The Kingfield is Dead….Long live the King

Another week Another head.

Alan back at the helm

Time to get back into the swing of things and concentrate on the key factors in making a company great again. Richard Martin has gone and Alan’s back and we can focus our lives on not trying to prop up an inconsiderate and unpopular leadership. Those members who attended last weekends excellent conference will now be aware of the strength of good old common sense customer feeling.

I had been a little concerned heading into conference – no surprise there! - but how a sunny weekend with lots of positive attitudes and actions soon changed that. The Friday AGM I’ve been told by many members set the scene and cleared the ground for a forward thinking and wholly positive approach from all attendees – so many thanks for that.

Becky - KOL expert from Northern Stationery

Well done Becky!!  A geordie lass who knows her Kings of Leon and got there well ahead of other contenders. Best gig of the year – absolutely no doubt, until that is Franz Ferdinand later in the year. Becky wins 2 tickets to see The Enemy at O2 academy in Leeds very soon. We’ll have to do this again, although I’ll need some time to recharge the brain cells.

If Blackpool was the place to be the weekend before last, it wasn’t the place to return to last wednesday evening with the Geordie hoards and the Seasider with the bloody BIG drum!   We came, we saw & we wimped out. The Blackpool manager, Ian Holloway wanted after the match to kiss the guy with the said drum.Hmmmm….I wanted to meet him too!

I'll show those Geordies who's really Hard!

So it’s back into the groove and looking for September sales to pick up. Many of the members report just how tough it is out there but are also keen to stress that business opportunities are on the up as well. I spoke with some of our key Vendors over fish & chips on Saturday afternoon (that’s my excuse for extras, anyway) and they were very pleased with the number of enquiries received at conference. I have to say that in previous years follow up have been patchy to say the least and so I’m urging ALL exhibitors to get into the dealers (better than Nicky Butt & co at any rate) and make those opportunities into real sales. I could tell that, frankly, many of the vendors were pretty tired on saturday evening after a great exhibition, and I’d like to say a massive thanks for all your support this year in particular.

And of course we must not forget the magnificent fund raising over the weekend which produced an unbelievable £4425.00, going to show that the friendlies really are…..charity friendly.  

Oh Yes...need I say anymore?

Still heeding your messages of keep it short and simple (my mantra I suppose, even If I don’t care for it!) There’s tons I’d like to say but it will keep for later, but to all members who missed out this time on a truly wonderful conference there really is only one message - SEE YOU NEXT YEAR!

we'll meet again some sunny.....day!!!!

Only by the night…..

I really hope you all had a fantastic bank Holiday weekend! I know I certainly did, or at least I think I did!

It was pretty hectic and eventful. I was able to get closer to one of my favourite bands at the Leeds Fest although the journey home at 2 in the morning was something of a crawl. It was in part down to a member of the fairer sex. On fire, her car was actually on fire ! and not having my mobile on me I had to use somebody else’s phone to call the Fire Brigade. It was not quite the manhattan nyfd, but these guys were very good and sorted the problem out very quickly.

I guess this event dampened down some of the revelry that had been going on, but as the girl was only just turned 17, then it was a traumatic situation to have been in. I hope she doesn’t get the notion to stop driving and I want you to realise that whilst Cole and I were no heroes, it kind of felt good to be somebody for a little while.

 

And so, after all the excitement of a great Bank Holiday Summer Festival (the Kaisers were fabulous too) it’s out in the cold desert until next season when us old ( ‘& not so old dad!’ – Cole) rockers can return to a days sore feet, MUD, unusual smells, MORE MUD, Crappy food (well I did pack it myself), EVEN MORE MUD, 30′000 screaming youngsters and guess what – SOME MUD.

So what’s that got to do with Office Products? Well, you might be surprised to hear, absolutely NOTHING…There is a prize for the first person who works out what I’ve managed to do (I am a little chuffed with myself), and It’s to get us back into the blog swing of things before conference.

BLACKPOOL...Las Vegas with PROPA Klass, like

We hold our event/festival of Office Friendly very soon, and a great turnout will be in Blackpool, the LAS VEGAS of Britain. We’ve a great line up too, and lots of us OP stockers will be there. It promises to be a lively and informative 2 days, when Vow will be having to perform every bit as good as the Kings of Leon…….

