Issue - The Consortium

The Magazine for Customers of The Consortium » ISSUE 4
Inside:
Serving the environment
Improving our service
to you
Food Supply Services
The Service
Issue
Win! A laminator plus a
year’s supply of pouches

2
Welcome to issue 4 of
The Service Issue
Contents
Serving the Environment
– The Consortium’s green developments
Are YOU being served?
– a look at what defines good service
Food supply
– an alternative to your current
catering contract
Highlighting our services
– a lot more than just products!
Improving our service to you
– New telephone system, website updates,
customer surveys and easy electronic
invoicing
Why I love my job
– Introducing our new Care Advocate
Recognising Supplier Service
– how we choose and reward our suppliers
And the award goes to…
- our recent accolades
Competition
Design and Production
3
4
5
6&7
8&9
Eva Hoerner, Paul Whiteside, Donna Oaten
Editorial
Karen Earnshaw, Tara Potter
Print
Borcombe SP
9
10
11
12
Dear Reader,
Welcome to Streams, the magazine for customers of
The Consortium.
The theme for Issue 4 is SERVICE, something which
affects all of us in both our work and home lives.
Delivering good service is extremely important
to us and we’re constantly trying to improve the
levels of service we provide across the business. On
page 8 you’ll read about our updated, easier to use
website and about our new, faster telephone system.
Our people are key to providing great service
and on page 9 you’ll see an interview with our
enthusiastic new Care Advocate, who is responsible
for calling care customers to save them time in
placing orders.
Most of you regularly order a variety of products
from us but are you aware of the many services we
also offer, from laundry to lockers and from catering
to corporate clothing? Find out more on pages 6
and 7.
Don’t forget, Streams is written especially for you,
our customers, and we’d love to hear your views on
all aspects of our service, as well as any interesting
news concerning you or your colleagues. Email me
at streams@theconsortium.co.uk.
I hope you enjoy the “Service” issue,
Yours faithfully
Karen Earnshaw
Quiz
Karen Earnshaw
Editor
Win an A3
Elite Laminator
plus a year’s supply of
laminating pouches*
£220
worth
over
see back page

Serving the
environment
Tru-Green
The first delivery of 160,000 envelopes
arrived at our Trowbridge Headquarters
in December 2006 and orders are
gathering pace. Feilden Clegg Bradley,
a firm of Bath architects used TruGreen
envelopes to send out all their Christmas
cards! We have since approached many
companies across the UK with Tru-Green
samples, receiving a favourable response
from, among others, Innocent, Fair Trade
and The Soil Association.
Meet Mr Compostable - he’s the face of our
new Tru-Green range of padded envelopes.
You may remember that last spring in
Streams we asked for volunteers to test
the envelopes. After a great response
we now supply 6 sizes of envelope in
both green and white. The envelopes
provide income for the community
who manufacture them near Pune,
150km south-east of Mumbai, India.
TruGreen are the only reusable padded envelopes
made from 100% recyclable, compostable and
biodegradable materials. Unlike other envelopes
the padding is not made from plastic produced
from an ever-depleting oil source, but is harvested
from natural crops. Tru-Green envelopes require
minimal processing of materials, saving on
energy costs and reducing harmful carbon
emissions. In a recent independent test Tru-Green
envelopes proved as strong and in some cases
stronger than their major competitors. They are
also competitively priced, costing no more than
our less environmentally friendly competitors.
The inventor, Prakash Korde, is also planning a
series of other green products made from natural
crop fibres including containers for fresh produce,
horticultural products and medical disposables.
The Consortium will be considering these
products for future marketing and distribution.
Indian villagers making
Tru-Green envelopes
You can now buy Tru-Green envelopes from our
2007/8 Main Catalogue (see pages 44-45) or visit:
www.theconsortium.co.uk or
www.tru-green.co.uk.
Our ongoing commitment to the environment means
we are constantly looking for more sustainable, green
options throughout our business. From sourcing new
products to printing our catalogues, we endeavour to be
environmentally-friendly in everything we do.
Shared User Network
Did you know that your deliveries arrive via a shared user network?
This basically means less lorries on the road, resulting in lower
CO 2 emissions and fuel usage. Vehicles carry parcels from several
different companies at once on both outward and return journeys.
Deliveries at the greatest distance from The Consortium’s Warehouse
in Trowbridge are trunked to regional depots using high capacity
trailers. These trunk journeys take place at night, enabling the
vehicles to travel at optimum speeds, reducing fuel consumption
and traffic congestion.
In real terms the annual environmental benefits of the shared user
network are considerable - reduction of annual delivery mileage by
over 200,000 miles, a saving of 20,000 gallons of fuel and less of an
impact on rural and community roads with smaller, lighter vehicles.
Packaging and Mailings
After customer feedback we continue to work with our suppliers to
reduce waste packaging and to monitor box fill levels to reduce the
amount of packaging added at order fulfilment stage. Additionally,
our in-house paper recycling efforts have increased by 21% in the
last year.
If you’ve received a catalogue from us recently you may have
noticed it was packaged rather differently to normal. Instead of
using bulky cardboard we have opted for biodegradable polybags!
All our letters to you are printed on sustainable paper and even the
actual catalogue pages are made from a chlorine-free sulphate pulp,
accredited by the Forest Stewardship Council.
3

