Taking control of the office stationery cupboard
Office Environment
With recent revolutions in back office operations, such as email, MRP management systems and improved telecommunications, offices are often regarded as streamline, efficient environments with little wastage; expenditure on office consumables is often considered minimal or totally overlooked as an unavoidable necessity of operating.
In numerous SupplyPoint office installations, usage of 'low value' consumables such as biros and staples has been drastically reduced. "Ownership" of such items is instilled in users, through the knowledge that they are now accountable for the supplies they take; as a result items such as biros are no longer disposed of or misplaced in the knowledge that "there are another 10 in my desk".
Offices are also extensive users of hidden, expensive consumables such as paper, batteries, IT media, beverages and printer toners, the latter often costing upwards of $148 each. A study of print cartridge purchases made during a 12 month period prior to a SupplyPoint installation revealed that: - 20% were for printers the company no longer owned
- 45% were for printers the company had never owned
A further detailed study confirmed the latter cartridges were not present anywhere on the company premises! Post installation SupplyPoints automated reordering module was utilised to ensure only legitimate print cartridges were purchased. Automated inventory information, coupled with automatic reordering and supply has been used to ensure 100% availability of consumables, reducing expensive disruption through stock-outs and incorrect products.
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