……..BECAUSE OF THE TIMES

 

PS Don’t forget the Competition – I’ve a great prize to give away. So…Why do I think I’m such a CHARMER & what have I done?

short & sweet….A Customer Request

Hi fellow friendlies!

engrossing...surely not swervy's blog?

I’m back after a short absence with the words ringing in my ears ‘keep it short and sweet’. It seems I’m prone to go on a bit (alledgedly!) and whilst I enjoy composing what I write it seems  curling up with a good (or bad) novel is a lot more fun for most of you out there.

Tempted to stop whilst I’m ahead, I still feel the need to talk about that crucial perennial - CUSTOMER SERVICE.

Crikey, as hard as our members try, they seem to be served a diet of change, poor customer care and lack of appreciation of their needs. It’s pretty clear that the balance needs to change back to supporting customers who’ve shown great loyalty over a long period of time.

Cash is King eh? It’s very hard to argue with that statement. but how about another one – Care less is a Killer. Many of the dealers I speak to have offered a lifetime of real service and attention to their customers needs and have been rewarded accordingly. They have relied on a supply chain that valued their business needs and invested in serving them with real quality and innovation.

 

I keep saying regularly to many people at our key supply partner – should be at centre of your offering.

It really should;

1. Build your business around customer loyalty & maximise your opportunities with less resistance

2. Provide exceptional customer service & provide support that competitors can’t or won’t match.

3. Constantly be Honest with your customers and treat them with respect

4. Never go head to head over complaints with customers. In most cases the solutions can provide a better service and failure to recognise that creates longer term problems

5. Feel the pain too. When things are going wrong it’s the front line troops who bear the brunt of issues, are often in support of disaffected customers and pilloried by the management team.

Hmmmmm.....

Inward looking businesses really need to beware the threat posed by inconsistent and poor customer service and the old adage that if you don’t take care of your customers then the competition will applies. The sad thing is that most employees and suppliers also know this is equally true. Perhaps an introduction of no cost contact numbers will signal a return to better & sensible business values.

Hopefully this has been short and sweet and in any case, who am I to argue with customers - YOU are KING after all.

Cheers

Now is the time to set things right…..

The Office Products industry has been in a dark place these last few months for a number of players, not the least of which is of course The Vasanta Group. Todays announcement comes as somewhat of a respite and is very welcome news, not only for it’s supporters – Customers and Suppliers alike, but also those employees who have survived the restructure and many changes over this period.

At Office Friendly we have, due to our solus status, been in a bit of a dilemna. We never thought that Vow would be in this position and we were confident that the model was a strong and potentially profitable business. We feel that the financial uncertainties of recent times placed a very heavy burden to deliver on the shoulders of the management team.

Guess what? It really starts from here and the chance is here to build a strong and supportive business NOT ONLY for shareholders, but ALL other stakeholders. We’ve no doubt that Endless will prove to be good partners – we remember with some positive feeling that they were the engineers and backers behind the pre Vasanta model, and we know they have some understanding and interest in the industry. However, let’s be very clear – they are in it to make money – lots of money if the model delivers.

The interest that we, the customers, have in this immense. The part we have to play is in our opinion, one of getting back to basics. Wholesaling isn’t rocket science!! We’re not going to the moon, although we do want Vow to aim for the stars (in service terms). Getting our customers goods when we want them, where we want them and at the right price with as little cost as possible should always be the mantra for any good distributor.

BUT – do you know what? We don’t want Good - We want Brilliance, and we want it with a bloody big pair of supportive arms around us keeping the BIG BOX wolves at bay. We want partnership and we want a steady hand on the ship.

Tons of potential there for mixing metaphors, but it boils down to one thing in our opinion. As one of your Key customers you need to listen to what we have to say and work alongside those closest to the frontline, because that’s the only way we can all deliver success. In the short/medium or long run, however many years the new VC  is ‘IN’ the only way to that success is to listen and learn and not to go back to being insular.

