Vol 100 issue 06 2016

JUNE 2016 R50.

inc vat

THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE STATIONERY, HOME AND OFFICE PRODUCTS ASSOCIATION

My Office Magazine www.facebook.com/shopsa.ZA

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Contents My Office magazine is the official magazine of the Southern African Association for Stationery, home and Office Products (shop-sa). It was first published in 1916. The stationery and office supply industry is a fast-changing environment. We aim to write and select articles that will both inform and

Vol 100 | June 2016 www.myofficemagazine.co.za | www.facebook.com/shopsa.za

NEWS

34 | INDUSTRY NEWS Industry-related news and announcements 36 | ECO NEWS A green news update

benefit readers, keeping them abreast of current and future market trends.

The magazine is read by over 25 000 buyers and

SALES SAVVY

PUBLISHER

12 | MOBILE MANNERS A guide to mobile phone ettiquette 16 | ON THE MOVE A comprehensive guide to mobile devices 20 | MOBILE PERIPHERALS Improve your bottom line with our guide to

Rob Matthews - robm@icon.co.za

selling mobile peripherals

sellers of stationery and office products each month.

FIRST PUBLISHED IN 1916

16

EDITOR Leigh Richter - leigh@shop-sa.co.za

SPECIAL FEATURES

ASSOCIATE EDITOR AND MARKETING Wendy Dancer - wendy@shop-sa.co.za NATIONAL OFFICE Design and Layout: Vanessa Bentley New Membership: Wendy Dancer Johannesburg Office PO Box 3226, Parklands, 2121

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6 Edward Street, Kensington B, Randburg, 2194 Tel: + 27 11 781 0088 / 89 Fax: + 27 11 781 2828 Email: info@shop-sa.co.za Website: www.myofficemagazine.co.za CONTRIBUTIONS Letters and editorial contributions are welcomed and should be addressed to the editor at editor@ shop-sa.co.za. Publication cannot be guaranteed and is subject to space and the editor’s discretion.

THE LEGAL BIT

RETAIL SAVVY

26 | THE OFFICE THAT’S NOT Co-working is the latest office trend 28 | PEOPLE MANAGEMENT Focus and the art of mind wandering 30 | ARTS AND CRAFTS Fun craft ideas when travelling with kids

Whilst every effort is made to ensure accuracy the publisher and editor cannot accept responsibility for supplied material. The opinions of contributors are not necessarily those of shop-sa. Copyright is strictly reserved and no part of this magazine may be reproduced in whole or in part without the written permission of the publisher.

Stationery sponsored by

Member of the Audit Bureau of Circulation

PRINTED BY Colorpress (pty) ltd.

Office paper sponsored by

Published by

08 |IT’S NOT ALL ABOUT THE STORE Part two of our mini back-to-school feature 10 |IT FOCUS Using the cloud to improve mobility 32| MONDI ROTATRIM TURNS 30 Mondi celebrates three decades of paper 47 |THE REAL STUFF – NOT MARKETING FLUFF This month we speak to Hilton Cock of TechExpress

BUSINESS SAVVY

03 | GET OFF MY LAWN! Companies should stop trespassing on our virtual real estate, says Aki Kalliatakis 04 | LABOUR LAW Dr Ivan Israelstam looks at legal representation at disciplinary hearings 05 | GIVE YOUR BATTERY A BREAK A little R&R is important, explains Gavin Moffat 06 | PREPARE FOR POPI The POPI Act may be here sooner than you think, says Dr Peter Tobin

04 IN EVERY ISSUE 02 14 31 37 38 40 48

| | | | | | |

EDITOR’S LETTER EVENTS WEB BUTTONS CRIME ALERT PRODUCT SHOWCASE BUYERS’ GUIDE PUNCHLINE

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editor’s letter

Going mobile

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lobal software giant Microsoft recently announced its acquisition of social networking platform LinkedIn for $26-billion. According to the New York Post, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella believes buying the company will improve Microsoft’s cloud-based services, allowing it access to rich and detailed information about companies’ workers.

Often seen as a behemoth in the technology space, Microsoft has been making moves to become more agile and move ahead of its competitors.

Agility is a keyword in the business space these days as companies strive to stay on top of consumer trends.

One of the best ways to improve agility is to become mobile.

Companies who enable their staff members to work from anywhere, at any time, are able tap into an important resource: the mobile worker.

This month’s issue of My Office magazine delves into all things mobile. If you’re looking for a comprehensive guide to laptops, smartphones and tablets, our feature on page 16 covers all the bases, while our cloud computing feature (page 10) explores the benefits of moving your business into the cloud.

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The How to Sell feature this month looks at ways to improve your bottom line by selling mobile peripherals such as storage, connectivity and power. See page 20 for more.

Mobility is not only helping workers to complete tasks on the go: the trend is actually re-inventing the way offices function.

Co-working occurs when disparate businesses and organisations share the same collaborative and open working space. This leads to a sharing of ideas among workers who would otherwise never had any contact with one another. Read all about it on page 26.

Our mobility theme even extends to our Arts and Crafts story on page 30, where we look at how best to entertain children while on the move – perfect for those long car trips during the school holidays!

This month we continue our mini back-to-school feature (page 8). It’s Not All about the Store focuses on the factors outside of the retail store that will influence the success of your BTS campaign. So start now, and don’t get left behind this season.

Until next month,

Lei g h Vol 100 - June 2016

business savvy

Get off my lawn!

Companies should stop trespassing on our virtual real estate

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n today’s world, if you catch someone trespassing on your property without good reason, you have every right to call the police and they will help you to get rid of the unwanted visitors.

In the last few weeks I have noticed that every time I get onto a Web site from my browser, some truly irritating things happen. The first is that a whole bunch of adverts persistently appear on the bottom 20% of the screen – adverts I neither asked for nor am interested in.

The second is that is a double underline under every other word, and if you just dare to pass over it another banner comes up that you have to have to kill before you can continue reading. It is so frustrating!

I read somewhere that Google pays Web site owners when viewers click on pop-up adverts. But when I saw this on our own company’s Web site, I lost it! I have never asked Google to give me some free money every time someone clicks on an advert on my page – and especially not if they click on an advert for one of my competitors.

My Web site belongs to me. It is my virtual real estate. The last time I looked, no one contributed to paying for my domain name, or the development or maintenance of my Web site. Why can’t I evict these virtual trespassers? I hate that our clients and prospects have to wade through the drivel of irrelevant adverts just to read an article on my Web site.

As a typical 59-year old male, I also have no idea how to block out or “opt out” of these, nor how to evict them. www.myofficemagazine.co.za

As far as I know, there are no effective “Internet police” that I can call to help me. I also have no idea where to find the unsolicited “cookies” that I believe I can delete.

The Internet was supposed to make our lives easier and more convenient. It has done exactly the opposite. I just stopped my old e-mail address, which I’ve had for more than 20 years, because I’m now wading through 400 e-mails a day. I have divested myself of social media, and it’s been very liberating to gain back hours of my time.

I notice that this has become so pervasive it’s even on my mobile phone when I receive text messages from my personal contacts. Occasionally, when I call someone I know but before they actually answer, I am asked if I want to buy a song. Now I’m even starting to get unsolicited texts from companies which I will probably never deal with in my life again. Did you hear that security companies, retailers, banks, airlines, investment and insurance companies, and motor car retailers? If you bug me I will never buy anything from you.

Early last year I looked for some flights to visit my family in Europe for a holiday in August. Of course, a whole bunch of airlines whose Web sites I’d visited saw this as an excuse to keep sending me “special offers” on flights to Europe. None of these special offers was particularly attractive, because you had to buy a R19 000 Business Class ticket to get some inane reward like prawns for dinner and a seat that was 5cm wider. But one airline still sends me special offers for my selected flights – nine months after I came back. Nine months! That’s how

long it takes to make and deliver a whole new baby.

I have been told that this practice is part of the whole new “freemium” economy, but now it’s just become too much. It’s not free. I pay hefty monthly subscriptions to my cellular service provider; to Telkom for my ADSL line; and to my Internet service provider for the privilege of using their server. I’d much rather not have to pay “a small monthly subscription fee” to get rid of unsolicited, unasked for and unwelcome adverts.

I have also (rather immaturely, but vengefully) made it a principle that if a company advertises to me by invading my privacy on any electronic or social media, I will actively go out of my way to cause trouble for them by using the very media that they have used.

If I want to buy something, I promise you I will do my research and find a decent seller of what I’m looking for – a company that proves it is focused on my needs for a great product at a decent price, delivered with top-notch service. If you don’t qualify, then stop trespassing!

All of this is may be academic. In a few years I am due to retire; at which point I will get rid of all of this as I sip on a cocktail on a beach somewhere. I will throw away all electronic conveniences (irritations) like my mobile phone, laptop and e-mail account.

If you want to talk to me, then pick up your phone and give me a call. n

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AKI KALLIATAKIS

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labour law

Legal representation at disciplinary hearings

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he Code of Good Practice: Dismissal contained in Schedule 8 of the Labour Relations Act (LRA) states that when an enquiry is held into an employee’s alleged misconduct, “the employee should be allowed reasonable time to prepare the response and to obtain the assistance of a trade union representative or fellow employee”.

It is on this basis that employers allow the accused to be represented by someone from inside the organisation rather than from outside.

However, this practice came into question some years ago. In the case of Blaauw versus Oranje Soutwerke (1998 3 BALR 254), the employer was represented at a disciplinary hearing by an attorney but the employee was denied the right to external representation. The CCMA decided that the employee should have been allowed an attorney in order to “level the playing fields”, and awarded the employee seven months’ remuneration in compensation.

In the case of MEC: Department of Finance, Economic Affairs and Tourism: versus Schoon Godwilly Mahumani, the Supreme Court of Appeal decided that

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the chairperson of a disciplinary enquiry could, under certain circumstances, be entitled to be represented by a legal representative at a disciplinary hearing.

In this case the employee requested that he be allowed to bring a legal representative. This request was denied on the grounds that such representation was prohibited by clause 7.3 of the disciplinary code and procedures for the public service. The presiding officer said that this code did not give him discretion to grant legal representation.

The employee went to the High Court to dispute this ruling. The Court found that the ruling of the presiding officer of the disciplinary was wrong and ordered that the employee be allowed to have legal representation at the disciplinary hearing.

The employer appealed against this judgement to the Supreme Court of appeal. This court found that clause 2.8 of the employer’s disciplinary code labelled the code as a guideline that may be departed from under appropriate circumstances. This gave presiding officers the right to use their discretion in deciding whether to depart from the prohibition on legal representation. For example, legal representation should be considered in situations where, amongst possible others: • The complexity level of the case is high; • The consequences of an adverse finding could be serious;

•

There would be no significant prejudice to the employer if legal representation would be allowed; and • The employee’s ability to deal with the case is low in comparison to that of the employer.

The above findings have major consequences for employers engaging in disciplinary hearings.

In particular: • An employee’s request for legal representation can no longer be dismissed out of hand. While such requests are not always be granted, they must be given very careful consideration.

• This in turn means that employers will need to ensure that their presiding officers are highly skilled in chairing disciplinary hearings.

This will ensure that they are able to make the right judgement as to whether to allow legal representation or not, and also to be able to deal with the legal challenges posed by attorneys and advocates at disciplinary hearings.

• Managers must be thoroughly trained in disciplinary process and the employer must use genuine labour law experts to chair and/or prosecute hearings. n ACKNOWLEDGEMENT DR IVAN ISRAELSTAM THIS ARTICLE FIRST APPEARED IN THE STAR

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business savvy

Give your battery a break A little R&R is important

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here is much to be said for getting away from it all. Taking a break. Changing the pace. Shifting down a gear. Putting your feet up. There are so many sayings for going on holiday that it feels like we place an inordinate amount of focus on it – which we probably do, and for good reason.

We seem to be programmed to be able to work for a period and then require some degree of recharging, much like the battery on our mobile phones. And, like our phones, what we do after a full charge has an impact on how long we have until we need to be plugged in again. (Or plugged out, depending on your preference for a go-go-go holiday, or some time in the bush.)

If you work in a high-stress environment then you are likely to require a recharge sooner rather than later – much like using WiFi on your phone to surf the net or download apps. It is a factor of being human. Each of us is built in a relatively unique chemical way and we deal with our stresses in an individual (but mappable) way. www.myofficemagazine.co.za

If you spend all day using the bits of your phone, tablet or laptop that require large amounts of energy, like the radio transmitters, WiFi or the bright, high-res screen, you are going to kill the battery sooner. It’s the same with your body. If you use all of the parts of yourself that consume a lot of “spoons” * then you will run down sooner.

I guess it’s part of the bigger conversation around lifestyle. How do you work with the various cogs of your daily life in a manner that provides you with the longest battery life?

There seems to me to be little point in running the battery dry all the time, and it makes sense to keep your energy levels at a point of comfort. One of the downsides of misusing a battery in an electronic device is that it will give up long before it should. It will begin to lose charge rapidly and become unreliable. Technology has improved over time and we no longer need to give batteries the same full charge that we used to have to.

The analogy with humans is there too.

If you deplete your energy levels rapidly without providing an appropriate recharge mechanism and abuse your “battery”, it will fail in time. It will let you down when you need it to be at its strongest.

So what do we do in order to ensure that we are providing our “battery” with

the greatest opportunity to live a lively life? We watch our burn rate.

Keep an eye on which activities burn the most energy in our lives. Does being around your mother-in-law drain you?

Then try to minimise how much time you spend with her.

Does working 13 hours a day make your weekend nothing more than a sports-and sleep-fest? Give serious consideration to changing how you work or where you work, and the teams that you support.

The problem with our human “battery life” is never seen today or even tomorrow. It is only seen down the line, after years of energy-sapping activities that leave us unable to take a simple walk along the beach or climb the set of stairs that would take us to a wonderful view of the sea.

And that may be the single biggest challenge that we face – kicking the can down the road in the expectation that we will be able to deal with it later. n

* Spoons: www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Spoon_theory

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT GAVIN MOFFAT @GAVINMOFFAT

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business savvy

Prepare for POPI The long-awaited Protection of Personal Information Act may be here sooner than you think

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he Protection of Personal Information (POPI) Act, No.4 of 2013, was gazetted in November 2013. From that date it became a law of South Africa, but has yet to commence in terms of taking effect. On 11 April 2014 there was partial commencement of the POPI Act conditions which allowed for the establishment of the new Information Regulator, as required by the POPI Act.

In July 2015 the nominations period was opened for the appointment of the panel, which had five positions to be filled. An unknown number of nominations were received by the time the period closed in August 2015.

In April 2016 the Portfolio Committee on Justice and Correctional Services of the Parliament of South Africa announced the names of 10 people as a short-list of nominees to be considered for the five panel positions.

The final list of five nominations, revealed in May 2016 are: • Adv Pansy Tlakula (nominated as chair);

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• • • •

Adv Cordelia Stroom; Johannes Weapond; Prof Tana Pristorius; and Sizwe Lindelo Snail.

A quorum of MPs was not available in Parliament to confirm these nominations, which has led to a further delay. The confirmation vote is currently scheduled to take place in August 2016. The actual formation of the Information Regulator should follow soon thereafter.

The Regulator will then prepare recommendations as to which sections of the POPI Act are to be commenced and when. This could take anywhere from a few weeks to a few months.

In February 2016, during his 2016/17 budget speech, the Minister of Finance Pravin Gordhan announced that budget was being allocated to support the establishment of the Information Regulator.

An amount of R10-million was allocated for 2016, increasing to R26-million in 2017 and R27-million in 2018.

