Independent Dealer May 2023

INDEPENDENT DEALER

the official publication of WSA

Editorial Ch-ch-ch changes…

There has been a lot of talk recently about change. Change in the way people work; change in the hours people work; and change in where people work.

One of the things that was talked about at the recent AOPD meeting in Phoenix is how the IDC is well positioned to take advantage of these changes and far better equipped to react, pivot and seize new opportunities than the Big Boxes—and many of the stories told in Arizona confirmed this.

The message is that while Staples and Depot have always struggled to compete with the IDC on the service levels they provide, post pandemic this difference has become even more palpable. As businesses find their way back to the workplace in whatever new way they deem necessary, they appreciate a partner that is a little more responsive and ready to go that extra yard to help out; and they are willing to pay a little more to receive such service.

Rowan McIntyre, editor and publisher rowan@idealercentral.com

There’s also change afoot in the IDC, with our trade body IOPFDA rebranding and expanding its mission under the Workplace Solutions Association (WSA) banner. We are proud to continue as their official publication and you can read more about the changes on pages 24, 36 and 38

There’s also the news that Mike Gentile is to step down as president and CEO of Independent Suppliers Group (ISG) at the end of the year (see page 22). Mike has worked tirelessly for the IDC over the last 20 years at ISG and has always been helpful to this magazine. I wish him all the best in his future endeavors.

Complete Office Supply: 35 years and counting

In 1988, when Tony Bird grew tired of driving 40,000 to 50,000 miles a year as a manufacturer’s rep, he decided it was time to open his own office supply dealership. Encouragement came from what many people might consider an odd source: a competitor.

“Sam Greenburg owned an office supply dealership in another part of town,” Alan Bird, president of Complete Office Supply, Indianapolis, Indiana, explains. “He told my dad if he ever wanted to open his own office products business, he would help him write a business plan.”

So, using what little money he had, soliciting some additional funds from family members, and with Greenburg’s help developing a business plan, Alan’s father secured a bank loan and opened Complete Office Supply. He soon had a client list built from scratch, and he and Greenburg would help one another, including sharing costs where they could. “Back then, all the sales flyers had to be made by hand, so one month my father would do it,

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the next month Sam would. They would use the same flyer and just change the headline.” Tony also had the help and support of his family, including his wife, Roni; daughter Angie, who worked at the store when it first opened while going to law school; and son Alan.

According to Alan, S.P. Richards and its marketing also helped the company get off to a good start. In fact, just four years after opening its doors, Complete Office hit $1 million in sales. The following year, sales soared to $2 million and, five years later, they passed the $3.5 million threshold. Today, 35 years later, the second-generation family business “has crossed the $5 million mark and is rapidly approaching $10 million,” Alans says. “We are squarely in growth mode.”

Several factors have contributed to the family business’s success. “In the late 1990s, I went back to school for interior design so we could add furniture to our business and grow that sector,” Alans says. “Since then, in addition to furniture, we have added fringe items, such as sound masking and architectural products; we do complete architectural drawings, so we are more of a design house as well. The supply side is a soft category, so we always look for other things to expand the business.”

Another new addition is voice over internet phone (VOIP) systems. “We talked to a VOIP vendor and now sell VOIP systems,” explains Alan. “We get a commission, and it is another service we can offer our customers. We are looking for more ways to leverage our supply relationships by offering affiliate programs that create opportunities to generate cash without adding more people. It’s about scalability. I see us continuing to grow strategically and adding additional categories.”

The company already has its eye on some of these new categories. “The office is different to 20 years

ago,” Alan says. “Now, companies are focusing on employees. I see us taking advantage of this trend where margins are exceptional. We are partnering with a high-end chocolatier and branding that product, and we are looking into partnering with a high-end coffee roaster.”

Sustainability is another area that Alan believes is both important and good for business: “I am LEED-certified [U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification]. I believe in designing sustainable, energy-efficient buildings and sustainable sourcing. Where we are located, we can buy and sell product in a 250-mile radius and reach every part of the state.”

Yet not all of Complete Office’s growth has been purely organic.

“Our first acquisition was another supply dealer in 2017,” recalls Alan. “Our second was in July of 2019; and in 2020 we acquired a company

to expand our furniture offerings. Generally, it takes about two years for the dust to settle for us to start looking around, and we are at that point now where an acquisition in our future is very possible.”

Alan believes Amazon is a force for office supply dealers to reckon with but is more positive about the online giant than many. “Amazon has definitely changed the market, and change is good,” he says. “In 1988, there were no superstores. In 1989, a superstore opened up across the street from us. It didn’t survive, but within six months, Office Depot opened up down the road from us. So, we are early students of change and have learned to adapt.

Amazon impacted our sales, but we are looking for ways to embrace it. We are studying its model and finding out who the Amazon resellers are and more about them. This includes looking at what categories our customers buy from Amazon, so we can move into other

Tony and Roni Bird in 2022

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categories or find other clients. I want our team to understand that there is more than one way to solve the issue.” Sometimes, all it takes is time and the right attitude. “When customers leave us to buy from Amazon, we never burn bridges,” continues Alan. “I remember we had one long-term client with 13 employees when it started with us, and now it has over 1,000. The company

decided to break from us two days before Christmas. We wished the buyer a merry Christmas and said to let us know if we could help with the transition in any way. We stayed in touch, and the company would buy an item here or there from us, until one day we got all its business back.”

While Complete Office’s first 35 years of success have been mainly

due to strategic product expansion and acquisition, Alan is counting on lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic to see the company through the next 35 years.

“The pandemic made me realize it was time to restructure and reset from a business sustainability standpoint,” he says. “The 18 months of uncertainty created enormous stress

Alan Bird (l) and Jon Roemke of S.P. Richards

for everybody. At times I thought it was going to kill me and everyone. If employees want to retire, they should not have to worry about the company; and coworkers should not worry about what might happen to the company when someone retires. I realized I had to fix this. I had to reduce the stress.”

Alan made a plan. He discussed his proposed actions with colleagues in

his networking group, but the idea met with skepticism. However, he decided to go forward with the new open-book management style. “We created more layers in the company and provided more training,” he explains. “We added accountability and responsibility, and I shared the financials with everyone in the company. Everyone knows and shares in the expenses and profitability. We’ve tied it to an incentive program where everyone in the company gets a share of the profits, and we pay it out quarterly.”

The plan has been incredibly successful, Alan says, providing an example: “Before, we’d tell our drivers that they needed to have the truck loaded and be out of the warehouse by 8 a.m. But if a route finished too soon, that could kill the driver’s paycheck.

Now, we say we need the products to be delivered on time for the company to make money; and if we all do our part, we all make money. Now the drivers know if they forget packages and must make a second delivery, there is a cost associated with it—and they know what that cost is. Everyone knows we have three goals: sales, profitability, and keeping expenses low. So now when we talk about things like repeat deliveries, it has a whole different meaning.”

Alan is confident that the immediate and long-term future looks bright for Complete Office Supply: “Overall, the team is stronger today than it’s ever been. We are positioned nicely for the next 35 years and will be a dominant player in office products and furniture in Indiana.”

A-Z Office Resource Expands with Mergers in Memphis and Huntsville

A-Z Office Resource, Antioch, Tennessee, has acquired Otter’s Office Supply, Memphis, Tennessee, and Wilson’s Office Supply, Huntsville, Alabama. The merger brings together three family-owned businesses that have been serving the office supply needs of their respective communities for many years: Wilson’s was founded in 1989 and Otter’s opened in 1977. With both companies assuming the A-Z Office Resources name, Otter’s staff will continue to work out of Memphis, and members of Wilson’s staff will remain in Huntsville.

“We are thrilled to join forces with Otter’s and Wilson’s,” says Tiffany Cooper, A-Z Office Resource vice-president of mergers and acquisitions. “This merger

will give us all the opportunity to provide our combined customers with a larger selection of competitively priced products while keeping the spirit of a family business at the forefront.

“When two long-standing local companies like Otter’s and Wilson’s merge with us, it’s not just a union of businesses, but a coming together of legacies, values and shared aspirations for a strong and resilient future for the independent dealer community. It’s especially important to us to keep local businesses operating locally to support the community and families. It’s not just how we go to market but also our mission to maintain a local independent dealer presence in every market we touch.”

After meeting with A-Z executives, Richard Wilson, president of Wilson’s, knew the companies would be a great fit: “The Huntsville community has been so good to us, and this merger will let us continue to offer Wilson’s customers even broader personal service.”

President of Otter’s Office Supply David Otter expressed similar sentiments: “We are proud to join the A-Z family. We have been serving the Mid-South area for over 50 years. A-Z’s commitment to customer service aligns with our values, and we are excited that our combined resources will continue to ensure a robust independent choice for our customers.”

A-Z Office Resource was founded in 1985 when Butch and Julia West purchased Greene Office Supplies in Columbia, Tennessee. With customers nationwide, A-Z primarily services Tennessee, Southwest Virginia, Southern Kentucky and Northern Alabama.

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Winner’s Circle

Strive Workplace Solutions

Sponsors Coffee Connect

Strive Workplace Solutions has sponsored the Nampa Chamber of Commerce Coffee Connect. The event, held March 28 at the Nampa Chamber Office, brought area leaders together to share information and insights about their businesses. Strive provided the coffee and refreshments, along with much-appreciated product samples.

“Networking is a great way to grow your business,” says Jeff Lurcook, Strive president. “These types of events connect businesses, leaders, decision-makers and the community to support local, family-owned and independent businesses,—such as Strive Workplace

Solutions, not to mention they are a lot of fun.”

Since 1892, Nampa chamber members have gotten together, creating a business family to collectively further business goals, gain a voice and build community.

Blaisdell’s Sponsors BANANAS UnPeeled and CEI Party

Blaisdell’s Business Products, Richmond, California, donated $2,500 to BANANAS in Oakland, California, to sponsor the nonprofit’s annual UnPeeled event, which took place April 22 at Children’s Fairyland in Oakland. More than 250 attendees enjoyed the lineup for the free event, which featured Emily Butterfly, Grandpa Clyde, BANANAS Youth Club Book Reading and more. This marked the fourth year Blaisdell’s has sponsored the event.

BANANAS, Inc is a childcare resource and referral agency helping parents to find the right childcare for their children. The agency started as an all-volunteer service in 1973. BANANAS is also an alternative payment program, receiving state and federal grant money for childcare subsidies so that low-income families can find quality childcare for their children to enable them to work or attend school.

“Blaisdell’s was happy and proud to donate $2,500 to BANANAS in Oakland,” says Michael Witt, president of Blaisdell’s. “BANANAS does so much for the community and the youth in Oakland. Nonprofits like BANANAS need all the help they can get, as it truly trickles down to the people in need! It

is a great nonprofit with great people helping where they can.”

In separate news, Blaisdell’s contributed $1,500 to support and sponsor the Center for Elders’ Independence (CEI) annual PACE Party held May 4. This year’s event,

Creating the Future, was held at Uptown Station in downtown Oakland to celebrate CEI’s plans for new locations, services, partnerships, and community ties. All proceeds benefited CEI’s programs and emergency assistance for seniors in the community.