So, please don’t

- try to impose a returns policy that has never worked before

- Make snap decisons on services without the full picture

- Put processes in place with no real understanding of how that effects your customers

- Squeeze on credit at a time when you’ve been ‘extending’ your credit lines whenever possible

- & finally fail to communicate simple key pieces of information that keeps everyone on board

So all I want for Christmas (part 2) – A sack of shiney new stock!!! (oops…did I mention the s word?)

all that and I didn’t mention the price of EOS…..

40 something nearly at an end…I don’t want much

 I’m nearly there!  Tomorrow is the start of my 49th year and I’m at that point in life where I must seem a difficult person to buy a present for. More of that later…..

a happy birthday to Swervy...

It’s been a week and some in the OP industry and I have to say I’m not proud of the Sunday morning projectile spitting of the Orange juice whilst reading the Sunday Telegraph! It started a series of calls and meetings that this week has had many people on edge and I can understand why.

Office Friendly stakeholders – thats Suppliers, Members & Employees – are in pretty deep with Vow and could have been forgiven for feeling that the credit crunch and recession was just about CRUNCH very hard.  

This problem of course is not Vow’s alone – it’s an industry wide problem affecting everyone and we all need to reflect on how all the Office Products players need each part of the supply chain to be in good working order.

For many of the people I’ve spoken to it’s been a time for reflection on the partner that has been wobbling lately and when all the facts come out could make a fascinating movie – a combination of Gordon Gekkos Wall Street, Forest Gump and 12 Angry men (or in our case 178!).

 

 

                             

But, let’s be realistic here. The Vasanta position has been exacerbated by the world wide financial meltdown and a change in What’s In/What’s Out. The daily management activities have been under strain as the Credit insurers dealt blow after blow to our industry and let’s all realise that the 2007 leveraged buy out deal was the way forward to develop the business at that time.

In business however one of the constants is ironically change, and our industry will not be the same going forward. I firmly believe that Vow will come out of this  stronger and a company that in business parlance will be ‘Fit for Purpose’. It’s been too easy for the industry doom mongers and gossip lovers (as well as those who should know better) to revel in the woes of others.

My own views have been firmly in the ‘We’ll get through this’ camp and all who have spoken to me this week will be fully aware of the positive nature of my thoughts and beliefs relating to Vow.

 

There will no doubt be statements made at some point and I know as I sit here writing today without the knowledge of the outcome of financial negotiations going on, that I might be heading for a fall, but the Vow business, our KEY partner is an intrinsically strong business. It remains profitable, it remains supportive for OFDA members, it will return to good practises, stocks and sales. It has a formidable and positive MD in Ian Sinclair and it will have financial stability.

 

However much we all hanker for the good old days, the wholesale partner of choice for OFDA has changed but I do have 1 wish for my birthday (I told you I’d be back!).

It’s a birthday present in the form of a press release that says the office products industry is once more working with a strong Sheffield based wholesaler.

Then it’ll be a question of ….’all I want for christmas…’

Manufacturers – Your resellers NEED you!

Manufacturers - Office Friendly needs YOU!

I often wonder, just how can  we do more to help our members improve their sales ?

We obviously need to create exciting opportunities that can really excite our dealers and at the same time provide practical support so they don’t lose sight of the basics.

But, it’s sometimes disconcerting to hear that the very people we need most support from are rooted in older methods of going to market. What’s worse SOME of our trusted supply chain partners haven’t any confidence in the products they sell!

 

Successful selling in tough markets requires  greater levels of skill and persistance allied to the usual key traits of Enthusiasm, Integrity and Empathy. What we’re finding as a hungry customer readily wanting new products to take to market is…………that few manufacturers seem to have anything of interest to present to us!

This cannot be right, surely!

At Office Friendly we’ve been running a programme called OUTSIDE OF THE BOX. We accept it’s had mixed success, but surely the concept of trying to get product into the hands of consumers via a willing salesforce must have merit, mustn’t it?

                                                                                    

I have to say i’m baffled that of the 100+ suppliers we deal with only a small handful dare raise their head above the parapet and try something new. Dealers and resellers are crying out for support and products through good sampling and visibility can have a real effect on sales.

Ok, there are parts of our programme that certainly need reviewing and we’re in the process of doing this, but the cry from the heart to all of our suppliers is – MEET US AT  LEAST HALFWAY – and be more confident in getting out your NEW products to the market sooner rather than through the tried and old fashioned methods always used.