It was also mentioned in supporting documentation that there would be a complement of 12 administrative personnel and their office requirements.

These are understood to be in addition to the Information Regulator panel.

On the international scene, the European Union (EU) and Commission have recently ratified the new EU-wide

General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which will harmonise the laws in effect across all of the member states.

The GDPR now has 25 May 2018 as the effective date.

October 2015 saw the suspension of the 15-year-old “Safe Harbour” agreement between the EU and the federal authorities in the United States, following a finding of the European Court of Justice. This led to a period of uncertainty about trans-Atlantic exchanges of data, until the European commission launched the “Privacy Shield” agreement, designed to provide protection to EU standards for the data of EU citizens when sent to the US, in February 2016. Another development was the publication of a report earlier in 2016 by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), which expressed concern about the delay in the implementation in full of the POPI Act as a further obstacle towards achievement of the UN development goals in South Africa. There is no doubt that this will act as a further stimulus to ensure the full commencement of the POPI Act sooner rather than later. n ACKNOWLEDGEMENT DR PETER TOBIN @SAPOPITALK

Vol 100 - June 2016

mini back-to-school

It’s not all about the store There are many ways to prepare for back-to-school

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ack-to-school (BTS) shopping is no longer a day-long buying spree. Today’s consumers are specific about what they want, and they will take the time to find it.

Retailers have an opportunity to capitalise on this attitude shift by beginning their 2016 BTS preparation as soon as possible. Prepare early to give your store a greater chance to compete successfully.

Planning ahead of back-to-school shopping peaks is key to your success.

Retail giants like Target start preparations months in advance and use their vast purchasing power and resources to bring shoppers the best deal.

For smaller businesses, it’s better to

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start your preparations sooner rather than later. You don’t want to be scrambling at the beginning of November to put your plans together. By then you’ll be too late – and you’ll miss out on sales.

Some of the preparations listed below take time to put together. For example, it takes weeks for keyword targeting, a part your SEO strategy, to produce results.

You might also need to upgrade your technology to provide a better customer experience. Technology implementation also takes time.

The following is a must-do checklist for the 2016 back-to-school shopping season: Make your site mobile friendly It’s important to know where your customers are conducting their product research when buying their back-toschool supplies. Is it online or in-store?

The Internet is being used more often for both back-to-school product searches and purchases. According to data from Google, 40% of back-to-school searches

were done on mobile in 2014, showing a 25% increase year-on-year.

Merchants should have a responsive site that enables back-to-school shoppers to easily compare products.

A responsive site is one that provides an optimal viewing experience for users across all devices, from desktops to mobiles.

Your shoppers must be able to search your back-to-schools deals on their mobile devices with minimal panning, re-sizing or scrolling. They’ll stay on your site for longer periods of time without getting frustrated. The easier you make searching for them, the more likely they’ll be to find what they want and buy it.

Another reason to optimise your site for mobile is because of the Google algorithm change dubbed Mobilegeddon.

This change, issued by Google in 2014, impacts all Web site owners. If your site isn’t mobile friendly, it will hurt your ability to rank highly in search engine results. Lower rankings make it harder for customers to find you.

Vol 100 - June 2016

mini back-to-school Giving back-to-school shoppers the option to search and buy via a mobile is key to your selling success. Become mobile friendly to make it easy for them to find and buy from you.

Improve your product listings With the increase in online shopping during this time, it’s important to provide customers with the best customer experience you can on your site or marketplaces. There is a lot that goes into creating an unforgettable customer experience, and much of it has to do with your product information.

Better product information means increased product findability through search engines; better site navigation; and richer product descriptions: all things that help convert more back-to-school shoppers into buyers.

Your product listings should be accurate, complete and rich with detailed information. Shoppers can then find the items they need on their backto-school list more quickly. They’ll also be confident that they’re buying exactly what they need.

However, managing your product information is usually a pain point for merchants. It can be difficult to update and optimise your data just for back-toschool supplies or sales. It might seem impossible for you to get it done in time for this season.

A product information management (PIM) solution can help you get this task done in time. You’ll be able to make bulk updates to your information, and build collections specifically made up of backto-school items, all from your master catalogue of products.

Don’t settle for sub-par product information. It will harm your chance to be competitive and successful this backto-school season.

Brainstorm unique marketing campaigns The best part of the back-to-school shopping season is having the chance to have fun with it. Think of creative ways to engage your shoppers.

Unique marketing campaigns help inspire participation from customers.

And they boost your brand image. Get your team together and see what you can come up with.

Plan and execute SEO strategy Overall, back-to-school searches grew 45% between 2013 and 2014. Many of those shoppers are leveraging search www.myofficemagazine.co.za

engines like Google to find the BTS items they need.

If your back-to-school products and promotions rank well in search engine results, shoppers can more easily discover what you’re offering.

To achieve higher rankings, you’ll need to plan your SEO strategy carefully.

Back-to-school searches can start as early as August, and three- to four weeks’ additional lead time is recommended for any content to gain SEO rankings. If you consider that top search terms will be “back to school”, “school supplies”, “school shopping,” and “back to school sales”, it makes sense that smaller or mid-sized retailers, with less brand equity, will struggle to rank toward the top of such competitive keywords.

A good solution to this problem is “long-tailing” keywords – in other words, making them more niche and specific to your business.

For example, instead of “school supplies”, try target “premium school supplies Johannesburg South”.

The search volume will be lower for that keyword, but it will be easier to gain a ranking for because the audience is extremely targeted.

Think about your offering and how potential shoppers will search for your products. You’ll want to create and target your messaging to include these types of keywords.

Start your SEO plan as soon as possible to reach those early searchers.

Conclusion Back-to-school and back-to-university is one of the biggest retail events of the year. It’s an opportunity you don’t want to miss out on. Merchants should start preparing now so they won’t be left scrambling at the beginning of the BTS season.

Whether you’re ready or not, back-to-school searches are going to start soon. Be ready to compete and be successful this season. n ACKNOWLEDGEMENT JILLIAN KNOX FOR WWW.NCHANNEL.COM

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IT focus

Up in the clouds The cloud is an important part of mobility for modern businesses

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hat is your business doing to separate itself from the competition?

While there are a number of ways to go about this, some stand out more than others. One such way to differentiate your brand from your competitors is to turn to the cloud.

Moving into the cloud So why should you take your business into the cloud?

Speed matters In a world where many business owners will tell you it feels like they do not have enough hours in a day to get everything done, speed truly does matter. Cloud services give business heads the ability to move along much faster. By being able to streamline their brands, businesses can meet the needs of clients today, rather than tomorrow or the next day.

Boost organisation and productivity Ask just about any business owner what they covet the most from their workers (or themselves, if they run one-person companies) and they will focus on improved productivity. Many of today’s clients have myriad options when it

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comes to getting the products and services they need. The cloud helps to organise all of your company’s important data into easy-to-use files, making the brand so much more efficient.

Improve access How many times have you wished you or your employees had better access to the files and folders you need to do business? With the cloud, that access is much improved. While many companies still operate on a standard 8-to-4 or 9-to5 format, many others have broken away from that.

As more and more businesses have employees travelling and/or working from home, it is important that everyone can have access to the files and folders they needed whenever necessary. The cloud does just that, permitting anyone on the staff (or independent contractors) to share and download files, folders and other data.

Giving independent contractors (such as consultants, writers and marketers) the ability to interact with your documents proves a game-changer too.

In a global world, where time is of the essence in securing deals and making business happen, not having to wait until you’re physically in your office to download data can mean the difference between securing a deal and losing one. With the cloud, you literally have 24/7/365 access to your business.

Competing in the cloud In the past, business owners had to run applications and software that was downloaded physically onto a computer. Not only was this process pricey, but it’s now a relic of the past that can put your business at a major disadvantage.

Thanks to the cloud, business owners can access information on any device, anywhere in the world. For example, you can update your social channels, send out invoices or communicate with your team members. This makes running your business much more efficient, so you can stay on top of projects without having to sit behind a computer.

If you’re still on the fence about making the move to the cloud, here are five benefits that your business will experience after making the switch: Increased flexibility and collaboration Approximately 61% of employees have reported that they work outside of the office at least some of the time. This reflects how today’s workforce is rapidly evolving into one that is constantly on the move. Whether it’s a freelancer working remotely or an executive who needs to work with a team member while travelling, cloud-based applications have made it more convenient to access, share and collaborate on information and complete tasks – no matter where you are in the world.

Vol 100 - June 2016

IT focus

Besides this flexibility to, cloud-based applications can be scaled up or down depending on your needs. They can also be configured to meet the needs of your business.

Because of this operational agility, cloud computing can give you a competitive edge.

Increased security There are misconceptions that cloudbased applications are less secure than server-based programs. However, server-based programs are actually more vulnerable to a number of security concerns such as viruses, identity theft, data loss and intellectual property theft.

In reality, the cloud provides exceptional security for two reasons. First, all of your data is backed-up offsite. This means that you’re drastically reducing the chances of hackers breaching your system and exposing your data to potential viruses.

Second, cloud technologies are doing more than ever to invest in ensuring the security of customer data. This includes security tools and controls such as physical protection, advanced encryption, multi-factor authentication, automatic backup and identity and access management controls.

Improved disaster recovery To be fair, there’s still a chance of security breaches in the cloud. Even so, www.myofficemagazine.co.za

the cloud allows you to get your business back up and running quickly and easily after a breach.

In fact, cloud-based applications have been designed to save time, avoid capital expense and leverage third-party expertise.

Increased cost efficiency Using cloud-based applications can result in big savings. For example, instead of purchasing expensive hardware that requires installing, updating and maintaining, you can invest in software that will ultimately reduce costs because suppliers automatically take care of maintenance and updates. It’s been found that cloud implementations can take up to 50% less time, and total cost of ownership can be up to 46% cheaper.

Most suppliers use a subscriptionbased model centred on your specific needs, as opposed to you having to make a hefty investment in hardware.

Improved storage capabilities As mentioned previously, cloud-based applications give you the ability to scale up or down based on your needs. If your business grows, then you’re probably going to start generating more data and hiring more staff. In this case, you’ll need to expand your storage – but instead of purchasing new hardware, you can increase your storage at a fraction of the cost.

Choosing a cloud provider When selecting a cloud provider be sure to do your research, so you can vet each and every potential provider you might end up doing business with.

Not only is their cloud experience important, but you need to look at their track record when it comes to customer service.

Just as you go out of your way to provide stellar customer service to each and every one of your customers, the cloud provider you end up with must do the same for you.

If you’re having trouble finding out much about your potential cloud provider via their Web site or through word-of-mouth, turn to social media. Social networking sites allow you to see comments (both positive and negative) that will give you an overall understanding of how they do business.

This may prove useful in your decisionmaking process.

If your business has been hesitant to move towards the cloud, there is still plenty of time to get your brand integrated.

At the end of the day, you should do anything to make your business a more polished and streamlined company.

Switching over to the cloud makes sense for business owners today if they want to maintain a competitive edge and increase their productivity at a reasonable price. n ACKNOWLEDGEMENT DAVE THOMAS FOR WWW.HOSTREVIEW.COM; ERIC HEBERT, SENIOR MARKETING STRATEGIST FOR EVOLVOR.COM my office magazine

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mobile manners

Mobile manners Common mobile phone etiquette rules for the office

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n spite of their convenience and necessity, mobile phones are now just another means whereby we can irritate our fellow man. Theatres, restaurants, trains and even public restrooms are no longer safe from the possibility of an untimely call.

Somehow, mobile phone ownership seems to affect common sense – and it could make you the least favourite person in the office.

In a communal workspace, such as an open-plan office, you need to practice mobile phone etiquette as a courtesy to those around you.

Annoying or cutesy ringtones The cha-cha, the latest pop single or your child laughing – your co-workers don’t want to hear any of it. Have mercy on the rest of the people you work with when selecting a ringtone. Poor choices of ringtone may make you unpopular at the office.

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Holding court There is no need to hold loud, unnecessary conversations in the middle of an office. Calls should be business related, or personal emergencies. Irrelevant conversations, such as what to have for dinner, should be kept for outside of work hours or outside of the building.

Volume control For whatever reason, many people talk at top volume when they are on a mobile phone. Microphones are sensitive, and the person you are calling can hear you.

Try to mitigate the volume of your call unless absolutely necessary.

Likewise, ensure your ringtones and keytones are not set to such a high volume that they disturb the people in your immediate vicinity.

Don’t multi-task Don’t try and talk on your mobile phone while doing something else. Not only will you be unable to focus properly on either task, but it is rude to your colleagues.

Make sure you get off the phone before engaging your co-workers in tasks and activities.

Taking a call when in a meeting Just because something can be done, it doesn’t mean that it should be.

Whether you have called it yourself or are merely attending at someone’s request, invitation or order, a scheduled meeting is not the time for mobile phone calls. Answering a call in a meeting makes those who are attending feel as if they are less important than the disembodied voice coming through the phone.

Switch it off It is a good idea to switch your phone to silent or vibrate during important meetings or presentations. The rings are intrusive, and distract attention for the task at hand. It is also the height of rudeness to be preoccupied with your phone while your colleagues are trying to discuss or present work-related matters.

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Put your phone down!

We’ve all been in a conversation with someone who is busy on their smartphone, sending a message, reading an e-mail or checking Facebook while we’re attempting to have a face-to-face conversation. In addition to being bad manners, this is bad for your relationships too. Firstly, checking your phone while you’re in the middle of a conversation means that you are not paying attention to what the other person is saying. Secondly, you might find that people don’t want to spend time with you, and your relationships will suffer as a result.

Here are five reasons to put your phone away when in the company of others:

Are you talking to me?

The invention of the hands-free kit has resulted in many cases of mistaken identity.

The streamlined headset attached to a coworker’s head is often not seen by other people in the room, and could lead them to think you’re talking to them – or to yourself.

If you have to answer your phone, make sure people can see you are on it.

It’s good manners Using your phone while someone is trying to talk to you is tantamount to talking to someone else in the middle of a sentence. People need to keep in mind that the person who is face-to-face with them should have priority. Unless it’s an emergency, stay connected with the individuals you’re talking to by putting your phone away and refraining from using it while conversing.

Too much information Discussing anything of a private nature within earshot of your colleagues is unwise on a number of counts. Your co-workers don’t want to know about the results of your tests or the ins and outs of your personal life. Similarly, giving out sensitive information such as banking details or a home address in a group environment is unwise. Decide based upon the caller whether or not your conversation will be of a personal or confidential nature, and remove yourself from the office to converse.

It improves conversations According to research conducted at Virginia Tech University in 2014, even the presence of a mobile phone lowers the quality of the conversation. While technology aids business relationships and keeps people connected, it serves as a distraction during in-person conversations. Focus on the person in front of you and forget your phone, and you’ll find the quality of the conversation will improve.

These tips just might save you your credibility – or even your job. n

It mitigates distractions A study conducted by Florida State

www.myofficemagazine.co.za

University shows that a simple cell phone notification can impair your ability to focus on a specific task or conversation. Hearing the notification tone or feeling the phone vibrate causes users to think about what the notification might be for, rather than focusing on the conversation or experience they’re having with the person in front of them.

It improves empathy Constantly sending messages and updating your status while you’re out with others does not only create disengagement, but also leads to a lack of empathy. Face-to-face conversation is humanising and creates feelings of empathy, joy and understanding. Constant distractions from mobile phones have created a culture of “time-sharing”, where focus is split among different tasks and these basic tools of socialisation are not learned.

