Manchester’s DGOS wins the Oscar of the office supplies world

November 4, 2011 · news · Comments Off

Underlining a stunningly successful year for the Trafford Park-based company, DGOS Office Supplies has scooped the prestigious ‘Dealer Excellence’ award at the BOSS Industry Awards 2011.

dgos award winners

The BOSS (British Office Supplies and Services) Federation is the authoritative body for the entire UK office products industry, representing all businesses along the manufacturing and distribution chain. The award was collected, in front of his peers, by DGOS Managing Director Darren Carr at a sparkling awards presentation and dinner in London at the Lancaster London Hotel, hosted by celebrity Bobby Davro. Despite this being the ‘Oscars’ of the office products industry, there were certainly no tears during his acceptance – just a well-earned sense of pride.

Darren says: ”Winning the ‘Dealer Excellence’ award 2011 and being recognised as the UK’s best in class within our industry is fantastic for all at DGOS and our clients alike as they know they are with a market leader. The award comes as a result of a tremendous effort by all my team in taking our company to new levels in every area over the past 12 months.

“We have experienced what has to be one of, if not the best, years in DGOS’s history. We have broken every previous DGOS sales statistic, including turnover, profit, client retention, winning new business and overall net profitability.  These improvements in isolation are great, but in combination are fantastic, and made for a great presentation to the judging panel.

“This year, our hard work has culminated in us picking up two of the best national awards given in our industry; the BOSS award and the IDS League award in July.”

Darren attributes the success to a couple of key areas; a strong team and the establishment of effective, consistent procedures, backed by solid training models. DGOS office supplies strive to innovate across the company, from enhancing processes to establishing bespoke software solutions. “Importantly, we have a great supply partner in Spicers to assist us in meeting our goals. They have supported DGOS from day one, helping us to get to where we are today.”

The DGOS of 2011has deliberately become a ‘quicker, slicker’ company, according to Darren: “My focus was to build a fresher and more focused team ready to take on the world. This meant ‘cleaning house’ and ridding the business of unnecessary, old or inactive areas. The figures from each quarter of our business has been on the rise every since.

“The model is clear and simple – ‘give more than our competitors in every area’.  We listen to our clients and ensure we deliver what they need to run their businesses. We consistently give our customers this level of service and they respond in kind with loyalty and their hard earned money.”

Of course, success has its price, and DGOS will be expected to keep growing – not that it seems to worry Darren overly. “Looking to the future, we have extremely high expectations and have accordingly set some very ambitious targets for the next five years.

“We want to keep improving our service and product accessibility to our ever-growing client base. We have an aggressive growth plan and are constantly looking to bolster our team with great sales people. Our brand is getting stronger daily and we intend to maximise this now and in the future.”

DG Office Supplies Claim IDS League Top Spot

June 10, 2011 · news, office supplies · Comments Off

Leading Manchester office supplies retailer DGOS have received excellent news from Dealer Support this week – they have won the IDS League 2011 for Dealer of the Year. The IDS League is an industry benchmark of accomplishment for merchants based on specific criteria, particularly financial and operational figures. DGOS came 3rd in 2009 and 2nd in 2010, before their well-deserved triumph this year.

Dealer of the Year was assessed on direct costs, overheads, gross profit and top-line sales growth. The entrants were assessed on annual growth so businesses of all sizes were allowed to enter.

Managing director of DGOS, Darren Carr spoke with pride about their victory “I’d like to say a huge well done to everyone who has helped to make DGOS number 1. Keep putting in the tireless hard work, keep negotiating like the experts you are, and ensure we service our loyal clients like they were the last ones on earth.” Darren also said how it was a “compliment” to be sharing the award with Red Box as they are a very well respected company.

DG Office Supplies will be presented with a trophy to mark their victory. They intend to put every effort into continuing their success into the future; Darren Carr reminded his team at http://www.dgos.co.uk “please remember it’s all about what we do today and tomorrow not what we did yesterday… that’s history”. DGOS will no doubt be doing their best to claim first prize again next year.

Company Data – Are You Putting Your Work at Risk?

June 8, 2011 · news, office environment · Comments Off

Technology is developing at such fast rates that companies and their workers’ aren’t realising how much they are putting their important documents and data at risk from being accessed by third parties. The increased use of mobile devices and file sharing has resulted in private information being more easily accessible to hackers.

A survey of 1000 British office workers revealed that a shocking 37% of employees have put their companies’ data at risk at least once. Losing mobile phones on public transport; leaving laptops unattended in cafes and bars and misplacing USB sticks are among the common data sins. Amid the 1000 questioned, 150 employees admit they knowingly lost data.