The Office Boss hosts eighth annual pARTicipate

The Office Boss, Truckee, California, hosted its eighth annual amateur pARTicipate art contest on April 13. This year’s theme, “Aqua: The Way of Water”, attracted 42 submissions, including 12 in the children’s category (10 years and under), six in the teens (11-15), and 24 in the adult (16 and over).

“We are pleased to have received submissions from a wide range of ages,” says Carrie Ridgel, owner of The Office Boss. “Our youngest participant is four. Every school level is represented—elementary, middle and high school. We have new artists; artists trying new media; artists returning after a long hiatus; and artists who discovered their talents while navigating COVID-19 challenges.”

According to Nathan Gamett, The Office Boss print services manager who coordinated the event, the entries included various media: oils, watercolors, wrapped wire sculpture, photographs, mixed media, colored pencil and markers, to name a few. The only criterion was the art had to be a

maximum of 24 inches by 36 inches.

“The contest is designed to encourage and inspire new artists to get out there and express their art and show what they can do,” Gamett says. “The art community is such a big thing in Truckee. We want to help these new artists become part of it.”

Butler becomes a Silver sponsor

Butler Business Products, Katy, Texas, has become a Silver sponsor of the Education Foundation of Harris County (EFHC) Partners in Education.

“We are thrilled to welcome Butler Business Products as our newest Partners in Education Silver sponsor,” EFHC said in a statement. “Thank you for your generous donation!”

EFHC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that funds learning

programs that inspire discovery, promote creativity and problem-solving, build confidence, and encourage each child to envision a future beyond the classroom. Through its partnership with the Harris County Department of Education, EFHC has funded programs impacting thousands of students throughout 25 independent school districts and cultivated a network of talented educators.

Porter’s Office Products launches local Business of the Month recognition

Porter’s Office Products, Rexburg, Idaho, has launched a Business of the Month program to recognize local businesses that do great work in the community.

Local businesses are nominated by the community and/or suggested by Porter’s sales and management team. The winner is chosen by Porter’s marketing team, which looks at the nominated businesses, including how they interact with the community and their clients.

Each winner receives a basket of supplies and other goodies, and a write-up that appears on Porter’s social media pages and is featured in an email blast.

“I came come up with this before COVID-19 to help promote local business and our customers,” says Mark Porter, Porter’s president. “We wanted to provide additional marketing value to our customers by promoting them and their business to the rest of our clients. It started slowly, but we

hired a new brand manager, Bekah, and she’s taken off with it, ensuring we have a new winner each month.

“We try to promote locally owned small businesses. We are strong believers in the ‘Buy Local’ initiative and see this as a way to encourage our customers to support locally owned businesses. We hope the program helps get their names out to a larger audience they might not be visible to otherwise. It’s a way to help us all grow and support each other.”

In Memoriam

In memoriam: Jimmy Godwin, FSI Office

INDEPENDENT DEALER is saddened to report that Jimmy Godwin, the founder and former CEO of Forms and Supply (now FSIoffice) passed away on March 31 at the age of 87.

Jimmy was born in Olive Branch, North Carolina, grew up in Union County and graduated from Marshville High School in 1955. He played basketball competitively in high school and enjoyed many friendships, which continued throughout his adult life. He also attended King’s College, where he graduated with an associate’s degree in accounting. During his time at King’s College, he worked for an office supply company which proved to be a pivotal point for his future.

After working in the industry for several years, Jimmy ventured out on his own in 1962. That’s when he founded Forms and Supply with his wife Diane, whom he had married two years earlier. Since then, FSIoffice has served businesses across the Southeast US, growing into one of the largest independent office supplies dealers in the country, with more than 250 employees.

Jimmy held the position of CEO until 2018, when he stepped back

from active involvement, although he continued to serve as a Senior Advisor until recently.

Jimmy received numerous awards over the years for his business accomplishments, including the industry’s Lifetime Achievement Award from The Business Solutions Association. However, for Jimmy, although he was thankful for these awards, they were in no way as meaningful as the joy and delight he found in his religion, which guided him in every aspect of his life. Jimmy’s last days were spent establishing and working in the Seed Sower Program to share verses of scripture with as many people as possible.

FSIoffice is now led by Jimmy and Diane’s three children, Kim, Donna and Jay, with granddaughter Beth also being on the executive team.

Paying tribute to her father, CEO Kim Leazer said: “He will be remembered in the business community as a generous and highly ethical leader who was guided by his faith in God. He lived an incredible life and built a tremendous legacy in his family, business, and as a sower of the seeds of the gospel of Jesus Christ.”

A Celebration of Life service for Jimmy took place on April 15. During this moving and uplifting service, attended by over 250 guests – many from the business supplies industry – current and past pastors as well as several family members spoke about Jimmy’s unwavering faith and his dedication to his family, his company and the wider community.

INDEPENDENT DEALER extends its heartfelt condolences to the Godwin family and all FSIoffice employees.

Secrets of Success

The Orange Stationer, Orange, Texas

As owner and operator of The Orange Stationer, Paul Dickerson has two pieces of sage and straightforward advice for other small independent dealers looking to say in business. “You need to identify problem areas and go after fixing them yourself because no one is going to do it for you,” he says. “And rather than suck out all the profits you can, you need to reinvest in the business for the future.” Paul is confident his company’s continued success comes from following his own counsel.

Raising the profile

The Orange Stationer was founded in 1952. Henry Seals purchased it in the early 1980s before Paul and his wife, Kim, bought it in 2015. Although the dealer was over 70 years old by then, many people had yet to learn it existed.

“We are located in a sort of warehouse district, so there wasn’t a lot of foot traffic; you had to know about us to find us,” Paul explains. “In many cases, people had heard of us but had no idea where we were or what we did.”

Paul realized it was up to him to fix the problem. “We added awnings and repainted the building,” he says. “We created a new logo and wrapped our

Company info

Company name: The Orange

Stationer

Headquarters: Orange, Texas

Top management: Paul Dickerson, co-owner; Kim Dickerson, co-owner

Main wholesaler: Essendant

Annual sales: $1.5 million

Percentage of online business: 40%

delivery vehicles to make us as visible as possible. Being more visible has also given those who did know us the perception we are doing better.”

In fact, Paul attributes the company being named the town’s 2021 Small Business of the Year mainly to perception. “I’ve always served on a lot of nonprofit boards, been active in the Lions Club and Rotary Club, and invested in the community,” he says. “So, when we won the award, it wasn’t that we were doing anything different—it’s just that we’ve become a lot more visible.”

New opportunities

And being more noticeable isn’t the only secret to the company’s success.

“What we sell now is not what we used to sell,” continues Paul. “We are always looking for growth opportunities—some of those opportunities may be small, but they too add up.” Yet not all of these growth opportunities have been small steps; some have been large leaps of faith.

The company has a 12,000-foot warehouse but stocks little product other than used furniture—a business the Dickersons inherited from the previous owner that fills about half the warehouse. Until recently, the other half was a 6,000-foot showroom.

“We divided the showroom into three 2,000-foot areas,” Paul explains. “One is still a showroom; the rest is office space and a meeting room for people and organizations to rent.”

According to Paul, the company went to the city to seek funds and used economic development money to ensure the space would be state of the art.

“It has the fastest internet you can get besides fiber optics,” he says. “Also, you know how when you attend a presentation and the presenter has to

hook up the laptop with all the cables? Getting everything set up can take longer than the presentation itself. We had one group that rented the room, and they called wanting to know what cables and wires they needed and if they could get in early to set them up. But our meeting room is plug and play. It’s all on a USB drive. You plug it in and download, and it’s ready. They couldn’t believe it.”

According to Paul, demand for the offices and conference room has been high—so much so that he recently bought the empty lot next door to provide parking. The new setup has been so successful that it is now a separate company named The Office Downtown. The business has expanded its new website to feature partners such as area restaurants, rental car companies, hotels and other attractions, to accommodate visitors’ needs. According to Paul, the new company fits the Orange goal: “We aim to solve all our customers’ problems.”

Are you ready for our industry’s highly anticipated Event of the Year?

You don’t want to miss this opportunity to join with ISG Members, Suppliers, and Industry Partners to reconnect, strategize and unlock knowledge around the latest industry trends and developments.

Together with our Members, Suppliers and Industry Partners, ISG has created a week of must-attend events in the Big Easy:

■ Networking opportunities in a collegial atmosphere.

■ Educational seminars that will increase your sales and profitability.

■ Members and Suppliers together, in one great place, at this once-a-year tradeshow.

■ Members can learn about new products and promotions.

■ Suppliers have a great opportunity to showcase these new offerings and specials.

■ Sharing ideas and encouraging success while facing the ever-changing business climate.

Hilton New Orleans Riverside and the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center,

Add these dates to your calendar now and make plans to attend Industry Week ’23 this October!

Photo credits: Chris Granger, Todd Coleman, Joyce Bracey–NewOrleans.com

AOPD engages members at annual meeting in Arizona

National accounts organization AOPD held another successful annual meeting at the Arizona Grand in Phoenix, Arizona in April under the banner Engage 2023.

While business lies at the heart of AOPD’s meetings, there is also always a strong social side to activities. This year was no exception and the event started with a welcome reception in the Vista bar, which offered views over the Arizona Grand’s impressive grounds, with the city lights of Phoenix twinkling in the background. Attendees were greeted by a short speech from AOPD executive director Mark Leazer, as well as a few words from Michelle Smith and John Friedrich, representing Avery and Fellowes respectively, which co-sponsored the reception.

The following morning saw the opening session which included a short speech by AOPD executive director Mark Leazer and the president’s address, given by Beth Freeman, in which she highlighted the group’s growth, with a 15 percent overall increase in AOPD’s contracts and programs in the year to date—with a particularly impressive 37 percent rise in dealer contracts.

Freeman’s speech was panel discussion hosted by AOPD’s national sales manager, Tom Buxton, highlighting dealer members’ innovations and success stories. THe panel comprised Chris Crumpton of Business Essentials, who spoke about ways to incentivize your sales force; Pam Savory of Strive Workplace

Solutions, who shared the importance of identifying the strengths of all the individuals in a company; and Sandy Grodin of El Paso Office Products, who talked about the EqualLevel portal and how it has improved his dealership’s e-commerce efforts.

The rest of the day, dealers attended one-to-one meetings with vendors, peer-sharing networking sessions and— returning after last year’s popularity— group marketing workshops.

The following morning saw a dealer-only gathering followed by another day of one-to-ones and marketing workshops, punctuated by a meeting hosted by AOPD’s national healthcare sales director Betsy Hughes—who, with the help of testimonials from a number of dealers spoke about the value of AOPD’s, national contracts and how to get them best from them.