The catalogues don’t really appear until January, most promotional efforts are concentrated on wholesaler promos that don’t always deliver (either through price or focus). So as good old Delia once said,

‘COME ON – LET’S BE ‘AVIN YOU’

We, the independently minded resellers need more than at any time over the last few years Innovative and committed support to push out exciting new lines to capture the imagination of the consumers out there. We need it because when the focus is on cost reduction we need REAL ADDED VALUE to enable the sale. that only comes from great brands and great companies. The industry has both so COME ON and challenge us to grow

The Environment….It’s Pants really and what can I do? I’m only an Office Products reseller

 

 

 

Office Friendly's Unique Carbon Reduction Programme

We all know the world is changing and fast. We feel the cold chill wind of  financial low pressure and we compete day to day to maintain our position in a tight and ultra competitive market that is the Office Products industry. So there’s no room for sentiment and worries about the environment.

 

NOT SO

Many of those who have their own business look to succession management or decide on an exit strategy. Both routes involve leaving a legacy, although however often any new owners look to clean sweep their new business it’s the legacy of the customers that attrcted them in the first place.

Care of the environment is the biggest legacy we can leave to those who come after us. The generations before us and our own can be accused of squandering that legacy.  Some have done so intentionally to create great vaults of wealth. Others have been more ’visonary’ in providing the developed worlds with cheap sources of energy and huge industrial output matching demand for consumer goods. The Office Products industry has a massive connection with all of this. We’ve been able to fuel and sustain the very businesses that have created many of the challenges that face this planet. we absorb in our products great volumes of Paper,Wood, Oil & Plastics

Inevitably it always revolves around Wii4me, no thats not a new ‘app’ for iphone or indeed a fiendish new game for the Wii. It’s simply……..What’s in it for me.

The environment, or in OFDA speak SoGoEco, provides the members with a terrific opportunity for connection and added value to your customers. It is a practical solution to give you a creditation that can be used as an invaluable tool against other resellers. It’s a must have if you’re up against the big box shifters – Lyreco, Depot, Banner et al. Without an EMS or an EP in your tender document forget it! 

Not having an understanding of the environmental impact that your business has will, I firmly believe, soon be an excuse you won’t be able to use. The UK Government has made major commitments to reducing Carbon in the UK by 34% before 2020 (on a baseline of 1996), REGARDLESS of what other nations are doing. The summit at Copenhagen later this year will no doubt create more questions than it solves. It will also see a major diplomatic spat between the Developed world - US, Europe & the developing nations China etc. 

One thing is clear however – UK government (of whatever flavour) will be imposing changes in the way we live and work in accordance with Climate Change objectives. Most, if not all of the major blue chips are embarking on a journey  improving their Corporate Social Responsibility and their Environmental credentials. There is a race going on to prove that my Credentials and activities are greater than yours. BT, Kelloggs, Reckitts, Interserve, and how can you fail to see M&S and ALL the major supermarkets promoting their green credentials hard and harder still.

So, we reach the key point for OP dealers and of course OFDA members in particular.

We need to do more.. we need to do a lot more and you all have a real competitive edge here. SoGoEco and the carbon Smart programme not only represents great financial possibilities with cost savings,prudent energy management and with simple tools to do it, it also presents a fantastic marketing opportunity, and we have a wealth of support for all likeminded members.

Your customers want to see cost savings too, that can’t be obscured but the reality is that the model we work will always put price pressures in place. The big box guys do have a simpler and cost effective route to market. They don’t need wholesale reliance, they have the volumes that makes single drop for all manufacturers a no brainer. They have access to far eastern markets and products through multinational connections and they have the power and scope to show their Green credentials as a business.

What they do lack however is that close knit understanding and relationships with the biggest customer base in the UK – we are talking of the SME sector. Our members deal in this market every day. Many of them are not just looking for cheaper post it notes but also solutions to the problems they have.

One of the biggest of these is the environment and their own green credentials. This is just the opportunity that we’ve been looking for. SoGoEco phase 2 will be launched in the autumn, once we have all the current members on the programme fully up to speed. We are also building Stage 2 of SoGoEco to get you from standard to the next level – silver. 

