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