INDUSTRY
SHIFTING THE MINDSET
Standing Still Isn’t an Option
In the workplace supplies industry, the word ‘coping’ is often used to describe managing change or challenges. However, TONY MCGINLEY of BMG Office Supplies believes it’s time to rethink how we use that term
I
n a recent interview, Tony shared his
There’s certainly challenges out there. We’re seeing people becoming
thoughts on the importance of embracing
slower to make decisions. I’ve done quotes for people and not heard
change, building meaningful face-to-face
back from them for five weeks, so I’ll send them an email to check they
connections and leveraging the
received the quote, ask if everything is alright and then several days later,
advantages of being a nimble, family-run
we might get a reply to say they need more time. This seems to be across
business in a competitive landscape.
the industry. People are being more cautious. But I always say that no
It’s safe to say there have been some major changes to the workplace supplies industry in the last few years.
news is good news and if nobody else has got the job, it means it’s still live. From my experience, most of the companies we are working with are actively trying to get people back into the office. It’s funny how a few years
How has this affected business from your point of view?
ago we used to measure how many people were in an office by how much
In 2020-21 we did a record turnover, and that was because we had
copier paper they ordered. These days coffee and toilet paper are what
to very quickly pivot in business and start selling products that
gives us a guideline that offices are busy!
either we’d never sold before or didn’t exist, like acrylic desktop screens and sanitiser stands. Then in 21-22 I think the whole
How do you think this has changed attitudes in the industry –
industry just went flat, for obvious reasons. But the subsequent
and how should dealers be adapting to this new landscape?
years since, we’ve broken each record year-on-year of turnover. So
One of the words I hear a lot of people using is ‘coping’. Everybody’s
far, this year seems to be going in the same direction. Touch wood
‘oh, we’re coping well’, and ‘we’re coping with this’, and ‘we’re
long may that continue!
coping doing that’.
[14] JANUARY/FEBRUARY MAY 2022 www.dealersupport.co.uk 2025 www.dealersupport.co.uk