So what does phase 2 involve? It’s the chance to work with OFDA/Carbon Smart to deliver our version of SoGoEco to YOUR customers and there is a string attached – we want the Office Products business to be part of the bundle. You will be able to group customers together in workshops, focus groups and forums. Use the skills of your business to enhance your added value and at the same time help your customers remove costs in other areas.

Not all of our members are involved in SoG0Eco and for those who have gone down a different route but still have some (costly) credentials to show that’s fantastic. However we still have too many members who haven’t looked at the real benefits of the programme and remain unconvinced. That could prove unfortunate because as the science continues to gain real weight the chances of legislation in the business sector to become more green will only increase. Today many of the largest companies are subject to regulation on energy, but more than that they tell us they are subject to a far bigger pressure – that of the consumer, and he will always be King!

www.guardian.co.uk - CLIMATE CHANGE

 

 

 

www.timesonline.co.uk - Environment News

 

 

 

www.sogoeco.co.uk

How is it for you? Office Friendlies Produce the Goods

For many OP resellers the current mood isn’t all doom and gloom but is certainly subdued. We have good examples of dealers who are bucking the trend, such as Harrison Green in East Anglia, as well as Tom and the guys at Belmonts in Stockport. Winstonmead are currently engaged on a strong acqusition campaign and Ed Barnshaw – ‘Storming Ed’ continues to prosper and grow.

 

 

I haven’t mentioned Commercial and CCS Media, two of the very largest UK resellers who consistently take on and defeat the contract players at their own game.

Over the last few months it’s been easy to become obsessed with the supplier chain and the structural issues that they all have - manufacturers and wholesalers alike. Today I had a fantastic discussion with Martin Shaw, D3 in Hull. many of you will remember Martin as the KingfieldHeath marketing director who has switched over to reseller alongside very long standing member/owner Richard Denley.

Martin told me about his business focus and how the D3 sales are split, with Supplies accounting for 50% of his business, Print and Furniture 25% each. D3 are an extremely well run compnay and have added focus to their strategy by looking more intently at Customer driven segmented sales rather than more traditional emphasis on Product based sales.

Funnily enough this is just the path that the Roman Group have embarked on over the last 12 months and it’s beginning to pay dividends. I’ve spent some time with Tony baker and Peter Pull and have been very impressed with their customer demand activities. Recently for example, they instigated a new account call day off-site with all their salesteam attracting over 70 new account leads, many of which have been converted into new accounts.

This feedback is invaluable as i believe it provides a major opportunity for Office Friendly (the Group) to assess just what we can do to help you develop a business development strategy. I have to confess that I have been wrapped up in the challenges faced by our suppliers in recent months and have been looking at how we refocus to help ALL of our shareholder members generate better profits in these difficult and uncertain times.

Networking is one of the key ways in which we can help. Conferences form the backbone of the networking opportunities and I urge you to look closely at participating in the main event in Blackpool in September. This isn’t a sales pitch to attend it’s a real chance to  meet Tom, Tony,Peter,Lee,Paul,Dominic,Richard,Martin,Ed,Nick,Roger,Stuart,Bill, & Steve(that’s me) and all the others who have enjoyed success and beaten the downturn. Maybe we could encourage one or more to tell us how they do it! 

Office Friendly will get to grips with all the basic needs, we will continue to pressurise our supply partners and we will be developing new growth strategies to help our members. Look out for the real stories of success in the coming weeks on this web site as we try to help all of you Bounceback

(ok Martin?)

It’s not Always Black n White

I’m a bit of a Japanophile really and on my last visit to Japan I thought it would be a great idea to have an expression i use tattooed on my upper arm. The expression is ‘Always Black and White, but never Grey’. It seemed a really good idea at the time, would fit neatly just below my Toon Army Crest. After some research and help!! from graeme chapman we found a translation. At over 70 characters there was no space and little chance of all that pain!

To much surprise to family and friends I went to see Startrek at the local cinema on Sunday, especially choosing the 4.05pm showing. Beam me up Scottie! Luckily for me it lasted about 2 hours including adverts and previews of whats coming next. Funnily I knew what was coming next and it wasn’t pleasing, entertaining or deafeningly loud. It was the sound of DEFEAT. There you go, that’s one for all of the mackems and Katie & her partner are two of them! Fortunately she’s outnumbered by 2 of us in the office and slightly despondent we might be, we’ll be black and white forever.

