THINKING DIFFERENTLY - Ussco.com

DEALER SUCCESSSEPT/OCT 2008continued from page 23Office Pro has taken a similar approach with chemicals. “We actuallyfound a manufacturer that makes chemicals to my specificationsand puts the Office Pro logo on it,” says Arn. “I buy it directand get everything from window cleaners to restroom productsto floor cleaners.” Arn says he couldn’t be competitive when hepurchased wax or floor stripper out of a catalog. Now he says hismargins are much better.verge.” When Office Pro first started to offer shredding service,Arn told his sales force to talk about shredding with every customer.“Because we are already there, and we already have thatrelationship, we are able to capture that business.”Many of his shredding customers don’t have the volume thatlarger shredding services demand, but Arn makes it easy for thesecompanies to meet his requirement. He leaves a 95 gallon toter or30 gallon console and tells clients to call when it is filled. “Ourcompetitors don’t like to do that,” says Arn.“They like to schedule a monthly pickupand charge $30 to $60 depending on thesize.” Office Pro picks up on the customer’sschedule; when the container is full, theycall. Shredding sales have been growingmonthly.“I sell them the copy paper and charge themfor the service to come by and pick up thepaper and shred it,” says Arn. “Then I baleit in the warehouse and sell it for $120/ton.”He sees this as a winning combination.Arn buys all his copy paper from United, hetakes a semi-load every couple of weeks, andpushes the Universal brand to his customers.“The price is as aggressive as anyone’s,”says Arn. The price is a definite asset as Arncontends that one of the biggest battles independentswage today is the private-labelloss leaders that the power channel offers.After a little more than a year in Jan/San sales, Arn says the businesshas grown to 10 percent of the total volume. “In 12 monthstime we have put up more than 100 dispensers, which means that’s100 dispensers that can only be filled by me.”SHREDDING FILLS A NEEDArn took that same independent way of thinking to start up OfficePro’s nascent document shredding operation. It’s a service thatmore businesses today find of interest and gives Office Pro onemore offering to attract clients. Arn points out how back in theday dealers were regularly in the service business and cleaned andrepaired typewriters and printers. Most of those dealers are gonetoday and the service business has largely been abandoned.“More businesses are getting on the bandwagon about identitytheft and securing their documents. They see it as a huge liability,”says Arn. Almost daily there are news reports about one companyor another having information stolen. Most of that happens viacomputer, but it is just as easy for someone to climb into a dumpsterand grab information on certain parts of a business.“More people want it shredded,” says Arn. “We are not goingout and finding it; it is finding us. They already know they needto shred, so they are either shredding already or they are on the24OFFICELINE | www.ussco.comJamin Arn, president of Office Pro, Janesville, Wis., thinks outside thebox to find money-making products and programs.“We have to counter that with our own privatelabel; we convince them to buy the Universalpaper as they’re already familiar withthe brand,” he says. “It’s a domestic paper, itis a consistent paper and it helps us grow ourvolume rebates. It is good all the way around for us.”ONE STOP SHOPPINGArn sees the offering of various product ranges and services as OfficePro’s attempt to take on a one-source position. “If you sellthem all their paper, toner and pens, furniture, toilet paper andcleaning products, and sell them a shredding service, then you areone sourcing,” he says. It’s the positioning, he says that United isalways promoting to dealers.The outside-the-box approach to how it goes to market literally definesOffice Pro’s success. As far as United Stationers is concerned,posits Arn, if the independents do well then it will do well. “Tome, United is the best partnership that an independent can havebecause of everything it has to offer,” says Arn. It’s more than 98percent fill rates, a committed salesperson and advertising rebates.“It is also having a system that coexists with our software alongwith other key product and program offerings. I look at them asmy most valuable partnership.”The approach has paid off. Office Pro has grown 450 percent over thepast four years. In the most recent years, sales increased 30 percent.“Based on our first four years’ growth, we’re going to be on Inc.’s list ofthe top fastest growing companies this year,” adds Arn.