FROM THE EDITOR
page 28
page 24
Pedigree cross-breed
“If you use the public procurement portals, SMEs don’t stand a chance”
As I put the second issue to bed, my booklet-sized knowledge pool has hit encyclopaedic realms following some very enlightening interviews this month. My first visit was up to Leeds, where Superstat’s Chris Collinson was able to paint an interesting picture of the tug and pull of pricing and ethics that has been a subject of contention for many years in the industry. Pop to page eight to find out what the Superstat members had to say at the group’s ‘Big Debate’. This issue we bring you the latest FM guide supplement, highlighting the business opportunities in facilities management by expanding beyond the office products catalogue. The main magazine paints the opposite picture, as we speak to a number of specialist dealers who began selling stationery and traditional office items as an add-on to their existing services. Both IDS League co-winner RED BOX, (page 42) and long-running independent dealer A. Boville Wright (page 24) supply office products to the creative industry as supplementary to their art and design remit. Either way, cross-selling works, illustrating that time-poor customers are looking for one-stop-shop solutions when stocking up for the work environment. Blue Olive MD Gordon Bennie is no exception – his team is made up of print and copier engineers first, office stationers second, yet in just nine months of launching the office supplies arm, the company has seen incredible growth with an approaching turnover of £90k with the additional range. Last month, Bennie received a visit from his local MP as part of a government initiative to give managers of small and medium-sized businesses a voice. Hopefully this signals a shift towards provisions being put in place to assist SMEs in beating the challenges of running a business in an uncertain climate. Find out how it went on page 28. As always, we look ahead to the future, to see what dealers should be considering in terms of new technology, with a focus on both sides of the coin: stocking high-tech (page 34) and using new media to target your customer (page 44). If you’re thinking this is all a little too much, you may want to take the money and run with our legal guide to selling up (page 38). Until next time…
MANAGING EDITOR Julia Dennison julia.dennison@intelligentmedia.co.uk
DESIGNER Sarah Chivers sarah.chivers@intelligentmedia.co.uk
EDITOR Nina Rosandic nina.rosandic@intelligentmedia.co.uk
PRODUCTION ASSISTANT Sinead Coffey sinead.coffey@intelligentmedia.co.uk
FEATURES WRITER Matthew Jane matthew.jane@intelligentmedia.co.uk
SUBSCRIPTIONS MANAGER Natalia Johnston natalia.johnston@intelligentmedia.co.uk
COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR Vicki Baloch vicki.baloch@intelligentmedia.co.uk
SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER Dan Price dan.price@intelligentmedia.co.uk
SENIOR ACCOUNT MANAGER – MEDIA SOLUTIONS Matthew Moore matthew.moore@intelligentmedia.co.uk
PUBLISHER David Collingbourne david.collingbourne@intelligentmedia.co.uk
Nina Rosandic, Editor
CONTACT US
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Annual subscriptions are ABC available at a cost of £68.00 for UK and overseas by surface mail, £90.00 for airmail. Subscription enquiries should be sent to the above address Dealer Support is the leading monthly publication for dealers in the business supplies industry. It provides information on the industry (both in the UK and overseas), information for and about the UK’s independent dealers, as well as information and advice on running a small business. The views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily the views of the publishers. Copyright of all the material published remains with Intelligent Media Solutions Limited. No part of this magazine may be reproduced, copied, stored in an electronic retrieval or transmitted, save with written permission or in accordance with provision of the copyright designs and patent act of 1988. Printed in the UK by Buxton Press www.buxtonpress.co.uk