The event concluded with the traditional cocktail reception and

LtoR: Mark Leazer, AOPD; Tom Buxton, AOPD; Angela Price, AOPD; Betsy Hughes, AOPD; Beth Freeman, FSIoffice; Lincoln Dix, Storey Kenworthy; Tommy Sansom, Officewise Furniture & Supply; Bill Jones, The Office City now AAA Business Supplies & Interiors; Nate Morals, Intivity, Inc.; Kim Leazer, FSIoffice

awards dinner, at which six awards were presented to recognize the winning dealers’ success in 2022. The winners were:

• The Office City: Highest percentage growth by a contracting dealer

• FSIoffice: Highest dollar growth by a contracting dealer

• Intivity, Inc: Highest percentage growth for the NCPA contract

• Officewise Furniture & Supply: Highest dollar growth for the NCPA contract

• Storey Kenworthy: Highest percentage growth for the Premier contract

• FSIoffice: Highest dollar growth for the Premier contract

AOPD presented the President’s Award for Dealers to Alisa Fraga-Kautzmann, of Tejas Office Products, Inc and Chris Cooper of Clover Imaging as the business partner recipient.

Mark Leazer then thanked the sponsors for this year’s meeting: Platinum Sponsor HP; Silver Sponsors Avery and Fellowes; and Bronze Sponsors Clover Imaging and ECI.”

“Engage 23 brought together many of the best and most progressive independent dealers and business partners in the industry to Phoenix

for a couple of terrific days of collaboration and interaction,” Leazer told INDEPENDENT DEALER. “I have heard a number of outstanding reviews from attendees, ranging from ‘the best meeting I have attended in the past 15 years’ to ‘Engage 23 exceeded expectations’ and ‘AOPD’s best meeting yet.’

“This type of response and the interaction generated have initiated much follow-up for AOPD HQ in the days ahead to capitalize on the positive momentum gained from this year’s event. We are already receiving requests for paperwork to join some

of our contract programs from dealers motivated by the presentations and success stories from their colleagues. There’s lots to build on for the rest of 2023. We are excited about that!”

AOPD president, Beth Freeman added: “It was exciting to hear about the successes that AOPD members are having. Engage 23 provided a great opportunity to learn more from one another, sharing best practices, and how to utilize the contracts, tools, and resources AOPD provides its members. We are looking forward to capitalizing on this momentum and continuing to grow and win together in 2023.”

Chris Crumpton (left ) bet Smead’s Mike Biddle at last year’s AOPD that the Dallas Cowboys would go further in the play offs than the Philadelphia Eagles. He lost!

(l-r) Tom Buxton, Chris Crumpton, Pam Savory and Sandy Grodin

Mark Leazer

Betsy Hughes

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Mike Gentile to step down from ISG

Mike Gentile has announced his intention to step down as president and CEO of Independent Suppliers Group (ISG).

Gentile joined the organization—then called Independent Stationers Group—in 2003 and took over as CEO two years later. Prior to that, he had enjoyed a successful 16-year spell at power channel player Boise Cascade.

The ISG CEO will stay on until the end of 2023, and the group’s board has formed a search committee to begin the process of finding a successor.

“It has been a distinct honor and great joy leading Independent Suppliers Group over the past 18 years [and] I am excited to announce that I have decided to move on to the next stage of my personal and professional

journey,” said Gentile.

He continued: “I look forward to assisting the ISG board of directors with a thoughtful transition plan. I am extremely proud of all of our groundbreaking accomplishments on behalf of the independent dealer channel (IDC) during my tenure at ISG.

“I have been fortunate to have worked for two amazing organizations across most of my industry career. Throughout that time, I have been equally as fortunate to have forged several lifelong friendships with inspiring leaders and talented colleagues. I wish everyone continued success and I remain very optimistic about our industry’s future.”

ISG Chair Yancey Jones Jr added: “I would like to thank Mike

for all he has done to help make ISG the organization it is today. His commitment to our industry and the IDC is greatly appreciated, and we wish him all the best as he enters this next chapter in life.” »

Did you miss out on Back -To-School supply list business in your area?

IOPFDA rebrands

The Independent Office Products and Furniture Dealers Association (IOPFDA) has a new identity.

The trade organisation—acquired by ISSA in 2020—is now known as the Workplace Solutions Association (WSA).

The enhanced brand identity will empower the association to attract suppliers and service providers to strengthen its influence and reach in the workplace solutions space.

“We are thrilled to announce the rebranding of our association to the Workplace Solutions Association,” said WSA executive director Mike Tucker. “This change reflects our expanded mission to include all workplace solutions providers, and we believe that it will help us better serve our members and rally the industry as a whole.”

The WSA’s new logo represents a fresh and contemporary look while retaining the essence of the association’s identity through a similar color spectrum. The sleek design reflects the organization’s commitment to progress and symbolizes its dedication to serving its members in the ever-evolving workplace solutions industry.

The association can trace its roots back to 1904, with the IOPFDA name coming into being about six years ago following the merger of NOPA and OFDA. Today, WSA has more than 550 members.

You can read more about the rebrand, the reasons behind it and the work WSA does on behalf of the IDC in Mike’s regular column in this magazine on page 36

ISG announces rebates

Independent Suppliers Group (ISG) has announced its Q4 2022 and annual rebates distribution.

The dealer organization is distributing Q4 2022 rebates of more than $11.5 million to its members, representing a 13 percent increase over the same quarter in 2021. Included in this distribution are both Q4 2022 and annual year-end rebates, bringing the total amount of rebates for the year to $32.53 million.

“With another double-digit increase in rebates compared to the prior

year, we’re extremely encouraged to see our members’ vendor program support rewarded,” said ISG Chair Yancey Jones Jr. “This rebate growth reflects our members’ commitment to these programs. We thank our vendor community and look forward to posting future growth numbers in 2023!”

ISG’s Q1 2023 rebate distribution is scheduled for mid-June.

Essendant achieves Recognized Employer award

Industry wholesaler Essendant has earned the designation of Recognized Employer in the 2023 VETS Indexes Employer Awards.

The program acknowledges those organizations most committed to recruiting, hiring, retaining, developing and supporting veterans and the military-connected community.

VETS Indexes selected Essendant after analyzing its company policies, practices and outcomes, including:

• veteran job candidate recruiting and hiring;

• veteran employee development and retention;

• veteran-inclusive policies and culture;

• support for members of the National Guard and Reserves; and

• military spouse/family support

The wholesaler’s internal Veterans. Associate Network Group will utilize the findings to amplify the veteran experience and voice, and to support the retention and recruiting efforts in alignment with Essendant’s guiding principle of diversity, equity and inclusion.

VETS Indexes managing director George Altman said: “Essendant has demonstrated a commitment to helping veterans grow and develop into leaders. The company has distinguished itself among veteran employers and should be commended.”

AFFLINK CEO to retire

Dennis Riffer, president and CEO of packaging, food service and jan/ san sales and marketing organization AFFLINK, has confirmed he will retire this year.

Riffer joined AFFLINK in 2003, having previously held senior roles at Kimberly-Clark and Scott Paper. The announcement of his retirement came on April 17, coinciding with his 65th birthday.

To assist in the transition, Riffer will stay on for a while and plans to attend the company’s annual summit taking place in June in Palm Springs, California. The event will also celebrate AFFLINK’s 50th anniversary.

No details were provided of Riffer’s successor.

SPR confirms senior promotions, awards vendors

Wholesaler S.P. Richards (SPR) has made two key merchandising and marketing appointments.

Susan Lada has been promoted to the role of VP of merchandising. She will have the responsibility of supporting the company’s supplier partners as well as leading its merchandising team.

Lada has been at SPR for almost 11 years, holding a number of merchandising and sourcing roles in that time. Prior to SPR, she worked for The Home Depot and The Coca-Cola Company.

Meanwhile, Adam Fox has been named VP of marketing. Previously director of marketing, Fox has been at SPR since 2019. He has a strong background in marketing and communications and his former employers include the likes of Diversey, Strategic Market Alliance and Compass Group.

Former VP of marketing Paul Gatens, who enjoyed a career spanning 23 years at SPR, has left the company.

Meanwhile, the wholesaler recently hosted its annual supplier summit in San Antonio, Texas, at which it handed out its 2022 vendor awards.

Four awards were presented during the event. The winners were as follows:

• Marketing and Digital Excellence: HON

• Supply Chain Excellence: ACCO Brands

• Collaborative Partner: Jean Jobin, Sunset Converting

• Supplier of the Year: TOPS

GSA revises solicitation for marketplace initiative

The US General Services Administration (GSA) has changed the goalposts for bidders on its e-commerce Commercial Platforms marketplace project.

Following a protest filed by a coalition of plaintiffs led by the National Industries for the Blind, the GSA has amended some aspects

of the solicitation. Specifically, it has added an evaluation preference for companies that offer a “block and substitute” or other means of preventing the sale of “essentially the same” (ETS) items.

This is designed to promote compliance with the AbilityOne program, which requires US government buyers to purchase AbilityOne products and prohibits the purchase of ETS goods.

“GSA strongly supports the AbilityOne program and is committed to help promote its mission,” the agency stated.

Those parties that submitted bids for the original solicitation—which closed on February 3, 2023—will now have until June 12 to file their revised proposals with the GSA in line with the amendments.

NAOPA 2023 open for entries

Entries are now open for the 2023 edition of the North American Office Products Awards (NAOPA).

This year’s NAOPA—held in association with Independent Supplier Group’s Industry Week ’23—will be presented at the premier event for the independent business products community taking place in New Orleans from October 8-11.

There will be nine awards presented at NAOPA 2023:

• Best Product – Core Business Products

• Best Product – Furniture & Design

• Best Product – Facilities, Breakroom, Safety & Infection Control

• Best Product – Technology

• Innovation of the Year

• People’s Choice

• Young Executive of the Year

• Professional of the Year

• Industry Achievement

The NAOPA are open to anyone working within or supplying products or services to the independent dealer community in North America. The awards are free and straightforward to enter, making them a great marketing opportunity and way to raise your profile with this important customer group.

To enter or nominate, there is just a short online form to complete. You can find more information regarding the criteria, plus a link to enter, on the NAOPA webpage

The deadline for submitting entries and nominations is June 11.

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Schultz joins RJ Schinner

Experienced facilities products exec Steve Schultz has joined leading redistribution business RJ Schinner.

Schultz’s career of more than 30 years has included senior roles at United Stationers/Essendant, GOJO and S.P. Richards. Most recently, he was CEO at Supply Source Enterprises, which comprises the Impact Products, The Safety Zone and Malt Industries brands that private equity firm HIG acquired from S.P. Richards in 2020.

Now, Schultz has been named president of family-owned non-food disposables redistributor RJ Schinner.

In a social media post, Schultz wrote: “I join an incredible team, a company with an outstanding track record of growth and a relentless focus on customer and supplier partnerships.

“After 30 years in this industry, most of which has been spent in wholesale redistribution, I am truly excited to be back in a position to help shape the future of redistribution and the value we provide as industry partners.”

PERFORMANCE YOU CAN COUNT ON

Tim O’Boyle joins Highlands as business development representative for West Coast territories

Highlands has announced the appointment of Tim O’Boyle as business development representative for the West Coast territories, effective May 1, 2023.

