in working with the federal government and the public sector.

Additional responsibilities for ECI’s Bowerfind, other new appointments

ECI Software Solutions exec Brian Bowerfind has assumed responsibility for the group’s lumber, building materials and hardlines (LBMH) group.

LBMH is part of ECI’s building and construction division. It was previously headed by industry veteran John Maiuri, who has now retired. As a result, Bowerfind’s job title, as of 1 January 2025, is president—global LBMH, distribution and NET1 payments.

Meanwhile, ECI has announced the appointment of Brian Hildebrand as chief information officer. He will be responsible for developing and implementing ECI’s comprehensive IT strategy, overseeing the organization’s entire technology infrastructure and ensuring that it remains at the forefront of innovation to address customer needs.

“Brian has been an instrumental part of our IT and cloud vision over the years and we’re thrilled to welcome him to this new leadership role,” said Trevor Gruenewald, CEO at ECI Software Solutions. “Brian’s extensive experience in IT leadership and private equity environments, and deep understanding of ECI’s mission uniquely position him to lead our information technology strategy into the future. We’re looking forward to Brian’s innovative ideas for the next chapter in ECI’s technology vision as we look to overcome customer challenges of today and tomorrow.”

There has also been a development in the organization’s sales leadership structure. Wade Hogg is now SVP of global sales for ECI’s LBMH, distribution and NET1 units.

Meanwhile, following the retirement of Paddy Donnelly, two years after ECI acquired ES Tech Group, UK-based Chris Fisher is the company’s new global VP of e-commerce.

Global Industrial names CEO

HP makes AI acquisition

HP Inc has acquired “key AI capabilities” from AI Pin maker Humane.

Humane is a startup founded by former Apple execs Bethany Bongiorno and Imran Chaudhri. Last year, it launched a device called AI Pin (which was largely panned by reviewers) and then reportedly put itself up for sale for as much as $1 billion.

Now, HP has confirmed a $116 million deal for Humane’s Cosmos software platform and IP, which includes more than 300 patents and patent applications. Humane staff—including Bongiorno and Chaudhri—are joining the tech giant to form a new “AI innovation lab” called HP IQ. AI Pin, which is being discontinued, is not included in the deal.

Tuan Tran, HP’s president of technology and innovation, said Cosmos would “create an intelligent ecosystem across all HP devices from AI PCs to smart printers and connected conference rooms.”

He added: “This will unlock new levels of functionality for our customers and deliver on the promises of AI.”

Maintenance, repair and operations; industrial and business products distributor Global Industrial has confirmed the identity of its new CEO.

Executive chairman Richards Leeds has been serving as interim CEO since August following the departure of Barry Litwin. Now the reseller has announced that Anesa Chaibi has taken on the role from 17 February. Leeds will remain as executive chairman.

Chaibi has more than 30 years of experience in both private equity backed and public companies. She was most recently operating partner and chief transformation officer at Coalesce Capital Management, a private equity firm focused on investments in the services sector. She has also held management roles at CoolSys, Warburg Pincus, Optimas Solutions, HD Supply Facilities Maintenance and General Electric.

OMNIA Partners strengthens private sector team

Group purchasing organization OMNIA Partners has announced key leadership changes to support growth in its private sector division.

Scott Miller has been promoted to SVP of private sector strategy, while Tim Burgett has been appointed as managing director of channel partnerships, a new role at the company. Both executives will focus on expanding supplier relationships and enhancing market reach as OMNIA Partners looks to further strengthen its offering.

Burgett may well be a familiar face to some in the IDC. He spent more than 20 years at Boise Cascade/OfficeMax/Office Depot before joining Essendant in 2016. Prior to joining OMNIA last September as managing director of SMB Sales, he was also vice president at California dealer Blaisdell’s (our anniversary dealer this issue, featured on page 4).

“These appointments reflect our commitment to growth and ensuring we continue to provide maximum value for both our members and supplier partners,” the organization stated.

Scott Miller (l) & Tim Burgett

Watch a recording of City of Hope virtual event

As reported in the last issue of INDEPENDENT DEALER, at the beginning of February the National Business Products Industry launched its 2025 Spirit of Life campaign in support of the City of Hope.

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If you missed it, you can click here to watch a recording and find out more about the fabulous work the City of Hope does and this year’s Expanding Hope campaign, led by Fellowes Brands CEO John Fellowes.

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Sylvamo to make US investments

Paper manufacturer Sylvamo has announced plans to invest around $145 million in “high-return capital projects” over the next three years.

The main thrust of the spending will be on reducing costs and “significantly” enhancing capabilities at the Eastover facility in South Carolina—which Sylvamo described as its “most competitive mill in North America.”

Around $100 million will go toward increasing the speed of a paper machine. This project—set to be completed towards the end of 2026—will enable the company to produce around 60,000 additional tons of uncoated freesheet paper annually.

The remaining $45 million has been earmarked for a new cutsize sheeter. This, said Sylvamo, will lower costs and add flexibility to better service customers. It is also expected to be finished in the fourth quarter of 2026.

The vendor is also entering a 20-year partnership to outsource Eastover’s woodyard operations. This is aimed at creating more efficient, reliable and cost-effective wood processing and providing additional flexibility. Another benefit is the avoidance of $75 million in capital spending over the next five years.

In October last year, Sylvamo announced the end of a supply partnership with International Paper that reduced its capacity by up to 300,000 tons. At the time, it said one-third of this would be retained by making products at Eastover and its other mill in Ticonderoga, New York.

Katun’s Arivia multifunction printers recognized by Keypoint Intelligence

Katun Corporation, provider of Arivia multifunction printers (MFPs) and leading supplier of OEM-compatible imaging supplies, today announced that three of its Arivia MFP models have received the “Recommended” designation from testing company Keypoint Intelligence, an independent evaluator of office document imaging products and services (parent company of Buyers Lab, product test house).

The Arivia M2130, C2130 and C4165 underwent comprehensive testing to thoroughly evaluate usability, print quality, productivity and features. Katun also chose to have the devices put through their paces with optional reliability testing.

“We are proud to receive a Recommended designation for our Arivia MFPs from Keypoint Intelligence,” said Tony Ko, Katun’s vice president of hardware and business solutions. “This independent evaluation underscores Katun’s ongoing dedication to innovation and delivering high-quality products that consistently exceed client expectations.”

ORS Nasco buys Bunzl safety wholesaler

Essendant’s former industrial business, ORS Nasco, has acquired one of Bunzl’s US redistribution businesses.

In a LinkedIn post, ORS Nasco CEO Kevin Short confirmed the acquisition of R3 Safety. R3—which Short described as the country’s “premier safety specialized wholesaler”—was established by Bunzl in 2006 after it had purchased United American Sales and West Gate Sales.

The move comes about six months after ORS Nasco was acquired by Wynnchurch Capital from One Equity Partners, the firm that bought the business from Essendant in 2019.

At the time Wynnchurch announced its investment in ORS Nasco, the private equity firm said it would work with the wholesaler’s management team on strategic M&A—and it has certainly done that by snapping up R3.

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Lesro recognizes its 2024 rep of the year, announces new rep group

Lesro Industries, a family-owned and operated manufacturer of furniture for waiting rooms, reception areas and lounges, has announced that it has awarded its Manufacturers Rep of the Year award to John Pizzuto and Keith Vance of John Pizzuto Associates, based in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Pizzuto, in his 16th year representing Lesro, and Vance, who joined him two years ago, saw sales in the North and South Carolina markets grow by nearly 24 percent year on year.

“As he has done for more than 15 years, John represents Lesro with tremendous professionalism and integrity,” said Lesro in a company statement. “Universally respected in the Carolinas by the dealer and A&D communities, his dedication to both Lesro and his customers exemplifies the spirit of service the company diligently strives to project. For his part, in two short years Keith has become an important and reliable customer-facing asset for Lesro. We couldn’t be prouder to have them as part of our team.”

Meanwhile, Lesro has appointed its latest manufacturer representative, CFS Reps, which will be responsible for serving the Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Northwest Wisconsin, Southern Illinois and North and South Dakota markets. “We are excited to have CFS Reps join

our team of representatives,” said chief revenue officer, Les Girsky. “Dan Mudge and his group of professionals bring with them a wealth of experience and established relationships. We look forward to working with the entire CFS Reps crew to bring our furniture solutions to clients in the central and north central states.”

To learn more about CFS Reps, visit its website at www.cfsreps.com. For a comprehensive list of Lesro manufacturer representatives, visit www.lesro.com

Boom Collaboration and Image Star partner to expand North American reseller channel

Video conferencing manufacturer Boom Collaboration has selected Image Star as an authorized distribution partner for its line of meeting room solutions in the United States and Canada. Image Star will support Boom resellers with distribution, sales, marketing and technical support services across the company’s full range of cameras, speakerphones, audio/video all-in-ones and accessories.

Through the relationship with Image Star, Boom will tap into the firm’s nationwide distribution network, deep client relationships and IT and service capabilities to provide best-in-class distribution support for dealers. Image Star clients will benefit from access to Boom’s high-performance A/V solutions, lucrative partner program and comprehensive pre-sale and post-sale support.

“Partnering with Image Star will help expand our reach and support for the US IT reseller channel,” said Boom co-founder Holli Hulett. “Meeting room solutions offer tremendous growth potential for resellers: organizations everywhere are using these products today and can benefit from a simpler to use, better designed approach. We look forward to partnering with Image Star and the channel to meet the opportunity with Boom’s innovative solutions and hands-on consultative approach.”

Clients can contact their Image Star account executive for product, pricing and program information at sales@ imagestar.com

(l-r) John Pizzuto and Keith Vance

Meteor Education partners with EDmarket to empower women in the education industry

The Education Market Association (EDmarket) is pleased to announce that Meteor Education has joined as a premier sponsor of the EDmarket Bold Women Collective, a year-round forum for connecting, sharing and learning for women in the education market.

Launched in April 2024, the Bold Women Collective provides a platform for female professionals—both new and experienced—to connect, find mentorship and build relationships that foster both personal and professional growth.