It improves relationships A new phrase has been coined for people who just can’t get off their phones – even when with their significant others. “Phubbing”, or phone snubbing, is when people persistently use their phones in the presence of others, ignoring them in favour of the virtual world. A 2015 study conducted by Baylor University showed that 46,3% of adults surveyed were “phubbed” by their significant other. This lead to lower levels of satisfaction in relationships.

This is particularly noticeable in restaurants, where one half of a couple is engrossed in their phone, or both parties use their mobiles without talking to each other. This behaviour is detrimental to interpersonal relationships. n my office magazine

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events

Diarise this A list of industry-specific events and exhibitions to mark on your calendar

15 – 19 June YOUR HOME EXPO EAST LONDON INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION CENTRE, EAST LONDON

This expo is a two-day event showcasing products like appliances; auctioneers; automotive; awnings and blinds; bathrooms; financial services; flooring and flooring products; furniture and accessories; furniture manufacturers; gardens and outdoors; generators; glass and aluminium; health; beauty and lifestyle; roofing products; security; solar products; stone products; technology and stationery; timber/wood products; and more in the household consumables, household services industries.

19 – 21 June SAITEX GALLAGHER CONVENTION CENTRE, MIDRAND

Southern African International Trade Exhibition for Retail Products (SAITEX) is the biggest business and networking opportunities event in South Africa. It showcases a wide range of products that includes retail products with special sectors featuring tools, equipment and essentials; hardware and building supplies; homeware; decorating and interior design items; and much more.

29 June AFRICA PRINT REGIONAL EXPO NELSPRUIT EMNOTWENI ARENA CONFERENCE CENTRE, NELSPRUIT

This event showcases the latest equipment and consumables related to the commercial and digital printing industries, helping attendees to grow their customer base; offer their clients a wider range of products and solutions; and remain at the forefront of technology in the business services, computer hardware and software, industrial products, and printing and publishing industries.

29 – 30 June EDUWEEK GALLAGHER CONVENTION CENTRE, MIDRAND

SABC Education African EduWeek is a two-day event showcasing products like education technology; maths and science equipment; publishing for both digital and print; school supplies; stationery and educational toys for the education industry.

6 – 7 July MARKEX JOHANNESBURG SANDTON CONVENTION CENTRE, JOHANNESBURG

This event is the ultimate destination for those involved in marketing, promotion, and events services and solutions. Packed with exciting ventures and attractions, this innovative forum presents the latest in marketing and promotion technologies and strategies. Both exhibitors and visitors enjoy partnerships forged by means of direct interaction and communication.

8 – 9 July MONEY EXPO SANDTON SANDTON CONVENTION CENTRE, JOHANNESBURG

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This event showcases products from the banking, insurance and finance industry.

Vol 100 - June 2016

WEIGHTLESS. BORDERLESS. LIMITLESS. YOUR That’s built XPS laptop G TO L ERwhy SDSwe BLOthe D.E EISTSLwith .ELSISM. I T L E S S W E WE I GLOVE H TW L EE SIWORK. S .HB E. R ER SDell S LR13 ILM the world’s first InfinityEdge display and 6th Gen Intel ® Core ™ processors.

LOVE YOUR WORK. That’s the Dell XPS 13 laptop with WE LOVE YOUR WE WORK. That’s why we built thewhy Dellwe XPSbuilt 13 laptop with ® ® Intelthe Inside .

Extraordinary Performance Outside. ® ™ world’s first InfinityEdge display andCore 6th Gen Intel Core ™ processors. processors. the world’s first InfinityEdge display and 6th Gen Intel ® Intel InsidePerformance . Extraordinary Performance Outside.

Intel Inside ®. Extraordinary Outside.

Find yours at Dell.com Pictures are for illustration only. Colour options and design details may vary.

Ultrabook, Celeron, Celeron Inside, Find yours at Dell.com Find yours at Dell.com Core Inside, Intel, Intel Logo, Intel Atom, Intel Atom Inside, Intel Core, Intel Inside, Intel Inside Logo, Intel vPro, Itanium, Itanium Inside, Pentium, Pentium Inside, vPro Inside, Xeon, Xeon Phi, and Xeon Inside are trademarks of Intel Corporation in the U.S. and/or other countries. Microsoft, Windows, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows Pictures for illustration only.

Colour options and design details may vary.Inside, Ultrabook, Celeron, Celeron Inside, Pictures are for illustration only.

Colour options and design details may vary.

Ultrabook, Celeron, Celeron 8.1 and Windows 10 are trademarks orare registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/ Corelogo, Inside, Intel, Intel Logo, Intel Core, Atom, IntelInside, Atomof Inside, IntelDell Core, Intel Core Inside, Intel, Intel Intel Atom, Intel Atom Inside, Intel Intel Intel Logo, Intel Inside, vPro, Intel Inside Logo, Intel vPro, or other countries.

Dell,Logo, the DELL the DELL badge, Inspiron are trademarks DellInside Inc. Corporation Itanium, Itanium Inside, Pentium, Pentium Inside, vPro Inside, Xeon, Xeon Phi, and Xeon Inside are trademarks Itanium, Itanium Pentium Inside, vPro Inside, Xeon, Xeon Phi, and Xeon Inside are trademarks Ltd., © 2014 Dell Inside, Inc. AllPentium, rights reserved.

Dell Emerging Markets (EMEA) Limited is registered in England and Intel Corporation in theMicrosoft, U.S. and/or other countries.

Microsoft, Windows, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows of IntelCompany Corporation in the U.S.of and/or other Registered countries.

Windows, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows Wales.

Registration No: 3266654. address: Dell House, The Boulevard, Cain Road, andorWindows are trademarks or registered trademarks of United Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/ 8.1 and Windows 10 are trademarks registered trademarks Microsoft Corporation States and/ Bracknell, Berkshire, RG12 1LF.8.1 Company details10 for other DellofUK entities can be foundinatthe www.dell.co.uk or other theInspiron DELL logo, the DELL badge, Inspiron are trademarks of Dell Inc. Dell Corporation or other countries. Dell, the DELL logo,countries. the DELL Dell, badge, are trademarks of Dell Inc. Dell Corporation © 2014 Dell Inc. All rights reserved.

Emerging Marketsin(EMEA) Limited Ltd., © 2014 Dell Inc. All rightsLtd., reserved.

Dell Emerging Markets (EMEA)Dell Limited is registered England and is registered in England and Company Registration No: 3266654.

Registered address: DellRoad, House, The Boulevard, Cain Road, Wales. Company Registration Wales.

No: 3266654.

Registered address: Dell House, The Boulevard, Cain Bracknell, Berkshire, RG12 1LF. Company details for other Dell UK entities can be found at www.dell.co.uk Bracknell, Berkshire, RG12 1LF. Company details for other Dell UK entities can be found at www.dell.co.uk

For more information, please contact us on Tel: +27 (0) 11 237-7000, or E-mail: dellquotes@axizworkgroup.com

stationery

On the move Keep your workforce on track with these modern mobile devices Smartphones Smartphones are essentially tiny computers placed in cellular phones.

They can run apps, stream video, connect to the Internet, receive e-mails and send and receive calls and text messages.

When it comes to choosing a smartphone for someone to use in your business, there are a number of things to consider.

Luckily there are wide range of makes, models, sizes and colours to choose from.

Operating system All smartphone models come with a list of specs – a detailed breakdown of all the product’s features. One of the most basic and important specs is the

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operating system or OS. There are four major smartphone operating systems: iOS (Apple), Android, Windows Phone and BlackBerry. Each operating system has advantages and disadvantages. As a general rule of thumb, try to select one that you know will integrate well with your existing devices. Apple and Android phones are market leaders in this sphere, and their applications are widely compatible.

One way to begin the smartphone-forbusiness selection process is to choose an OS, then a manufacturer and then a model. Each manufacturer will have “flagship” models. These models are the most expensive in their range, but contain cutting-edge technology.

Speed Speed is an important consideration when you select a smartphone. The better the chipset on the computer processing unit (CPU), the better the performance and speed. The more powerful the CPU, the more powerful the smartphone.

Power is determined via the number of Megahertz (MHz) or Gigahertz (GHz) the phone has. A higher number, means a more powerful phone. The chipset in the CPU contains a number of cores. The higher this number, the more powerful the device. Modern phones are available in dual-, quad- or octa-core. Cores are important for intensive use. Although gaming is the most resource-intensive activity that can be performed on a Vol 100 - June 2016

stationery

smartphone, having multiple programs open when multitasking is also intensive.

Battery In general, the more powerful the CPU, the more of a drain it is on a battery.

The battery capacity is therefore a very important consideration when purchasing a smartphone. Look for models with a capacity of 3 000 mAh and higher. Many newer models offer a “fast-charging” capability, which ensures your phone will be fully charged in just over an hour. Some smartphones have a removable back cover, meaning that the battery can be replaced or swapped out in the event of failure. Newer, unibody chassis models do not allow for the exchange of batteries.

Storage Storage is a very important aspect of a phone that will be used for business.

Storing and accessing files is critical to an on-the-go worker. Ensure the model you choose has sufficient on-board memory for your needs. Most phones come standard with 16GB of internal storage. Many manufacturers offer the option of external memory, which is essentially a slot for a microSD card. MicroSD cards with a capacity of up to 64GB are supported.

Size and weight Modern smartphones come in a vast array of shapes and sizes. When choosing a smartphone for business, consider what it will be used for. If you plan to take a large volume of calls and answer a few text messages, a large screen is not essential. However, www.myofficemagazine.co.za

if you will be working on spreadsheets or typing lengthy e-mails then a larger screen becomes a necessity. A 5-inch screen offers users a nice space to work and type on.

Did you know?

The phablet – a combination of the words “phone” and “tablet” – is slightly larger than a regular smartphone. It offers users the computing power of a tablet but is easy to carry, like a phone. They are often used by people who prefer a large screen because of the size of their hands or their inability to see small text on a small screen.

plastic, while others are made of brushed steel and glass. The glass on the front of a smartphone (and, if applicable, the back) should be made of Gorilla Glass 2. This is a special type of glass that is resistant to scratches and does not break as easily as normal glass. Durability is an important consideration for workers on the go.

Some phones are specifically tailored to dirty or hazardous environments.

They are called rugged phones and have special rubber cases and more waterproofing than standard models.

In general, modern smartphones are resistant to a low-level drop, scratches and a bit of water. However, it is best to put phones into shock-resistant, waterproof cases to protect them while on the road.

The weight of a smartphone will largely depend on its size and the materials it is made from. A smartphone made from metal and glass and containing a large screen will weigh in the region of 200g, while a thinner phone made from plastic may weigh as little as 100g.

Durability As the saying goes, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Smartphone aesthetics may be important to some, and less important to others.

Manufacturing materials differ vastly by make and model. Some smartphones are brightly coloured my office magazine

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stationery Tablets The first widely-adopted tablet was created by Apple just six years ago. The popularity of this larger-than-a-phone, smaller-than-a-laptop device sparked a global surge in manufacturing. Tablets are very similar to smartphones in that they have the ability to send and receive calls and messages via a SIM card. All of the attributes listed in the smartphone section above are applicable to tablets too.

With so many tablets on the market, it can be hard to pick out the one that’s right for your business.

The easiest way to begin is decide on form factor, use and operating system.

Use Decide what your tablet will be used for.

If you want to check your e-mail and use productivity apps regularly, then just about any tablet will suit your needs.

Your choice will then be based on which operating system you prefer and what size tablet you need to operate the device comfortably. If you plan to do a lot of typing, you can buy a Bluetooth keyboard that will work with just about any tablet.

If you will be using your tablets in meetings to take notes, you will probably need a stylus – especially if you are drawing diagrams. While it’s true that you can buy a capacitive stylus for just about any tablet, some are better suited to the task of note-taking than others. Only a few tablets come with a stylus, and they generally feature pressure-sensitive displays that make writing on a digital screen feel more accurate and natural. If your tablet is does not come optimised for use with a stylus, then using one on its surface may be difficult.

If you have decided to replace your desktop PC with a tablet, it is a good idea to invest in a premium tablet. This will have a higher processing capacity, more storage and a better quality screen. Premium tablets often come with desktop docks, so you can easily connect accessories such as a large monitor and mouse.

Size The size of tablet that you choose is also important.

In general, a 7-inch tablet is small and compact, and slides easily into your bag – or perhaps into your pocket. The portability of the tablet is a trade-off: the smaller screen size can be difficult to work on.

The tablets in the 8-to-9 inch range have larger screens to work on, but are pricier and heavier. This size group strikes a nice balance between portability and productivity.

The 10+ inch category is for serious power users. Tablets of this size are ideal for screen-intensive tasks like editing spreadsheets and typing long documents.

However, they are heavy and bulky, and can be very expensive.

Operating system As with smartphones, you will have to choose a tablet with an operating system that suits you and your other devices.

Apple iPads run on iOS. These tablets have a large range of secure applications which are optimised for larger displays.

The security of the platform is due to the fact that it is closed-source. You can’t install applications from outside sources, and apps inside the App Store are rigorously screened.

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Android is an open-source platform, which means that hardware manufacturers are free to put their own spin on it when they release their devices.

That means your Android experience will vary widely depending on which tablet you choose. Google has its own range of tablets, like the Nexus 9. Other manufacturers, such as Samsung, make a wide range of Android tablets. Amazon also has Android-based tablets, which runs the Fire OS. The advantage of an open platform is that you can download apps from outside sources, and everything is customisable.

This is also a disadvantage, and it means the platform is less secure.

Having a tablet that runs Windows is advantageous in that you probably already use a Windows computer at work, and all of the desktop applications you use will also run on your mobile device.

Although you will be able to find good alternatives to most of your favourite programs on Android and iOS, Microsoft’s platform might be your only real option if you depend on a specific piece of Windows software.

Did you know?

Two-in-ones This is a new type of device that looks like a notebook but can be flipped so that it becomes a display device. The screen can also be detached and used on its own, like a tablet.

Google’s Chromebook is a good example of a two-in-one. They are inexpensive to buy and maintain, and they don’t need large hard drives because they leverage applications in the cloud.

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Laptops Laptop computers continue to get thinner, lighter and more powerful with bigger screens and a longer battery life than before. When choosing a laptop for use within your business, it is important to remember that it has to be suited to the type of work you do. If you are using the machine largely as a word processor, you won’t need a high-powered device.

If you’re a graphic designer and need to render resource-intensive images, a more powerful laptop will suit.

Laptops which are specifically made for business use have the same basic components as consumer laptops, but include more business-oriented features like biometrics (fingerprint readers and facial recognition), ruggedness, specially tested chassis and keyboards, certified networking and power management, and more secure access. The operating system may also be optimised for business, with more professional applications like spreadsheet or server programs.

Performance Dual-core processors are the norm in laptops aimed at business users, although quad-core processors are available for more strenuous business applications.

Some laptops, known as ultrabooks, use ultra-low-voltage processors, which help keep the laptops thin, while extending battery life to approach 8-hours plus.

Higher-powered, low-voltage and standard mobile processors can be found in desktop-replacement and entry-level laptop categories. You’ll also find the occasional desktop-class processor in power-users’ systems and mobile www.myofficemagazine.co.za

workstations. Just remember that the more powerful the processor, the shorter the battery life.

Memory is very important in laptops.

Look for at least 4GB of random access memory (RAM). Anything less will result in a sluggish laptop. Graphics-based businesses and those who use large spreadsheets on a regular basis will require more RAM. Anything from 8GB is ideal. The right amount of memory will allow you to do multiple things at once, such as process multimedia and open a large file simultaneously.