“We are thrilled to welcome Tim to the Highlands team,” said Amber Clausi, business development director, West, Highlands. “His strong track record in sales and his deep understanding of the industry make him an excellent addition to our team. We look forward to working with him to provide our clients with exceptional service and drive growth in the West Coast territories.”

“I am excited to join Highlands and help grow our West Coast clients’ business,” enthused O’Boyle. “Highlands has a strong reputation for providing exceptional service to its clients and I look forward to contributing to the team’s success.”

Clover rebrands

Clover Imaging Group has a new name designed to “greater align with the company’s expansion strategy into other sustainable life cycle management services and solutions.”

The company is now called Clover Environmental Solutions, which it says “better reflects the totality of the circular economy services the company can offer its customers, specifically focused on environmentally friendly solutions around the recapture, reuse and re-commerce of goods across a variety of product categories.”

“Over the past two years, Clover Imaging Group has steadfastly focused on building and strengthening its core imaging business while beginning to leverage its world-class reverse logistics, engineering, manufacturing, and distribution infrastructure to expand into environmentally sustainable life cycle management solutions,” the supplier said in a press release.

Clover Environmental Solutions comprises three divisions: Sustainable Imaging Supplies, Fulfillment Services and Returns Management Solutions:

• Under the Sustainable Imaging Supplies division, the company will continue to go to market through its established operating entities: Clover Imaging Group, Depot International and Latin Parts.

• Phoenix Direct will operate under the Fulfillment Services division, specializing in providing end-to-end logistics

solutions, including omnichannel fulfillment, to help brands streamline their operations and meet the evolving needs of their customers.

• The Returns Management Solutions division will provide manufacturers and retailers with circular economy solutions for the recovery, refurbishment and redistribution of business and consumer goods.

“This announcement marks a significant milestone in the evolution of our strategic plan,” said CEO George Milton. “The rebrand to Clover Environmental Solutions represents a new operating structure that enables us to capitalize on existing synergies and resources and expand with new services into complementary markets. Over the next 12 months, we look forward to further executing on this vision and innovating with new solutions, services and technology for our customers.”

Canon announces lawsuit resolution

Canon has said that US district court patent lawsuits against Ninestar and a number of resellers have been concluded.

In March 2021, Canon filed suits against Ninestar Image Tech, Ninestar Technology and Static Control Components, as well as LD Products, The Supplies Guys and Easy Group for alleged infringement of 10 of its patents.

On April 21, 2023 Canon said that each of the respondents had agreed to the entry of consent judgments and permanent injunctions that prohibit further infringement of the asserted patents; while Ninestar is to pay Canon an undisclosed sum.

“These latest resolutions mark a successful conclusion to a set of actions that Canon initiated in 2021 to protect its patented toner supply container technology, which included two International Trade Commission (ITC)

investigations and numerous district court actions,” wrote the OEM in a press release.

Meanwhile, Canon has said it removed 853 listings from Amazon in Germany, Italy, Spain, the UK, France and the Netherlands in the first quarter of 2023. Since June 2018, more than 31,000 listings have been removed from the e-tailer’s sites in these countries.

In North America (the US, Canada and Mexico), 53 listings were removed from Amazon in the first three months of this year. This brings the total number of removals since June 2018 to around 3,500.

Xerox donates research center

GeorgiaPacific’s Light to retire

Georgia-Pacific (GP) exec Scott Light has announced he is retiring after 25 years with the company.

Xerox has donated its Palo Alto Research Center (PARC) to nonprofit research institute SRI International.

The OEM said the move will enable it to focus entirely on delivering new innovations around its own print, digital and IT service offerings, while allowing the PARC team to join a leading research institution to “usher in its next evolution of growth.”

Xerox PARC was founded in 1970 and established as an independent company in 2002. It has pioneered numerous technological advancements, including ethernet, laser printing and the graphical user interface.

“This decision allows both Xerox and PARC to focus on delivering innovations and solutions that align with their own strengths and capabilities,” said Xerox CEO Steve Bandrowczak. “With this arrangement, PARC’s deep tech innovations will be sustained by SRI, while allowing Xerox to simplify and optimize its operations and focus solutions on the continued evolution of hybrid work.”

Xerox “stood up” PARC in 2021 as it looked to monetize its assets. Last year, two businesses were spun out from the unit, with Xerox maintaining

a non-controlling minority share: Mojave, an energy-efficient HVAC technology development company; and Novity, an industrial predictive maintenance specialist.

In 2022, Xerox took actions to reduce and reallocate R&D spending toward projects and partnerships that “augment our existing strengths and opportunities within print, IT services and digital services.” These included pausing growth investments in its Elem 3D printing business: exiting the Eloque infrastructure-monitoring joint venture: and “rationalizing” spending at PARC.

As part of the donation, Xerox will enter into a preferred research agreement, called the Technology Exploration and Innovation Program, in which SRI will provide contracted research and development services to Xerox and its clients. Xerox and SRI will identify topic areas relevant to Xerox’s core business, with the final goal of creating proofs-of-concept and roadmaps to implementation.

Xerox will also retain a branded Innovation Hub at PARC to host meetings, demonstrations and annual conferences for its clients.

Light currently leads GP’s Packaging & Cellulose segment, which includes the paperboard, corrugated and cellulose pulp businesses—a position he has occupied since 2017. Prior to that, he served as president of GP Pro & Communication Papers as well as number of other senior roles.

Light is also a former City of Hope Spirit of Life Honoree and is currently chair of City of Hope’s National Business Products Industry Council and Committee.

“As I have for almost 20 years, I will continue to be a supporter of City of Hope,” said Light. “It has truly been one of the most rewarding elements of my professional career, not only for the noble cause they support and exceptional work they do at City of Hope, but also because I have met so many talented business executives that selflessly donate their time and resources to help others. These friendships will always be dear to me.”

EDmarket launches emerging leaders recognition program

The Education Market Association (EDmarket) has launched a new membership program that recognizes outstanding young professionals aged 40 and under.

EDmarket’s NexGen Rising Stars Awards program highlights outstanding emerging leaders for their passion, creativity and contributions to designing, managing and equipping learning environments of the future.

In its inaugural year, the program will select outstanding, “rising star” professionals to highlight and celebrate. Nominations are reviewed based on contributions and achievements in their professional role within the educational industry. NexGen candidates will also be evaluated based on community involvement, volunteer work, work-life balance, hobbies, etc. during the application process.

“There is nothing more exciting than being a part of a program that encourages the next generation of incredible innovators and contributors to the education space,” said Jolene Levin, co-founder of NorvaNivel and EDmarket’s chair-elect board member and the NexGen committee chair. “The landscape of education is changing rapidly and the contribution that these young stars are set to make within this space will no doubt have deep impacts felt for generations to come.”

Winners will receive mentorships, press, recognition and inclusion in a network of EDmarket award winners. Winners

will also be celebrated at the annual EDspaces conference in Charlotte, North Carolina, this November and recognized on the EDmarket website, Essentials magazine and on social media.

The call for NexGen nominations is now open and the deadline for nominees to submit their application is May 31, 2023.

Meanwhile, EDmarket’s Chairman’s Advisory Committee has announced the selection of Logan Andreyko as the 2023 John L. Spalding Memorial Scholarship winner. The scholarship of $5,000 is awarded annually to a deserving student to be used for undergraduate education.

Logan was sponsored by Tammy Andreyko, superintendent at the Quaker Valley School District and a member of the EDmarket Education Council. He is a sophomore at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio pursuing a double major in finance and economics.

Bolt-on acquisition for Avery

CCL Industries has announced an acquisition in the visitor management segment for its Avery subsidiary.

CCL has purchased Threshold Visitor Management Systems, a provider of visitor sign-in, tracking and ID badge solutions, including its proprietary software, e-Visitor. Founded in 1961 and based in Farmington, Connecticut, Threshold’s sales for the 12 trailing months to January 2023 were approximately $7 million, with a 25 percent adjusted EBITDA margin.

“This acquisition continues to build on Avery’s rapidly growing portfolio of badging and credentials technologies, products and brands using software and related supplies,” said CCL CEO Geoff Martin.

TOPS makes acquisition

Acquisition for MooreCo

Furniture and visual communications vendor MooreCo has acquired a manufacturer of soft seating and tables.

Texas-based MooreCo has bought CJ Designs, headquartered in Morristown, Tennessee. CJ Designs was founded by Stewart Long in 2015 and has been providing soft seating products for MooreCo since then. Long—who has decades of experience in the contract furniture channel—will remain with the business as VP of MooreCo’s Soft Seating division in Morristown.

Organizational products vendor TOPS Office Products has made an acquisition in the home, school and office organization category.

The supplier—owned by Atlas Holdings—has purchased “select assets” of Redi-Tag from Identity Group. Redi-Tag is a manufacturer of page flags, laser tabs, sticky notes and other back-to-school and office products.

“Redi-Tag has a long history in our channels and will be a great complement to our existing portfolio,” said TOPS CEO Matt Roberts. “We look forward to growing the brand as part of TOPS and continuing to provide the same high product quality that Redi-Tags’ loyal customer base has counted on for the past four decades.”

Identity Group CEO Sam Richardson added: “We are confident that the TOPS team will continue building on Redi-Tag’s tradition and heritage with innovation that continues to deliver the quality and value that have made Redi-Tag the leader it is today. This strategic divestiture will strengthen Identity Group’s focus and success in the experiential signage industry, where we continue to lead the market.”

“This acquisition allows MooreCo to lead in the soft seating market by offering higher-quality, custom-made products and better service levels, particularly during peak educational months,” stated CEO Greg Moore.

He added: “This opens the door for us to explore new markets while giving Stewart the freedom to do what he loves most: creating beautiful soft seating products and dedicating his talent and expertise toward future growth, eliminating time and dedication to non-customer focused issues.”

AIS releases new Sit-to-Stand Mobile Desk

Commercial office furniture manufacturer AIS has announced its new Mixers Collection Sit-to-Stand Mobile Desk.

Designed for the fluid workplace, the mobile desk supports posture shifts while allowing users to move throughout their work environment easily. Its height-adjustable base allows seated work, perching or standing height activities with a simple

pneumatic lever. With casters and a lightweight structure, the Sit-to-Stand Mobile Desk is easy to move, encouraging collaboration and transitions for better workplace productivity. The ergonomic design includes a stable base featuring ample foot space; a tilt lever with six preset positions offering up to 30 degrees of tilt to best fit the task at hand; and convenient height adjustability.

“The Sit-to-Stand Mobile Desk satisfies many of today’s workplace needs and we’re pleased to bring this to market,” said Brianne Devine, vice president of project line management. “The ergonomic features accommodate many postures for both sitting and standing; the desk’s mobility allows the user to collaborate with those at stationary worksurfaces; and when you need to speak from a podium, it’s there for you.”

Another acquisition for Hospeco

North American jan/san supplier Hospeco Brands has created what it calls a “multi-market juggernaut” with its newest acquisition.