“Meteor Education’s decision to sponsor the EDmarket Bold Women Collective aligns with our core values of inclusivity and empowerment, epitomized by our own Meteor Women’s Movement,” says Pam Dempsey, director of partnerships. “By supporting the Bold Women Collective, we aim to extend these values beyond our organization, helping to advance the professional and personal growth of women across the industry. This partnership not only enhances our commitment to developing future-ready

educators and students but also supports our broader goal of impacting educational experiences positively and inclusively.”

A hallmark of the collective is the opportunity to engage in meaningful discussions on topics relevant to professional success in a supportive environment. In addition to monthly virtual meetings, the collective will meet in person at American Association of School Administrators’ National Conference

ALSO enters the US

European technology distributor ALSO has expanded into the US market, with an initial focus on cloud solutions.

ALSO Cloud US has commenced operations with its first customers. The company is focused on accelerating cloud migrations, strengthening cybersecurity and driving adoption of AI solutions. Following the model it used in the UK, ALSO Cloud US has launched in parallel with a platform-as-a-service partner to accelerate growth in the market and establish a foundation for “further enhancements.”

In a press release, ALSO highlighted the potential of the US market.

“The beauty of the US is its position as the

on Education (March), NeoCon (June) and EDspaces (November) to discuss challenges and opportunities among female professionals. Meteor joins KI as a Premier Sponsor, providing year-round support for the collective’s many programs.

Membership in the EDmarket Bold Women Collective is open to all EDmarket female members. To learn more about EDmarket’s Bold Women Collective click here

world’s largest economy, with 90 million commercial unique users and an ICT total addressable market of $1.5 trillion per year,” the reseller wrote.

It added: “There is a high level of cloud-application usage and IT-as-a-service consumption, supported by a broad ecosystem of approximately 100,000 IT channel partners.”

Industry News

Victor Technology releases Classroom Cellphone Locker amid increased school cellphone bans

Victor Technology has released a new Classroom Cellphone Locker following the move by a number of states to impose restrictions and bans on cellphone use in schools.

The new regulations have created uncertainty among teachers as how to implement the restrictions and have led to heightened demand for tools to help handle cellphones in schools.

“With the increasing number of new rules and directives for cellphone use in schools, our customers have asked us for solutions to this problem. With the launch of our new Classroom Cellphone Locker, we are providing a simple and safe solution to the problem,” said Greg Palese, vice president, marketing.

At least 19 states have passed laws and enacted policies that ban or restrict students’ use of cellphones in schools statewide or recommend local districts enact their own

bans and restrictive policies. According to research from a National Center for Education Statistics survey of approximately 4,800 public elementary and secondary schools, 76 percent have prohibited cellphone usage outside of academic use during school hours and younger students in elementary and middle schools are subject to more bans than high schoolers.

“Our goal is to provide a secure and reliable way for educators to safely store students’ cellphones while they’re in a classroom,” said CEO Doug Nash. “We understand how important distraction-free learning is to teachers and students alike, and by providing a safe, convenient and lightweight storage locker, we hope to be part of the solution.”

Whitney Brothers’ new collection receives award

Early learning furniture brand Whitney Brothers has revealed that its new elevatED collection of furniture for young learners has received a BEST of 2024 award from Design Journal, a leading global trade resource for interior designers, architects and facility managers.

A panel of 2,400 internationally renowned interior designers, architects and facility managers cited the elevatED collection’s distinct contemporary style and inventive adaptation

The collection comprises 46 individual and modular pieces for young learner activities including art, STEM/sensory, literacy development, seating, lockers and storage. Each piece is flexible, mobile or modular to facilitate a dynamic learning environment for young learners.

The collection uses FSC-certified wood material and holds Eco-Certified Composite certification, reflecting a commitment to sustainability and environmental stewardship. The finish on each piece of furniture also has proven antimicrobial properties

“The Design Journal BEST of 2024 award recognizes how a fresh, modern expression of furniture can play a central role in creating a dynamic learning environment for our youngest learners,” said Mike Jablonski, president of Whitney Brothers. “The elevatED™ Collection is another great example of our brand’s innovation and commitment to furnish learning environments that inspire and engage young children.”

Imperial Dade acquires in Georgia

Jan/san distributor Imperial Dade has announced its 97th acquisition.

The company has acquired Georgia-based Athens Janitor Supply and Chittom Industries (collectively, AJS), further strengthening its presence in the state. AJS was purchased by current chairman Jim Chittom Sr in 1979 and today the leadership team includes his sons, John and Jim Jr.

In addition to Athens, the company has two further Georgia locations, in Rome and Augusta. According to its website, AJS is a member of both the Triple S and TUG buying groups.

“The AJS team have shown exceptional performance in their markets and are poised for further growth in a region that remains a very high priority for us,” said Imperial Dade chairman Bob Tillis.

Triumph Paper Cutters:

The DOGE Committee and its impact on GSA staffing, contracting and small businesses

By: Paul A. Miller, legislative counsel, Workplace Solutions Association

The Trump administration’s newly proposed Dedicated Office of Government Efficiency (DOGE) Committee is poised to have a significant impact on the General Services Administration (GSA) and the way it handles government procurement. As GSA is responsible for overseeing a substantial portion of federal purchases—including office products, furniture and various service contracts—any shakeup in its operations will have ripple effects across multiple industries. While proponents argue that DOGE will enhance efficiency and reduce unnecessary spending, critics worry about the potential downsides— particularly for small businesses, competitive contracting and federal buying programs.

Impact on GSA staffing levels

One of the primary concerns is how DOGE will reshape staffing levels within GSA. The committee’s goal of streamlining operations could lead to a reduction in federal employees, particularly in procurement and administrative roles. This could mean fewer government workers managing contracts and overseeing acquisition programs, leading to potential delays in processing and awarding contracts. However, some argue that automation and AI-driven procurement tools could offset staffing reductions, allowing GSA to maintain efficiency while cutting costs. If executed correctly, this could create new opportunities for tech-driven solutions in government procurement, benefiting companies that provide AI and automation services.

Effect on office products and furniture dealers

GSA is a major buyer of office furniture, equipment and supplies, and any changes in its purchasing

habits will directly impact dealers. With reduced staffing and potential budget constraints, GSA could shift toward larger bulk contracts with fewer vendors, favoring large suppliers over smaller, independent dealers.

This could mean tighter competition for smaller vendors that rely on GSA contracts to sustain their businesses. Additionally, potential consolidation of procurement channels could lead to fewer direct relationships between small suppliers and government buyers, making it harder for niche businesses to compete.

On the positive side, if DOGE prioritizes cost savings through competitive bidding, small and nimble businesses that can offer lower prices and streamlined services may find new opportunities to win contracts.

Impact on competitive contracting

A key concern is whether DOGE’s policies will enhance or stifle competition in government contracting. If the focus is primarily on reducing costs, there may be a shift toward large-scale, consolidated contracts, reducing the number of available opportunities for small and mid-sized businesses.

Conversely, if DOGE emphasizes increasing competition to drive down prices, there could be a more open playing field, where businesses of all sizes have a chance to bid for government contracts. This would particularly benefit vendors that can demonstrate cost efficiency and scalability.

What this means for small businesses

Small businesses have historically relied on federal set-asides and preference programs to secure contracts with GSA. However, the Trump administration’s opposition to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI)

initiatives could result in a rollback of small business set-asides for women-owned, minority-owned and veteran-owned businesses.

If such set-asides are reduced or eliminated, small businesses may lose key advantages that helped them compete with larger firms. This could lead to less diversity in federal contracting and more barriers for new entrants looking to secure GSA contracts. On the other hand, proponents of scaling back DEI-based set-asides argue that it could promote a more merit-based contracting system in which awards are made purely on price and performance.

Changes to federal buying programs

GSA manages multiple federal buying programs designed to streamline procurement, including GSA Advantage, the Federal Supply Schedule and blanket purchase agreements. If DOGE seeks to reform or consolidate these programs, this could lead to fewer procurement pathways, forcing businesses to adapt to new requirements or lose access to federal customers.

If cost savings are prioritized, bulk purchasing agreements could become the norm, making it harder for small suppliers to compete. However, if DOGE instead focuses on modernizing procurement systems and enhancing efficiency through technology-driven solutions, businesses that can leverage digital procurement tools may benefit significantly.

House and Senate budget cuts and freezes on agency spending and travel

Another critical factor impacting the industry is the House and Senate budget cuts and potential freezes on agency spending and travel. If

Congress implements strict budget limitations, agencies may reduce discretionary spending, leading to fewer purchases of office products, furniture and services. Travel restrictions could also affect federal conferences, in-person meetings and site visits, which could affect industries reliant on government event contracting and professional services.

For small businesses and contractors, this could mean fewer opportunities and increased pressure to lower prices to remain competitive. However, it could also encourage more virtual engagements, remote solutions and efficiency-driven contracting, which may benefit companies specializing in digital tools, virtual conferencing and remote service delivery.

Conclusion: balancing efficiency with fairness

The Trump administration’s DOGE Committee represents a double-edged sword for GSA, its suppliers and the broader government contracting ecosystem. While its focus on efficiency and cost cutting could streamline procurement and reduce waste, the potential downsides for small businesses, competitive contracting and diverse supplier opportunities cannot be ignored.

For businesses that rely on GSA contracts, staying informed on policy changes, procurement trends and technological advancements will be critical. Whether the impact is positive or negative will depend largely on how DOGE implements its reforms and whether the federal government prioritizes competition and fairness alongside cost efficiency. To help you stay informed, the Workplace Solutions Association is planning webinars to keep you in the loop on the latest happenings in the agencies and on Capitol Hill.

How can jan/san training help you sell more furniture?

Mike Tucker, executive director, Workplace Solutions Association

It’s been nearly four years since the Workplace Solutions Association (WSA) became a division of ISSA, the Worldwide Cleaning Association. There were two fundamental reasons for the partnership. The first was to enable our membership to avail of its health insurance benefits. The second was to give members access to more training, education and vendors in the jan/san category. This turned out to be bigger than we ever expected when we were dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. The partnership has been a win-win for both associations. With the support of ISSA’s outstanding marketing and IT departments, we continue to offer valuable training and education programs on AI, cybersecurity and government advocacy.