Graphics and display Most business PCs come with integrated graphics. This is adequate for business laptops, especially if you are not a power user and don’t play games. Most professionals who require discrete graphics will use them for specialised tasks, like creating large images, editing HD video or rendering 3D graphics.

Mobile workstation-class laptops will usually come with some sort of discrete graphics, either for their 3D capabilities or to drive multiple monitors. LCD screens with a resolution of 1 366 by 768 are still available, but a 1 920 by 1 080 display is much better for your eyes. The 1080p screen will give you more space for showing spreadsheets, and the IPS display is better at displaying colours over a wider viewing angle.

QHD and 4K displays should be considered for graphics and scientific work, and are seen on the top tier of high-end laptops.

Size and weight Before you look too closely at the specs or

pricing of laptops, you need to decide just how portable you need your laptop to be.

Laptops are usually categorised by their display sizes.

Laptops that have a screen of 11 to 12 inches are the thinnest and lightest systems. They typically weigh between 1kg and 1,5kg.

The 13- to 14-inch laptops provide the best balance of portability and usability, and usually weigh in at 1,8kg.

The 15-inch laptop is the most popular size. Consider this size if you want a larger screen and you’re not planning to carry your notebook around often. These laptops weigh between 2kg and 3kg.

The biggest laptops are 17 to 18 inches. They have lots of processing power and are a good replacement for a desktop workstation.

A new range of laptops, called ultrabooks, are ultra-thin, ultra-light and ultra-powerful. They have large screens, SSDs instead of hard drives, and boot very quickly. They are, however, very expensive.

Extras One thing that both smartphones and tablets lack is optical drives. In a business environment, being able to read and write CDs and DVDs is still important. External DVD drives are available, but these can be bulky. If your employees are on the go, it is better to have a built-in drive which won’t be left behind by mistake. Blu-ray drives are only necessary if you need to view movies as part of your work.

Many laptops also have an SD card reader. These can take full-sized SD cards or microSD card converters. They are particularly useful if your job involves removing photos from a digital camera. n my office magazine

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Mobile peripherals Use this simple guide to mobile peripherals to boost your bottom line

F

or organisations whose employees are always on the go, mobile peripherals are a must-have. You can improve your bottom line by upselling on these useful items.

Connectivity 3G modems These are extremely useful tools for workers who are on the move. Available in a range of styles, colours and sizes, 3G modems require SIM cards to work because they connect to a cellular network rather than ADSL Internet. When selling modems to clients, be sure to ask them about the areas in which they will be used. Modems have an internal antenna with which to acquire signal, but you can advise your customers to purchase an additional external antennae for use in areas with poorer signal.

Mobile WiFi hotspot devices When looking for Internet connectivity on-the-go, your customers are probably accustomed to using a 3G dongle that plugs into their laptops. However, the limitation of a 3G dongle is that it only supplies Internet access to one device.

Portable WiFi hotspot devices are a far

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more effective way of supplying Internet access to multiple devices. A SIM card can be inserted into the device and, once configured, it will broadcast a WiFi signal in much the same as your customers are used to at home or at the office. These devices are a cost-effective alternative to a 3G dongle, and they often contain batteries. This makes them truly portable, and ensures your customers will have Internet access anywhere they go.

Power Power banks Power banks are portable batteries in specialised casings with customdesigned circuitry to control power flow.

They are ideal for mobile workers as they can be used to charge many different types of mobile devices, from smartphones to MP3 players, tablets and digital cameras. Keeping devices powered up is the cornerstone of mobile working, and a power bank allows your customers to overcome the constant power struggle associated with short battery life. Power banks are rated in mAh (milliampere-hour), which describes the battery capacity as well as how quickly the power bank can transfer its capacity. Power banks typically range in capacity from 1 500 mAh up to 20 000 mAh. Advise your customers to buy power banks which contain multiple

Vol 100 - June 2016

how to sell

ports with different amperage ratings; 1A is typically for smartphones, while 2A is typically for tablets.

Extended-capacity batteries Many laptop manufacturers sell extendedcapacity batteries for their laptops. A standard laptop battery is designed to sit flush with the body, while the extended-capacity batteries are physically larger which means they will protrude.

The extended-capacity batteries are sold separately and will provide your customers with an average of double their normal battery life on average. Suggest an extended-capacity battery for customers who travel a lot in areas without power.

These fit easily into a laptop bag. Your customer will just need to unclip the original battery from the back of their laptop, and clip in the extended-capacity battery.

Multi-chargers These handy devices allow for the charging of a number of devices at once. Especially useful for mobile work environments, they offer high-speed charging for multiple items. Advise your customers to choose ones that are device agnostic (that is, will work with any type of device) and work in a range of environments, such as vehicles. They are ideal for keeping the modern worker connected at all times.

Computer peripherals

therefore simple to replace.

There are many different types of peripherals. Some peripheral devices exist outside the computer (such as a printer), while others can be inside (such as an optical drive).

Keyboards Keyboards are a method of input containing all the letters of the Roman alphabet, and are otherwise known as QWERTY keyboards. Keyboards connect to computers via cables or wirelessly in the same way a mouse does. For your mobile customers, you will want to recommend a small form-factor, wireless keyboard. Wireless keyboards are powered by a battery, which allows it to send its signal to a receiver that is connected to the PC through a USB port.

In some keyboards a Bluetooth antenna receives the information transmitted to it from the keyboard.

With a wireless keyboard, your customers can work up to three metres away from their devices. This is useful for users working in large workspaces or those who need to work in awkward spaces, such as in airport lounges. One disadvantage is that the further away from the receiver the keyboard sits, the greater the chance of delay or keystrokes being dropped.

A peripheral is considered to be any device that connects to a computer in order to add functionality. Unlike the motherboard or power supply, a peripheral is not part of the core architecture of the computer. However, it is still dependant on a computer in order to be able to function. Peripherals are usually connected and disconnected from a laptop or PC with relative ease, and

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my office magazine

21

how to sell Mice A mouse is a device that is use to point and select. It detects two-dimensional motion relative to a surface, which is then translated into the motion of the pointer on the screen (display). In this way, a mouse becomes almost essential to operate a computer.

Mice can connect to your customers’ computers or laptops via a cable, such as a USB cable, or wirelessly via Bluetooth.

Similar to keyboards, wireless mice need to have sight of the receiver. They can be difficult to use on irregular surfaces, so suggest to your customers that they buy a decent mousepad (see below).

Storage Hard drives Hard drives come in a wide variety of capacities and types. Used for storing data, they can be portable or require their own power adaptor.

Portable hard drives

are usually 2,5-inch and do not require an external power source to operate. They can be plugged into a computer with a USB cable. Hard drives that are 3,5 inches usually require a separate power source.

Traditional hard disk drives (HDDs) contain stacks of disks called platters that store magnetic information. These drives are big, heavy and bulky due to the mechanism that reads the data. Solid state drives (SSDs) contain no moving parts. They are more resilient to knocks and are read much more quickly than traditional HDDs. Ask your customers how they will be using their portable hard drives. If they need to access a lot of information quickly, recommend they purchase a portable SSD drive. These are more expensive but will pay off in the long run as they are better suited to working on the go.

USBs Flash drives (also known as USBs) are connected to a computer via the USB port. They are available in a range of sizes, up to 1TB. They contain no moving parts, and are resilient to drops. Advise your customers to ensure they have adequate security measures in place when handing out flash drives to employees, and as these devices are easily lost or stolen.

SD cards SD or secure digital (SD) cards are a nonvolatile memory card format. These cards are used in devices such as laptops and cameras, in order to expand the available memory. SD cards fit into slots in the device, or can be placed in an SD card converter (which plugs into a USB port).

As technology developed, a mini version of these cards was created. These extend the memory availability of small form factor devices, such as smartphones. SD and miniSD cards are available in a range of capacities, up to 512GB. Laptop bags The storage of mobile devices is as important as the storage of data for your customers. Advise them to purchase bags that are durable, and made from a good quality material (such as nylon or neoprene) with heavy stitching. Dark colours are best as they can take a fair amount of dirt without looking untidy.

However, laptop bags are available in a

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Vol 100 - June 2016

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how to sell

range of colours and sizes to suit every taste.

The bag should have a heavy-duty strap and handles so that it can be carried with confidence. Some bags even have reinforced sides and wheels, and a telescopic handle by which to pull it.

Ask your customers what sorts of things they need to store in their bags. Laptop bags have special padding and straps to hold a laptop or tablet in place. Devices are usually surrounded by foam and secured with velcro.

Encourage your customers to choose bags with additional pockets and storage areas to secure items such as files, notebooks, pens, peripherals and chargers.

Navigation Employees who are often on the road visiting sites and clients will need personal navigation devices (PNDs) to ensure they get to the right place quickly and efficiently. Getting lost or stuck in unnecessary road blocks and traffic costs companies both time and money. A good GPS will not only have up-to-date maps, but will also have live traffic advisories that indicate snarl-ups and accidents in

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real time, and reroute users accordingly.

The basic features of PNDs include resistive touchscreens; text-to-speech conversion to speak street names; 3D map views; a point of interest (POI) database; automatic rerouting; and live traffic updates. Warn your customers that entry-level devices may lack the Bluetooth connectivity required for hands-free, incar calls, so it is a good idea for mobile workers to purchase devices that are middle- or high-end.

For mobile workers, recommend a larger screen size with an interface that is easy to understand and see. Clear, easyto-read icons and colourful map graphics are a must for people who are on the go.

Everything should be large and easy to glance at quickly while behind the wheel.

The amount of information your customers will need to have displayed is also important. Some PNDs display a number of instructions and a range of information, while more uncluttered interfaces display only the next instruction.

Points of interest (POIs) as listed on the device are also important – especially for sales people. Some devices categorise POIs too broadly, such as bundling everything under “shopping�, while others

have several levels of categorisation, making it easier to find specific kinds of shops and restaurants.

Advise your customers to buy a standalone navigation device rather than using their phones. PNDs can be left in the car, and will not drain battery while on the road.

Ensure your customers also purchase a PND with a mounting unit for safe storage and use. These generally come with a plastic suction cup on the back, which then attaches to the windscreen.

The mounts also allow for charging while on the road.

Other useful tools Mousepads A mousepad is a useful and convenient tool for those who use a mouse every day. It provides the mouse with a better surface to move over, preventing jitters.

Modern mousepads are typically made of lesser-density rubber composites with fabric bonded to the upper surface.

However, many other types of material have been used, including fabric, plastics, recycled rubber tyres, silicone rubber, leather, glass, cork, wood, aluminium, stone and stainless steel. For your Vol 100 - June 2016

how to sell customers on the go, advise a flexible mousepad that can be rolled up or carried in a laptop bag. Ideally, they should include a padded wrist rest, to improve ergonomics support.

Styluses A stylus is a hard, pointed tool used as a method of input on touchscreenenabled devices, such as tablet PCs, to accurately navigate menus. Upsell styluses to those who work on-the-go in dirty environments, such as construction sites or warehouses, as it helps to prevent the device’s screen from getting dirty. Styluses are also used by courier companies so their customers can sign electronic delivery forms.

Many smartphones have a built-in stylus which tucks in behind the back cover. Some styluses may extend and contract into small, pen-like cylinders.

Styluses can be passive (or capacitive) which means that they act just like a finger when touching a screen. There is no electronic communication between a passive stylus and a device.

An active stylus includes electronic components that communicate with the touchscreen controller on a device. Active pens are typically used for note taking, on-screen drawing/painting and electronic document annotation.

Covers and cases Despite the fact that smartphones and tablets are getting tougher all the time, with improved resistance to water, breakages and shock, it is still a good idea for your customers to put a case or cover on their device. This is especially true if the customer is on the go, in dirty

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or dangerous environments where drops and spills are more likely to happen.

When choosing a case for a tablet or smartphone, advise your customers to always look for a good quality one. These will inevitably cost more, but they will have a long (or even lifetime) guarantee.

High-quality cases are made of special, highly durable material such as polycarbonate, vinyl and neoprene.

A high-quality cover will also have extremely precise cut-outs for the capacitive and hard buttons on phones and tablets.

Cheaper cases may miss a port, have stiff button covers or interfere with the camera flash. Advise your clients to decide whether or not wireless charging and docking will be part of their use case.

Features are also important. Tablet cases often offer a landscape stand function, or multiple positions, or 360-degree hinges.

This improves usability as it makes it easier to view and type.

Covers for smartphones sometimes have kickstands that pop out the back.

When selling customers cases for their devices, finding out how clumsy they are is key. If they are prone to dropping things, or if they have a job that involves a lot of dirt, moisture or movement, they will need some serious protection.

If they are not that likely to damage the phone but just want to protect it from nicks and scratches, less protection is necessary. Just remind them that there is a clear trade-off between the level of protection provided and the bulk and weight added.

Rugged cases are the ideal for your accident-prone customers. They are bulky and heavy, and include things like air pockets and reinforced corners

to dramatically reduce the risk of damage. Rugged cases cover every angle, including the buttons and the touchscreen, which can make buttons harder to press and reduce touchscreen sensitivity.

Tough cases are less bulky but offer a high level of protection. They are generally made of a layer of hard polycarbonate with an inner layer of something softer, like silicone, to absorb shock.

Slim or basic cases don’t cover the design or shape of the phone much, and don’t add much bulk. They are purely there to protect against dings and scratches, and will boost the phone’s chances of surviving a fall. Soft, slim cases are made of TPU, which is durable and slightly malleable, so it’s easy to fit and it offers some shock protection.

Hard, slim cases can be tough to fit and they won’t provide much protection against drop damage.

Folio cases are ones which flip open like a wallet. They’re a good choice for customers who keep their devices in a bag. They offer basic all-round protection, although are not necessarily the answer to drops. They are made of leather or polyurethane. Folio cases are handy for clients on the go, as they generally support the automatic sleep/wake function, meaning that the device comes to life automatically when your customer opens the cover. Because of this, the type of closure is very important. Recommend elastic, tab or stud closures over magnetic ones. The latter may be stylish, but are not as strong.

Screen protectors These are thin, clear layers of plastic which help to protect a device’s glass touchscreen. Many devices come with screen protectors on. They can help reduce the chance of scratches or cracks appearing on the touchscreen, but they inevitably impact the aesthetic and sometimes usability as well.

For customers on the go, recommend screen protectors that are tailor made for the device. Suggest they purchase the protectors immediately, as existing imperfections on the screen will increase the chance of bubbles.

Sell screen protectors in multiples so your clients can discard one when it is scratched and replace it. It is generally a good idea to sell anti-glare screen protectors, as they cut viewing angles for privacy and reduce glare. n my office magazine

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furniture

The office that’s not Co-working is the latest office trend

T

here is an increasing amount of discussion about agile working in the modern world.

While most firms are only starting on the journey to agile working (just letting your staff work from home one day a week does not make a firm agile) others are creating a truly mobile working environment both inside and outside the office.

Now a new trend is emerging that could be seen as the next logical step for firms looking for an agile, mobile and 21st-century workforce. Co-working occurs when disparate businesses and organisations share the same collaborative and open working space.

The idea was originally led by startups, entrepreneurs and freelance workers who were attracted by the opportunity to rent a single desk or group of desks in a shared space. It is the ultimate in a noncorporate, collaborative work space.

Now a new ecosystem is emerging that encourages innovation, accesses disruptive energy and offers larger corporates a direct link to the “sharing economy”.

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Pushing the boundaries This type of shared space is appealing to the younger generation, dubbed the millennials. Co-working offers them the opportunity to mingle with potential future clients. This is a new phenomenon for many in the market, and it has the potential to offer tangible and practical benefits.