The company’s latest deal involves Monarch Brands, a wholesaler and manufacturer of microfiber, commercial laundry linen, institutional textiles and wiping products. Pennsylvania-based Monarch, which can trace its roots back to 1947, serves a range of markets, including environmental services, hospitality, institutional, food service, industrial and jan/san. It also has a “solid” presence in the retail sector— something new for Hospeco—with brands such as The Sloppy Chef, Messy Mechanic and Towelzilla.

“The move adds complementary product lines to Hospeco Brands, with some strategic overlap that further deepens the microfiber and wiping product offering,” the acquiring company said in a press release. “It also creates opportunities for mutual growth as both entities gain new products to offer existing customers.”

Hospeco added: “All key management and sales staff will remain with Monarch Brands. Existing shared distribution in certain key markets is expected to accelerate market penetration. There are no changes to existing customer relationships at this time.”

Navitor introduces 2000

Plus

PrintPro self-inking stamp line

Navitor has announced the launch of its 2000 Plus PrintPro self-inking stamp line.

This new line of self-inking stamps will provide users with a new level of convenience, speed and accuracy to meet all stamping needs. The PrintPro self-inking line is easy to use and provides a wide variety of size options for customization. In total, the new line will consist of 21 popular sizes.

The biggest changes to the PrintPro line in comparison with previous versions are as follows:

• The majority of housings are produced with net-zero carbon dioxide emissions (CO2 neutral).

• New ink formulation and release provide rich color and consistent impression quality.

• Core sizes have a new single-locking mechanism on the back of the handle.

The PrintPro self-inking line of stamps is set to be released in the summer of 2023 and will be available exclusively via Navitor wholesale partners.

Imperial Dade and BradyIFS acquire again

There has been further consolidation in the fragmented jan/san distribution channel.

Imperial Dade has made two further purchases. The first was, Green Streets USA, a supplier of food service, industrial and packaging supplies throughout New England and the Boston, Massachusetts metro area. It was founded in 1992 by Jeff Weiss, who had previously enjoyed a successful career in sales in the paper sector. Second, Imperial Dade has added Columbus Paper Company (COPACO) to its rapidly expanding portfolio. Headquartered in Columbus, Georgia, COPACO was founded in 1933 and is currently managed by Michael and Steven Greenblatt, the third generation of ownership. It supplies industrial, food service and janitorial supplies throughout its home state and in Alabama.

The transactions represent the 63rd and 64th acquisitions for Imperial Dade under the leadership of Bob and Jason Tillis respectively.

Meanwhile, Imperial Dade competitor BradyIFS has expanded into the state of Florida with the acquisition of Southern Janitor Supply. Southern Janitor was founded in 1959 by Bill Pitten Sr and is led today by his son, Bill Jr.

Sylvamo announces senior management changes

Paper manufacturer Sylvamo will have a new head of its North American operations as of July 1.

The company has announced that its North America general manager, Greg Gibson, is to move to the new role of SVP of commercial excellence—a post he will occupy until his retirement at the end of March 2024. Gibson joined the paper industry in 1982 and has served in various sales, marketing, general management and senior leadership roles in North America and Europe. In 2021, he was the Spirit of Life Honoree for the City of Hope’s National Business Products Industry campaign.

Succeeding Gibson for Sylvamo’s top job in North America will be Rodrigo Davoli, currently general manager of the supplier’s Latin America region. Davoli joined the paper sector in 1993 and has served in various finance, strategic planning, sales, marketing, general management and senior leadership roles in Latin America and Europe. Incidentally, both Gibson and Davoli joined International Paper in 2000 with the acquisition of Champion International. They were appointed as general managers of Sylvamo during the 2021 spinoff.

“I would like to congratulate Greg on an impressive

four-decade career in our industry. He is an industry leader known for consistently delivering strong results,” said Sylvamo CEO Jean-Michel Ribiéras.

In memoriam: Mark Pelletier – S.P. Richards

industry veteran Mark Pelletier. Mark, who was 65, passed away on April 24, surrounded by his family. He was director of sales for the independent dealer channel in the jan/san category at the wholesaler, having previously spent more than 21 years at Essendant/United Stationers in a number of senior sales and marketing roles.

all he was a loving husband, father and grandpa. An example for all. Rest easy my friend.”

INDEPENDENT DEALER was shocked and saddened to learn of the passing of S.P. Richards (SPR) executive and business products

On LinkedIn, SPR’s SVP of sales, jan/san and new business development, Nick Lomax—to whom Mark reported—wrote: “Anyone who crossed paths with this man was better for it. I know I was. I am honored to have been his friend and teammate. His faith was strong, his kindness was available to all. Most of

SPR EVP Jack Reagan called Mark a “kind and talented man,” adding: “[He] had the unique personality to always stay calm, but was always looking out for all – customers, teammates, friends and, of course, family. SPR is very saddened this week to lose a friend.”

A funeral service for Mark was held on May 1. In lieu of flowers, family requested that donations be made to City of Hope.

INDEPENDENT DEALER extends its deepest sympathies to Mark’s wife, Lorrie, and all his family, friends and colleagues.

A new name, but not a new mission in our nation’s capital

By: Paul A. Miller, legislative counsel, WSA

The times they are a-changin’, they say. We are experiencing exciting times at the Workplace Solutions Association (WSA)—or what was formerly the Independent Office Products and Furniture Dealers Association: a new name and new opportunities for independents and their trading partners. But what has stayed the same is WSA’s legislative focus—our priorities there have not changed and were on full display at WSA’s March Legislative Fly-In.

In March, an executive team traveled to Washington to make its case now that we are post-COVID-19 and Capitol Hill has reopened to the people. To help kick off the event, Rep. Rob Wittman (R-VA) introduced H. Res. 255, expressing support for designating March 27 to 31, 2023 as “National Small Business Workplace

Solutions Week.” This was a great way to signal to Washington that we were here, and we were going to be heard. It was an opportunity for WSA members to have a seat with those elected leaders with jurisdiction over issues impacting our industry and our businesses’ bottom lines.

Going to Washington is nothing new for WSA and its members. WSA has been hitting the Hill for 23 years and has had much success along the way. How Washington operates today is a turnoff for most; but as former President George Bush once said, “If you aren’t at the table, you are on the menu.” That also applies for any organization that simply believes it can’t make a difference in Washington. You can; but I will admit, it is painfully slow in most cases. WSA can’t afford to sit back and hope for the best. Our politics are

hyper partisan. Our legislative process is slower than a tortoise. That doesn’t sound positive, I know; but whether you like it or not, we must be at the table and then fight hard each and every day to stay there. This is the only way we can succeed.

The week started off with a robust half-day discussion with the WSA leadership about those issues that are important to independents. We discussed the challenges we face with the supply chain. We discussed the challenges we are having hiring new employees. We discussed how we are tackling the giant big tech companies like Amazon and their attempts to gain control of both the commercial and federal marketplaces. These are not easy discussions and there are no easy answers to these issues; but WSA has a list of priorities for the year that addresses major issues facing the industry. Here is a look at some of them:

• Workforce development: WSA is working with key members of Congress on legislation that would create new visa opportunities and new opportunities for us to recruit and retain talented individuals. To be clear, this is not immigration reform. This is a very targeted plan to help small businesses have access to the workers they need going forward. WSA is working with Rep. Lloyd Smucker (R-PA) on legislation that would create opportunities for us through an expanded, but limited visa program.

• Economic Injury Disaster Loan forgiveness: This is not Paycheck Protection Program loan forgiveness all over. This is another very targeted loan forgiveness program that is paid for with unused money allocated during the pandemic. This is for those small businesses still struggling to recover from the pandemic. Some will say we are

just spending more money we don’t have. Yes and no. Yes, we have a $31 trillion national debt. Yes, you read that correctly. What we are proposing helps offset some of this debt. Think of it this way: if we don’t help these businesses, they will continue to struggle or—worse—fail. That is not good for any community which relies on small businesses for jobs and revenue. If we don’t help these small businesses today, our community will be worse off because these small businesses will no longer be able to sponsor our local schools, sports teams, high-school marching bands, teachers or other activities promoted and paid for by local small businesses. WSA is working with Rep. Carol Miller (R-WV) on a targeted approach that will help small businesses in every community.

• General Services Administration (GSA) online marketplace program: WSA continues its efforts to “force” change on GSA’s plans going forward. We have played nice. We have spent countless hours talking to GSA and showing them data on what their plans will do to small businesses across the country. We have not been heard. We’ve been patted on the head and sent on our way. Why? Because of Amazon’s deep pockets and extensive reach. We are working with Rep. Veronica Escobar (D-TX)

on legislation that would prevent any big tech company from being both a federal marketplace provider and a reseller on the same platform they control. It seems like common sense; but we are not dealing with common sense when it comes to Washington or the federal procurement process.

• WSA is working with organizations like the National Industries for the Blind on solutions that will benefit their members as well as our own.

• WSA is also working with Rep. Escobar on legislation that tackles the issue of the growing counterfeiting problem we are seeing in this country. This issue is only going to get worse going forward if we do not act. This is why we have partnered with the Congresswoman to bring about the changes we need to ensure our business partners don’t get harmed by the influx of counterfeits into the United States.

The week also allowed us to hear from officers like Rep. Escobar, Rep. Smucker and Rep. Ken Buck (R-TX); key staff from major committees that have jurisdiction over these issues; and the members of Congress representing the states and districts of those in attendance. We had the opportunity to sit down with Rep. Rob Wittman (R-VA) because of the relationship formed by Melissa Ball, CEO, Ball Office Products.

Washington is about relationships; so having key industry members here who have close friendships with key members of Congress is what makes this type of event so important.

Not a bad week! While in Washington, we received a lot of support for our issues and the solutions we are bringing to the table. We are not here just complaining and telling Congress to fix it; we are telling Congress how we can be a partner and how the solutions we are offering will make a real difference. That’s how you get to the policy-making table and how you stay there.

We have a long way to go before we can claim success; but we are on the right path. We will need a lot of help going forward to make sure our issues get to the president’s desk, but I am confident we can make it happen. This process will move faster if we add more industry voices to our cause. Join the WSA grassroots team. WSA is creating new opportunities for its members and if you get involved and take advantage of these opportunities, we will succeed. Your bottom line depends on it!

So, can I count on you this year?

Introducing the Workplace Solutions Association (WSA), powered by ISSA!

By: Mike Tucker

We are thrilled to announce the launch of our newly rebranded organization, the Workplace Solutions Association (WSA), powered by ISSA—formerly known as the Independent Office Products & Furniture Dealers Association (IOPFDA). With the evolution of the industry, it became clear that we needed a new name and focus to better serve our members.

The WSA represents an exciting new chapter in our association’s history. We are expanding our scope, mission and focus to encompass the entire office products and furniture industry, making us a more comprehensive and inclusive organization. Our new name reflects our commitment to being the premier resource for all workplace solutions providers, including independent dealers, suppliers and service providers.

As many of you know, the name IOPFDA came about when NOPA (National Office Products Association) and OFDA (Office Furniture Dealers

Association) merged about six years ago. The association was founded in 1904 and has served the industry for over 100 years. Three years ago, we merged with ISSA, the Worldwide Cleaning Association; and today we are bigger and stronger than ever, with over 550 members and an arsenal of benefits and programs not available from buying groups, wholesalers or manufacturers.