And No!!! I will never regreat calling my 3rd son Cole….YES, Cole after the joint top Toon goalscorer of all time. Well I couldn’t call him Hughie, now could I?

Well, that’s got that off my chest. maybe……..Come on Palace, Ipswich, Barnsley et al. (HEY…that’s BIG AL to you)

I feel like i’ve had a traumatic year all round really. Markets are down, dealers margins are squeezed and I’ve been supporting Toon and Vow through all of it. However there is some light at the end of the tunnel(s). I’ll get over relegation and come August 8th or thereabouts the excitement will build.

I’m sure I’ll get over the wholesalers  latest issues too as they try hard to stave off relegation. In their case however there are only two teams and for all the promises of a glorious Champions League final they are both like Newcastle United at the Villa!  Both are cutting costs with a determination that Mike Ashley can only admire. Both are redefining whats meant by  leadership (see Mike Ashley), and there is an uncomfortable nervousness everywhere. I’m not sure which one will appoint Denis Wise anytime soon.

Perhaps it’s wisdom we need and a little less gratuitous free cash. Maybe it’s time to go back to basics and deliver what should be in the box, when we want the box and where we want it too.  Wholesaling is a complex and hugely expensive operational business, we all know that, and the actions of the last 2 years or so hasn’t endeared the channel to it’s core customer base. Change has been constant and it has to be said change of an insular and self centred focus as key customer focused objectives have been replaced by the need to drive the bottom line ever harder. As both mainline wholesalers struggle to adapt to market changes it’s their main supporters – suppliers,customers and hardest of all loyal employees who suffer most, and I hear this everyday from all sectors, all persuasions and of both teams.

August will herald the start of a new season and we’ll be overly optimistic once more. It will also be the time when I believe the landscape in the wholesale sector of the Office Products industry will also be clearer. We wait with baited breath and in this month of major announcements of the top 2 teams, eagerly scan the gossip columns for team improvements. The only dastardly sight on the horizon is in the shape of the Black Cats  Supplies Team – time for the COMMITTED ONES to sort that one out or it could be relegation for them next season too! 

Confidence…can be priceless

Until the last 6 months I never really understood what was meant by ‘Consumer Confidence’. Regularly I would see Confidence indices and polls through the media and especially BBC news reports as the economy, and financial sector appeared to lurch from crisis to crisis.   

We have our own very visible confidence issues within the office products industry and now I can see the manifestation of how this affects business. Our key partner is undergoing just this type of cause and effect. It clearly seems, or so it does to me, that the nature of their venture and tie in with Private equity has through the downturn affected confidence in a number of areas. Not least in this is the matter of Credit Insurance. The headline – ‘Electra writedown their investment in vasanta by 95%’. really smacks home and to non financial and city experts in the office products industry alarm bells start to ring. The reality is that City rules and regulations require accounting protocols and PRUDENCE is now the byword.

The key players, the bank and customers, have a huge role to play and in 12 months time the picture may be completely different. At Office Friendly we have a strong relationship with most of our suppliers and of course it’s widely known a ’special relationship’ with Vow. I don’t agree with all they say and do. For example I’m not so sure that recent statements, despite their candid honesty, has done anything to inspire confidence in the Hybrid model that Vow have adopted in since their merger. It’s that word confidence again!

My desire is to see Vow focus on world class logistics – Right there,first time at an agreeable price. It’s the essence of wholesaling and it’s that focus that sees Vow, and driven by Ian Sinclair in particular, make major investments at Normanton and in the sales and customer service arena. These changes i’ve no doubt are necessary to improve service and whilst I’m not in tune with the manner of communication – too many fond memories of great customer service and sacrifice – the world has moved on.

So I’m confident they will get it right in the medium term. I’m sure there will be some pain getting there, but if only they would communicate the positive changes more frequently and provide the HOPE that dealers DO have a strong role to play going forward then I’m sure they will be able to restore confidence – there you go…it’s that word again.