Controlling Your Office Supplies Spend

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by: CarlosB
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Word Count: 473
Date: Wed, 2 Mar 2011 Time: 7:30 AM
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Out of all of the things that one would think of to save money on for a business, office supplies is probably not the first thing that comes to mind. However, numerous business owners and managers are beginning to realise that office supplies are quickly becoming something they have to keep an eye on.

To the average employee things like Office Supplies and stationery seem to just always be there. They don't give a thought about how it got there or who paid for it. The employee will not worry about how much paper or how many pens they use because they know that a short walk to the stationery cupboard can easily replenish their supply. If you are in the position of owning or operating a business though, you need to consider changing this mindset.

The first step that you can take is to stop buying brand name office supplies. Believe it or not, the own brand products nearly always do just as well as their name brand counterparts and can offer huge savings.

Another logical step is to do some comparison shopping. Typically you are going to have just one supplier for your office products. If you are like most companies you probably use your local office supplies company because they give you a catalogue every year and offer a good service. You probably have the job delegated to an administration function within your business who's job it is to simply order the products rather than question the pricing. If this scenario sounds familiar then start to think about benchmarking your current suppliers pricing against two or three online stationery companies. The online suppliers will offer everything your usual supplier does but as they operate with significantly lower overheads they are able to offer big savings.

Keep in mind that price isn't everything. You need to make sure that your supplier of choice is also one that is going to be reliable and provide you with a consistently good level of service. Getting a supplier that can also provide for the occasional emergency requirement is even better. You never know exactly when the office will run out of stationery.

Managing the budget of a business is a complex and difficult process. Whenever the economy gets rough it becomes increasingly difficult. Trimming a bit of fat from your office supplies budget through implementing some simple buying practices could be a surprisingly effective place to start. It is also worth explaining to your employees the need to maintain control over this area of spending. When they realise that they may be helping to save their jobs or the jobs of others, they will tend to pay more attention. In the end it is all about creating a better and more effective office environment.

About the Author

About the Author:

Carl Barton (carl.barton@officeallsorts.co.uk) is the Commercial Director at Office Allsorts Ltd, a discount online office supplies and stationery business based in the UK.

If you're interested in purchasing Office Supplies then OfficeAllsorts.co.uk has a huge selection at great prices.