As a member, you will now have access to an even broader network of industry professionals and enhanced educational resources, designed to help you grow your business and enhance your bottom line. Many dealers are currently using our Employee Benefits Package, which offers an average saving of 20 percent on health insurance, dental and vision, life insurance, virtual medicine and more.

Our government advocacy work features a full-time lobbyist in Washington D.C. (Paul Miller) who is

focused on issues impacting small business and our industry, as well as consultation on federal government procurement and working with the General Services Administration.

The Scholarship Program is over 50 years old and has awarded nearly $3 million to deserving families of office products and furniture dealers.

Our newly formed Technology Committee works with manufacturers and service providers to assist and educate the industry on issues related to operating systems, websites, internet platforms and other IT-related topics. Before the end of the quarter, we will be launching a new cyber insurance program and an initiative to standardize the use of manufacturer part numbers by our wholesalers.

Lastly, and also new, is our Furniture Committee. This group is focused on working with manufacturers and service providers to share training and best practices for nonaligned mid-market furniture dealers.

We are confident that the new WSA will continue to be an excellent asset to your business. Thank you for your support of our organization. We look forward to continuing to serve you as the Workplace Solutions Association, powered by ISSA.

For more information about the WSA, visit www.wsassociation.org or follow us on LinkedIn.

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With today’s increased focus on health and wellness, it should hardly be surprising that this is an area where savvy independent dealers are entering, expanding and sometimes even revisiting their offerings.

By Lisa Veeck

A breath of fresh air

“About five years ago, Fellowes suggested we should be trained to sell the company’s certified Aeramax air purification units,” explains Gary Trowbridge, CEO of Palace Business Solutions, Santa Cruz, California. “Our biggest customers are school districts. We sell to about 41 of them, which includes about 400 schools. But when we went in with the air purifiers, the schools pretty much laughed in our face. They told us if they wanted fresh air, they would open the window or turn on the air conditioning. I thought getting trained and selling the units was not a good move for Palace. Then COVID-19 hit.”

Soon indoor air quality (IAQ) was on everyone’s lips. “This was especially true in schools,” says Trowbridge.

“Unions were demanding proof of IAQ, with teachers refusing to return to work without it. Fellowes was ahead of the game. Many air purifiers make promises, but Fellowes had the only unit certified to refresh the air five times per hour.”

The frequency of air exchange became an even more significant selling point when the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

made its recommendations. “The school districts had all that assistance money from the government,” Trowbridge says. “So, some districts invested a lot of money in upgrading their HVAC [heating, ventilation and air conditioning] units, as it seemed the simplest thing to do. The only problem was that a HVAC system will exchange the air three times an hour at best. The CDC recommends at least five exchanges per hour. Also, if the air temperature is already just right, there’s no need to turn the HVAC on.”

Sadly, some districts also made purchases based on misinformation. “One district spent about $150,000 on a system with a UV rating that was ‘guaranteed’ to kill COVID-19,” Trowbridge recalls. “But when the union wanted proof, there was no proof that UV killed COVID-19. Of course, every school district knows the others in California. No one wanted to make the same mistake as ‘that district.’”

Trowbridge admits the Fellowes units are more expensive than most; but as he likes to tell his customers, “‘Buy your second air purifier from us first.’ They will buy a cheaper unit thinking they are

saving money, and then it doesn’t work, or it isn’t certified and doesn’t have the proof the unions demand—so they buy a second Fellowes one. It costs more but is a superior product, so it’s worth it.”

According to Trowbridge, Fellowes will be coming out with a new air purifier next month that attaches to HVAC systems but runs independently. This will allow the purifier to monitor the IAQ and turn on and off as needed without activating the HVAC.

Air purifiers are also a top seller in the health and wellness category for FSIoffice, Charlotte, North Carolina; and here too, the big sales are to schools.

“Air filtration has been a big success since the end of 2021, with 90 percent of the business coming from schools,” says executive vice president Beth Freeman. “There was a lot of press regarding air quality in the education sector and during COVID-19 a lot of government funding went to schools. And we are finding there is still a lot of funding on the table because some of the schools weren’t sure how to spend the money. We were proactive: we worked with Fellowes reps to help schools identify what qualified for what

funds. We partnered with some of the schools to put in air purifiers district wide. One contract was for $1 million and another for $.75 million. One district put the purifiers in all at once; the other we delivered in stages. Other schools would install them in a certain number of classrooms for $20,000 to $50,000 orders—definitely much higher orders than office products.”

Just say no to PFAS

Greg McLeod, CEO of 1st Source Business Supplies, Minneapolis, Minnesota, sees another health and wellness trend that has emerged of late, especially in the food service industry: the move away from per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).

PFAS are synthetic chemicals linked to severe health problems such as cancer, hormone disruption, immune system suppression, decreased vaccine response and reproductive problems. PFAS are commonly used in everything from cookware and cosmetics to carpets, firefighting foam

and thousands of other products, including food packaging. Several large chemical companies are involved in PFAS lawsuits; while at the time of publication, 11 states had adopted a law that bans or restricts the use of PFAS in food packaging.

“The big trend we are seeing is PFAS-free and we were way ahead of it,” says McLeod. “We got out of selling Styrofoam and wanted something better. You can get fiber-based clamshells and other food service containers, like those made out of sugarcane; but the liquid and grease would leak through, so manufacturers would spray them with PFAS to prevent leakage. The irony is, people were using these to be better for the environment, but they were sprayed with a horrific, cancer-causing chemical. We have been selling food service disposables that are compostable, biodegradable and/or recyclable, and PFAS-free.”

According to McLeod, the company sells many other products—“2,000

plus”—that fall within the health and wellness category, including ergonomic furniture and computer accessories, sit-to-stand desks, antifatigue mats and screens, and even ergonomic staplers.

Working in comfort

“Ergonomics is an area we are doing really well in,” enthuses Michael Witt, chief operating officer of Blaisdell’s Business Products, Richmond, California. “Since COVID-19, a lot of people here are still working from home, which has hurt our office supplies sales. Being in the San Francisco Bay area, working from home is not going away. We needed a new revenue stream. Adrian, who has been with us for 20 years, got trained and certified in ergonomics and we let our 2,000 customers know that we have this new service. She goes to customers’ offices for people with carpal tunnel or back and wrist issues, and often does five to 10 evaluations in one office. HR departments have embraced the service. It cuts down on »

workers’ compensation claims, which are through the roof in California. The service has paid off tremendously for us. We did seven-digit sales last year.”

The sector has done so well that Blaisdell’s opened a showroom devoted to products designed to make work life more comfortable. “We sell things like ergonomic chairs and keyboards, sit-to-stand desks. Customers can visit the showroom to check out the products and get a demonstration. We even deliver items to customers’ offices and let them test them for a week.”

Freeman agrees that ergonomic furniture, like sit-stand desks and chairs with lumbar support, have also done well in the health and wellness category. “Eight or nine out of 10 of our larger furniture projects have some kind of health and wellness aspect—at least a sit-to-stand option,” she says. “We are also seeing more consideration of health and wellness on the front end of projects. Things like antifatigue mats and hand sanitizer stations are included upfront and not as an afterthought, which is good from a sales standpoint.”

Breaking away from the norm

Another area where Witt has seen growth in the health and wellness sector is the breakroom. “About four years ago, we started supplying companies daily with fresh fruit and vegetables and dairy,” he says. “We partnered with a produce company that opens between 2:00 am and 3:00 am Our driver arrives at 5:15 am, fills the truck and delivers it. We’ve had a good response to the service from customers and have done very well with it. In the breakroom, we still do a lot in this area, although with fewer people in the office—not as much as pre-COVID-19. But it helps that we are in the San Francisco Bay Area, where everyone is into health and eating well.”

Coffee and flavored and injected water have also been breakroom stars for Blaisdell’s. “We have more than 200 coffee units in the field right now, whether it’s Bunn, Keurig or bean to cup,” says Witt. “We also have partnered with a company that provides eight different flavors of water to which people can add things like electrolytes and vitamins. We have 25 to 28 units out, and they aren’t cheap. But we’ve

done well with that because once the machine is there, it’s an automatic reorder; they need flavor packs.”

Still running its course

According to Freeman, while sales have dropped off some, the company is still stocking more personal protective equipment (PPE) like masks, disinfectants and hand sanitizers than pre-COVID-19.

McLeod agrees and goes on to explain why PPE sales have remained strong for 1st Source. “A lot of people sold tremendous quantities of things like gloves during the pandemic, but it was already big for us before the pandemic hit,” he says. “We sell to many healthcare, infection control and food service entities that must be FDA [Food and Drug Administration] compliant. We provide socks, beard and hair nets, and products for biomedical manufacturers’ cleanrooms.”

For some, the continued sales are surprising. “Something we are still doing well with, which I thought had run its course, is COVID-19 tests,” says Witt. “We have some customers buying them monthly.”

A different pitch

Most of the dealers agree that health and wellness requires a unique sales approach compared to office products. “It can be different at times because they are not the same type of buyers,” says Freeman. “A standard office products buyer purchases a product because someone needs it. They are not as concerned about the product itself. In health and wellness, there are usually different stakeholders, like HR, that have a workplace safety mindset. When ergonomics comes into play, that audience is more concerned about the product features and benefits for the employee. Absenteeism and productivity are hot-button topics with this audience, and you can have those conversations on how the product meets those needs.”

McLeod also believes there are sales differences, which he likes. “Health and wellness is less commoditized, less transactional, than office products,” he says. “Also, fewer companies are going after the market, giving us more opportunities. Things like having to be

FDA certified or dealing with safety issues mean you are usually dealing with more senior decision makers than office products, where they are more likely to delegate this to a purchaser. Healthcare accounts and food manufacturers have products they need to stay legally compliant or they will be shut down. It’s selling at a higher level to people who are more likely to value the relationship you build with them. Being involved in something mission-critical to the environment and people is nice; and it’s more fun selling these products than selling 12 staplers.”

Less amazing

Something else most dealers agree on is that while Amazon and other big box stores present some competition in the health and wellness arena, this is far less intense than with office products.

“Someone might need an air purifier for the office or even an ergonomic chair or sit-to-stand desk to work at home and get it on Amazon,” Freeman says. “But a school district isn’t going to buy $100,000 worth of air purifiers

from Amazon. It’s a big investment and there’s much more to it.”

According to Trowbridge, Amazon is part of the reason why Palace delved deeper into schools and the health and wellness category. “Amazon does homes well,” he explains. “The closed offices from COVID-19 hurt us, so we pivoted more toward schools. We started adding more verticals to schools, like medical kits. Schools must always have medical first aid supplies on hand or they will get fined. If a child gets sick and they don’t have the right supplies, it’s a problem. So, we partnered with a company that makes medical first aid kits, and when each supply in the kit is halfway gone, there is a tab reminding people to reorder. They go online and punch in the numbers of what they need. They can order once a week or once a day. We did $35,000 in medical kits last year and $50,000 in refills.”