Many office staff continue their work at home, often storing data on their personal PC. A quarter of the workers surveyed admit they put their firm’s files at risk by storing work documents on their computers at home. Common methods for file transferring between home and work PCs include USB devices, which 25% of workers surveyed said they used. Not only are USB sticks easily lost, they also have the ability to easily spread viruses between different computers, exposing their office network to dangerous malware and viruses that can originate from personal devices.

Numerous office workers fail to back-up important files and documents. A staggering 1 in 5 employees confess they have forgotten to back-up vital data; resulting in 10% of workers losing crucial documents following system or hard drive failure. However, when the employees were asked if they had been advised on how to protect data 1 in 10 said they received no software or guidance from their employers.

By backing up files onto encrypted networks as well as storing files in a password protected folder on a hard drive can help improve a business’s security. Employees should also enquire to their manager for advice on the best way to transfer their files, should they need to access them from a personal device.

A combination of bad habits, poor organisation and lack of risk knowledge are putting many companies’ confidential data in danger. Employers should enforce the importance of data protection to employees and offer them advice and software so their work is safely accessible at home and in the workplace. Employees should also be advised of the risks involving using USB devices and leaving laptops unattended in public places. Any important documents that require printing should be filed away in a safe place to reduce the risk of papers getting lost by generally being unorganised.

security

Youth Unemployment Concerns

May 24, 2011 · news · Comments Off

Youth unemployment is a major cause for concern in the UK. Will the future for youngsters include poor education and having to sign up for Job Seeker’s Allowance? With youth unemployment hovering just below 1 million, many people believe it’s time for the government to take action to get youths off the Job Seeker’s Allowance and into employment.

Unemployable youths or lack of information?

Statistics show that young people (16-24) are two and a half times more likely to be unemployed than those over 25. A survey conducted by the CBI discovered that more than two thirds of employers questioned were dissatisfied with their young employee’s employability skills. The employers said the youths had “poor time management” and “lacked customer awareness”. Some people believe it’s the youths of our generation at fault whereas others believe schools aren’t doing enough to teach them value employability skills.

Leaving school – what then?

If school leavers don’t continue with further education, options can be limited in terms of employment. The low wages for 16-18 year olds aren’t exactly enticing and with little to no luck job hunting it can be a frustrating process and many end up giving up. For those who don’t achieve decent grades at school it can be tough finding a path on the career front. Currently, fewer than half of school leavers achieve grades that will help them in life; reducing their chances of continuing onto further education and leaving them with no option other than to seek employment with few skills to offer.

Apprenticeships to save the day?

Apprenticeships are training schemes in which a person with no or little experience in an industry can receive on-the-job training to gain experience within a certain role. NVQ’s are often obtained at the end of an apprenticeship and there is a possibility that the company will take on the apprentice as a full-time member of staff.

Agencies which specialise in employing apprentices tend to use online recruitment to select the best candidates and put them forward for the employer to interview. Entry levels for apprenticeships vary.

Some employers ask for certain grades at GCSE level whereas others require particular personal skills. This gives school leavers with no qualifications a chance as well as those who obtained decent GCSE grades. The government have recognised how important apprenticeships are in regards to tackling youth employment and have stated they are to invest £180m over the next four years in new apprenticeships. This should put the government on track to provide 250 000 apprentice positions by 2015.

Some young people believe there should be more choice other than apprenticeships, which is why Uni-tech colleges are useful places to learn. Uni-tech colleges provide vocational courses for 14-19 year olds in technical skills such as engineering and construction. The government have stated there will be at least 24 new uni-tech colleges by 2014. The government have also proposed to increase the work experience scheme by 80 000 positions over the next four years.

With the rise of University tuition fees, many young people find they are uncertain how to begin a career. The funding for apprenticeships and work experience programmes will significantly help those who want a career but don’t want to continue onto further or higher education.

youth unemployment

The Solar Powered Calculator Was Just The Beginning…

April 4, 2011 · Recycling, news, office environment, office politics · Comments Off

The Solar Powered Calculator was just the beginning…

Our good friends (and renewable energy experts) at Solarlec have kindly written a guest blog for us about solar power in the 21st Century. We hope you’re as surprised and intrigued as we were when we first read it!

solar powered calculatorThe first solar powered calculator was released in 1976 by Sharp. Catchily named the EL-8026 this trailblazer featured solar panels on the back of the calculator and was considerably less efficient or indeed practical than the solar calculators we’re accustomed to today. Although cumbersome, expensive and prone to power-outage on cloudy days or at night – the EL-8026 opened the door to a huge host of sunshine fuelled devices and new applications for photovoltaics (solar panels or solar cells to you and I).

