Companies often consider office supply expenses to only include paper, pens, clips, binders, etc. However, office supply providers have made major inroads into other areas such as furniture, cleaning supplies and coffee/break-room supplies. Best of class organizations tend to take a...
Years ago, environmentalists coined the acronym “NIMBY” to refer to those individuals who espoused the idea of environmental change as long as it didn’t directly impact their home, business, community or lifestyle. It seemed back then like everyone wanted to “save the...
Recently, I visited a manufacturing company and was asked if I wanted a tour of the facilities. I never know what I am going to learn and always accept these offers. This plant tour uncovered an interesting opportunity for the company.
Touring the facilities left me with the...
In the annals of cost reduction, two of my favorite stories come from the power of observation.
In the first example, one of my colleagues arrived at his client’s office late in the afternoon and noticed a FedEx truck idling in the parking lot. A half-hour later, he saw the driver of...
If your desk is anything like mine, you may wonder what happened to the “paperless office.” First predicted in 1975 to occur by 1990, the paper-free office may actually be arriving, although a good 20+ years behind schedule.
What’s taken so long?
Economists, psychologists, IT...
This month we examine the possible strategic implications of a thorough factory consumables/MRO area of expense review for manufacturing clients.
Common objectives for MRO/Factory Consumables management are to reduce procurement costs, reduce cost of carrying inventory, improve transparency and job...
Do you remember Lucy’s “Million Dollar Idea?” She and Ethel concoct Aunt Martha’s old-fashioned salad dressing and sell it for 40-cents a quart. When Lucy realizes it costs more than that to manufacture, she confidently assures Ricky, “Maybe there is no profit on each...
Do you believe that suppliers’ national pricing agreements are better than local or regional agreements? What you may not have taken into consideration is that supplier pricing is often driven by local market factors, such as competition or a supplier’s interest in penetrating a certain...
Lewis Carroll once wrote “If you don’t know where you are going, any road will get you there”. Although written in a different time – and for a very different purpose - this quote clearly describes the dilemma many companies face when attempting to develop...
Companies continue to search for tips to help office employees develop and implement more effective and comprehensive recycling initiatives. With a solid recycling program, companies can reduce their carbon footprint while also saving money. Unfortunately, many office recycling programs fall...
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