Despite this success, we have struggled to find a strong value proposition for our furniture dealers and manufacturers. Brands like

Steelcase, Miller Knoll and Haworth provide in-house programs and no longer look to WSA for training and benefits. Groups like Indeal, Connexions and Solomon Coyle also provide a multitude of programs to help contract furniture dealers grow and prosper.

There are two areas of significant concern for furniture dealers and manufacturers where ISSA training and education can prove invaluable:

• Products/chemicals used to clean furniture and other building contents: Post-pandemic, cleaning and disinfecting have become a fact of life. How surfaces are cleaned and what they are cleaned with are important for the health of building occupants and workers, as well as the durability and aesthetic appeal of product finishes.

• Toxins used in furniture manufacturing: Numerous harmful chemicals are used in

the production of some furniture. Dangerous carcinogens and PFAS chemicals create health issues for customers and potential liabilities for distributors.

ISSA’s Global Bio Risk Advisory Council, headed by Dr. Gavin MacGregor Skinner, offers expert-led training resources that help companies implement contamination controls for infectious diseases and other biohazard situations. Linda Lybert is the executive director of the Healthcare Surfaces Institute (HSI), a division of ISSA. HSI helps companies work through confusing and inconsistent industry standards and testing methods to ensure effective cleaning and disinfection. Be on the lookout in the second quarter of the year for more on these topics and their importance in how you approach your furniture products and projects.

About CBIZ Employee Benefits

CBIZ Employee Benefits is the single-source benefits solution for members of the Workplace Solutions Association. With a national presence, enrollment support, and supplemental communications materials, CBIZ can help you meet the needs of your employees in an everchanging market.

Our team of specialized experts will collaborate with you to develop an actionable plan tailored to your unique pain points and goals. This is not cookie-cutter consulting. With thousands of clients nationwide, and more than a decade of proven results, we’re the partner you can count of to provide the strategic benefits solutions you need.

To learn how we can help you please email or click the link:

Ryan Oursler at ryan.oursler@cbiz.com

Contact CBIZ

LEARN HOW CBIZ EMPLOYEE BENEFITS CAN HELP WITH YOUR UPCOMING RENEWAL

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THE BUILDING BLOCKS TO SUCCESS: PART IV

Product or business diversification? Or both?

This article explores the strategic choices available when choosing a diversification strategy, including the options, opportunities, threats and ideas that dealers can should consider along the way.

In my previous life leading the Irongate Group, the journey to a diversified model started as far back as 1989 and became a business strategy in 2010. Resellers are now searching for a sales story which not only allows them to sell at their desired pricing but delivers value to customers by addressing their needs.

For any dealer still focused solely on selling office products, it’s a tough business. For newcomers or those already within our industry contemplating setting up a new venture, this no longer appears to be an attractive option.

Examining an office products reseller

through Michael Porter’s famous Five Forces framework—a tool originally designed to assess the attractiveness (profit potential) of different industries— can serve as a valuable starting point for strategic analysis.

This approach is useful when evaluating whether to enter a market or when analyzing the prospects for further success and challenges in a particular sector. The framework also helps businesses identify various pinch points.

The five competitive pressures are:

• the threat of new market entrants;

• the threat of substitute products or services;

• the bargaining power of suppliers;

• the intensity of rivalry among competitors; and

• the bargaining power of buyers.

Looking at the Five Forces model below, every point of the framework is a source of concern for dealers:

• Threat of new entrants:

o The evolution of web-based traders, both established and new.

o The dominance of Amazon.

• Threat of substitutes:

o Substitutes from outside the sector that don’t have the constraints of the current market operators.

o Original equipment manufacturers increasingly selling directly to customers.

• Bargaining power of buyers:

o Buyers’ access to transparent pricing.

o Limited room for negotiation.

o A buyers’ market.

• Bargaining power of suppliers:

o Reduced competition within the wholesale channel.

o Manufacturers’ direct deal restrictions.

• Rivalries among existing competitors:

o Intense competition between dealers.

o Selling on price and hitting margins.

o Multichannel competitors— traditional resellers, direct ex-trade wholesalers, web traders.

o Supermarkets and grocers.

o Amazon.

It’s a sobering list of the pressures facing dealers, prompting a shift by many to start selling other products and services to recoup lost business or replace declining margins.

Product diversification

The benefits of product diversification are vast and expanding into new categories is an obvious opportunity to exploit. By taking inspiration from firms such as Irongate and offering a wider scope of products and solutions to customers, dealers can achieve the following benefits:

• Risk reduction: Diversifying the product offering by introducing new lines or entering new markets helps mitigate the risks associated with reliance on a shrinking office supplies sector.

• Growth: Extending the product range can increase revenue and market share.

• Customer fulfillment: A broader selection of products and services can enhance client satisfaction and loyalty.

• Competitive advantage: Diversification can create a dynamic edge by providing unique goods and solutions that set dealers apart.

Despite all these clear advantages, the key question remains: what should dealers diversify into? This decision is critical and can be the difference between success and failure.

When making a call on diversification, resellers should consider not only expanding their product range but also exploring opportunities for business diversification. The choice is between being an OP dealer selling other products and services or adopting a different model as a solutions company with various specialist units offering a wide range of workplace categories and facilities.

Before you go creating these new divisions, however, it’s essential to determine which ones you are committed to selling and investing in, and in what order. When it comes to strategy development, knowing what to do is just

as important as knowing what not to do.

In my opinion, when a business looks to diversify, there are usually two options—strategists call these related diversification and unrelated diversification. While all the goods and solutions an organization buys to keep itself running could technically be classified as “related,” I don’t view it that way. So, how should they be categorized?

Diversification choices

A dealership normally sells items from a catalog, ordering them mainly from a supporting wholesaler for next-day delivery, via either their own van or a partner’s vehicle. So, what else could a dealer offer that mirrors the supply chain?

We need an industry that provides products familiar to our clients and where the logistics and sales materials and solutions reflect our market. The requirements thus include items with a product code and sold from a catalog and a reliable wholesale or manufacturer supply chain.

Below is a list of sectors our customers typically already buy from and which a dealer could also source and purchase from the existing fulfillment network:

• cleaning, safety and hygiene;

• catering;

• personal protective equipment; and

• office furniture.

In most cases, dealers will already be selling products in some or all of these categories, with varying degrees of knowledge. By investing in additional sales and operational knowhow and gradually expanding into such areas over time, a typical workplace supplies dealer can position itself to confidently offer these products and services. This approach will enable it to rewrite the all-important sales narrative and enhance the value proposition to customers.

Building a new category—with its

own dedicated marketing, sales team, etc.—involves a big cost commitment. However, it offers the opportunity to tap into the wealth of potential in the customer base. By demonstrating the skills and understanding of a new division and leveraging existing trusted relationships, dealers can open up new revenue streams and start increasing sales.

I believe a different future can be built by harnessing the current client base and internal intelligence to reframe a business and change the paradigm—how things are done within the organization. By doing so, dealers can move forward on a stable and profitable path.

Unrelated diversification

Unrelated diversification involves bespoke products—ones which are more complex and which require knowledge currently unavailable in the business. Quite often the costliest to recruit for and build skills around, they are still highly attractive and lucrative when viewed through the lens of Porter’s Five Forces model. Examples include print management, workwear and promotional items. »

Adam Noble is a director at TSP

Creating customized print pieces, for example, is both complicated and risky. The risk arises from handling intricate projects and the possibility of getting things wrong—if you don’t get them right, the cost is entirely yours to bear. That’s why, if you’re planning to take full advantage of the opportunities your customers present in supplying their printed materials, this will require a significant investment in terms of both staff and technology.

People who understand the industry and products and can take a brief, evaluate available options and either source or sell accordingly are essential. Staff should be knowledgeable about artwork, file formats and technical aspects, enabling them to engage in meaningful customer conversations.

Additionally, salespeople should know what makes a good print client, possess situational awareness and be able to identify the root cause of issues and guide purchasers on how to resolve them. This expertise should extend across operational and marketing print.

All bespoke products have their

challenges, but the opportunities they offer are immense. Most clients purchase them in differing quantities and by working closely to provide high-quality solutions, you can position yourself not only to meet their needs but also to compete against established players in that market. By staying in tune with the dynamics of the sector, you can transform your dealership.

What we can see as regards related and unrelated diversification is the difference in the complexity involved. However, using related products to develop additional sales within a particular category is a great way to start. Once you gain confidence and build experience in that area, you can progress from there.

Make the commitment I mentioned earlier that business diversification should be the Holy Grail for dealers today. When making the leap and commitment to selling new product categories to your clients, you’re entering a new market. This means you should begin having conversations with different

buyers—ones that know the sector and the competition, and, in some cases, may actually know more than you.

That’s why, when I made the jump, my aim was never just to sell a diverse product range. I was determined to diversify the business in such a way that, when we moved into a new product or service, we would enter the market as though we truly belonged there. We wouldn’t only compete against other office supplies dealers but would take on the established players. It was those opponents we were committed to emulate and ultimately beat.

So, I made a pledge to invest in each category to enable it to stand on its own two feet. Each was given its own sales and support function, go-to-market proposition, technology, management and profit targets. My objective was to position us so that, hypothetically, at some point in time, we could lift any of the divisions, move it to its own premises and operate it independently of the group. And that’s exactly what we achieved.

There is a tremendous opportunity to reshape your future by making the right decisions and creating a new business. Take advantage of the expertise and customers you already have and provide them with a unique supply of products and services which make their lives easier and their operations more profitable.

You need to understand a purchaser’s current operational challenges, such as managing multiple suppliers. It’s crucial to demonstrate that you have the situational knowledge, breadth of services, product range, skilled people and technology to help them solve procurement problems efficiently and effectively.

Maximize the customer and market opportunities available to you. Whatever choices and routes you decide upon, I wish you the best of luck in your journey forward.

Save the Date for Industry Week ’25

November 3-8, 2025

Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center Denver, Colorado

What ISG attendees said about Industry Week ‘24!

Industry Week ’24 had it all! A great keynote speaker who energized the room and set the tone, followed by a ton of great sessions and a packed tradeshow. There is always great networking and fellowship. You never know when you are going to have that one conversation that makes your head spin, and you can’t wait to get home to go to work.