portable solar charger

Sticking with the pocket sized end of the solar powered spectrum there are now an abundance of items which allow you to harness the power of sunlight to charge small electronic devices including mobile phones, PDAs and even netbooks and laptops. A modern portable solar charger is able to convert natural light (not necessarily just direct blazing sunlight) into usable battery charge. Developments in photovoltaic technology allow you to fully charge a spent phone battery in a couple of hours- even if it’s overcast outside. As well as being incredible useful whilst camping or caught without access to mains electricity, portable solar chargers save on the cost of using electricity from the grid and are entirely without carbon consequence for each new charge.

domestic solar panels

When this concept and principle are scaled up, so are the benefits. A decent sized home solar panel installation allows you to reap the positives of the portable charger on a considerably grander scale and with a significant positive impact on your finances. An average sized domestic solar panel system is capable of producing around 1400kWh/year. To put this into context, a standard laptop computer used for 10 hours a day, 365 days a year will generally use less than 200kWh/year – allowing those who work from home to genuinely boast of carbon neutrality…and of course benefit from energy overheads in and around the zero mark. Courtesy of the UK government’s Feed in Tariff scheme, those who opt to have domestic solar panels fitted to their home will also receive money for every unit of electricity they produce (whether they use it or not) – ultimately resulting in a net profit on the outlay for the solar panels in a short period of time.

google solar panels

The cost-effective scalability of solar power extends far beyond even the realms of roof fitted domestic systems. In 2007 internet giant Google invested in one of the largest solar panel installations in the United States. Later in that year they released some statistics showing just how much power their solar panels were producing on average per day. The fascinating results showed that per day they generated enough energy through photovoltaics to run a flat screen television for 5366 hours or perform 402 dishwasher cycles.

So whether you’re simply in the market for a new calculator, looking to make a modest investment or brainstorming on how to power a vast office complex don’t neglect the solar power option!

Filling the Office Supplies Cupboard on a Shoestring Budget

March 29, 2011 · news, office supplies, stationery · Comments Off

office supplies cupboard

When setting up a new business there are many things which need to be invested in and with a good number of these items – it doesn’t pay to cut corners or take the ‘budget’ option. Your computing equipment for instance needs to be relatively up to date, resilient and powerful enough to survive a few years of heavy use without becoming mind-numbingly slow to load up programs. Similarly, decent corporate stationery such as business cards should be of such a quality as to provide a great first impression of your company to external parties. Thankfully, there are other office necessities which can be acquired for minimal outlay – office supplies falls firmly within this category; provided you are savvy in your purchasing practices.

Only buy that which is really needed

Although it is certainly nice to have an extensive selection of different sized notepads and pens in all the colours of the rainbow…is there really any need to have such variety? Provided you are well stocked with pens, pencils, memo notepads, A4 paper, printer ink cartridges, paperclips, staples, staplers, files, a hole punch and standard sized envelopes you will be prepared for 95% of all office scenarios…having only spent a modest amount on supplies. Make a list of everything that you think you are likely to need then set to shortening it ruthlessly – if it transpires that you have neglected an item which later turns out to be indispensible then fear not, there’s sure to be a shop nearby to tide you over.

Look at generic brands

Having mercilessly shortened your list of required office supplies to a small selection of items it is time to select specific products. Huge savings can be made here by simply opting for ‘generic’ labelled goods as opposed to those of the more widely recognised brands. Provided the specifications are on a par with their branded counterparts – the quality should be of exactly the same level and on a day to day basis you’ll never notice the difference. On the printer ink front it pays dividends to look at ‘compatible’ ink cartridges as opposed to the official manufacturer’s refills – they are often less than half the price and built to the same exacting standards.

Capitalise on money saving incentives

As is the case with many retail sectors, online retailers offer the best value for office supplies purchases. As well as offering more competitive prices than their high street counterparts overall, many retailers also offer incentives to utilise their service. Setting up an office supplies account often brings with it substantial discounts on orders in addition to flexible payment options and high levels of customer service. To get the best possible value on your stationery and office supplies keep a look out for online incentives and ensure to place an order large enough to qualify for free delivery.

By bearing this advice in mind it is possible to fully equip your office with all the required stationery and accessories for a fraction of the cost of those who simply head over to a ‘Superstore’ and buy everything they think they might need with scant regard for their actual business requirements.

How do I find the best courier for my company?