While the last couple of years haven’t been easy, it’s evident that some independent dealers have found a path to continued success in health and wellness.

Precision medicine.

THE FUTURE OF CANCER CARE IS HERE.

According to City of Hope’s Stephen Gruber, M.D., Ph.D., M.P.H., “Cancer is a disease of DNA. That’s why precision medicine, which leverages the genetic and genomic features that contribute to the development of cancer, has led to the greatest progress in cancer medicine.”

Precision medicine uses two types of analysis. One is genetic, which looks for inherited genes that predispose people to certain types of cancer. The other is genomic, which identifies DNA mutations in a patient’s tumor cells. Both types reveal what mutations are driving a particular cancer and whether targeted treatment or immunotherapy might provide the most effective treatment.

Unlike traditional treatments, many of these remarkable new drugs can destroy cancer cells without harming healthy tissue and with far fewer side effects. City of Hope remains the leader in cancer care. Precisely.

UPCOMING EVENTS

AVERY GOLF OUTING AND BUSINESS SUMMIT (April 19 to 20) Monarch Beach Golf Links in Dana Point, California

TRIPLE-S TEAM CLEAN GOLF OUTING BENEFITING CITY OF HOPE (April 19 to 21) Sandestin Golf & Beach Resort in Miramar, Florida

NBPI MEMORIAL GOLF CLASSIC HOSTED BY ESSENDANT (June 27) The Glen Club in Glenview, Illinois

HONOREE GOLF OUTING AT SHOREACRES, HOSTED BY ACCO BRANDS (July 23-24) Shoreacres Golf Club, Lake Bluff, Illinois

2023 SPIRIT OF LIFE® HONOREE BORIS ELISMAN Chairman and CEO, ACCO Brands Corporation

Stephen Gruber, M.D., Ph.D., M.P.H.

Tom Buxton

THERE ARE NO PERFECT PRICES

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.

Today, I trusted our local weather people to predict the possibility of rain and they got it wrong, again. I arranged to play golf early so that by 12:30 pm, when rain was supposed to arrive, I would be off the course. It started raining at 9:00 am here in Denver and at about noon the sun started to shine. Why am I sharing this tale of woe with you when you thought this article would be about pricing? Because I have figured out that weather predictions and pricing strategies have a lot in common. They both are inexact sciences and errors can and do often occur.

Over the past few weeks, I have had numerous conversations involving pricing challenges with dealers, suppliers and data consultants on the Interbizgroup team. Just

as spring in Colorado guarantees significant amounts of frustration with the weather reports and those that create them, rampant inflation in our society has led to more customers complaining about their prices and the businesses that offer them.

Here is the crux of the problem. A perfect price does not exist at the present time in virtually any industry—that is, unless you are willing to match some crazy low quote and lose a significant amount of profitability. Customers— especially in the office solutions vertical—see many enticing offers whenever they turn on their computer; and since procurement budgets probably haven’t kept up with inflation, shopping around has become more of a habit than it was in the past.

We also need to remember that the era of inflation is not over no matter what our politicians say (many large companies just posted positive earnings and admitted that their most important strategy is to raise their prices). On this subject, I mentioned in a prior column that our Margin Accelerator joint venture with ECI has enabled dealers to maintain profitability; and as a side benefit, we have been able to accurately measure average cost increases. Our data shows that our industry has absorbed increases that averaged over 20 percent in the past 15 months. So, your angst as a dealer and your customer’s price concerns are very, very real.

However, there is some good news for all of us if we look for it. The enormous size of an office solutions dealer’s

product lines offers some protection from customers “cherry picking” or leaving completely due to frustrations with price. When the dealers we work with shared pricing complaints they received from their customers, there weren’t any duplicate items—every customer had a different item they were concerned about.

So, when you are receiving numerous customer complaints, could it be possible that in some cases they are only concerned about “emotional” items and are not attacking your entire pricing strategy? The following paragraphs are designed to offer cautions and solutions during this delicate period in our history. Please let me know if you have any questions or would like further information on anything that is suggested.

First, let me provide a very recent example of the challenges that currently exist in the marketplace at the opposite extreme of prices being too high. A dealer that I have known for a long time called me in a panic last month. Her large stockless dealership had been using a “Staples match” strategy for the past few years, with some success. That success came to an end in January of this year. The company’s margins on the matrix they used dropped precipitously during the first quarter because Staples had reduced its overall margins by a significant amount. She asked if we could “save” her from the hit the company had been taking by adjusting the prices back to 2022 levels.

She noted that no one has been complimenting

her company on its price reductions, and that she believes her customers would be willing to pay 7-15 percent more in most cases in order to buy from them. By the way, do you agree with this last statement? Does your company add enough value through its local customer service, dedicated salespeople and uniformed drivers to be priced more like Outback than Chili’s? If you feel that your service is not that good and that you need to match Staples and Office Depot to retain business, fire most of your staff and find a way to survive on a 20 percent or less gross margin. But before you do anything drastic, consider some more good news. The existence of so many growing and profitable office dealers proves that you don’t need to meet every low price to survive.

Back to my story. We agreed with this dealer’s thoughts about her customers being willing to pay a bit more but reminded her that in some cases custom contracts must be used for a client’s most emotional items. We also coached her not to jump back toward the prior margin yield immediately, but “inch and scooch” by raising prices by approximately 3 percent per month. The good news is that this dealer has already implemented the new matrices and there have been no complaints so far. But she is ready to deal with pricing complaints if

they come during the next few months, by having her reps connect with customers and share experiences about inflation along with the “games” that Staples (and Depot) are currently playing because they provide little or no service.

So, what does this story, and the fact that Staples and Depot have lowered their prices over the past few months, mean for your business; and what can be done to stop the complaints and possible sales losses that your company may be experiencing at the moment? By now, if you read my columns regularly, you’ll be prepared for a few bullet points:

• Use more than one matrix in your company and be prepared to raise or lower the file by a few points if an unhappy customer needs comforting.

• We are hearing that the wholesalers have lowered some of their private label items, so lower prices for your customers too and brag about it.

• We have created a list of 100-150 emotional items that are closer to Staples.com for our Margin Accelerator customers; so if you are being “hammered” by complaints, create your own list or reach out to us if you want to hear about how we can help. Just remember, your margins will decline when you start cutting prices.

Tom Buxton

• You must add items that customers are complaining about to custom contracts. We believe that not creating and maintaining numerous small custom contracts for your customers can hurt your sales significantly, because matrices are supposed to contain your highest-margin products. They have not been designed to fight for new business unless you have selected those low-margin versions that are specifically designed for that purpose.

• This is repetitive, but you need to know that the dealers that use our services which are having the best results have tasked their reps with having inflation conversations with their customers. Start with a question like, “Why do you buy from us?”

• Go after larger customers than you have in the past. This might seem counterintuitive when there are pricing concerns, but AOPD dealers are growing their large SLED, hospital and national business at spectacular rates, because larger entities are desperate for help and great service.

Lastly, don’t be discouraged when you receive complaints about pricing issues. There is hope and if you do the right things, you will grow through them this year.

WHAT IS THE FUTURE OF SELLING?

The sales profession is facing an entirely new type of competition, in the form of artificial intelligence (AI). Whether this will be a game-changer is yet to be seen.

The topic of a recent LinkedIn poll was: “Can salespeople be replaced by AI in five years?” My instinctive reaction was probably the same as yours: “Of course not.” Then, I did a little thinking before I answered. And I realized that, yes, a lot of salespeople could be replaced by AI—not in five years, but right now! That’s because their skills aren’t really any better than those of your basic chatbot—and therein lies a problem for those of us who care deeply about the role of the professional salesperson.

Let’s be clear: I believe that there are things that skilled, engaged, professional salespeople can do that AI cannot, and probably will not ever be able to do. But for this article, I wanted a more expert opinion. I decided to interview the most prominent current expert on AI about this very topic. I interviewed ChatGPT. That’s right—I interviewed AI about AI. Here’s a highlight from that interview:

Me: Will AI be able to

replace most salespeople in the future?

ChatGPT: While AI technologies like ChatGPT have shown tremendous advancements in recent years and can perform many tasks with impressive accuracy, they cannot completely replace the role of a salesperson. There are several reasons why ChatGPT cannot replace salespeople:

• Personalization: Salespeople build relationships with their customers through personalized interactions that require a high level of emotional intelligence and human connection.

AI technologies lack the

empathy, intuition and emotional intelligence needed for human interactions.

• Complex sales processes: Some sales processes require a high degree of complexity and nuance that ChatGPT cannot handle. Salespeople can provide specialized knowledge, solve complex problems and negotiate terms with customers.

• Trust and rapport building: Salespeople establish trust with customers over time through their interactions and relationship-building skills, which is essential to closing sales. Building trust takes time and a deeper understanding of the customer’s needs,

Harrison is the author of Sell Like You Mean It! And The Pocket Sales Manager, and a speaker, consultant and sales navigator. He helps companies build more profitable and productive salesforces. To schedule a free 45-minute sales strategy review, call 913-645-3603 or email troy@ troyharrison.com.

which ChatGPT may not be able to provide.

In summary, ChatGPT can be used as a support tool for salespeople by providing relevant information, data and customer insights. However, AI cannot replace the human-to-human connection that is necessary in sales interactions.

Whew. Well, even ChatGPT thinks it can’t replace salespeople. So all is well, right?

Troy

Wrong.

Look at all of the things that ChatGPT says that salespeople do: “Build relationships with their customers through personalized interactions that require a high level of emotional intelligence and human connection, provide specialized knowledge, solve complex problems, establish trust with customers over time,” etc. Here’s the problem. An awful lot of today’s salespeople don’t do that. They go through the motions: they make some sales calls and they put in some numbers. The level of engagement described by my “expert” is the level of skill that top salespeople show. That’s 20 percent or less of this profession.

The implication is that a large amount of salespeople can be replaced by AI. Imagine an AI bot that dials a prospect, engages in a

voice-to-voice conversation using prospecting and sales best practices, and even sets appointments. Heck, take it a step further and imagine it doing so in the same voice as the real salesperson who would handle the live appointment. Or how about an AI bot that sets Zoom sales appointments and then carries them out in a hologram? This kind of thing would have been science fiction five years ago—now it’s an imminent reality. The tech to do the phone prospecting is almost here— AI can have conversations through chatbots. Text-to-voice tech is here. And you can even train that tech to use your voice, or a voice similar enough that few people could detect the difference.

So what does all this mean for you? It means that it’s time to up your

game in every respect.

If you’re a principal or a manager, ask yourself if your salespeople are exhibiting personalization, emotional intelligence, problem-solving and trust-building on a day-to-day basis. If not, find ways to train them to do so.

If you’re a salesperson, you have some work to do. Here’s a quick list of what salespeople should be doing in order to move into the future of selling:

• Personalize your encounters: One-size-fits-all sales calls don’t work anymore—if they ever did; and neither do canned presentations. Personalization means knowing your customer better by asking more and better questions and then using the info you have discovered to solve problems—not just pushing whatever you can.