Indeed, another benefit of co-working is that if it takes hold and firms needs to scale up quickly, it is likely they will go into such a space.

According to Harvard Business Review, by 2025 around 40% of US work space will be contracted with staff working in a project-based environment. This context, which is pushing the boundaries of all businesses’ future real estate needs, is signalling the way forward for companies around the world.

The trend that was pioneered by startups is now increasingly being embraced by a growing number of businesses, large and small.

Collaborative environments In 2015, co-working specialist provider WeWork opened the UK’s largest shared space in London with the capacity to house 3 000 members. Similar solutions are already being opened in other cities around the globe.

In Amsterdam, for example, companies such as Philips and IBM are utilising coworking space to encourage innovation alongside start-ups. Co-working business

NUMA, which opened France’s first co-working space in 2008 and an entrepreneurial hub in 2011, is now working with 30 large companies and helping to accelerate a number of start-ups.

The trend is centred on creating space which supports collaboration, openness, knowledge sharing, innovation and the user experience.

Demand for co-working space has been driven by the growth of creative and tech industries as well as the changing nature of work. Mobile technologies and personal devices have made working remotely from a variety of locations much easier.

While this has fuelled the growth in home working, companies and their employees increasingly see the value of being part of a collaborative environment, something which is at the core of co-working.

The results of the latest Global Coworking Survey reveal that 61% of co-working space providers are planning to expand their operations and almost 80% expect the number of members to increase in 2016.

The four co-working models Four core models of co-working that are now emerging can be applied to organisations looking to exploit its benefits: An internal innovation hub is typically Vol 100 - June 2016

furniture created exclusively for employees within a company’s own office, providing flexible, creative space to suit a variety of work settings.

Internal co-working spaces are set up by organisations seeking to improve collaboration and knowledge sharing, encourage innovative thinking and inspire a cultural shift.

This model also enables companies to signal to the new generation of employees that they are open to more flexible forms of working.

Another option for companies seeking flexibility and ease of implementation is to purchase memberships in external co-working spaces. This allows companies to offer a variety of locations to their employees and accommodate any temporary increases in workforce.

External memberships also provide a range of work settings and help companies to tap into new networks and keep a pulse on market developments without any costly modifications to their existing real estate and potential disruption to the wider company culture.

Organisations that wish to experiment with collaborative space can work alongside a specialist provider to create a dedicated or ring-fenced external coworking area.

This model results in minimal disruption to the existing space and allows companies to test co-working with specific areas of the business before introducing more widespread change. It provides all the benefits of internal and external innovation and is associated with a lower risk of disruption.

In the fourth model companies create internal co-working space open to entrepreneurs and start-ups, often for free. Start-ups are usually selected via an application or interview process, but in return are provided with mentoring services. Building relationships in this way can help mature companies secure access to break-through technology or ideas at an early stage, while maintaining control over the space.

Barriers to co-working Perhaps the greatest barrier to co-working is related to security.

For companies dealing with high volumes of confidential data, sharing space with external organisations or easing the rules for using personal devices can be potentially challenging.

Cyber-security is a growing strategic challenge for organisations; effective www.myofficemagazine.co.za

co-working solutions need to help mitigate cyber-security concerns.

Premises security can be another potential challenge. While co-working spaces are perhaps safer environments to leave equipment unattended than your typical coffee shop, companies still risk a loss of equipment.

Effective policy frameworks and procedures can help mitigate risks, while solutions such as internal collaboration space or innovation hubs substantially reduce external risks.

Privacy is another frequently cited barrier to co-working. Many companies fear a loss of intellectual property, ideas or other sensitive information. This concern can be amplified further by the prospect of potentially sharing space with competitors.

Some element of private space or procedures around sensitive information sharing can help with risk mitigation.

However, inevitably organisations will need to adapt existing processes to manage potential privacy risks associated with opening up their organisation to external co-working environments.

Some organisations introduce coworking but selectively – just for certain individuals, groups of individuals or departments. But allowing selected groups to work in a more flexible setting, which is different to the rest of the organisation, may breed division or resentment among staff.

Organisations can also miss out on the opportunity to translate the benefits of coworking across wider areas of the business.

While it may not be practical to extend co-working across the whole company, this needs to be carefully managed to avoid any

risk of cultural clash.

Motivation can be a further barrier to the successful implementation of co-working.

Companies need to be clear about their objectives and about what creates the most value for them. Co-working that is imposed from the top down without due consideration of the user or employee experience is unlikely to yield the benefits most companies are seeking.

By tailoring workplace solutions companies can limit their exposure to some of these barriers and achieve seamless integration of co-working into the established real estate strategy.

Creating value from co-working Organisations that aspire to innovate cannot ignore co-working. Competition for talent is intensifying and the workplace is a critical tool to support recruitment and retention. Organisations need to embrace the new reality of employees’ expectations and technology-enabled ways of working and adapt their workplace strategies accordingly.

An innovative design, focused on flexibility and interaction in a wellconnected location can boost employee engagement and attract talent. In this context, co-working can help companies appeal to different generations by providing a choice of different work settings.

This is not simply about creating another place to work. The experience itself is paramount to making co-working a success, and should ultimately aim to satisfy an organisation’s wider business objectives. n ACKNOWLEDGEMENT WWW.THELAWYER.COM

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27

people management

Focus and the art of mind wandering The little tricks our brains use to be effective at work

H

ave a quick look around if you are reading this article at your desk or in your office. You are in a specific situation, an artificial environment, which was created for you to complete your tasks.

The thing is, no matter how thoughtfully your office was designed, it most likely doesn’t correspond to the natural environment of your brain – because a brain is not made for the typical office.

Actually the brain isn’t “made” for any environment at all; rather, it adjusts to its surrounding automatically. It learns and optimises its thinking paths, depending on how we use it. The thinking performance of the brain can therefore be improved, if you consider how we use it.

Brain-friendly thinking Anyone who regularly works in an office will probably have recognised that their brain can be a troublemaker sometimes.

It doesn’t focus; it is easily distracted; it gets involved in things it shouldn’t; and it needs a break all the time. But that’s normal. The brain is not a thinking machine. We can’t work on a problem permanently because we need breaks to think effectively. The brain works in rhythms to be able to do its best thinking.

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Activation Before a brain can process information it has to absorb it. During the process of absorption the brain is very communicative, as it aims to gather as much information as possible. Sending e-mails, getting on the phone with colleagues, presenting in meetings and discussions – the more ways we exchange information regarding one specific task, the better. For our brain information isn’t static but instead it changes depending on how it is used.

Talk first – work later At the beginning of a workday a stimulating environment is activating.

Read your e-mails and other correspondence before you commence your work day. Doing so helps the brain to automatically collect the information and use it more effectively afterwards.

Focus The activating warm-up time is followed by a phase of focus. Letting the brain do its work and freeing it of any external distractions is crucial in this phase. Your brain’s capacity is limited and even subconscious thoughts and processes need resources, which will be pulled from other processes. E-mail alerts, conversations in the background and music are disturbing this phase of concentration. The only way our brain is able to focus is to actively switch all these factors off.

Set the finish line Every phase of deep focus should be limited to a certain timeframe. Always set yourself a specific timeframe or a deadline for focused work. It can be minutes or a few hours. Pace yourself according to the energy you have.

Regeneration Why is it that professional athletes are higher performers than amateurs?

Not necessarily because they train more, but because they use breaks more effectively. You can only improve if breaks are used for regeneration.

The same applies to the brain. It can’t permanently perform; it needs distraction and rejuvenation. Just like high-performance athletes uses their breaks in smart ways, high-performance thinkers use breaks to improve their brain’s performance.

After an hour’s work, the brain deserves a few minutes’ rest. Longer relaxation phases are, however, are also very important, especially in the evenings before we go to sleep. During sleep the brain creates a stimuli-free room to process and save the information that it collected during the day.

Free yourself from the thought that breaks are a waste of time.

The brain subconsciously continues to think about the task at hand, and comes up with new thoughts and ideas when you give it a break.

Vol 100 - June 2016

BRAIN 101 BRAIN 101 BRAIN 101 BRAIN 101

people management

Mental pit stop Micro breaks of a few seconds are often sufficient to keep the brain working. A glance outside is enough. The brain uses this short distraction to stop automated thought processes and restart them with new energy – just like a mental pit stop.

Brain-friendly environment The brain doesn’t work statically like a computer, but in dynamic rhythms that adjust to the task at hand.

The more you use it, the better it will work – especially if you accelerate your thinking with these tricks: Attention The natural enemy of focus is multitasking. Not only do you need too many resources and make too many mistakes when you switch tasks all the time, but the more we do it the worse we become at paying attention to tasks. Use to-dolists and strike things of the list as soon as you’ve done them. This will activate the brain’s reward system and will motivate it for the next task.

Routines This may sound boring and dull, but routines are a sophisticated way for your brain to optimise thinking paths so that they work almost automatically and therefore with less energy (which is what distinguishes an intelligent from an average brain). Try to develop routines for repeating tasks. This will save time and energy, which you will then be able to apply to more complex thinking.

Space We need necessary resources to be high performers. That also applies to the office.

At best, the workplace allows employees to choose between different spaces so they can pick their environment based on the task at hand. Choose unusual places for unusual tasks. Take your laptop for a walk or do your thinking in the cafeteria.

Motivation The best way to be motivated is to know where to go. If you know when a task is done you can conclude it. Work with check-lists and mark the progress you make. Small acknowledgements like this are enough to activate the reward system in the brain. n ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

BY HENNING BECK, NEUROBIOLOGIST

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New technologies allow neuroscientists to deeply explore what is arguably our most vital and energy-hungry organ—the human brain—and how it affects our behavior.

New technologies allow neuroscientists to deeply explore what is arguably most An ongoing journey of discovery, new findings offer insights that can haveour a direct vital and organ—the human brain—and how it affects behavior. impact onenergy-hungry work performance and satisfaction, and maybe even help usour Think Better.

An ongoing journey of discovery, new findings offer insights that can have a direct impact on work performance and satisfaction, andexplore maybe what even is help us Think New technologies allow neuroscientists to deeply arguably ourBetter. most vital and energy-hungry organ—the human brain—and how it affects our behavior.

An ongoing journey of discovery, new findings offer insights that can haveour a direct New technologies allow neuroscientists to deeply explore what is arguably most impact onenergy-hungry work performance and satisfaction, and maybe even help usour Think Better. vital and organ—the human brain—and how it affects behavior.

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Benefits? can THINK, FEEL, AND LIVE—AND HOWItYOU CAN depression and anxiety.

CHANGE THEM,” RICHARD J. DAVIDSON AND increase compassion, memory SHARON BEGLEY and creativity, and decrease “THE EMOTIONAL LIFE OF YOUR BR AIN: HOW ITS UNIQUE PAT TERNS THE WAY YOU depression andAFFECT anxiety.

THINK, FEEL, AND LIVE—AND HOW YOU CAN CHANGE THEM,” RICHARD J. DAVIDSON AND SHARON BEGLEY LIFE OF YOUR BR AIN: HOW “THE EMOTIONAL ITS UNIQUE PAT TERNS AFFECT THE WAY YOU THINK, FEEL, AND LIVE—AND HOW YOU CAN CHANGE THEM,” RICHARD J. DAVIDSON AND SHARON BEGLEY

with focus the day because the work; brain isas the At the on, beginning of the daymost you have goes focusing gets harder. rested and the prefrontal cortex the most self-control and attention is the most active.

Start the “CIRCADIAN IN COGNITIVE becauseRHYTHMS the brain is thePERFORMANCE: mostday IMPLICATIONS FORwork; NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL with as thecortex day my office magazine restedfocus andCHRONOPHYSIOLOGY the prefrontal ASSESSMENT,” AND THERAPY goes gets the harder. is the on, mostfocusing active. Start day with focus work; as PERFORMANCE: the day © 2015 Steelcase Inc. All rights reserved.RHYTHMS Trademarks herein are the property of Steelcase INC. or their respective owners.

“CIRCADIAN IN used COGNITIVE IMPLICATIONS FOR NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL goes on, focusing gets harder.

“CIRCADIAN RHYTHMS IN COGNITIVE PERFORMANCE: IMPLICATIONS FOR NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT,” CHRONOPHYSIOLOGY AND THERAPY

29

arts and crafts

Crafts on the go Entertain your kids in the car with these everyday stationery items

S

chool holidays are just around the corner. Entertain your kids during long car trips with these cool craft ideas:

Index cards This is a simple way to bring new life to colouring with squiggle drawings. Add a line, circle, or loop to a white index card and let the kids come up with what it might become. Be sure to have crayons nearby as you let them create a new picture from these squiggles.

Sticky notes These small pads of sticky-backed paper are the perfect way to have fun in the car.

Kids can make letters, shapes and designs with the sticky notes on the window. You can even bring a tray of sorts to have the kids create images with the paper on their laps. With these reusable notes, kids can make one image and then take it all down to create a new image.

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Square coloured paper Sometimes a simple pad of paper will keep kids entertained.

Suggest they make paper airplanes and they fly them back and forth to each other. You can also give them a set of origami instructions to go with it, or even create origami frames so the kids can draw pictures on the inside.

Clear tape Allow your kids to colour a little tape with black marker or pen and make a moustache; or tape long strips across the whole back seat from window to window; or give them a small open box to cover with tape.

Paper clips This is another super simple object that kids love to play with. They can make chains and necklaces, or open them up to make more structures. Kids can have hours of fun stringing paper clips from one side of the car to the other.

Pipe cleaner creations Children can play with pipe cleaners forever, making shapes, loops, chains, letters, words or small people. You can bring buttons or beads to add to them as well.

Homemade sticker story books Create small sticker storybook starters out of index cards cut in half and stapled together.

Give each child a set of stickers that they can add on one side of the paper and write a story on the other side of the paper, creating a little story book. They can colour in it as well.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT WWW.MAKEANDTAKES.COM

Vol 100 - June 2016

arts and crafts Yarn or embroidery floss

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There are so many things kids can do with a ball of yarn. Encourage your kids to make friendship bracelets out of finger knitting. This helps to teach them to braid. Cutting three strips and hold them together by tying a knot at the top.

Yarn apples are fun to make with yarn.

You will need: • Yarn in the colour of apples – red, green or yellow • Pipe cleaners in brown and green • A piece of cardboard – 5cm x 13cm Use the piece of cardboard to create something around which to wind the yarn. If you want a smaller apple, use a piece of cardboard that is 5cm thick. For a bigger apple, it can be 7cm thick.

Take your yarn colour of choice and

start wrapping it around your cardboard.

You can go around between 80 and 100 times, to create a fat ball of yarn. The more you wrap, the thicker and tighter the apple looks. When you’re done winding just cut your string off, letting it hang in place. It will get tucked away later.

Cut a brown piece of pipe cleaner in half and slip one through the wound yarn. This is where the bent in half card board piece comes in handy. If your cardboard is bent, it’s easier to slip the pipe cleaner through. Then twist up the end together, forming a stem for the top of the apple.

You now put the other cut half brown pipe cleaner through again and twist it up on the opposite end of the yarn, creating the round apple and looking like the little bottom end of an apple. Twist it up, then cut off the pipe cleaner with scissors fairly close to the yarn and bend that end of wire in.

You can be done here, or add a little leaf to the apple if you prefer. Using a 5cm piece of green pipe cleaner, slip it under the top brown stem. Then bend in each half to look like two little leaves. n

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industry news

Mondi Rotatrim celebrates 30 years of office paper excellence Mondi Rotatrim, produced by the Mondi Group, one of the world’s leading office paper providers, is celebrating more than 30 years in the South African market.