- Jarrod Anderson, President and Co-Owner, Walker’s Office Supplies

After attending our first Industry Week, the event re-ignited our enthusiasm for working with entrepreneurial independent distributors. Being part of such an enthusiastic and collaborative group was truly unique, and we are excited to see how we can collectively thrive together in this ever-changing market.

- Josh Shea, Corporate & Strategic Account Manager, Inteplast Group

Much more than a shred of difference

MBM is a name with which independent dealers should be familiar. Headquartered in Charleston, South Carolina, the company offers top-quality equipment to sell and use in-house for security and print needs, including Destroyit paper shredders, Aerocut digital finishing systems, Triumph cutters and more.

MBM opened its doors in New York in 1936. The company moved to its current Charleston headquarters

in 1989 and purchased its 30,000-square-foot warehouse in 1994. In 2000, MBM opened its Canadian division, IDEAL.MBM.

The company is family owned by German manufacturer Krug + Priester, known for its cutting-edge machines and craftsmanship. Equipment is sold to the office product and print industries through an extensive dealer network across the United States and Canada.

Top of the range MBM’s leading sellers include the following:

• Triumph cutters: Known for their power, precision and ease of operation, these also incorporate exclusive safety features, making them among the safest cutters in the world.

• Ideal shredders: Available in various sizes and models, these dispose of sensitive documents quickly, securely and cost effectively.

• Aerocut digital finishing systems: These systems make light work of single-pass slitting, cutting, creasing, scoring and perforating.

The company’s products are designed to facilitate automation and streamline workloads, often by combining tasks that involve multiple machines and manual switching, affording significant time savings. Its biggest buyers are office and

print product dealers and their customers looking to securely destroy documents and/or complete print jobs in-house from start to finish.

The MBM advantage CEO and president Lindsay Hujsak goes on to outline the key benefits for dealers buying or selling MBM equipment:

• Quality: “The number one thing that sets our products apart is quality. Krug + Priester is a family-owned business with a reputation for making top-quality equipment.”

• Customer service: “Number two is that the whole company offers superior customer services. Many of us here have been here near or more than 20 years and if

there is an issue, we have the experience to fix it.”

• Safety: Safety is the watchword at MBM, with sophisticated safety features incorporated into products as standard.

“For example, our cutter requires two-handed operation or the blade won’t engage. Or, if the plastic safety shield isn’t in place, the blade won’t come down. Our shredders have a plastic safety guard. If it opens, the power shuts off.”

• Ease of use: “Some of the equipment made by our competitors requires very technical training. Our products and software are so intuitive that you don’t need special training.” But training is always readily available when needed.

Supply Side

MBM’s 35 employees include eight regional sales representatives across the United States and Canada, meaning that reps are “available to install and provide training by Zoom or in person when necessary.”

• Reliability: “Many of our products offer a lifetime warranty. If there is an issue, we will replace it. However, I have been with the company for 18 years and in all that time, I only know of one that was sent back—and I believe that was for shipping damage to the wood cabinet.”

• Local presence: “Our extensive regional network ensures there is always an MBM rep close. Being able to buy from a local dealer provides better service, which is always very important.”

• Dealers only: “MBM sells its product only through dealers and wholesaler S.P. Richards, so dealers don’t have to worry about competing with us or customers getting a better ‘buy direct’ deal.”

• Loyalty: “Our machines offer many additional sales opportunities for dealers—supplies like oil, bin bags, blades, cutting sticks, and, of course, paper. This helps tie customers more closely to the dealer and creates greater customer loyalty.”

With traditional office product sales falling flat or dwindling, perhaps MBM cutters, shredders and digital finishing machines are just the items you’ve been looking for to fill the void and shred the competition.

Data Pricing

By Rick Marlette

Show me the data

This is the first article in a three-part series on pricing your products. The goal is to help independent sellers better understand the components of a sound pricing strategy, the current conditions in the marketplace and potential opportunities based on these findings.

As any pricing professional will tell you, data is everything when it comes to pricing. The more you have, the sounder

your pricing strategy. This is why the large national sellers (nationals) have achieved such success in their pricing strategies. They can generate data and analytics from their websites in far greater volumes than the typical independent seller. This allows them to achieve the apex in pricing, maximizing margin while appearing competitive.

The nationals are so good at this, they have convinced many in the independent

channel that it is impossible to compete against them. Congratulations—you have been fooled by advertising! What better way to defeat your enemies by convincing them resistance is futile?

However, there is a big problem with the claim independents cannot compete against the nationals: the excuse always given boils down to a “feeling.” “I feel like independents cannot compete.” No data is

provided, no study quoted, no analysis given; it is always “just a feeling.”

Facts do not care about your feelings.

One of the most common excuses is the nationals get a better cost, so independents cannot compete on price. Really? Are you saying you “know” what the nationals’ costs are? Are you claiming you have performed a detailed analysis of their overheads, advertising

Data Pricing

costs, sales commission costs, redundancy costs, shareholder dividend costs and other costs, as compared to an independent’s overhead costs?

You must analyze all the data before making such a broad and misleading statement that independents cannot compete because of the cost of goods. You do not deposit “gross” profit percentages in the bank— you deposit dollars, and the

bottom line is what matters.

There has never been a clearer and more definitive quashing of this “cost is what matters” approach to pricing than when Staples bid the entire New York State core list of items at one penny. This clearly means that Staples is getting less than a penny cost on all these items, right? Of course not; yet some still believe this myth about the importance of cost on sell price. Smart people see this and understand there is a lot more going on here than the cost of goods. Something else is at play. “Play,” as in a game. The pricing game the nationals play.

Cost is not the problem—and cost is not the answer. Of course, you must negotiate a fair cost for products, but that is not where the nationals make their money. The data proves

it. It is in the selling price. The nationals are experts at setting their selling prices to maximize margin while appearing competitive. Cost has a fixed range; sell price has no pre-determined range.

As of the time of writing, Staples and Depot have over 6,000 items priced above S.P. Richards’ list price. How many items do you have priced over S.P. Richards’ list price?

If you think your pricing strategy is somehow better than the nationals, congratulations—not only should you be a multi-millionaire, but you should also have a staff of hundreds working on your pricing strategy.

The box above shows a simple little exercise to demonstrate why sell price increases result in more profit than cost price decreases. A 5% increase in the sell price produces more profit than a 5% decrease in the cost price.

Again, the nationals are experts at playing this game because they have the data to identify exactly where the price needs to be, item by item, for the optimum in sales and profit.

Next issue, we will explore the best way to use the massive amount of pricing data available to independents today. It has never been easier to maximize your margins while appearing competitive with the nationals.

With so much of today’s business taking place online, you need to ensure your technology is helping you thrive and not holding you back. Lisa Veeck talks to dealers using the industry’s leading platforms to let you know what’s out there…

When an independent dealer stays with the same software provider for nearly 25 years, including through countless changes and upgrades, that provider must be doing something right.

Walker’s Office Supplies, Rocklin, California, started using ECI’s DDMS in 1991 and has been with the software provider ever since, transitioning from DDMS and DDMS Plus through Dealer Station to ECI Interactive and today’s EvolutionX.

Favorite features

In addition to its e-commerce functions, Walker’s uses ECI’s Jump Track routing system to keep its nine supply trucks and four furniture trucks headed in the most efficient and accurate direction and provide proof of delivery. President and co-owner Jarrod Anderson also likes the Accelerate analytics tool: “It issues reports such as measuring all sales activity and key performance indicators, producing reports like a daily company scorecard, customer business reviews and usage reports that let us see what customers are ordering or which haven’t ordered in a while. EvolutionX also offers a CRM, but we don’t currently use it.” Anderson also appreciates the system’s seamless

integration with other programs, such as HubSpot, which the company uses to send marketing emails.

Service and support

“We pay for premium support and have found that level extremely beneficial,” continues Anderson. “We work with a dedicated team assigned to us and usually get a response the same day or sooner. We are experienced with the system and good with the day-to-day. But there are always two to five projects we are working on at a time to improve our efficiencies. As for customization, ECI has many dealers to make happy and no two dealers are alike. However, since the beginning, DDMS has been built on dealers’ requests and its capabilities are based on dealers’ needs and wants. The company has received a tremendous number of requests over the years. I think if only one dealer wants something, sometimes they have to say no; I know I have asked for some pretty crazy things over the years and sometimes have had to find a manual way, but I am usually able to. When I have a completely new project, they’ll say, ‘Let us think on it for a bit,’ and then they get right on it.

“That’s not to say there haven’t been frustrations at times, but nothing catastrophic that we couldn’t overcome—and part of the reason is we’ve embraced the software,” he continues. “It comes down to the customer. I’m not the best at technology, but I want to keep moving forward and progress, and they’ve been able to do anything I’ve thrown at them, including some pretty crazy things. But we have mutual respect; they are passionate about what they do and know I am passionate about growing my business.”

The bottom line

“We’ve been with ECI since 1981 and have quite a history with the people and a good working relationship with the company,” concludes Anderson. “Based on the product they have, the system’s capabilities and the size of my company, the software suits us and the team have always been able to meet our needs. Technology can be frustrating, but I chose to lean into and embrace ECI’s technology to bring it in-house. It’s helped us with the flow in the warehouse, sales reports and our e-commerce site. It’s all there—a complete system.”

Office Solutions Products and Services, Yorba Linda, California, has used Business Management Software’s (BMI) Microsoft Dynamic NAV since April 2009.

Bob Mairena, Office Solutions president, explains why his company chose BMI: “Our biggest challenge was that we were using an ERP solution that was no longer keeping up with our needs and was soon to be retired. The lack of support and new development was hindering our growth, efficiency and data analysis capabilities.

“We looked at several software solutions. The decision came down to choosing between a general ERP solution, like Microsoft Dynamic NAV, and an industry-specific solution. BMI is a Microsoft partner specializing in ERP software and the company’s success rate with other implementations across multiple industries impressed us. BMI had also customized the package for the office product space, which at the time was our primary focus. The BMI team also really stood out. Their knowledge of

Dynamics NAV allowed us to take advantage of the broad range of functionalities. All these factors played a part in our decision and it’s proven to be a good one.”

Since then, several things have confirmed they made the right call.