• Tune in to your customers: After asking a great question, it’s time to listen. Really listen and tune in to the words coming from the customer—they’re important. Watch their LinkedIn profiles for clues as to their viewpoints and priorities.

• Live empathy: Notice I didn’t say “show” empathy—that is inauthentic. I mean live empathy. Work on your ability to put yourself on the other side of the desk (mentally—you don’t want a lawsuit) and see things

from the customer’s point of view. Facing the same situations, what would you do? How would you react or feel? That’s empathy.

• Focus on the buyer’s journey: In sales, we are trained to think about the “sales process”— projecting what we want onto the customer. It’s time to flip that script. Instead, think about the journey the buyer takes to make a purchase and what that buyer wants at each stage (this is part of living empathy).

• Use tech to the max: Competing with tech means using tech. The battle over customer relationship management is over. It’s a good thing. Embrace it and use it. Use reviews of your customers’ businesses to learn more about them and find opportunities. Even using ChatGPT as a research tool is completely fair. It’s a tool—use it to be the best salesperson you can be.

Make no mistake about my outlook. A great salesperson will always be better than AI. A good salesperson will always be at least as good as great AI. I’m a 100 percent passionate advocate for personal selling by human beings to human customers. And just as I’m challenging you to up your game, I’m challenging myself to up mine. This space, in coming issues, will help us both to do just that.

Marisa Pensa

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.

MANAGEMENT PROBLEMS (AND HOW TO FIX THEM)

Did you know that companies with a defined sales process win 53 percent of their forecasted deals compared to only 43 percent of their peers with “ad hoc” processes, according to CSO Insights? That’s 23 percent more output with a defined sales process.

As executive sales leaders, it’s up to us to define a common sales process and language that are shared across the organization. However, despite our best efforts, pipeline problems and performance challenges can still crop up.

These challenges often come from getting caught up in managing the pipeline from the back end versus managing from the front end. As a result, sales teams experience ups and downs. Good month; bad month. Good quarter; bad quarter. And so on.

If this sounds familiar,

here’s a quick challenge for you to try today: pull up the pipeline for one person in your sales organization and think about these questions:

• What are the criteria for each sales stage that you see? Is there a common language across all departments/areas as to what a 50 percent opportunity looks like?

• Do all opportunities need to have a confirmed next appointment with the prospect to stay active?

• How many first appointments are scheduled for the next two weeks for this person?

These questions apply no matter how you’re managing your pipeline—whether you have a robust customer relationship management (CRM) system that you’ve used for years, you are just rolling out a CRM for the first time or you’re using some form of home-grown system.

Now, let’s look at three common problems we’ve heard a variety of companies say are most troubling and tips for what you can do to fix them.

#1. Lack of a common language and criteria for each stage of the pipeline Would every person on your sales and leadership team define a 50 percent opportunity in the same way? Even across business units, from furniture through technology, breakroom and supplies, there can truly be a common language for what your team considers the halfway point to getting to yes.

Without a common language and shared criteria for each stage, sales leaders and the sales team get tricked into thinking they are further along in the sales process than they really are. If they do guess wrong, this can negatively impact a busy sales leader’s ability to make timely decisions and forecast with accuracy. How to fix this: Clarify the criteria for each sales stage and what it takes to move from Stage 1 to 2, Stage 2 to 3 and so on. Create a simple cheat sheet with the

definitions of each stage and share it with your team.

#2. Inflated pipelines and “hopium” from counting opportunities as active that should not be active When we assume we have more opportunities than we do or that we’re further along in the sales process than we really are, this results in a lack of urgency to prospect, a decline in overall activity and missed steps within the sales process.

For sales professionals, it’s important to be optimistic; however, hope can cloud reality. The result of “hopium” is overestimating pipeline values, over-forecasting and unintentionally allowing time to kill deals.

How to fix this: For every opportunity in the pipeline, ask your rep: “When are you meeting again?” This simple question can help determine whether an opportunity should be active or not active. (We like to call this type of opportunity “parked.”) Opportunities that are not tied to mutually agreed appointments can’t be counted on for income and forecasts.

Note: For Salesforce users out there, a task is a “to do”

THREE COMMON PIPELINE AND PERFORMANCE

and not a mutually agreed upon appointment. “Events scheduled” will be tied more closely to appointments depending on the definitions for events in your company.

#3. Sales managers leading ineffective one-on-ones and team meetings

When done right, one-on-ones and team meetings make your team stronger and help you build better relationships. However, the challenge sales managers must overcome is establishing a regular cadence and

in having a regular cadence of scheduled on-on-ones. This is even if you talk all the time or can easily walk into their office or call to ask a question.

Having regular one-on-ones communicates, by evidence of your time, that the person on your team is important to you. Relationships, whether personal or professional, take intentionality.

The same is true for team pipeline meetings. Managers must be intentional by having a framework for a clearly defined pipeline meeting. This means leading

up on what was covered during the meeting. What challenge or actions did you give your team last time and how did you follow up on that? How to fix this: Always include agenda items in the body of the invite. This will give your team members an idea of what you want to talk about and the questions you’ll ask; and will serve as a reminder for you about what you promised to follow up on.

Bring a common language and criteria to your team’s pipeline

Now, you may be thinking

conversationalists and natural at selling, or vice versa.

Process will outsell personality alone every time. It’s process plus a dynamic personality that will kill it in the field and on the phone again and again.

Strike the right balance between process and art form (personality) to keep your dealership on track for growth now and in the future.

If you’re not sure how or where to start, one of our core strengths is helping sales leaders and sales teams create criteria so everyone shares the same

NAVIGATING ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN E-COMMERCE

E-commerce is a rapidly growing industry that has seen tremendous success over the past decade. As more and more companies enter the market, they look to new technologies and strategies to stay ahead of the competition. One of the most promising technologies—and one of the most polarizing—that has emerged in recent years is artificial intelligence (AI). AI can be used to help automate many

of the mundane tasks associated with running an e-commerce business, while also providing insights into customer behavior.

What is AI?

AI is the simulation of human intelligence processes by machines, especially computer systems. In simpler terms, AI is the ability of a computer program or machine to perform tasks that normally require human

intelligence. It involves the use of algorithms, machine learning, natural language processing and computer vision to enable machines to perceive, learn, reason and respond like humans. AI technology is rapidly evolving and is being implemented in various industries, including e-commerce. The use of AI in e-commerce has revolutionized the way online shopping is done and has the potential

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

to bring in significant benefits for businesses and customers alike. However, as with any technology, AI has its advantages and disadvantages.

The pros

AI is increasingly being adopted in e-commerce, for a range of reasons. Here are some of the most compelling benefits of AI in e-commerce:

• Improved personalization for shoppers: AI helps in creating personalized shopping experiences by tracking customers’ behaviors, preferences and history. By analyzing customer data, AI can provide customized recommendations, pricing and promotions.

• Streamlined inventory management: AI enables businesses to monitor their inventory levels, sales trends and reorder points. This helps businesses to make data-driven decisions about what to stock and when to order new inventory.

• Enhanced customer support: AI chatbots and virtual assistants can provide round-the-clock customer service no matter the time zone and without the need for human interaction, so workers can have more standardized schedules. AI-based customer support can provide immediate, accurate and personalized responses to customers, resulting in increased satisfaction and loyalty.

• Improved search results: AI-powered search engines can provide more accurate and relevant search results for customers. By analyzing customer behavior, search algorithms can understand search intent, leading to more effective recommendations.

• Fraud detection and prevention: AI can help

to identify potential fraud by detecting unusual customer behavior patterns and alerting the business to potential issues. AI-powered fraud detection can also help businesses to reduce chargebacks and fraudulent orders.

• Increased efficiency: AI-powered automation of various business processes—such as inventory management, shipping and order processing—can reduce labor costs and increase operational efficiency.

Overall, AI can provide businesses with a range of benefits, helping them to improve customer experiences, streamline operations and increase profitability.

The cons

While AI brings numerous advantages to e-commerce, there are also some potential downsides to consider:

• Lack of personalization for communications: One of the main concerns with AI in e-commerce is that it could lead to a lack of personalization. Some customers may feel like they are interacting with a machine rather than a human (which, technically, they are). This could lead to a negative customer experience and reduce the likelihood of repeat business.

• Biased algorithms: Another issue with AI in e-commerce is the possibility of biased algorithms. If the algorithms are trained

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using biased data, this can lead to unfair treatment of certain groups. For example, an algorithm that is biased against a particular demographic may result in lower-quality recommendations for that group.

• Security risks: AI systems in e-commerce can also pose security risks. If hackers gain access to these systems, they could potentially access sensitive customer data or use the system for malicious purposes.

• Limited understanding of human emotions: AI systems lack human emotions, which can make it difficult for them to understand complex customer needs. This could lead to incorrect

recommendations or missed opportunities for sales.

• Job displacement: Lastly, AI systems in e-commerce could lead to job displacement. As machines become more capable of performing tasks traditionally done by humans, there may be less need for human workers, potentially resulting in rising unemployment rates.

While there are some concerns around the use of AI in e-commerce, these can be mitigated through careful implementation and ongoing monitoring. By weighing the pros and cons, e-commerce businesses can determine whether AI is the right fit for their needs.

How to implement AI inclusively

While the potential of AI in e-commerce is exciting, it’s

important to remember that it’s not a one-size-fits-all solution. As an e-commerce business owner, you need to understand how to navigate and personalize AI for your business. One of the most important things to keep in mind is to ensure that your AI algorithms are inclusive. Historically, AI algorithms have been created by a homogenous group of people and have often excluded women, people of color, the LGBTQ+ community and other marginalized groups in their programming. As a result, these algorithms can often perpetuate biases and discrimination.

To navigate AI in e-commerce, start by considering the data you’re feeding into your algorithms. If your data sets are not diverse, the outcomes will reflect that. Make sure you’re using data sets that represent a wide range of

people, backgrounds and experiences.

Another way to navigate AI in e-commerce is to focus on personalization. The power of AI lies in its ability to deliver personalized experiences to customers. However, to achieve this, you need to collect data on your customers’ preferences and behaviors. By doing this, you can create targeted marketing campaigns, personalized product recommendations and customized user experiences that drive conversions and engagement.

Finally, it’s important to monitor the results of your AI algorithms and make adjustments as necessary. The world of AI is constantly evolving, so you need to stay up to date with the latest advancements and make sure your algorithms are delivering the results you need.

So, will it work for you? The short answer is, most likely. But ultimately, it depends on your specific needs and goals. If you’re a small business owner looking to streamline operations and improve customer experience, implementing AI technologies may help you achieve those objectives. On the other hand, if your business is already operating at a high level, implementing AI may not be necessary. It’s important to consider the cost-benefit analysis before incorporating AI into your e-commerce strategy.

It’s also crucial to remember that AI should never fully replace human interactions and decision making. Human oversight is still necessary to ensure ethical practices and prevent any unintended consequences of AI implementation.

Mara Gannon