A distinguished leader among office paper brands, Mondi Rotatrim is known as a superior multi-functional office paper that runs smoothly through photocopiers, laser – and inkjet printers.

Mondi Rotatrim is produced at the Merebank mill in Durban and supplied country-wide and into Africa. Our brand carries the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC®) Chain-Of-Custody certification, an independent international accreditation

providing assurance to customers that Mondi Rotatrim is produced from responsibly managed forests.

Made from Elemental Chlorine Free (ECF) pulp, Mondi Rotatrim is the only locallymanufactured paper with a 160CIE rating for superior whiteness. It is a product that delivers better quality and improved office and environmental performance.

At the heart of the production process is our 6m wide Voith Paper Machine – one of the most technologically advanced in the southern hemisphere – which enables optimum process control and analysis.

Equipped with state-of-the-art technology,

Sustainable development makes good business sense. We don’t just talk about it; we make it part of the way we work every day Our long-standing working relationship with WWF, through our sponsorship and support (since 2001) of the WWF-Mondi Wetlands Programme (WWF-MWP) and direct participation in its activities, is testament to our commitment to addressing sustainability challenges.

The programme celebrates its 25 year anniversary in 2016 and has catalysed wetlands conservation in South Africa through effective partnerships with government, non-government organisations and companies. As a result, we have improved wetland management on our forestry land while removing commercial trees from riparian zones and wetlands. The WWF-MWP is now part of our global partnership with WWF.

1970s

Mondi Rotatrim registered

1980s

Moved away from guillotine cutting to precision rotary cutting

1990s

Changed from acid-based to alkaline-based formulation, setting the benchmark for a new environmentally-friendly production process

2000s

ISO accreditation achieved in Environment, Quality and Safety Paper Machine 31 was commissioned at a cost of R1,53-billion, delivering consistently excellent quality Brand new Cut Size 5 line was installed at a cost of R177-million Multi-fuel boiler installed at a cost of R470-million

Continued investment ensures our top quality products will be sustained in the future.

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Paper Machine 31 produces high quality uncoated wood-free grades with copy paper forming the bulk of production. This production line is supported by modern converting equipment.

To support our high-quality and well invested operations, the right skills are essential. We maintain a consistently high level of training in our operations and in 2015 four of our papermakers successfully completed their international Pulp and Paper Craftsman qualification in Europe, becoming the first on the African continent to hold this internationallyrecognised qualification in papermaking.

Our unrelenting drive to deliver the best in everything we do, from managing our forests to producing high-quality pulp and paper products for our customers, has enabled us to make products that are household names today.

Mondi Group’s consistent and focused long-term strategy has positioned us as a leading international packaging and paper group, with a strong platform for growth.

With this backing, it is little wonder that Mondi Rotatrim has become a market leader among office paper brands over the past 30 years.

We are looking forward to the next 30 years!

Mondi Group: Mondi is an international packaging and paper group, employing around 25 000 people across more than 30 countries. Our key operations are located in central Europe, Russia, North America and South Africa.

In 2015, Mondi had revenues of €6,8-billion and a return on capital employed of 20,5%.

Visit www.mondigroup.com for more information.

Vol 100 - June 2016

Jabatha sets the standard at this year’s FM Expo

Jabatha Paper and Stationery CC | Tel: +27 (011) 334 6464 | Fax: +27 (011) 334 6443 | E-mail: sales@jabatha.co.za | Website: www.jabatha.co.za

industry news

The Facilities Management Expo 2016 A report-back on the FM Expo 2016 The 2016 edition of the Facilities Management Expo was held from 01 to 02 June at the Gallagher Estate in Midrand, Johannesburg.

A range of facilities management service providers attended the Expo, engaging with industry leaders and showcasing their latest products, services and innovations.

My Office was also in attendance, along with stationery industry stalwarts such as Bidvest Waltons, Jabatha, Tidy Files, Rexel and AZ Trading.

Many vendors reported positive interaction with visitors.

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industry news

www.myofficemagazine.co.za

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eco news

What to do with old smartphones Don’t bin your old mobile devices just yet

I

f you, like many people, have upgraded your smartphone recently and now have a number of pasttheir-best devices gathering dust somewhere at your home or office, don’t despair.

There are a number of things you can do with outdated devices that are better than just leaving them in the back of a cupboard.

Use it as a dedicated device This will very much depend on the age of your smartphone, but considering the range of apps available for them, it’s easy to dedicate one to a specific task.

The main apps on any phone will give you enough to work with. For starters, you could use your old phone as a music/ podcast player, a dedicated e-reader or as a smart alarm clock.

Go one step further by turning your phone into a smart remote for your PC or home theatre computer. Since it’s no longer needed to find phone signal or receive notifications, the old smartphone won’t drain as quickly, and it will give your main phone a bit of breathing space.

Another good use for an old

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smartphone is to give it to your children to use. They can then play games on it or use to stay in contact when on outings.

their phones. You take your old device to them, and get store credit or a small payment in return.

Sell it This is a lucrative option but one that is by no means guaranteed to work out.

The older your device is, the less chance someone is going to buy it. Do your research first and compare it to similar devices before you put it up for sale.

Unless it’s a new device and hasn’t been touched, you can’t expect to get full value for it.

Give it to charity This is the more philanthropic approach.

A number of charities recycle or refurbish old phones for re-use.

The other method, if the device you’re handing in is in good condition, is to have it resold in a charity shop. If you decide to go down this route, make sure you mention any flaws or issues with the device.

There are a number of online platforms in South Africa that allow consumers to buy or sell used goods. Examples of such platforms include: • Gumtree – www.gumtree.co.za • BidorBuy - www.bidorbuy.co.za • OLX – www.olx.co.za • JunkMail – www.junkmail.co.za Remember to always meet prospective buyers in a public area.

Only accept cash, or make sure the full amount is paid once the goods have exchanged hands.

Trade it in Some cell phone providers and manufacturers offer a trade-in facility for

Recycle it This is probably the most popular disposal method for smartphones, and many manufacturers have their own recycling initiatives. Check the maker’s site first (as well as those who aren’t the makers of your phone) before you do anything, to see whether or not they operate these initiatives in your country.

Most mobile phones contain precious metals and plastics that can be recycled to save both energy and resources.

Some parts of a smartphone can even be reused in other devices, decreasing the need to manufacture new parts. This helps save a number of raw materials, and allows consumers to dispose of their electronic waste responsibly. n Vol 100 - June 2016

crime alert

Securing the mobile workforce

A

lthough companies spend many years building up their network defences for PCs, most have spent little time securing the network for smartphones. These days there are a great deal more mobile devices than PCs’ and the sheer volume of them changes the way security needs to be approached.

At the same time, most users are unaware of mobile security threats. In fact, research

by Symantec has shown that 57% of adults were unaware that security solutions existed for mobile devices.

The size of today’s user base and the amount of personal information that’s easily attainable on every device is attractive to hackers.

The advent of bring your own device, or BYOD, has turned this personal security threat into a corporate one as well.

Mobile devices, which are capable of going inside and outside of the network, can automatically connect to the corporate system and access sensitive data – and then connect to dozens of other networks outside of the enterprise, all the while bypassing the types of security measures built for PCs.

Malware isn’t just a PC problem Cybercriminals have taken to hiding malicious code inside mobile apps that are downloaded from app marketplaces.

They can use malware to steal device information, track users, reconfigure the device, send content or carry out

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traditional malware functions. Symantec’s own research has found that the number of mobile threats that track users increased from 15% to 30% in 2013, effectively doubling since 2012. An indication that this type of data is of more commercial value to cybercriminals.

Most malicious code for mobile devices currently consists of Trojans that pose as legitimate applications. Mobile malware seems almost exclusively focused on the Android platform, and remote access Trojan (RAT) toolkits have started to appear for Android. This is likely tied to the widespread adoption of the Android platform.

4.

5.

A secure mobile network To ensure that your network is secure for BYOD, you need a combination of the right security, management and controls in place.

Here are seven tips to integrate into your mobile security policy: 1. Add security measures to your wireless network – having a password or a security key helps keep unauthorised smartphones from accessing your wireless connection.

Utilise encryption technology to protect the information transmitted through your network.

2. Pin or password protect it – employees who use mobile devices for business may carry sensitive company information on their phones. If the phone falls into the wrong hands, a pin or passcode is the first line of defence. Encourage users to create a strong password and program it to lock within five minutes.

3. Examine app permissions – while apps have to ask for access to many

6.

7.

features on your device, many users don’t examine these permissions carefully. Malicious app developers find it simple to persuade users that they should grant unnecessary permissions.

Regulate apps accessed on the network – if an application has a weakness, the app is easier to hack and it poses a threat to an organisation’s security. Protect your company by developing a policy item to determine which apps can be downloaded or accessed via the corporate network.

Lose it, lock it, wipe it – download an app on mobile devices that allows employees to lock and wipe a phone in the case of theft or loss. Keep out prying eyes by remotely locking a device. If your phone is gone for good, wipe your data. This includes information such as contacts, text messages, photos, e-mails, browser history and user accounts (like Facebook, Twitter and Google).

Update, update, update – make sure that employees get into the habit of updating apps as soon as they are prompted to. Software updates can include fixes to new vulnerabilities and exploited security gaps.

Don’t let mobile security be your blind spot – with so much personal data on our devices and mobile malware on the rise, smartphones now require the same amount of attention that was previously given to PC protection. n ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

SOLANGE DESCHATRES FOR WWW.SYMANTEC.COM

SILVER SPONSORS:

Keeping shop-sa members abreast of criminal and fraudulent activity in the stationery and office products industry.

To sponsor the Crime Alert page contact (011) 781 0088.

REPORT CRIME TO wendy@shop-sa.co.za Renew your Crime Alert sponsorship today! Call Wendy Dancer on (011) 781 0088 to book your logo placement on the Crime Alert page as an industry leader in transparency, information sharing and anti-crime business ethics. www.myofficemagazine.co.za

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37

product showcase

MY OFFICE PRODUCT SHOWCASE To showcase your products here, call Wendy Dancer on 011 781 0088 for pricing and availability.

IMAGE COLORACTION Image Coloraction is a range of tinted multifunctional papers and boards produced from elemental chlorine free pulp made from responsibly managed wood forest. Image colour action is Forest Stewardship CouncilÂŽ certified 70% mix source. Image Coloraction can be used to colour code paper systems and add maximum impact for reports, a variety of creative applications such as leaflets, business documents, colourful invitations and tickets and eye catching presentations. It is available in 6 Pale colours, 2 Mid and 5 Bold as well as the Neon Rainbow Pack in A4. It is suitable for Litho and desktop printing.

Tel: 011 688 6000 Email: marketing.office@antalis.co.za Web: www.antalis.co.za

THE FIRST AND ONLY GEN 5 INTEL PRO WIDI CERTIFIED WIRELESS DISPLAY RECEIVER AVAILABLE TODAY. Specially designated for business environment, ScreenBeam Pro Business Edition enables users with compatible mobile devices to wirelessly display any content on the TV or projector within a few seconds. In seconds, you can share whatever is on your mobile device (presentations, documents, spreadsheets, videos, websites, apps, photos, etc.) with everyone else in the room.

And ScreenBeam Pro Business Edition supports all the key manageability and security features that IT departments need.

Tel: 011 467 0227 E-mail: helpdesk@techexpress.co.za Web: www.techexpress.co.za

LX DESK MOUNT LCD MONITOR ARM Durable polished aluminum construction! Tested to perform 10 times the expected life-cycle of other competitive brands at roughly half the price.

Sleek and streamlined, the LX frees up space and allows positioning of your display for greater productivity. Reposition your LCD with just a touch. Up. Down. Forward. Back. The LX provides unparalleled range of motion Sleek and streamlined, the LX frees up space and allows positioning of your display for greater productivity. Reposition your LCD with just a touch. Up. Down. Forward. Back.

Tel: 011 467 0227 E-mail: helpdesk@techexpress.co.za Web: www.techexpress.co.za

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Vol 100 - June 2016

marketplace

1.

Low on budget?

Does your Web site need a boost?

For just R25.00 ex VAT, add your company logo to your contact details in the Buyers’ Guide and we’ll put your logo on our Web site for FREE. Take advantage of the new advertising slots in My Office magazine!

92mm

How to book your space

2.

130mm

For just R3 000 ex VAT per month*, we will run your quarter-page advert in the back of the magazine.

To book advertising or advertorial space around any of the above features, please contact Wendy Dancer on wendy@shop-sa.co.za or call 011 781 0088.

note this offer is only available *Please on a 3- or 6-month contract.

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39

SOURCE PRODUCTS HERE A ADDING MACHINE, POINT OF SALE AND MACHINE ROLLS PaperGeni Rotunda (Pty) Ltd. ADHESIVES, GLUES AND SPRAYS BIC South Africa (Pty) Ltd. - Correction Fluid, Glue sticks & Super Glue Palm Stationery Manufacturers - New Wave Freedom Stationery - Marlin ART, CRAFT, GRAPHIC AND DRAWING MATERIALS CTP Stationery - A4 coloured poster boards Freedom Stationery - Marlin Max Frank - Uni, Artline Pentel S.A (Pty) Ltd. - Oil pastels and watercolour paint

40

B BAGS AND CASES D.O.S - iStay Flip File - Business cases.

Freedom Stationery - Space Case and Marlin Kolok - Kenton, Port Topmark - School Bags, Laptop Bags, Pencil Cases, Sports Bags, Luggage BATTERIES Kolok - Duracell Nikki Distributors - Duracell Batteries Nikki Distributors - Energizer Batteries BIN RANGE Krost Office Products BINDING ACCESSORIES AZ Trading - Plastic Comb, Wire, Thermal & Covers CTP Donau - Donau files and slide binders, A4 poster board Kolok - Geha binding combs and covers Parrot Products - Parrot Comb Binding Machines Press Products - wire, combs, coil, covers Rexel Office Products - Rexel and GBC

BINDING MACHINES AZ Trading - DSB, Neorel D.O.S - Prima, DSB, Leitz Kolok - Geha binding machines Parrot Products - Parrot Comb Binding Machines Press Products - Bindquip Rexel Office Products - GBC and Rexel ranges BOARDS BIC South Africa (Pty) Ltd - BIC Velleda School Whiteboards CTP Stationery - Flip Chart Pads Freedom Stationery - Marlin Hortors Stationery - Legal Notices i.e. Basic Conditions & OSH Act and Leave and Absence Chart Kolok - Geha interactive boards Max Frank - Artline Flipchart Markers, Artline, Maxi whiteboard markers Palm Stationery Manufacturers - New Wave Parrot Products - Full range of boards and accessories. Custom boards printed to your specification Rexel Office Products - NOBO whiteboards, pinboards, easels and accessories. Quartet magnetic white/cork boards BOOK COVERS CTP Stationery - Poly Prop Donau heavy duty covers Empire Toy & Stationery - Butterfly paper Freedom Stationery Gordon’s Productions - contact paper woodgrain, marble, pattern designs. Magic cover back to school clear and coloured self adhesive paper. (4M rolls, A4 and lever arch).

Plastic coated brownkraft rolls and pre-cut polythene covers.