“The software implementation was almost seamless and came in under budget,” recalls Mairena. “While we played a big part in the success, BMI was right there with us. Working together as a team was the key.”

Favorite features

The software’s user-friendliness is another advantage. “It is a Microsoft product; the user interface and navigation are remarkably similar to Microsoft Office,” explains Mairena. “This allows for quick adoption by new hires and facilitates training.”

But perhaps the most significant benefit has been the software’s effect on Office Solutions’ business. “BMI/ Dynamic NAV is such a versatile solution—it has had a direct impact on our operations from day one,” he

continues. “It has streamlined workflow for multiple departments, improved our data analytics and built efficiencies across our divisions. Dynamic NAV offers a broad range of functionality that covers various aspects of our business needs, from integrated financials and supply chain management to sales and customer service.”

While Mairena can’t put a dollar amount on how much labor or time BMI/ Dynamic NAV has saved, he confirms that while the company has grown, “the headcount has not.” The software has also increased sales, he reports: “I can tell you we have had substantial growth and BMI/Dynamics NAV has played a role in that growth.”

Service and support

Reflecting Office Solutions’ faith in BMI, the company is now embarking on the next stage of its journey with the provider. “We are currently in the process of moving to SaaS [software as a service] platform BMI SupplyAutomate, based on Dynamics 365 Business Central,” says Mairena. “We are excited to see the additional benefits and even more excited that this will be our last big upgrade. SaaS products are hosted remotely and updates and patches to the application or new features are automatically rolled out. The move to the cloud aligns with our company goal of forward-looking technology strategy and continuous improvement.”

Bottom line

Mairena wouldn’t hesitate to recommend BMI to other dealers: “BMI is a great partner—its team is responsive to any issue or need that may arise. The company is committed to being more than just a vendor. BMI is a partner in our success.”

DEALER COMMANDER Cover Story

Business Equipment, Henderson, Kentucky, has used the Dealer Commander software platform for 12 years. Before the company switched, most of its processes required manual input. Thanks to the Dealer Commander system, the vast majority of these tasks are now seamlessly integrated—and automated.

Favorite features

“All the features are good,” enthuses customer service rep Clint Barber. “We love the system. With a couple of clicks, you can check inventory or send invoices. It streamlines so many processes and the company is constantly making improvements. I especially like how it integrates with our furniture suppliers’ software. It’s really great. You can issue a purchase

order (PO) and the Dealer Commander system will send it to the right furniture or office products supplier, automatically checking its stock. You get an immediate response and the order is sent automatically. Before, you had to go to each supplier’s website, check stock and create the PO. It was all manual. Now you can do it all with a push of a button.”

Accounts receivable are also a breeze: “The system integrates seamlessly with QuickBooks. When a customer makes a payment, it goes directly to QuickBooks and the files are updated every 30 minutes.”

Barber goes on to highlight another key advantage: “There is a feature we love which connects to customers’ printers and notifies them when they are low on toner.”

Service and support

According to Barber, the Dealer Commander system is very intuitive: “Like any system, there is a learning curve, but you can get the basics in just a few days.” And the team’s response times? “Really fast. If we have a question or an issue, we submit a ticket and we’ll usually hear back by the next day. They are great about getting back to us.”

Bottom line

“I would definitely recommend Dealer Commander to other dealers,” says Barber. “It is great software and we rarely have issues. When we do, a lot of times, it’s user error.”

GOPD

The Office BOSS, Truckee, California, had been using another software provider for years. However, as the supplier grew, the service it was receiving felt increasingly impersonal and less flexible.

“When we’d ask for a quote from our previous supplier, the team would give us the runaround,” recalls president Jeff Ridgel. “The company would tell us different people in top management— like the vice president of product development—would call us. Months would go by and we’d hear nothing. And when we finally got the estimate, it would be really high.”

Favorite features

“We are not your typical office products dealer, in that we offer retail shipping services,” says Ridgel. “Between COVID-19 and Amazon, our e-commerce in office products was diminishing, while our retail business was increasing. We are also into several things, including office products, printing and shipping. These three industries have specific software. We needed software that could accommodate our greater focus on retail, integrate the three industries’ software and integrate customer accounts to include both e-commerce and in-person purchases. Despite being with the supplier for years, it was frustrating: all we seemed to get was lip service. It became bureaucratic, had a different agenda and could not accommodate our needs.”

So Ridgel and his team started looking around. They knew they wanted a smaller, more responsive company with less red tape to cut through. GOPD stood out in their research, so in 2020, The Office BOSS switched to its platform.

“The company has been fantastic—much more responsive and

accommodating,” enthuses Ridgel. “GOPD was able to add retail and e-commerce account management solutions for us.”

For retail shipping, GOPD developed a program that converts the file format and uploads it to GOPD, which then downloads the file to the proper customer accounts, allowing The Office Boss to send a single invoice no matter when or how an order comes in.

The Office BOSS uses GOPD for its backend account management and e-commerce. “I know the software offers many marketing tools that we currently don’t use,” says Ridgel. “We are limited in what we use, but what we do use is very good.”

Service and support

“We know the people at GOPD by name and the people we talk to have been there a long time and are experienced,” continues Ridgel. “They are fast and responsive. If there’s an issue, we call and say we have a problem and they say, ‘Let’s fix it!’ We work together to find a solution within hours, not weeks or months.”

The bottom line

“I would 100% recommend GOPD,” concludes Ridgel. “We’d never go back to our previous supplier. GOPD is very affordable: two-thirds the price of our previous platform. The GOPD team is responsive and the system is flexible. It’s a win-win.”

SSI

Rangel Distributing, Kansas City, Kansas, was looking for software that offered more flexibility and functionality and was more cost-effective than the system it had been using since 1991. The company wanted a software provider that could handle the backend and the e-commerce frontend— especially one that could display commercial cost comparisons.

“We wanted to show our B2B pricing compared to Staples, Office Depot and Amazon,” says president Rick Rangel. “The hardest part for a small dealer is to get the mind share of the end user, to prove we can be cost competitive. We don’t have the advertising dollars the big companies do, so we have to work harder to drive home the fact that we can compete on price. Our previous software only allowed us to show our competitors’ retail pricing, which doesn’t matter a hill of beans, since we are strictly commercial.”

Rangel went on assessing various software options: “Over the years, the costs of the system we were on continued to go up and we were looking at all our operations for ways to cut expenses.” Then, a large customer asked if Rangel could do punchouts. “The software company we were with at the time could do punchouts but hadn’t done many. We were the first dealer in Kansas City to do them.”

One of the software companies on Rangel’s radar was SSI—and he liked what he saw. However, the number of companies requesting punchouts had continued to grow and at the time, SSI had limited experience with punchouts. “Then, about three or four years ago, we met John Evans, SSI’s owner, at a show, and he told us the company now had lots of dealers using punchouts that were working great. This is what we wanted to hear.” So, the company switched to SSI.

Today, an estimated 80 percent of Rangel Distributing’s business is electronic and 40 percent or more comes through punchouts. “We do all kinds of punchouts for different sectors, from manufacturing to healthcare to local governments,” Rangel elaborates. “They are usually for companies with 3,000-plus employees, since the customer’s ERP system has to be compatible and punchouts aren’t cheap.”

Favorite features

Rangel has never regretted the decision to move to SSI: “We are more than happy with the software and it’s a super-reasonable price. No software is perfect, but SSI offers the best combination of everything important to us. Switching was a no-brainer.”

Rangel Distributing uses SSI for both its frontend and backend. Appealing e-commerce features, in addition to its advanced punchout and price comparison capabilities, include a quick search display that allows customers to drill down to a product. “It is easier to narrow the search and provides a much better user experience than showing 400 items customers have to scroll through,” says Rangel. He also highlights SSI’s electronic data interchange functionality on the backend, especially the ability to send invoices electronically.

The system also allows Rangel Distributing to offer coupons, rebates

and a loyalty scheme. The company is equally pleased with SSI’s backend accounting program, which produces reports and “has all we need.”

Service and support

Rangel classifies SSI’s customer service and tech support as “phenomenal”: “We email and get a confirmation that the request was received and get a response within the hour. They make sure we get the answers we need. We have never been disappointed. Also, we can set up a meeting with any Fortune 1000 or 500 company and SSI’s IT people and have all the customers’ questions answered. That’s a strong point. It helps us compete by showing we have the same capabilities as Amazon and Staples.”

The bottom line

Would Rangel recommend SSI’s software to other dealers? “The software has great functionality without the high price tag,” he sums up. “It is very reasonable, even for customized programs, further solidifying that we made the right choice. Of course, like any software, it has its quirks; no system is perfect. Our biggest challenge was the learning curve, which there would be for any system we haven’t used before. And some dealers may prefer to stick with what they know. But for us, it’s been fantastic.”

liked the system’s functionality, data updates and service. However, when that company was purchased, Complete Office grew increasingly frustrated by the new owner’s lack of responsiveness.

“The last straw was when the data integration with our QuickBooks became so unwieldy that we knew we needed to switch from QuickBooks desktop to the online version, which was a massive undertaking,” says president Alan Bird. “We had planned to stay with our current supplier, but our QuickBooks was shut down and we couldn’t use it at all. Despite calls and emails, it was three weeks before the company even got back to us.”

So, on October 1, 2023, Complete Office made a soft switch of 25 key customers to Prima and fully adopted the new software by the end of the month. According to Bird, “It’s been great ever since.”

“Prima is the latest and greatest software with the features we need, and we like the ownership and staff,” he explains. “They are extremely quick to respond to our comments, whether

see how we can make it better.’”

Favorite features

Bird’s favorite feature of the Prima service is its responsiveness. “Close to that is the software’s ability to automate orders,” he continues. “With our previous software, our staff had to look at and process orders, transferring them to S.P. Richards every day, which meant employees had to stay until 5:00 pm to ensure the customer would get their orders the next day. The Prima system is set to transfer orders automatically. So, for example, on snow days, when employee safety is an issue, they can work from home or leave early and the orders will still get to S.P. Richards and customers will get their orders the next day.”

Bird suggests that perhaps the most significant associated benefit is time: “Automating the orders saves at least 50 percent, maybe more, in staff time. It gives our team far more flexibility and time to pursue client-focused activities and investigate new verticals.”