4
By Tara Potter
Service is defi ned as “a process that creates benefi ts by facilitating
change in customers, a change in physical possessions or a change in
their intangible assets”. Put simply, it is “work done by a person or
group that benefi ts another”.
Every organisation provides a service but only good service builds a
reputation and ensures customers want to come back! A major principle
that can infl uence the perception of a company’s service is the way in
which employees deal with customers. The employee should always try
to be helpful, polite and knowledgeable as it’s annoying to ask for help
or advice and not receive it.
A common problem is miscommunication. If one party is rude and
aggressive the other is more inclined to be the same, which, we all
know, is not helpful to customer or employee! A customer is certainly
more likely to patronise a business again if they are dealt with in a
gracious and professional manner.
Nationwide Building Society, for example, is renowned for good service.
They believe they are owned by their customers and that it’s essential
to see points from their perspective, aiming to get “a lot of little things
right”.
With advances in technology many businesses now sell over the
internet, providing a self-service option. Tesco, NEXT, Lloyds TSB and
O2 are just a few of the companies that are praised for their excellent
online service, mainly due to their clear, easy to use websites.
Telephone service often causes frustration. Customers often reach an
automated answer machine or someone that doesn’t understand or
speak clearly, often a problem with overseas call centres. For this reason
insurance company More Th>n are planning to give customers a direct
phone number and the email address of a named personal manager,
ensuring that they are able to speak to someone who is knowledgeable
and more importantly available!
Of course, levels of service will vary between businesses. McDonald’s
will offer a different level of service to that of a hotel but that doesn’t
make it bad. McDonald’s should be fast - they may not take the time
to talk to their customers, or even be overly polite. Their main aim is to
provide fast food, in a fast manner which is the principle they promote.
A hotel on the other hand, should take time to get to know their
customers, being helpful and courteous. Their aim should be to provide
an establishment for their clients that’s more comfortable than their
own homes.
Whatever the business, the need to provide a service to a client or
customer is ubiquitous. Providing a good service, however determined,
is essential. It should always be remembered that if a business isn’t
providing a good service it’s likely its competitors are.

Food Service
Mikol Curteis, Senior Buyer
Food Portfolio
Serving up quality food provision
Did you know that The Consortium offers a full portfolio of professional food
services to complement our “one stop shop” product offering? Our service is
generally used by organisations that have retained in-house catering provision
either through the Direct Service Organisation of a Local Authority, or as an
individual establishment.
In addition to Local Authority customers, we have been providing both Oxford &
Cambridge University Colleges with a food contract management service for over
15 years. In the Care Sector we have forged a strong relationship in food contracts
with the Somerset Care Group.
As part of this service we oversee the legal requirements of the tender process and
offer Quality Assurance audits on selected suppliers, who in turn offer quality food
supplies with excellent service.
With over 30 years experience within the food industry we can help reduce catering
overheads and administration time. We offer nutritional and dietary advice and
negotiate delivery schedules on the customer’s behalf to suit their needs. All
our suppliers are audited to ensure high service levels and product prices are
benchmarked using the Catering Pricing Index.
The recent high profile debate about the “healthiness” of school meals has caused
many Local Authorities and schools to review their catering arrangements. We
realise that individual schools may feel under pressure to commit to a Local
Authority contract so we’ve designed a consultancy service to help them choose the
right options for their needs.
Our menu of services includes:
Assisting schools which lack kitchen facilities in assessing the
viability of school meals being brought back in-house. We also
offer resource reinstallation advice
Tendering on core and bespoke individual contracts for
individual schools, cluster groups and LEAs
Providing a comprehensive contract management service
including pricing and Quality Assurance checks
Central billing
The use of local suppliers
Lunch boxes and meals on wheels
Recruitment solutions
Whether you work in the education or care sector see how we can
help you today - call our Senior Food Buyer, Mikol Curteis, on:
01225 771 329 or email: mikol.curteis@theconsortium.co.uk
5