Grafton Paper Products Palm Stationery Manufacturers - brown paper rolls, poly rolls, gift-wrap RBE - Papersmart BOOKS AND PADS BSC Stationery - Treeline CTP Stationery - Impala and premier books and pads

Freedom Stationery - Manufacturers Hortors Stationery - Legal registers Palm Stationery Manufacturers Power Stationery - Powerstar RBE - NCR Business Books Rexel Office Products - Colourhide notebooks BOXES AND CARTONS CTP Stationery - Archiving Systems Rexel Office Products Specialised Filing Systems - Archive and Off-Site Tidy Files - Acid free archiving products

C CALCULATORS Kolok - HP Nikki Distributors - Truly calculators Palm Stationery Manufacturers - New Wave Power Stationery - Powerstar Rexel Office Products - IBICO CALENDARS CTP Stationery - Diaries assorted sizes CALLIGRAPHY Max Frank - Artline CANTEEN Kolok - Tea, Coffee, milk etc, Sunbeam (appliances) CARBON PAPER AND FILMS RBE - NCR Business Books CARTRIDGES Dis Cartridges - Stockists of generic/original cartridges CD’S, DVD’S AND DISKETTES Kolok - Verbatim, Kenton CLIP BOARDS CTP Stationery - DONAU brand Parrot Products - Masonite and whiteboard

Binding doesn’t get any simpler!

CombBind 100

CombBind 110

CombBind C200

CombBind C210

buyers’ guide

See page 46 for contact details Rexel Office Products - Rexel Eco Range

CLIPS, FASTENERS AND PINS Freedom Stationery - Marlin Grip Binders - Essentials, Stephens, Penguin Tidy Files - Filing solution

DIARIES, PLANNERS AND ORGANISERS CTP Stationery - CTP Brand Hortors Stationery - Legal diaries Rexel Office Products - NOBO planners, refills and T-card kits, Quartet Monthly/

F FAX ROLL MANUFACTURERS Rotunda (Pty) Ltd.

Weekly planner COLOURING BOOKS Empire Toy & Stationery - Empire books Freedom Stationery - Marlin Palm Stationery Manufacturers - New Wave COMPUTER ACCESSORIES Kolok - Verbatim, Kenton, Port Krost Office Products Pyrotec - Tower Inkjet-laser labels, business cards and photo paper COMPUTER CLEANING Kolok - ComputerCare, Multipro Pyrotec - Tower computer cleaning range COMPUTER CONSUMABLES CTP Stationery - Full range of DONAU files KMP - for computer consumables Kolok - Penguin (Ribbons, Toners, Inkjets), Till and fax rolls Redfern Print Services - Redfern inkjet/laser/ copier labels and a full range of stationery labels COMPUTER HARDWARE Kolok - Blazer UPS systems, Geha (Interactive white boards) CORPORATE STATIONERY & GIFTING Star Stationers and Printers

South African Diaries - For all your diary needs DICTATION - TRANSCRIPTION Olympus Audio S.A - Digital Voice Recorders, Transcription Kits and Accessories.

Powerhouse Dictation for Philips - Dictation, transcription, meeting recording, mini-tapes, foot pedals, accessories DRAUGHTING AND DRAWING OFFICE SUPPLIES CTP Stationery - A4 Poster Boards

E EMBOSSERS AND ENGRAVING Rubber Stamp & Engraving Co - Ideal & Trodat Embossers (pocket, desk and electronic), Trotec

BSC Stationery - Leo Envelopes CTP Stationery - Commercial envelopes Global Envelopes - CelloWrapped, peel+seal, Self-Seal, FullGum and Printed

CRAYONS AND CHALKS Freedom Stationery - Marlin Palm Stationery Manufacturers - Chalks and Crayons Power Stationery - Powerstar

Grafton/Star

D

ERASERS & ERASING / CORRECTION FLUIDS

DESK SETS AND ACCESSORIES BIC South Africa (Pty) Ltd - Desk Set Solo Delux Freedom Stationery - Marlin Krost Office Products

Max Frank - Uni

KZN Envelopes - Manufactures of Printed and Plain Envelopes Merpak Envelopes - Complete range of quality envelopes RBE - Papersmart

BIC South Africa (Pty) Ltd - Tippex tape, bottle and Pen Freedom Stationery - Marlin Palm Stationery Manufacturers - Tape/Erasers Pentel S.A (PTY) LTD - Hi-Polymer and Ain Power Stationery - Powerstar

41

FILES MECHANISMS Press Products - Lever arch, Ring binders

ENVELOPES AND MAILING

eraser, correction tape and pens

FILES AND FILING African Filing Systems - Top retrieval filing and arching products BSC Stationery - Treeline, Mobifile CTP Stationery - Full range of quality DONAU brand Flip File - Executive display files, expanding files, Document folders, dividers Freedom Stationery - Edo / Unifile Palm Stationery Manufacturers - Lever arch, Ringbinder files, Manilla flat folders Grafton/Star Kolok - Geha (Binding machines) Palm Stationery Manufacturers - leaver arch, ring binder files, manilla flat folders.

Pentel S.A (Pty) Ltd. - Display book Vivid, document file, clip file and presentation file Rexel Office Products - Prima and Rexel ranges Specialised Filing Systems - Top Retrieval, Archive and Off-Site Tidy Files - Filing solutions

FOLDERS CTP Stationery - DONAU Brand Freedom Stationery - Marlin Palm Stationery Manufacturers - View files, polypropylene & board folders Tidy Files - Specialised FORMS - LEGAL AND MISCELLANEOUS Hortors Stationery - complete range of custom, company, miscellaneous, magisterial, etc.

FURNITURE - OFFICE & SCHOLASTIC Krost Office Products - accessories New Era Office cc - Specialising in all office furniture desks, chairs, credenzas, boardroom tables, etc Reboni Furniture Group - Manufacturing and distribution of educational and office furniture Specialised Filing Systems - Cabinets, Shelving and Hi-Density

Working for you

CombBind C250 Pro

WireBind W20

MultiBind 230 Comb & Wire

ThermaBind T400

www.rexelsa.co.za

SOURCE PRODUCTS HERE G

L

GUILLOTINES AND TRIMMERS AZ Trading - DSB, Kobra Maynards Office Technology - IDEAL Shredders & Guillotines – SA Distributors

LABELS Freedom Stationery - Marlin Pyrotec - Tower stationery, inkjet-laser labels Redfern Print Services - Redfern Inkjet/laser/ copier labels and a full range of stationery labels Rotunda (Pty) Ltd. Specialised Filing Systems - Filing Tidy Files - Filing solutions

Press Products - BindQuip Rexel Office Products - SmartCut and ClassicCut

I 42

INDEX TABBING AND DIVIDERS CTP Stationery - DONAU Brand board and P.P Flip File - Index Tabs, Flip tabs Freedom Stationery - Marlin Grip Binders Palm Stationery Manufacturers Rexel Office Products - Rexel, Mylar and Prima board INKS KMP - for computer consumables.

Max Frank - Shachihata, Artline Rexel Office Products - Numbering machine ink Rubber Stamp & Engraving Co - Trodat, Noris fastdry, security, numbering, franking.

Laundry.

J JANITORIAL Kolok - Goldenmarc (Cleaning products), Brooms, Mops and equipment.

LABELLING MACHINES Kemtek Imaging Systems - Distributor of Brother P-Touch Labelling System LAMINATING MACHINES AZ Trading - DSB, Speedlam, Lamiace D.O.S - Tofo, DSB, Leitz Kolok - GEHA and Galaxy Parrot Products - Parrot A4 and A3 Laminators Press Products - GMP Rexel Office Products - GBC and Rexel ranges LAMINATING POUCHES AND MATERIALS AZ Trading - A0 to ID card size Kolok - GEHA, Penguin laminating pouches and rolls Parrot Products Press Products - GMP Rexel Office Products - GBC LEGAL STATIONERY Hortors Stationery - All legal registers, forms, diaries etc LETTER TRAYS Krost Office Products

M MAILING TUBES CTP Stationery MARKERS BIC South Africa (Pty) Ltd - Permanent

Markers, Highlighters, whiteboard Freedom Stationery - Marlin Interstat Agencies - Edding Max Frank - Artline , Maxi, Uni Parrot Products - White board, permanent and OHP markers. Wide range of highlighters Penflex - White board, flipchart, permanent markers, highlighters Pentel (Pty) Ltd. - Maxiflo, white board marker and paint marker Power Stationery - Powerstar MATHEMATICAL GEOMETRY SETS & ACCESSORIES Freedom Stationery - Marlin Palm Stationery Manufacturers Power Stationery - Powerstar MINUTE AND GUARD BOOKS Hortors Stationery - Company registers, minute books and other legal registers

N NUMBERING MACHINES Rexel Office Products Rubber Stamp & Engraving Co - Reiner Dater/Numberer (manual/electronic), Trodat

O OFFICE ERGONOMICS Rexel Office Products - Kensington copyholders, risers, footrests, Rexel range of electric staplers and punches which reduces chances of RSI (repetitive strain injury) OVERHEAD PROJECTION AND ACCESSORIES Kolok - Penguin Transparencies Max Frank - Artline Parrot Products - Data Projectors, OHPs, screens and rear projection film Penflex - Penflex Overhead projector pens Rexel Office Products - NOBO

Excellence Accelerated Get it right first time, in less time.

Fusion 1000L

Fusion 1100L

Fusion 3000L

buyers’ guide

See page 46 for contact details

P

PENCIL SHARPENERS Freedom Stationery Palm Stationery Manufacturers Power Stationery - Powerstar

PACKAGING Merpak Envelopes - Postsafe packaging range PAPER AND BOARD CTP Stationery - DONAU A4 poster boards Empire Toy & Stationery - Butterfly paper Freedom Stationery Grafton/Star Kolok - Geha (paper media), EPSON, HP, CANON, Palm Stationery Manufacturers - Cubes and board Paper World Handmade Paper, Embossed Paper, Specialty Papers, Scented Paper Board, Paper Products Power Stationery - Powerstar RBE - Papersmart Rexel Office Products - Prima Paper & Board

PENS BIC South Africa (Pty) Ltd - Clic, Crystal, Orange and Prismo Freedom Stationery - Marlin and Edo Max Frank - Artline, Maxi, Uni Palm Stationery Manufacturers Penflex - Penflex ballpoints and rollerballs Pentel S.A (Pty) Ltd - Superb Ballpoint, Energel Pen Power Stationery - Powerstar Staedtler SA (Pty) Ltd - Ball point, Fineliner, Gel and Pigment liner pens PEN CARBON BOOKS Freedom Stationery - Marlin Power Stationery - Powerstar RBE - NCR Business Books

PAPER FOLDING MACHINES Maynards Office Technology - IDEAL Shredders & Guillotines – SA Distributors

PERSONAL STATIONERY CTP Stationery - Home office and personal filing system, diaries Grafton/Star

PENCILS BIC South Africa (Pty) Ltd - BIC Evolution Graphite, BIC Matic Clutch ,Velocity Clutch, Atlantis Clutch, BU4 Clutch Freedom Stationery - Marlin / Edo Max Frank - Uni Palm Stationery Manufacturers Pentel S.A (Pty) Ltd - Hotshot, Mechanical Pencil, Techniclick Pencil.

Power Stationery - Powerstar Rexel Office Products - Rexel HB & Derwent Staedtler SA (Pty) Ltd - Tradition, Wopex, Technical, Clutch Pencils and lead

PLANNING BOARDS AND ACCESSORIES Parrot Products - Range of year planners, term planners, maps and in/out boards. custom printed boards designed to specification.

Rexel Office Products - NOBO planners

PENCIL LEADS BIC South Africa (Pty) Ltd - Criterium 0.5mm leads Freedom Stationery - Marlin Max Frank - Uni Pentel S.A (Pty) Ltd - Ain lead, standard lead - various grades

PRINTER CONSUMABLES KMP - For computer consumables.

Kolok - Epson (inkjet, large format etc), Lexmark, HP, Brother (Toners and Inks), Oki (Toners, inks and Ribbons), Tally Genicom (Ribbons), Seikosha (Ribbons), Panasonic (Toners and Ribbons), Kyocera (Toners), Printronix (Ribbons), IBM (Ribbons), Ricoh (Toners), Fujitsu (Ribbons), Pantum (Toners) Royce Imaging Industries - Remanufacturers and suppliers of inkjet and laser cartridges Technical Systems Engineering - Suppliers of quality compatible cartridges and bulk inks for Epson, Canon, Lexmark, HP and Samsung PUNCHES AND PERFORATORS Freedom Stationery - Marlin Krost Office Products Parrot Products - Parrot range of punches Power Stationery - Powerstar Rexel Office Products - Rexel

43

R RUBBER STAMPS Max Frank - Schachihata X Stampers Rubber Stamp & Engraving Co. - Trodat RUBBER STAMP MANUFACTURING EQUIPMENT Rubber Stamp & Engraving Co - AZ Liquid polymer, TROTEC laser engraver, flash system

POINT OF SALE PRINTER ROLLS Rotunda (Pty) Ltd. PRINTING Kolok - Epson, Lexmark (Hardware), HP Printers, Oki (Hardware) Pantum, Samsung Olivetti Imports - Distributors of Multifunctional Printers / Copiers

RULERS Freedom Stationery - Marlin Palm Stationery Manufacturers Power Stationery - Powerstar Penflex - PENFLEX rulers

Star Stationers and Printers Unicopy & Stationers CC - for all your printing & stationery requirements

Working for you

Fusion 3100L

Fusion 5000L

Fusion 5100L

www.rexelsa.co.za

SOURCE PRODUCTS HERE S

44

SCHOLASTIC SUPPLIES BSC Stationery Sales - Treeline CTP Stationery Empire Toy & Stationery - Butterfly Flip File - Flip File display books A5, A4, A2, A3 Freedom Stationery - Marlin and Edo Gordon’s Productions - contact paper woodgrain, marble, pattern designs. Magic cover back to school clear and coloured self adhesive paper. (4M rolls, A4 and lever arch). Plastic coated brownkraft rolls and pre-cut polythene covers.

Grafton Paper Products Max Frank - Artline, Maxi, Uni Palm Stationery Manufacturers Parrot Products - chalk boards/slates Power Stationery - Powerstar Pyrotec - Tower Adhesive Book Cover 45cm x 2m SCISSORS AND CUTTERS Freedom Stationery - Marlin Palm Stationery Manufacturers Power Stationery - Powerstar Rexel Office Products SCRAPBOOKING Rexel Office Products - Trimmers and guillotines Rubber Stamp & Engraving Co - Making memories, Clearsnap, Marvy, Ranger, Bazzill, Carl SHREDDERS AND ACCESSORIES AZ Trading - DSB, Kobra, Roto, Repairs to all makes D.O.S - Kobra Kolok - GEHA entry level and high-end shredders Nikki Distributors - Nikki shredders Parrot Products - Parrot range of value shredders Rexel Office Products - Rexel range Maynards Office Technology - IDEAL Shredders & Guillotines – SA Distributors

SLATES Freedom Stationery - Marlin Parrot Products - Whiteboard and chalk board

STAMPS, STAMP PADS AND INKS Kemtek Imaging Systems - Distributor of Brother Stampcreator PRO Rubber Stamp & Engraving Co - Trodat, pre-inked stamps, stamp and fingerprint pads

STAPLING MACHINES AND STAPLES Freedom Stationery - Marlin Interstat Agencies - Genmes Krost Office Products Parrot Products - Parrot range of staplers Rexel Office Products - Rexel range

STATIONERY SUNDRIES - SCHOLASTIC CTP Stationery - DONAU Scissors and cutting knives Freedom Stationery - Marlin, Edo and Unifile Palm Stationery Manufacturers - New Wave Power Stationery - Powerstar

STENCILS Freedom Stationery

T TAPES Freedom Stationery Palm Stationery Manufacturers TELECOMMUNICATIONS Nikki Distributors - Siemens office phones TELEX ROLLS AND TELETEX PAPER Rotunda (Pty) Ltd. THERMAL ROLLS Rotunda (Pty) Ltd. TONERS AND CARTRIDGES KMP - Computer consumables Kolok - Penguin (Inkjets and Laser toners), Epson, Lexmark, HP, Canon, Pantum (toners), OKI, Samsung TOP RETRIEVAL FILING Optiplan a div of Waltons - Paper based top retrieval filing systems Specialised Filing Systems - Total Solution and more Tidy Files - Complete onsite and offsite filing solutions TOYS, HOBBIES AND GAMES Freedom Stationery Pyrotec - Toby Tower Stickers and Activities

STORAGE SYSTEMS CTP Stationery - Archiving Systems Suspension Files Kolok - Verbatim (hard drives, USB sticks etc), HP, Sandisk Rexel Office Products - Storage boxes Specialised Filing Systems - Filing Tidy Files - Filing solutions

TRANSFER LETTERING AND SIGNS Parrot Products - Vinyl lettering TRANSPARENCIES Kolok - Penguin transparencies for inkjet and laser OEM, Penguin and HP Transparencies Rexel Office Products - NOBO range

Spend 98% less time shredding*

UPGRADE TO

AUTOFEED *Max saving when using an Auto+ 500X compared to a traditional feed shredder in a similar price level.

