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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