With the evolving digital landscape, every industry across the globe has had to adapt and evolve, and if they aren’t able to do so, must perish. The office supply industry is not bereft of these changes as well, and we have been observing some interesting changes coming our way, from what would be perceived as an industry where changes happen infrequently, and very rarely would you observe the changes happening on a digital forum.
However, this wasn’t the case, as we discussed with the online office supply store, Office Crave, who assured us that the industry is changing, and that too for good. With their inputs, we created this article, and would hope that if you were looking for some insights, you would find this article knowledgeable enough.
– 1. Providing eco-friendly office supplies
This one we would simply classify as a no-brainer. With the recent changes that have been observed in the environment, and the adverse effects that have been caused, voiced across the globe, and spearheaded by the Swedish teen, Greta Thunberg, people, and therefore businesses seem to realize the fact that they need to become eco-friendly to ensure their continued existence or face public backlash.
That being said, from manila folders made out of recycled fibers to an eco-friendly clipboard containing 100 percent recycled plastic, going green is the new wave in office products. Even traditional paper is something that is getting recycled, pun intended, as demand has declined and consumers want alternatives like a digital pad with a pen-to-paper writing experience, which adds to the industry woes.
– 2. Promoting your product via multi-channel marketing
People want to ensure that they are able to shop from the confines of their homes these days, which means rather than opening physical stores, people are trying to order from websites, apps, and via multiple social media channels to save time and effort.
This means that the onus now lies on the websites to provide people with the interface with the help of which they would be able to sell their products. However, we certainly hope that there are no Ryan Howards in the firm who try to create Dunder Mifflin Infinity.
– 3. Introduce Smart Vending
Vending has always been a part of any physical product company. However, over the case of the decade that is about to end, there have been structural changes that have been able to solve the issues regarding time-consumption when it comes to office supply management.
In the past few years, IVM Smart Stations™ and lockers have been introduced, which have helped in automating the process of vending by giving employees instant access to the supplies they need to stay productive, with zero downtime. This has ensured that issues like Customer Support and tracking of the products are also resolved to an extent.
These are some of the major issues that we think would potentially be game-changers as we move forward. Usage of artificial intelligence would help in making Smart Vending Machines even more powerful and take the entire thing forward, and with the changes in the production and distribution channels, we are excited to see how the office supply industry moves forward in the new decade.