6
A full range of
As a customer of The Consortium you probably regularly
from our catalogues but are you aware of the variety of
Security Systems
& Fire Safety
Dan Baugh, Portfolio Manager
for Facilities Management
“We work with Alert Systems to provide site security
including CCTV, Access Control and Intruder Alarms.
These offer protection against arson, theft and
a range of anti-social behaviour. Whatever your
requirements they can tailor our system to provide
the best solution for you. Alert Systems are NACOSS
GOLD registered installers, certified to BS EN ISO
9001:2000 and are on the response list of most Police
Constabularies. Their lease rental plans include full
maintenance, saving on a large outlay and spreading
the cost over the term of the lease. Alert Systems
can also provide self-install CCTV Observation
Systems which are a low-cost security option ideal
for schools and care establishments.”
For more information, a demonstration or a quotation call us on:
0845 330 7780, email: security@theconsortium or visit our
website: www.theconsortium.co.uk.
“The maintenance and testing of fire alarms and
emergency lighting are both mandatory and essential
to ensure the prompt and safe evacuation of your
buildings. Our unique all inclusive price contract with
Churches Fire Security enables you to accurately
budget and control costs. The price includes servicing to BS5306, discharge testing
and refilling, replacement parts and recharging of any discharged extinguishers. They
are also happy to provide individual quotations for the maintenance and testing of your
equipment together with free consultancy on system installations or modifications.
Legislation requires employers to ensure that adequate fire training is provided
for members of staff which Churches can provide in-house. Their team of Fire
Risk Assessors are qualified to the highest possible standards to risk-assess your
buildings. Usually time served Fire Officers, they all hold independent qualifications
and are fully competent to take on the “responsible persons’ legal commitments.”
For more information, a demonstration or a quotation call us on:
0845 330 7780, email: firesafety@theconsortium.co.uk or visit
our website: www.theconsortium.co.uk.

services...
order a diverse assortment of products
services we also provide?
Vehicles for
Lease & Purchase
Andy Williams, Project Buyer
“In partnership with ING Car
Lease we provide vehicle and
fleet management services
supported by excellent
customer service.
If you are looking to either contract hire or purchase
your vehicles, ING can source a vast variety from cars
or vans to minibuses and quote free at your convenience.
All you need to do is phone 0870 0606 169 (Option
7) and our dedicated account team will look into your
requirements. We also have a rate book on our website
- www.theconsortium.co.uk/vehicles which highlights
the monthly rental cost, based on a contract
parameter of 48 months and 80,000 miles. We
also have 2 dedicated frameworks for the supply
of Aerial Ladder Platforms and Foam and Water
Carriers. For the Firemen among you!”
For more information please call:
0870 0606 169 or visit:
www.theconsortium.co.uk/vehicles
“With recent government objectives
in mind we have formed a partnership
with Premier Watercoolers who
specialise in providing mains-fed
water dispensers to schools and
other establishments across the UK.
For an all inclusive fixed price rental
package, they supply, deliver and
install dispensers, providing regular
sanitisation and hygiene visits as
well as cups. Uniquely, Premier also
supply students with plastic sports
water bottles that they can refill
and carry with them all day.
With the package they give an
ongoing support and maintenance
service ensuring that water provision
runs successfully. This includes Fully
Comprehensive Cover with all call
outs, parts and labour in the event
of a machine breakdown.”
For more information please call:
0845 330 7795 or visit:
www.theconsortium.co.uk
Premier
Watercoolers
David Stanley,
Brand Manager
We also offer:
• Baby Hygiene
• Catering
• Chemical Disposal
• Corporate Clothing
• Curtains & Blinds
• Dishwashing
• Food & Technology
Installations
• Furniture Ordering
Guide
• Gas & Oil
Management
• Inkjet & Toner
Recycling
• IT Installations
• Kiln Supplies
• Laundry Service
• Lockers Service
• Office Ergonomics
• Paint
• Photocopiers
• Refuse Collection
Vehicles
• Staging
• Signs
• Washroom &
Hygiene Service
7