Complete Office also uses Prima for its e-commerce website. “It’s not me

had nothing but positive reviews. It also offers more flexibility in what we can do regarding marketing, like offering certain specials and hosting blogs.”

Service and support

The only real challenge Bird recalls during the switch to Prima concerned terminology: “Prima is a European-based company and sometimes the meaning of something would be interpreted differently in Europe versus America. That slowed the transition at the start, but it is not an issue now.”

And if there are any hiccups? “We send an email and don’t have to wait days or weeks to hear back. We get a phone call, not an email, within an hour or less. I can’t stress enough how committed Prima is to ensuring the client experience is a good one.”

The bottom line

“Prima has a doggone good product and the staff do their best to make sure we are happy,” concludes Bird. “I highly recommend the company and the software.”

LOGICBLOCK Cover Story

Toner Quest, Inc., New York, is big into punchouts—a system that allows customers to access, browse and purchase items without leaving their internal platform. In fact, director of sales and procurement Joshua Fried attributes much of the company’s annual “tens of millions of dollars” in sales to this ability to provide punchouts, which businesses with more than 20 locations most often use. He credits the creation of these seamlessly integrated sites to software provider Logicblock.

Favorite features

But the punchouts are just one of Toner Quest’s favorite Logicblock features. “On the frontend, the customers see the beautiful layout and graphics Logicblock creates for us right on their computers,” explains Fried. “Then they see a catalog that has been customized for them. Some companies set it up so their employees can see just the products pre-approved by the company and their pricing. Other clients allow all products to be shown, but items not on the approved list must

be requested to be added. Some companies also set up budgets that either can’t be exceeded or need to be approved if they exceed a certain dollar amount. The punchout works like a retail e-commerce site, where the customer puts a product into a cart and clicks. The order comes to us seamlessly through Logicblock’s system as if it were placed on our website.”

Logicblock’s reporting capabilities are another plus: “Customers can pull a history report at any time that shows them the user, the location and what was purchased, weekly or monthly, whenever they need it.”

Fried says Logicblock’s software integrates seamlessly with its enterprise resource planning software and other third-party programs: “Logicblock spits the order into our system to send an order confirmation and for things like order tracking, we use QuickBooks and Logicblock’s tools to make it much easier.”

Service and support Technical sophistication and a can-do

attitude feature high on Fried’s list of Logicblock benefits: “If we can dream it up, they can build it. I once asked for different colors for each address and the team told me they had never done it, but they could—and they did. I’ve been approached many times by other software manufacturers. I tell them what we currently have with Logicblock and even at 10 times the price, they don’t want to develop those capabilities. Logicblock is innovative and extremely receptive.”

And Logicblock is also budget sensitive. “We have an in-house designer,” says Fried. “We’d develop a design and create a PDF, and Logicblock would create it. If we’d hired a design company, it would have cost $40,000 to $50,000. With Logicblock, it cost us $6,000.”

The bottom line Fried would recommend Logicblock “a million percent” to other dealers: “I’m not talking to flatter; I’m talking realistically. We’ve met with other software companies and not one offers a system as robust as Logicblock.”

THALERUS GROUP Cover Story

United Business Supply, Cleveland, Ohio, was using a software program that was being discontinued and replaced with something that didn’t fit its business needs. The company started reviewing other options and after checking out six or seven different platforms, Thalerus Group emerged as the frontrunner.

“We were a much smaller dealer in 2016,” recalls CEO TJ Monachino. “Right out of the box, the Thalerus platform had most of what we needed—basic things like order takings, pricing and credit card facilities. We had five active users of the system. Since then, we have acquired 22 companies. We now have 20 locations, 140 employees and between 70 and 80 active system users. Now, we really stretch the system. It does our invoicing and pick tickets, separating them by company location. It does it all flawlessly with a click of a button.”

As United Business has continued to grow, so have its needs. “Thalerus has been great,” says Monachino. “Since our first meeting, the company has spent a lot of money investing in the platform, not creating patches but doing actual

upgrades. The system is very flexible. The platform is driven by dealers.”

Favorite

features

Monachino highlights the search capabilities as a major benefit for customers: “They can search for an item and the system gives them all those products that meet the criteria and pricing and tells them if we have them in stock.”

Customization is another key feature. “The companies we acquired still operate under their respective names,” Monachino explains. “The system will adjust to the right company based on the user login and take them to the branded website.”

United Business also does a lot of punchouts. “We have one that has 2,400 cost centers,” reports Monachino. “They all integrate seamlessly with the EDI system. We get the order into EDI and the system sends the invoice and packing slip; everything is done automatically.”

Monachino also likes how easy the system is to use: “Things like the furniture order entry and quote screens include a basic screen. It’s so easy to train people in an hour.”

Service and support

Meanwhile, Monachino suggests that Thalerus goes above and beyond for clients: “They are very willing to help us grow our business. Janitorial, safety and industrial are categories we had not had before, but they made the system work flawlessly. We contact them and say, ‘This is what we want to do and need.’ Sometimes they will do it for free—especially if they realize other dealers may want it.”

However, they also understand that one piece of software doesn’t work for everyone. Monachino cites an example of a recently requested enhancement: “Before, when we wanted to update a customer list with a new item, we had to create a whole new list. Now, they’ve made it so the list can just be edited.”

And as for the cost? “Very reasonable! When another dealer comes onboard, they almost always realize savings.”

Bottom line

“I would definitely recommend the platform,” concludes Monachino. “The more dealers the better, and the Thalerus team are really good at what they do.”

AI WORKFLOW SOLUTION VETTING: ROI OR BUST

We’ve all seen it. Some flashy AI solution promises to revolutionize your sales, clean up your data and maybe even make your morning coffee. But when the price tag shows up—$10,000, $20,000 or more—the excitement fades fast. Why? Because no one’s talking about return on investment (ROI) in a way that actually helps you decide if the investment’s worth it.

Let’s fix that. When you’re looking at AI to streamline workflows, like cleaning up your customer relationship management (CRM) data

or automating customer onboarding, the question you should always ask is: “What’s the return compared to how we’re doing things today?” Spoiler alert. Some solutions will blow your mind with their ROI. Others? Not worth the spend, no matter how cool they sound.

Here’s a simple model to break it down, with an example you can copy for your next AI evaluation. This way, you’re not flying blind when it comes to making a decision that could impact your bottom line.

The ROI recipe: three steps to make the case (or kill it)

• Understand the cost: This includes both upfront setup and ongoing expenses. Be sure to factor in hidden costs like training, maintenance and potential downtime.

• Quantify the gains: Look at time saved, revenue boosted, errors avoided— anything that hits the bottom line. Don’t forget to include intangible benefits like improved customer satisfaction or employee morale.

• Run the math: Compare the investment to the value

created. If the returns don’t make you smile, move on. If they do, you’ve got a winner.

The goal here is clarity. When you understand the real numbers, you can make decisions with confidence rather than gut instinct.

Real-world example: AI for CRM data cleansing

Imagine you’re running a sales team of five reps. Your CRM’s a mess: outdated contacts, duplicate records, missing info. The team wastes hours chasing dead leads and sorting spreadsheets. An AI

West McDonald, founder of GoWest.

ai, is a recognized expert in AI solutions, with extensive experience across various technology sectors. His work focuses on generative AI applications and strategies for maximizing recurring revenue, guiding businesses toward innovative growth. West is dedicated to fostering a culture of learning and excellence through AI-driven innovation.

orchestrator promises to fix it, but it will cost you $10,000 upfront, plus $500 per month.

So, is it worth it?

Let’s break it down.

One-year ROI: when do you break even?

Costs:

• $10,000 upfront AI orchestration setup.

• $500 per month ongoing = $6,000 per year

• Total Year 1 cost = $16,000

Efficiency gains:

• Each rep currently targets $800,000 in annual sales.

• AI-driven clean data boosts efficiency by 5% to 10%.

• Even a modest 5% bump means $40,000 more sales per rep.

• Across five reps: $40,000 x 5 = $200,000 additional revenue.

Breakeven point

At a $16,000 total cost and $200,000 in gains, breakeven happens fast. In the first month of efficiency gains, one closed deal from better targeting could cover the cost.

One-year ROI calculation

• $200,000 gain minus $16,000 cost = $184,000 net benefit.

• ROI = ($184,000 / $16,000) x 100 = 1150% ROI after 12 months.

Everything after that?

Pure gravy. Once you’ve hit breakeven, the ongoing returns stack up without additional heavy lifting.

Beyond the numbers: what else improves? ROI is great, but there’s more under the hood:

• Faster sales cycles: Reps chase the right leads, not stale ones.

West McDonald

When to walk away

• Better customer experience: Updated contacts mean fewer awkward “Who?” moments.

• Smarter forecasting: Clean data drives accurate pipelines.

• Ongoing data hygiene: AI keeps your CRM sharp, month after month.

• Improved team morale: Nobody likes working with outdated systems and bad data. When workflows get smoother, job satisfaction rises.

These qualitative benefits may not show up immediately in your balance sheet, but they create long-term business health.

What if the ROI doesn’t pencil out? Easy: walk. Some AI tools won’t hit the numbers, especially if your current workflow isn’t as inefficient as you thought. That’s the beauty of running the math. You’ll know when to greenlight a project and when to say, “Cool demo, but we’ll pass.”

Here’s an example of a “pass” scenario. Imagine you’re considering an AI chatbot for your website to handle customer questions. The platform costs $200 per month, plus $5,000 to build and deploy. Seems manageable, right? But let’s do the math.

Costs

• $5,000 development cost.

• $200 per month ongoing = $2,400 per year.

• Total Year 1 cost: $7,400.

West McDonald

Projected gains

Let’s say the chatbot saves your team 20 hours per month of answering FAQs. If your average support rep earns $25 per hour, that’s $500 per month saved, or $6,000 per year.

Breakeven point

At $7,400 in total Year 1 costs and $6,000 in savings, you’re still $1,400 in the red after 12 months. Breakeven wouldn’t hit until well into Year 2. That’s assuming nothing breaks, adoption stays high and chatbot performance is flawless.