February 4, 2011 · news, office environment · Comments Off

Parcel

Choosing the right courier is key for any ecommerce company.  If your using the wrong one chances are you’re charging your customer too much in delivery charges and your customer service lines are clogged up with “Where’s the Stapler I ordered?” style queries.  You need make sure you’ve chosen well.  Here are a few questions that I think are worth asking:

Do they need next day?

It’s all very well promising next day tracked delivery to a customer but if the item is really none essential why not give them the option to wait a few days? A courier like city link will get your stapler and staples delivered next day for say £5 + VAT but if it’s not business essential why not give them the option for 2 – 3 days and use Royal Mail’s considerably cheaper tracked solution?

Are you sending out lightweight items at a heavy item rate?

Couriers like Parcel Force, City Link and TNT to some degree are all set up for large parcels over 5 kilos.  They charge accordingly. Why not look at Home Delivery Network or Royal Mail if your items are lightweight?  Royal Mail offer rates in the area of £2.50 for tracked deliveries to even the small end user just as long as the items you send out are lightweight.

Hidden Charges

Always look out for hidden charges.  Redelivery charges can be a killer – if the collection depot is out in the middle of nowhere your customer is going to be complaining.  Do they charge a lot extra for the privilege of delivering on a Saturday?  Do they give free packaging?

Mix and Match

Send your small items out via one courier and the larger out through another maximizing the best rates from both.  Give the customer the option if they want it next day or 2 – 3 days service at a lower rate.

Don’t be afraid to change courier

Many people stick with the same courier as they are used to using them.  They don’t like the change.  This could well cost them money in the long run.  Amazon is a fantastic example of this.  They give the customer the choice of delivery methods wherever possible and use a good mix of Royal Mail, HDN, Fed Ex.

Ask for a trial

Couriers are all fighting against each other for YOUR custom.  Ask to trial there delivery services for 3 months and send a few of your normal goods out with them.

In conclusion don’t be afraid to review your current courier every 3 months or so, as their competitors rates are likely to be constantly changing.

Guest post by Paul Lee on behalf of DG Office Supplies

5 Gift Wrapping Tips

December 22, 2010 · a bit of fun, news, stationery · Comments Off

Well wrapped gift

Hopefully you’ve managed to buy or make the vast majority of your Christmas gifts by now (if you haven’t then be sure to read our previous post). All that remains to transform a thoughtful purchase into a dazzling gift is the application of gift wrap of some sort. Wrapping presents is an art form, with some people able to craft intricate and beautiful presents in minutes, whilst others struggle with the paper, wrestle with the adhesive tape and ultimately turn a carefully selected object into a visual carbuncle. If you’ve been considering handing over your presents in taped up carrier bags to hide your wrapping deficiencies then hopefully these 5 tips will help give you the means and confidence to join the wrapping elite and produce sensational packages.

1 – Buy Decent Wrapping Paper

Be thrifty by all means but thin and listless wrapping paper will make the wrapping process all the more awkward. A more heavy duty wrapping paper is less likely to crease, wrinkle or split when being used to wrap awkward shapes. Not only is a decent wrapping paper likely to sport a more attractive design or finish, but the extra thickness will also provide a more professional result – regardless of your wrapping dexterity.

2 – Equip Yourself

In addition to wrapping paper and that which you intend to wrap, you will also need a few other essentials. Although standard Sellotape is sufficient, for a truly great gift with minimum fuss and mess you’re best off using a specialised gift wrapping tape dispenser which will dispatch with common problems such as trying to find the end of the tape on the roll and tape teeth tearing by furnishing the user with ready cut strips. These tape strips are also pretty much invisible on gift wrap.

3 – Less Is More in Some Cases

Make sure to measure out your wrapping paper before cutting it- not only to guarantee that the piece is long enough but also to check that it isn’t too long – using an excessive amount of paper often has scruffy and bulbous repercussions. Similarly, don’t get carried away with the sticky tape or your recipient will be struggling for hours to remove the laminate covering.

4 – Hide Messy Areas with Bows and Ribbons

If you do happen to tear, scuff, crease or mark your paper then a self-adhesive bow is your best friend. These shiny little adornments both hide problems and add an extra special touch to your gifts. Even if your parcel has been perfectly wrapped, a metallic ribbon and bow can give it that extra wow factor – so whatever your level of gift wrapping proficiency, these little touches are a worthwhile investment.

5 – If All Else Fails, Use a Gift Bag

If in spite of these titbits of advice you’re struggling to wrap a present in a manner worthy of its contents then a gift bag is always an option. With decorated bags of all sizes widely available, they may be something of a cheat, but they’re sure to look good and are a very quick and easy option.

Happy wrapping and have an exceptionally Merry Christmas!

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