8
Improving our
service to you!
Telephone system
In March a new telephone system was installed
into our Customer Services department. The
customer-friendly, user friendly ‘Swyx Flexi-Q’
ensures customer calls are directed quickly to
the right person through an easy-to-use dialling
options process. The overall aim is to make it as
simple as possible for customers to get the service
they require.
Benefits to the customer:
• Whoever answers their call will be able to deal with their enquiry, rather
than transferring them to another operator
• The whole call-answering process is simpler with a short list of options
for the customer to choose from to be directed to the right person
• The single customer services number of 0845 330 7780 remains
unchanged
Website improvements
We’re passionate about continuously
improving the service we provide
to you, our customers. That’s why
we regularly review all aspects of
our business to ensure everything is
efficient as it can possibly be. This
page details a few examples of our
recent improvements which
should make your life as a
customer a little easier...
Benefits
• Easier to navigate, browse and choose products
• More product information is available
• Users are able to track and trace orders more accurately
• Whole site is generally more robust
• Permanent upgrade means it’s faster and less likely to fail when we
get peak hits
• Special offers and news of relevant products and services are
directed to either Care or Education customers, depending on
which site they are logged on to
Over the next few months we will be adding new exclusively webonly
services for our customers including vehicle hire and leasing and
a link to a signs website with our partner, Stocksigns. Resource links
will also be added to help teachers and activities coordinators.
Benefits to the team:
• Increased visibility of incoming calls. Four plasma screens have been
installed in the department to display calls waiting in real time. This
enables team leaders to assess both the number and type of calls - e.g.
orders, enquiries or aftersales. If a certain area is getting a high level of
calls, the leaders will be able to divert resource to answer those calls.
• Quicker for outbound calls. The agent can just click on a telephone
number on-screen rather than having to dial the number. This will be a
huge benefit to our team who frequently make calls to care homes
and education customers.
Electronic Invoicing & Statements
Did you know you can receive your invoices and statements from us
electronically? The documents you get are exactly the same as you
receive through the post, except of course, they arrive more quickly and
don’t waste paper!
Being committed to helping the environment and paper-free offices,
we’d love more of our customers to request electronic invoicing &
statements. It also means you can store them electronically and forward
them to relevant departments if need be, at the touch of a button. And
if you do need to print, they are formatted as PDF files so it’s easy.
For more information or to sign up please email us at
enquiries@theconsortium.co.uk
Regular education-based web users may have noticed a change to the look and feel of our website recently.
We’ve been carrying out some behind-the-scenes improvements to make it more user-friendly and speed up the
service. This will also bring it in line with our Care website, which was launched last year.
The new site also supports schools using the SIMS system, allowing them to send an order back into SIMS to
avoid duplication and then re-email it back to us.
Our Customer Services Department
See for yourself how good the new site is -
visit www.theconsortium.co.uk. Let us know what
you think of it, or any other aspect of our service at our
online blog - www.theconsortium.co.uk/blog.