The verdict

Unless you’re drowning in support requests, this chatbot’s ROI just doesn’t stack up. The takeaway? Low cost doesn’t always

mean high value. Run the numbers, stay objective and don’t fall for the flash.

In fact, it’s worth asking if the problem you’re solving is significant enough to warrant an AI solution in the first place. Sometimes, tightening up existing workflows without tech can yield better results.

Final takeaway: ROI or bust

Next time you’re pitched an AI solution, skip the hype and run the numbers. Get clear on the costs, forecast the gains and see if the ROI delivers. If it does, go for it. If not, hold your budget for something that will.

But there’s more to smart AI adoption than just ROI calculations. Every AI project should move through

clear stages, each acting as a gatekeeper to determine if the solution deserves further investment:

• Feasibility and ROI: Start with the basics. Can the AI solution realistically solve your problem? Is the potential ROI compelling enough to move forward? If not, kill the project early and save resources.

• Proof of concept: If the ROI looks good, don’t jump straight into full deployment. Run a small-scale proof of concept. This stage should prove the technology works in your environment and delivers measurable value. If it doesn’t, pull the plug.

• Final rollout: Only after a successful POC should you invest in full implementation. At this

stage, ROI should no longer be theoretical—it should be backed by real-world results.

Each gate is an opportunity to reassess. If the AI solution doesn’t hit expectations at any stage, walk away. No hard feelings; no sunk-cost fallacy. Remember, ROI isn’t just about dollars and cents. It’s about smarter operations, happier teams and a business that runs like a well-oiled machine. The right AI solution should deliver all that and more.

Need help building your next AI ROI case or navigating the feasibility-to-rollout process? Let’s talk. It’s easier than you think, and it will save you a world of guesswork and expense.

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Tom Buxton

“WE MATCH OR BEAT ANY PRICE!”

In addition to serving as national sales manager for AOPD, Tom Buxton, founder and CEO of the InterBizGroup consulting organization, works with independent office products dealers to help increase sales and profitability. Tom is also the author of a book on effective business development, Dating the Gatekeeper. For more information, visit www.interbiz group.com.

This message was displayed on the side of a store in Denver a few years ago. That company went bankrupt within two years of opening. There is a television show called The Office that I can barely stand to watch. My aversion to it is not because it is poorly written; rather, it reminds me too much of some businesses I have tried to help become solvent. There are embarrassments and cringe moments in every episode, and since I am regularly involved in those types of incidents with clients, I’ve decided to spend my free time doing other things.

However, there is one storyline from the show that intrigued me too much not to watch. These episodes chronicle the appearance and disappearance of The Michael Scott

Paper Company. In case you haven’t seen it, the protagonist, Michael, becomes frustrated with the Dunder Mifflin Paper Company and decides to start his own company headquartered in a broom closet in the same building.

He takes a few of his minions with him and they go after Dunder Mifflin’s business by significantly cutting prices. His company takes account after account from Dunder Mifflin—to the point where upper management begin to notice. At first, they try to compete, but The Michael Scott Paper Company is selling things too cheaply to match the price. After a while, Dunder Mifflin decides that it can’t beat Michael Scott’s company and must purchase it to stop its own business from being devastated. At the same

time, Michael’s accountant tells his team that they will run out of money in just a few weeks, because they are selling their products at prices that don’t cover their expenses.

From this point on, Michael Scott and the executives from Dunder Mifflin engage in a “negotiating dance” that is hysterical to watch—as long as your company doesn’t have some of the same issues as Michael Scott’s. I highly recommend you watch the last episode of this collection; it is very instructive and will encourage you not to let your company’s profitability be controlled by your sales team.

It seems that today more than ever, sales reps are complaining that they need to cut prices to be competitive. Is there truth to the complaint that your prices

are higher than those of “the boxes”? Sometimes yes and sometimes no; but how often are you hearing complaints when your prices are lower? What about when your prices are higher, but the customer decides to buy from you anyway? The “boxes” buy better than you ever will. So, if you plan to match or beat every price, be prepared to go out of business quickly.

Last month’s column explained the lost art of using custom contracts to stay competitive for the few emotive items that most customers care about. Usually, these types of contracts include things like copy paper, toner and possibly some pens or labels. Individual contracts ensure that your company is competitive on the most emotive items, but you must have higher margin pricing

Tom Buxton

plans installed behind the custom contract.

A cost-up or list-off pricing scheme will not ensure that you actually make a profit on the accounts that your sales representatives have brought in. Some items need to be more competitively priced and other less emotive items need to have margins above 50 percent in order for the overall sales mix to make your company money.

Right now, if your company is stockless, except for a few items like copy paper, overall margins of 30 percent-plus are achievable if you work at it. Stocking dealers can make, dare I say it, 32 to 40 percent (including backend) if they price correctly. But to make this sort of money, you will need to use variable cost-up pricing models and matrices; and you can’t let your reps or customer service tell you that it is not okay to make 50 percent-plus on some items.

By now, you might be figuring out that I have an angle in this column. My company helps dealers create and maintain matrices. We adjust them for clients every month, and we provide higher and lower price level versions so that dealers can adjust their profitability upward when prudent.

I am sure you are aware that there are other

sources of matrices. The wholesalers created some long ago, so ask them how these work and if they can provide coaching on how to use them. But above all, do something now to improve your overall profitability. Matching our big competitors will only drag your company down, so stop listening to your sales reps claiming, “The only reason they buy from us is because they like me, but if we don’t cut their prices they will leave.”

There is no logic or value to that sort of statement or point of view; and if you continue listening to the whining, your company will end up in the

same place as The Michael Scott Paper Company. I like sales reps a bunch (and I am one), but when the “inmates run the asylum,” your company’s next stop will be misery.

Feel free to call or email me if you want to discuss any of these ideas in more depth. I promise that I will do my best to help you grow your profitability quickly, but not because I need more business. Rather, I care deeply that our dealers succeed and there are too many leaving the industry at this moment. Also, I promise that I won’t talk about our services unless you request more information.

Marisa Pensa

FROM FIRST APPOINTMENT TO FIRST ORDER:

Marisa Pensa is founder of Methods in Motion, a sales training company that helps dealers execute training concepts and create accountability to see both inside and outside sales initiatives through to success. For more information, please visit www.methodsnmotion. com.

CONVERTING OPPORTUNITIES INTO CUSTOMERS

Imagine this: you’re baking sourdough bread. You’ve carefully mixed the ingredients, shaped the dough and placed it in the oven, expecting a perfect loaf. But when you pull it out, it’s flat and dense. What went wrong?

The answer: you rushed the process.

Sourdough isn’t like a quick batch of cookies—you can’t just throw everything together and expect instant results. It needs time to rest, rise and develop before it’s ready.

Sales works the same way. Too often, sales professionals treat a great first appointment as if it should immediately lead to a sale. They overload prospects with too much information, assume the initial excitement means commitment and then simply “follow up,” hoping for an order. But just like great bread, great sales require nurturing, patience and the right timing at every stage. So, how do you make sure

your sales conversations rise instead of falling flat?

Let’s break this down step by step.

Step 1: Mixing the ingredients (following up after the first appointment)

The first in-depth appointment—whether in person, on the phone or virtual—is where the foundation is set, just like mixing the dough. The magic happens in the follow-up. This is where we blend the right ingredients and drip-market what else your dealership can do across all categories.

People will remember what they said, not what you said.

Remind them what they said. Recapping the conversation and what you’ve heard from them is key.

Example follow-up:

“When we met/spoke on [date], you mentioned a couple of things that really stood out to me, and I wanted to verify I heard you correctly.

You had said [customer pain point or need], and what we do differently is [specific solution]. Did I hear you right?”

This ensures they feel heard, reminds them of your value and keeps the conversation progressing— without just “checking in” or “following up.”

Step 2: Let it rest and rise (strategic follow-ups)

A critical mistake in sales is thinking that once you’ve presented your solution, your job is done. In reality, you need to let the conversation breathe—but not go stale.

Like sourdough, this is where the magic happens.

The key here is dripping in new value at every touchpoint. Each interaction should reinforce what makes you different and keep the conversation moving forward.

Drip in new value:

“By the way, we deliver using our own employees and uniformed drivers. They get to

know the layout of your office and do the heavy lifting for you to take boxes where they’re needed. Where are deliveries dropped off right now?”

** If you don’t have this advantage and use other third-party shipping or drop shipping, adjust this to highlight your unique benefits. The key is to highlight a new benefit or even a feature of your website.

Either way, this is far better than checking in or just following up on an order.

Step 3: The stretch and fold (rebuilding value over time) In sourdough making, the dough is stretched and folded periodically to develop its structure. Similarly, in sales, you should revisit the customer’s needs and explain how your dealership can help.

A great way to keep engagement high is by adding fresh value—reminding them of services they may have

overlooked or making their experience even easier.

Example script:

“I was looking at the website login we set up for you and was reminded you probably don’t have your full favorites list on our website. I want to make sure we have the exact products you order already set up to make ordering easy. Would you like [name] from my team and me to help duplicate your favorites list and save you a step?”

[If the answer is no …]

“Perfectly fine! Keep in mind that’s the type of legwork we’re happy to do to help our customers. You probably don’t get that from [competitor] and it’s truly the type of service that sets us apart.”

This isn’t just a check-in— it’s a tangible way to prove your value and make the customer’s life easier.

Step 4: The final bake (closing the deal)

A well-nurtured conversation leads to a natural close. But even here, the approach should be customer-centric, not transactional.

Asking for the order (without sounding pushy):

“When we spoke [last week/X date], you had mentioned you would probably place your next order around X time. One item you mentioned you order frequently is ___________________. Just curious—how many do you like to keep in stock? How many do you have now?

I’d be happy to go ahead and process more of those personally for you, so you don’t run out. Would you like me to do that and help cross something off your list?”

[If the answer is no …]

“Understood. Are you still planning to order with me when you do need to order again?”

This keeps the conversation open without forcing the close.

Take the challenge: The “sourdough sales plan”

Pick one customer or prospect you recently had a first appointment with. Instead of a generic follow-up, map out three strategic touchpoints:

• Reinforce value: What’s one small but meaningful

insight you can share to remind them why they engaged in the first place?