Auto+ 60X

Auto+ 80X

Auto+ 100X | 100M

buyers’ guide

See page 46 for contact details

45

DID YOU KNOW? • The Buyers’ Guide is an affordable way to highlight your brands while simultaneously introducing up-and-coming stockists to the trade.

• The Buyers’ Guide is a valuable sourcing tool to market your business and the brands that you carry.

• To book space, contact Wendy on wendy@shop-sa.co.za or (011) 781 0088.

Working for you

Auto+ 200X

Auto+ 300X | 300M

Auto+ 500X | 500M

Auto+ 750X | 750M

www.rexelsa.co.za

CONTACT DETAILS HERE African Filing Systems

Kolok - Durban

(

011 614 9445

www.africanfiling.co.za

7

086 540 6892

info@africanfiling.co.za

AZ Trading (

086 111 4407

www.aztradingcc.co.za

7

011 792 9732

sales@aztradingcc.co.za

BIC South Africa (Pty) Ltd

Reboni Furniture Group (

086 173 2664

www.reboni.co.za

(

031 570 4900

Box 4206, Riverhorse Valley East, 4017

7

086 627 7737

sales@reboni.co.za

7

031 569 6880

infodbn@koloksa.co.za

Redfern Print Services - Cape Town

Kolok Polokwane

(

021 552 9680

Box 403, Milnerton, 7435

7

021 552 9681

sales@redfern.co.za

(

015 298 8795

Box 862, Ladanna, 0704

Redfern Print Services - Durban

015 298 8315

infopol@koloksa.co.za

(

031 205 9598

dbnoffice@redfern.co.za

7

031 205 7092

www.redfern.co.za

(

011 474 0181

PO BOX 43144, Industria, 2042

7

7

011 474 6068

16 Maraisburg Road, Industria, 2042

Kolok - Port Elizabeth

BSC Stationery Sales

Redfern Print Services - Johannesburg

(

011 086 2900

Box 278, Brakpan, 1540

(

041 406 9900

Box 3163, North End, 6056

(

011 837 4119

Box 1445, Crown Mines, 2025

7

011 420 3322

sales@treeline.co.za

7

041 406 9920

infope@koloksa.co.za

7

011 837 8917

jhboffice@redfern.co.za

CTP Stationery

Kolok - Namibia

(

011 226 5600

Box 43501, Industria, 2042

7

011 474 9242

sales@versafile.co.za

Dis Cartridges

Rexel Office Products (

011 226 3300

(

00264 (61)370500

Box 40797, Ausspannplatz, Namibia

7

011 837 2781

7

00264 (61)370525

valne@kolok.com.na

Rotunda (Pty) Ltd.

Kolok - Nelspruit (

011 609 3437/9

PO Box 75881, Gardenview 2047

7

011 609 3448

doe01@telkomsa.net

D.O.S (Denton Office Solutions) (

086 000 7468

info@dosptyltd.biz

7

086 237 4614

www.dosptyltd.biz

Empire Toy & Stationery

www.rexelsa.co.za sales@rexelsa.co.za

(

021 799 5770

15 Hillstar Avenue, Wetton, 7780

7

021 761 5601

rotunda@iafrica.com

(

013 758 2233

Box 4338, White River, 1240

Royce Imaging Industries

7

013 758 2235

infonel@koloksa.co.za

(

011 792 9530

www.royceimaging.co.za

7

011 792 9480

sales@royceimaging.co.za

Kolok - Bloemfontein

Rubber Stamp & Engraving Co - Head Office (

051 433 1876

PvtBag X01, Brandhof, Bloemfontein

(

011 262 1400

Box 931, Wendywood, 2144

(

011 614 2243

Box 261524, Excom, 2023

7

051 433 2451

infobfn@koloksa.co.za

7

011 262 1414

trodat@rse.co.za

7

011 614 3075

empire@netactive.co.za

Kolok - Botswana

Rubber Stamp & Engraving Co - Cape Town

Flip File

(

021 448 7008

(

021 638 3105

Box 2190, Clareinch, 7740

(

00267 393 2669

PvtBag B0226, Bontleng, Gaborone

7

021 448 7014

7

021 633 6942

ashly@flipfile.co.za

7

00267 317 0762

clemencem@vbn.co.bw

Rubber Stamp & Engraving Co - Durban

Freedom Stationery - Johannesburg

Krost Office Products

083 377 4109

Box 931, Wendywood, 2144

031 266 1082

dbn@rse.co.za

011 314 0953/4

Box 6459, Halfway House, 1685

(

011 626 2067

Box 75401, Gardenview, 2047

7

7

011 314 0957

gpsales@freedomstationery.co.za

7

011 626 2912

sales@krost.co.za

South African Diaries

KZN ENVELOPES

cpt@trodat.co.za

(

(

Freedom Stationery - Cape Town

Box 931, Wendywood, 2144

(

021 442 2340

Box 4862, Cape Town, 8000

(

021 557 9152/3

36-38 Silverstone Rd Killarney Gardens

(

031 465 3992

P O Box 41259, Rossburgh, 4072

7

021 442 2341

phoneyman@sadiaries.co.za

7

021 557 9155

cptsales@freedomstationery.co.za

7

031 465 1669

info@kznenvelopes.co.za

Staedtler SA (Pty) Ltd

Freedom Stationery KZN (Head Office)

Max Frank

(

011 579 1600

www.staedtler.co.za

(

032 459 2820

Box 478, Mandini, 4490

(

011 921 1811

Box 200, Isando, 1600

7

011 608 3497

admin@staedtler.co.za

7

032 459 3255

sales@freedomstationery.co.za

7

011 921 1569

sarah.schoeman@tigerbrands.com

Specialised Filing Systems

Freedom Stationery - East London (

043 731 2422

Box 14111 West Bank 5218

7

043 731 2421

elsales@freedomstationery.co.za

Global Envelopes

Maynards - Olympus Audio S.A / Olivetti Distributors

031 465 5544

info@envelopes.co.za

7

031 465 5634

www.envelopes.co.za

Gordon’s Productions

011 477 0640

7

011 477 3528

www.specfiling.co.za

Star Stationers and Printers (

(

(

0860 00 1922

sales@maynards.co.za

(

031 569 1061

luke@starstat.co.za

www.maynards.co.za

7

031 569 1094

www.starstat.co.za

Technical Systems Engineering

Merpak Envelopes (

011 719 7700

sales@merpak.co.za

(

011 708 2304

Box 1532, Northriding, 2162

(

031 705 8713

Suite 69, PvtBag X4, Kloof, 3640

7

011 885 3174

www.merpak.co.za

7

011 708 1799

sales@tse.co.za

7

031 705 8714

jacquie@gordons.co.za

Nikki - Cape Town

Grafton/Star Paper Products

Tidy Files 011 943 4210

(

0860 006731

cpt@nikki.co.za

(

(

011 262 0777

Box 550, Bergvlei, 2012

7

0800 204868

www.nikki.co.za

Topmark

7

011 262 0780

sales@graftonpaper.co.za

Nikki - Durban

Hortors Stationery

(

011 837 8045

(

0860 006731

dbn@nikki.co.za

7

011 837 7442

0800 204868

www.nikki.co.za

Tower (Division of Pyrotec) - Cape Town

(

011 620 4800

Box 1020, Johannesburg, 2000

7

7

086 612 4663

orders@hortors.co.za

Nikki - Johannesburg

Ink Spot Suppliers (

011 854 3013

7

011 852 3013

( 7 info@inkspotsuppliers.co.za

Interstat Agencies - Durban

0860 006731 0800 204868

(

021 787 9600

7

021 787 9791

www.nikki.co.za

Tower (Division of Pyrotec) - Johannesburg (

011 611 1820

59 Lepus Rd, Crown Mines, 2025

0860 006731

pta@nikki.co.za

7

011 611 1834

tower@pyrotec.co.za

0800 204868

www.nikki.co.za

Tower (Division of Pyrotec) Durban

Box 201707, Durban North, 4016

7

7

031 569 6559

interstat@mweb.co.za

Optiplan a division of Waltons

(

031 701 0192

Box 594, Pinetown, 3600

(

011 620 4000

Pencil Park, Croxley Close, Herriotdale

7

031 701 1285

tower@pyrotec.co.za

086 681 8256

rcurrin@gp.waltons.co.za

Unicopy & Stationers CC

(

021 551 9555

Box 36696, Chempet, 7442

7

7

021 557 5456

Capetown@interstat.co.za

Palm Stationery

(

041 453 2558

Box 27693, Greenacres, 6057

7

041 453 8504

pe@interstat.co.za

Kemtek Imaging Systems

(

031 201 8415

(

031 507 7051

viran@palmstat.co.za

7

031 201 8672

7

031 507 7053

www.palmstat.co.za

Versafile

Paper World (

012 250 1477/8

info@paperworldsa.com.

(

011 624 8000

Box 86173, City Deep, 2049

7

012 250 0322

www.paperworldsa.com

7

0866 101 185

labelling@kemtek.co.za

Parrot Products

Kemtek Imaging Systems - Cape

(

011 607 7600

debbie@parrot.co.za

(

021 521 9600

Box 181, Cape Town, 8000

7

011 615 2502

www.parrotproducts.biz

7

021 551 5032

brenth@kemtek.co.za

Penflex

Kemtek Imaging Systems - KZN

(

021 521 2400

Box 36964, Chempet, 7442

(

031 700 9363

Box 15685, Westmead, 3608

7

021 521 2402/3

info@penflex.co.za

7

031 700 9369

Sandim@kemtek.co.za

Pentel S.A (Pty) Ltd

Kemtek Imaging Systems - PE

(

011 474 1427/8

Box 202, Crown Mines, 2025

(

041 582 5222

Box 15685, Westmead, 3608

7

011 474 5563

www.pentel.co.za

7

041 582 5224

clinth@kemtek.co.za

Powerhouse Dictation

Kemtek Imaging Systems - PTA

(

011 887 1056

info@speech.co.za

(

012 804 1410

PO Box 816, Silverton, 0127

7

086 555 3833

www.speech.co.za

7

012 804 4286

johlettat@kemtek.co.za

Power Stationery (

032 533 4003

Box 1305, Verulam, 4340

(

021 709 0190

Box 183, Steenberg, 7947

7

032 533 3254

powersta@netactive.co.za

7

021 709 0199

kmppty@iafrica.com

Press Products

KMP

Kolok - Head Office (

011 248 0300

Box 4151, Johannesburg, 2000

7

011 248 0381

infojhb@koloksa.co.za

Kolok - Cape Town (

021 597 2700

Box 6385, Roggebaai, 8012

7

021 297 2799

infoctn@koloksa.co.za

PvtBag X1, Capricorn Square, 7948

(

Nikki - Pretoria

031 569 6550

Interstat Agencies - Port Elizabeth

info@topmarksa.com

jhb@nikki.co.za

(

Interstat Agencies - Cape Town

www.tidyfiles.co.za

(

011 493 6332

marketing@pressproducts.co.za

7

011 499 1019

www.pressproducts.co.za

Pyrotec (

021 787 9600

PvtBag X1, Capricorn Square, 7948

7

021 787 9791

tower@pyrotec.co.za

122 Che Guevara Road, Glenwood, 4001 sales@unicopy.co.za

(

011 226 5600

Box 43501, Industria, 2042

7

011 474 9242

sales@versafile.co.za

Win this! winner

The winner of the Tower hamper in our May issue is Ronel van Rooyen of Bloemfontein Congratulations!

RBE Stationery Manufacturers (Pty) Limited (

011 793 7321

sales@rbe.co.za

7

011 793 7348

www.rbe.co.za

PHOTO QUALITY INKJET PAPER

46

my office magazine

VIVID COLOUR, HIGH RESOLUTION WATER AND FADE RESISTANT

Vol 100 - June 2016

the real stuff

The real Not stuff marketing fluff Hilton Cock, business development manager at TechExpress What’s the highlight of your working career?

Moving from technical into sales and marketing If you could change one thing about your industry, what would it be?

A barrier to entry into the industry – a minimum qualification or certificate What do you like best about the office products industry?

There are real value-add products to make the office more efficient and comfortable What’s your greatest personal achievement?

Being the best husband and dad, and a friend to my kids Describe yourself in three words Honest, humble and humorous Where did you grow up?

Cape Town

What was your first CD? My first vinyl was Deep Purple’s Paranoid. My first CD was probably Billy Joel What’s your favourite gadget?

Anything electronic What’s your favourite movie?

Caddyshack What’s your favourite meal?

Steak, egg and chips Do you have a hobby?

Photography What music did you listen to in the car this morning?

Joe Bonamassa Do you have any pets?

Two dogs and a cat What was your first car?

A 1961 Mini 850 station wagon (miniature passion wagon)

www.myofficemagazine.co.za

my office magazine

47

punchline

Caption this!

Send us your funniest caption for the photograph below and you stand a chance to win a Rexel Laminator GBC Fusion 1100 A4 valued at R2 000. Send your Punchline and contact details to competitions@ shop-sa.co.za with Punchline in the subject line

Win

The Rexel Laminator is 33% faster than competitor machines, taking just 45 seconds to laminate a standard A4 pouch or 80 pouches per hour, with an additional cold setting for heat sensitive documents. Other features include: • Automatic switch off after 30 minutes of inactivity.

• Exit tray keeps pouches straight as they come through the heated rollers for a perfect, warp-free finish • Incorporates SureFlow™ Technology that reduces jamming significantly for stress-free laminating and maximum productivity • Laminates up to A4 size including ID cards, notices and certificates • Modern, compact design is easy to move around and suits most office and home environments • Single touch button interface: simple to use, no previous experience required • Three heat settings • Accepts 2 x 75 micron (150 in total) pouches, 2 x 100 micron (200 in total) and 2 x 125 micron (250 in total).

WIN ME

WINNING CAPTION MAY ISSUE Winning Caption: “Now that’s what I call a cup of whatchamacallit coffee!” – Mervyn Chatz, Johannesburg

For the BRIGHT T at heart!

Rexel PUNCHLine Working for you

Matching staplers available

www.rexelsa.co.za

Get My Office in your office!

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