Listening to
our customers
≤
It’s important to know what our customers think of us. We
randomly survey a cross section of our customers twice a
year, asking them a number of questions about our service.
Customers are asked to give us a rating, which is then measured
against previous years to ensure we keep or improve our high
service levels. We also benchmark against our competitors in
the education and care sectors.
Our last Education survey
in October 2006 revealed
an improved score of
8 0 %
for price and product quality
whilst all other scores
maintained a “good” or
“excellent” result (see bar chart)
Why I love
my job
Veronica Newman joined The Consortium’s
Customer Services department in May
2006, working in both the orders and
aftersales teams. In January she was
’
made Care Advocate’ after supervisors
recognised her commitment, eye for
detail, performance and ability to put
forward good ideas. Streams caught up
with Veronica to find out why she enjoys
providing good service to our customers...
Veronica Newman
Veronica, what brought you to The Consortium?
I started my career in nursing, working as a night sister at Royal United
Hospital in Bath. After a career break to have children I returned to nursing
but was uncomfortable with the change of emphasis that had occurred in
the interim. I felt unable to do my job to the standard I was accustomed to
so I opted for a totally different course and moved to Virgin Mobile where I
worked in Customer Services and Administration.
Regular surveys are also conducted across our customer sectors,
on specific topics from new product ranges to industry-related
issues. In the Care sector we have sponsored several surveys
run by NAPA (National Association of Providers of Activities
for Older People) on topics such as Fees and Activities in Care
Homes. We recently launched an environmental survey in
partnership with TES (Times Educational Supplement) to gain
the views of schools on sustainability.
Of course, we also welcome any adhoc feedback from our
customers. Our customer support team handle any complaints,
which are logged. There is a process in place to ensure they are
dealt with quickly and efficiently (as required under our BSI
ISO9001accredition). We like to hear positive feedback too and
regularly use genuine customer testimonials in our catalogues
and marketing material.
I thought my experience in nursing and customer services would be a good
combination for The Consortium. I enjoy talking to new people and think I
can use my nursing background to empathise with care customers and make
a difference to the service they receive.
What do you do on a daily basis?
My day is mostly made up of ‘Care Calls’, The Consortium’s new call back
ordering service for busy customers from the care sector. I enjoy talking to
our customers, taking interest in them as individuals and I try to remember
some of the more personal details such as where they went on holiday or if
they were not feeling well on a previous call, which all helps to build a good
rapport and professional working relationship.
What do you think is important for delivering good service?
Being friendly, polite and approachable is very important. I always try to smile
when speaking to a customer on the phone and treat everyone with respect
- I won’t push someone if it’s obvious they’re rushed. If I say I’ll do something
then I will always take responsibility and do it - whether it’s finding an answer
to a question, calling a customer back, or just keeping them informed of
progress. Good teamwork is essential and I think the positive atmosphere in
the office contributes to better customer service.
And finally... What gets you up in the morning?
Being part of a supportive team is great. Talking to and helping a variety of
different people and contributing to our excellent service levels gives me a
positive experience. I’m also excited about possible future developments in
my role and in the company as a whole.
9

10
Ashley Mooney of Factory Fastlines with The Consortium’s Chief
Executive Melanie Teal
“We would like to thank The
Consortium for undertaking a supplier
of the year award, this enabled
Factory Fastlines Ltd to demonstrate our total commitment
to customer service. To win the supplier of the year award
encapsulates our dramatic organisational changes to
become more efficient and customer focused, reaping the
benefits of best practice.”
Ashley Mooney
Marketing and Commercial Sales Director,
Factory Fastlines Ltd
Shermond’s Dave Westley [left] with Melanie Teal and Mark
Barnett, The Consortium’s Chief Operating Officer
“Shermond has always prided itself on
‘putting the customer first’. When that
discipline is rewarded, it has a really
positive reaction from the whole team. When I told the
team that they had achieved the Supplier of the Year 2007
Care Award from The Consortium everyone, Office and
Warehouse alike were delighted.
We as a Company strive to give ‘outrageous customer
service’ and would like to thank The Consortium for this
prestigious award.”
David Westley
Account Manager
Shermond Surgical Supply Limited
Recognising Supplier Service
2007 marks the 4th year of our “Educational
Supplier of the Year” awards. Suppliers are
nominated by our buying team based on their
performance throughout the year and the awards
are presented at the annual Education Show, held
at the Birmingham NEC in March. This year we
extended the awards to include a “Most Improved
Supplier” category and a separate “Care Supplier of
the Year” to reflect our launch into the care market
in 2006.
The winners for 2007 were: for Education - Factory
Fastlines who supply educational furniture, and for
Care - Shermond who supply disposable gloves and
aprons. For Most Improved - Cicada Educational
Equipment Ltd, a supplier of early years and
curriculum products.
Winning one of our awards is an important part
of business for many suppliers and the field can
prove to be quite competitive! Some companies
use it as an incentive to internally motivate whilst
others take advantage of the publicity and prestige
surrounding the awards.
The nomination of potential award winners is a
tough job for our buyers. They first approach their
portfolio teams to ask their opinions and review
the facts and figures on supplier performance. The
ultimate decision of who wins falls to our Chief
Executive and Purchasing Manager.
A good relationship with our 320 suppliers is key to
our business and we always aim to select the best
suppliers available for our customers. We select
companies that are capable of supporting our
growth plans and regularly review our supplier base
to improve customer service and reduce costs.
When we have sourced a potential supplier, a
lot of groundwork is done to ensure they have
the capability to be an asset to our business. All
companies are visited and assessed using a standard
process. We don’t just look at price, but the overall