• Add a new layer: What’s a purposeful reason for or benefit of working with you they haven’t fully realized yet?

• Check for readiness: What’s the best way to bring them toward a confident buying decision?

Test this with just one prospect this week and see how much stronger the conversation becomes.

Great bread, like great sales, takes patience, skill and the right process. Master that process and you won’t just close more deals—you’ll build lasting customer relationships that rise over time.

LINKEDIN ADS:

A NO-NONSENSE GUIDE TO GROWING YOUR BUSINESS

Let’s cut to the chase: LinkedIn ads are a gamechanger for businesses in this industry. But with so many options out there, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. You don’t need a PhD to make LinkedIn ads work for you— you just need the right strategy. This guide breaks it all down, so you can start seeing real results without the fluff.

Why LinkedIn ads?

LinkedIn isn’t just another social media platform. It’s where professionals go to network, learn and make decisions. With over 830 million users, it’s a goldmine for reaching the people who matter most to your business—whether they’re facility managers, procurement specialists or office designers.

The best part? LinkedIn ads are designed for businesses like yours. They’re targeted, professional and measurable. Let’s dive into the ad formats that can help you get ahead.

Sponsored Content: the attention-grabber

Sponsored Content is your go-to for getting noticed. It appears right in your audience’s LinkedIn feed, just like a regular post. It can include images, videos or even documents.

Why it works:

• It feels natural, not pushy.

• You can showcase your expertise or highlight new products.

• LinkedIn’s targeting lets you reach the exact audience you want.

Example: If you’ve got a new ergonomic chair, create a Sponsored Content post showing how it improves posture and productivity. Pair it with a headline like: “Tired of aching backs at work? We’ve got the solution.”

Text Ads: simple and effective

Text Ads are small, straightforward ads that appear on the side or top of the LinkedIn desktop page. They include a headline, a short description and a small image.

Why they work:

• They’re budget-friendly and easy to set up.

• They help drive traffic to your website or landing pages.

• They’re great for promoting free

consultations, guides or special offers.

Example: Use a Text Ad to promote a free workplace assessment or downloadable resource.

Message Ads: personalized outreach Message Ads (formerly Sponsored InMail) are direct messages that land in your audience’s LinkedIn inbox. The best part? You don’t need to be connected to the recipient to send the message. Why they work:

• They have a high open rate (around 45 percent).

• You can personalize the message with the recipient’s name, job title or company.

• They’re perfect for invites

Mara Gannon is the content marketing manager for Fortune Web Marketing. She has been writing professionally for over ten years. When not writing, Mara likes the beach, her family, her two cats, punk rock music and Japanese food.

to webinars, demos or exclusive events.

Example: Send a Message Ad inviting procurement managers to an exclusive product demo.

Dynamic Ads: tailored to the individual Dynamic Ads automatically personalize themselves based on the viewer’s LinkedIn profile. They might include the recipient’s name, job title or company logo. Why they work:

• They grab attention because they feel personal.

• They’re great for promoting job openings, products or special offers.

• They build trust by feeling authentic, not salesy.

Example: Use a Dynamic Ad

Video Ads: show, don’t tell Video Ads bring your products and services to life. They appear in the LinkedIn feed and can include product demos, customer testimonials or behind-the-scenes content.

Why they work:

• They’re engaging and hold attention better than static ads.

• They are perfect for explaining how your solutions solve real-world problems.

• They build trust by showing your products in action.

Why LinkedIn ads are worth it

LinkedIn ads are a natural fit for businesses in the workplace solutions industry. They allow you to reach decision-makers on a platform designed for professionals. Plus, LinkedIn provides detailed analytics, so you can measure your results and refine your strategy over time.

Getting

started

to promote a special discount to procurement managers at specific companies.

Lead Gen Forms: effortless lead capture LinkedIn’s Lead Gen Forms are pre-filled from LinkedIn profile information, so nothing needs to be typed in.

Why they work:

• They’re easy for users to complete, so you get more leads.

• They deliver high-quality, accurate data.

• They can be integrated with customer relationship management and email marketing tools for easy follow-up.

Example: Use a Lead Gen Form to offer a free consultation or downloadable guide.

Example: Create a video showing how your office furniture transforms a cluttered workspace into a sleek, ergonomic, organized environment.

Carousel Ads: showcase multiple products

Carousel Ads let you feature up to 10 images or cards in a single ad. Users can swipe through to see different products, features or benefits.

Why they work:

• They are interactive and encourage engagement.

• They’re great for product launches or showcasing a range of solutions.

• They can tell a story or highlight multiple features in one ad.

Example: Use a Carousel Ad to showcase different types of office furniture, from desks and seating to storage solutions.

Whether you’re looking to generate leads, showcase your products or build relationships with decision-makers, there’s a LinkedIn ad format that’s perfect for your needs. With a little creativity and a clear understanding of your audience, you can create LinkedIn ads that deliver real results for your business.

Ready to give LinkedIn ads a try?

Here’s how to get started:

• Define your goal: Are you looking to generate leads, drive website traffic or build brand awareness?

• Know your audience: Use LinkedIn’s targeting options to reach the right people based on their job title, industry or company size.

• Start small: Begin with a small budget to test different formats and see what works best.

• Track your results: Use LinkedIn’s analytics to measure your success and optimize your campaigns.

Troy Harrison

Troy Harrison is the Sales Navigator and the author of Sell Like You Mean It and The Pocket Sales Manager. He helps companies navigate the elements of sales on their journey to success. He offers a free 45-minute sales strategy review. To schedule, call 913-645-3603 or email troy@ troyharrison.com.

HOW TO CHANGE SALES BEHAVIORS

I’ve said before in this space that sales managers earn their money by developing and improving the performance of their salespeople through a process that I call profitable behavior change. In this case, “profitable” means that the company and the salespeople make more money from the change. “Behavior” refers to the way in which they handle every part of their job; usually, we focus on external, customer-facing behaviors, but sometimes you need to

improve internal behaviors and relationships with co-workers. And we all know what “change” means.

Whether you have a team of low performers, high performers or a mix of the two, your job is to help those people perform better—at least to the best of their abilities to do so. I’m not a fan of high turnover. It’s damaging to your company culture, your sales team’s morale, your customer relationships and, frankly, your own mindset. Sometimes you do have to

fire someone, but I like to feel that I can look myself in the mirror and comfortably say that I’ve done everything I could to help someone succeed before I fire them. That’s where the process of profitable behavior change comes in.

Profitable behavior change involves three steps: training, coaching and accountability. Entirely too many managers (or owners) skip the first two steps and go straight to accountability. We hire someone, they don’t get results, we dictate and

then we fire them. That’s lame, it’s unfair and it’s unprofitable. Let’s take a look at these three steps in a little more detail.

Training is the structured transfer of knowledge in a teaching environment. Essentially, training is built around the idea that there are certain things we want our salespeople (or employees in general) to know, so we are going to create a structured method of teaching them these things. The knowledge could be about sales process,

Troy Harrison

sales methodology, the company’s products or services, company culture, business processes or any other knowledge they need in order to do the job correctly.

What distinguishes training from coaching is its planned nature and objectives. Training creates a baseline of knowledge, skills, tools and techniques that you expect your people to know and implement. It lays out how you want business to be done and how you want your

customers to be treated. It’s not a step to be skipped or cut short. Training should begin during the 90-day onboarding period after you hire a new salesperson. When should it stop?

NEVER. Ongoing training reinforces and refreshes what’s been taught before, and should also advance and build on the skills baseline with new skills and techniques.

Sales training isn’t a one-time cure-all for what ails your sales team (I probably shouldn’t say that, since sales training is a big part of my business; but there it is).

Sales training is an excellent way to build the skills of your team, but it loses much of its effectiveness if it’s not continually reinforced and refreshed by management. Whatever sales training program you choose, it should be part of your sales culture and language, and it should be consistently updated to keep pace with changing buyer preferences and expectations (and the pace of that change is at an all-time high right now). What’s “tried and true” might be tried, but it might not necessarily still be true today.

Coaching also involves the transfer of knowledge, but it’s far less structured. Coaching—done properly— is an ongoing process of skills improvement that has no fixed beginning, no fixed end and no pre-set curriculum. Coaching involves observing your

salesperson’s behavior in a real-life selling environment (e.g., a ride-along for face-to-face sales calls or a listen-in for phone or video sales calls), finding opportunities to improve the way that customers react to their selling and then helping them build their skills in whatever areas of selling you observe.

The biggest mistake that sales managers make when they attempt to coach is taking over the sales call and attempting to make the sale for the rep, instead of shutting up and letting the rep fail if necessary. I know—that’s hard. In fact, it was the most difficult thing I ever had to do as a sales manager. It’s excruciating to watch a sales call go wrong when you know exactly how to fix it. The thing to remember is that your job is to improve the rep’s skills on every call they make, and if you step in and sell, you’re only helping them on this one call. You can’t always be there.

The second-biggest mistake is to dictate instead of persuade. Coaching isn’t a dictatorial process of “You must do this”; rather, it’s a persuasive process of “If you do this, here’s how you’ll benefit.” Use your selling skills in coaching— remembering that you’re trying to sell your rep on a new course of action.

The final method of profitable behavior change is the least fun: accountability. Now, you’re

no longer persuading. “Holding people accountable” means that you are acknowledging that they are deficient in some phase of their job, that you won’t accept that deficiency and that they must correct it. This could be activity based (maybe they aren’t hitting their activity numbers); it could be skills based (perhaps they refuse to implement a critical sales skill, despite having been trained and coached on it); or perhaps they are not treating co-workers well.

Now you have to say, “Do this, or else these consequences could come to you.” That doesn’t have to mean termination; it could mean losing territory or customers, entering a probationary period or other smaller, short-term measures. One thing to remember is this: in relation to all but the most extreme behavioral problems (e.g., lying to customers, maltreatment of co-workers), you don’t have the standing to hold someone accountable over a behavior unless you’ve trained them and coached them on it already. At some point, if they simply refuse to succeed, yes, you have to terminate them—but it’s a progressive process.

Profitable behavior change is possible; it’s enjoyable; and it’s the best way to build your team’s results. Remember and implement the three steps and you’ll be fine.