Melanie Teal [left] with Colin & Janet Eastwood of Cicada
“Janet and I were delighted to receive
the award on behalf of all of our staff
as it shows customer recognition for all the hard work they
have put into the last year.”
Colin Eastwood
Joint Managing Director
Cicada Educational Equipment Ltd
Our “Dream Team” in the Trowbridge Business Excellence
Awards
Recognising Supplier Service
package they offer. We consider their lead times,
service levels, marketing activity, delivery rates and
how easy they are to deal with. It is also important
that our business strategies and culture are aligned
and that they understand our business.
Once contracts are in place all our suppliers are
regularly audited using standard evaluation forms.
Performance is measured using a “vendor rating”
tool which provides relevant and meaningful
results which are then fed back to each supplier.
Improvement plans and targets can then be put in
place.
We aim for collaborative improvement where we
can help each other and have often found that,
with our help, a supplier has improved their whole
business.
And the award goes to...
The Consortium was recently named as a finalist
at the Education Resources Awards in the
category of Supplier of the Year: Companies with
over £3 million turnover. The prestigious awards
were announced on 23 March at a ceremony at the National
Motorcycle Museum in Birmingham. In 2005 we were
awarded Supplier of the Year in the same category.
A team of our employees reached the finals of the Trowbridge
Business Excellence Awards 2007. The awards were based
on customer feedback and judge’s assessment visits to our
workplace. The team of 4, made up of staff from customer
services, reception, sales and workplace support were named as
one of 15 finalists at a ceremony in March.
We also reached finalist stage at the Wiltshire Business of the
Year Awards in the category of Best Business Culture. We were
analysed according to the following criteria: Organisational
Values, Communication Channels, Environment and Dress
Code, Methods of Stimulating New Ideas, Management Style,
Training and Development, Reward and Recognition and
Approach to Customer Service. The photo (left) shows our
Chief Executive, Melanie Teal receiving our certificate from a
representative from Virgin Mobile who sponsored the category.
11

WIN
Worth
over
£220
A3 Elite Laminator
plus a year’s supply of
laminating pouches*
Suitable for medium volume use, the laminator has a fast fi xed
speed of 55cm/min, a reverse function to prevent misfeeds and a
fast warm-up time. It comes complete with a starter kit, microsaver
slot for theft prevention and 2 years parts & labour warranty.
*Amount calculated on an average user of pouches
Just answer the questions below by visiting www.theconsortium.co.uk/Streams4
and completing the online entry form. All the answers can be found in this issue of
Streams. Closing date for entries is 30th June 2007. Good Luck!
Q1 What is the name of our
new range of environmentally
friendly envelopes?
a) Tru-Brown
b) Tru-Green
c) Tru-Blue
Q4 What is the name of our
new telephone system?
a) Switch Flexi
b) Queue Flex
c) Swyx FlexiQ
Q2 With which publication
have we recently launched an
environmental survey?
a) TES
b) The Guardian
c) The Daily Mail
Q5 How were our new
catalogues packaged for
delivery this year?
a) In cardboard
b) In biodegradable polybags
c) In large envelopes
Congratulations...
to the winner of our Streams Issue 3 competition! Carol Simpson, a School
Support Manager from The Colleton Primary School, Twyford, Reading, won
a Pocket PC worth £160. Carol was randomly picked from the 72% of entrants
who answered the 5 questions correctly. Well Done Carol and to the other 200
entrants - better luck next time!
Q3 Which company won our
Educational Supplier of the
Year award?
a) Cadburys
b) Factory Fastlines
c) Staedtler
The fi rst 100 entrants will
also receive a pack of:
An innovative take on traditional Post-Its, the single
pad features both full sized notes in bright neon
colours as well as page markers which are handily
sandwiched in the middle! There are 50 notes of each
colour. Post-It Multi Notes are also available to order
on our website www.theconsortium.co.uk, item
code 930060