Education Guide

guide

WHY EDUCATION?We map out

opportunities in schools

REBRANDINGHow can dealers attract

education buyers?

EDUCATED SUPPLIESDealer case study:

Office Supplies Now

November 2011

Gone are the days of chalk upon a blackboard, today the classroom is a hotbed of technology, equipment and high standard supplies. The introduction

of academies and free schools means that more schools are in control of their own budgets, giving dealers a free rein to approach those who control the overall spend. It seems that budgets are being held by separate departments, opening up further options for dealers on the lookout for business. If you're worried about the requirements of tailoring your sales approach to schools, worry not, we look at how business supplies dealers are perfectly suited to catering to the classroom. We talk to OP dealer John Fitton of Office Supplies Now, who tells us about his success dealing to the education sector. We also speak to leading ICT industry experts about the viability of selling technology into the classroom, and an independent school gives us the inside story on how they choose a supplier.

CONTENTS

UPDATEEducation newsThe latest news in education supplies

FEATUREWhy education?We map out opportunities in schools

Technology and learningIs ICT of value in the classroom?

INTERVIEWDealer case study: Office Supplies NowWe catch up with John Fitton about his successful sales in education

INSIGHTRebranding for the playgroundHow can dealers make themselves attractive to the education buyer?

How I buyWe talk to an independent school about its buying habits

UPDATE {FEATURE} {INTERVIEW} {INSIGHT)

NEWSENERGY AND MONEY PROVISION DRIVES DEMAND FOR MPS IN SCHOOLSProgressive schools are investing in technology that delivers long-term savings, with print management and virtualisation providing the biggest ICT savings for schools, according to research by Probrand.

Education technology budgets have halved since the Harnessing Technology Grant was cut from £201m to £101m for 2011, yet demand for technology in education and innovative learning platforms continues.

Technology services provider Probrand has found that schools are taking a more entrepreneurial view and regularly turning to technologies that drive down long-term operational costs and enhance service provision to users. At the top of the agenda are moves towards complete print management. Education establishments are switching on to the cost containment benefits of rationalising their print estates down to fewer printers that are fully managed, including repair, support and automated replenishment.

Probrand is finding the average-sized secondary school with over 800 pupils and 300 computers is saving up to £100,000, while primary schools with 100 pupils and four servers are experiencing savings of around £20,000. These savings stem from a reduction in print estate, adoption of more efficient printers, reduced administration burden on staff and lower, yet predictable costs.

Senior education specialist at Probrand, Andy Cartwright said: "With funding cuts to support investment in technology for schools, education establishments are considering cutting edge technology to deliver long term savings.

"Interestingly, we have seen enquiries significantly increase for technology that demands higher initial investment but delivers long-term operational savings as well as technology that provides an agile platform for growth in the future.”

ONE IN 10 PRIMARY KIDS HAVE IPHONESAccording to a recent survey, one in 10 kids under the age of 10 already owns an iPhone. The report also found that one in 20 primary school children now owns an iPad. The Westcoastcloud survey of 2,000 parents of children aged 10 and under revealed that half thought their kids would be ‘lost' without technology, as traditional things like days out and sport no longer amuse them.

Will Gardner, CEO of Childnet International, commented: "In our work in schools we are often getting asked by parents about the technology their children are using. It is important to help ensure parents are aware of the full functionality of the technology that young children are accessing and that they are able to give the support that young people need to stay safe and get the most out of these devices."

AV FIRM TAKES A SLICEA UK-based audio visual company has fulfilled its biggest single order for large-format front-projection displays from the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham.

Paradigm is to supply over 200 DNP Supernova optical screens within primary and secondary schools in the borough over the next few months. The decision was made following a presentation made by Paradigm to main contractors, Laing O’Rourke, along with the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham’s ICT strategy team.

The fit-outs will be carried out by the respective contractors in conjunction with RM Education, the Borough’s ICT partner.

BESA LAUNCHES ‘SUPPORT FOR ALL’ WEBSITEThe British Educational Suppliers Association (BESA) has launched a comprehensive website that offers guidance and advice to companies, educators and parents, ranging from information on suppliers and resources to information on the implication of government policy announcements for both schools and suppliers.

The BESA member area of the site provides information on new business opportunities, tenders, research findings, sector awards, daily sector news feeds and a broad range of other services. The member section of the new site is also linked to a BESA member LinkedIn page where members can hold closed conversations sharing ideas and opportunities in order to help drive innovation.

Ray Barker, director of BESA, explained: “The more we can help suppliers provide high quality products and services that reflect the needs of schools, the better we support the optimisation of school’s budgets and the improvement of standards within the sector.”

DATES FOR THE DIARY

BETT SHOW 2012Dedicated to showcasing the best in UK and international educational technology products, resources and best practice.DATEWednesday 11 - Saturday 14 January 2012VENUEOlympia, London

THE EDUCATION SHOW 2012Dedicated to showcasing the best in educational resources and suppliers, The Education Show attracts more than 450 educational suppliers and over 12,000 visitors.DATEThursday 15 - Saturday 17 March 2012VENUEThe NEC, Birmingham

VALUABLE LESSONSDespite some concerns, spending in education remains strong, with some areas showing growth. Matt Jane considers why dealers should be looking to the education sector to provide them with profitable business opportunities

There are very few markets in the current economic

climate that dealers can look at with genuine

confidence and optimism. The education sector

has received its share of negative reports amid

concerns over the financial stability of schools and colleges.

Yet, despite concerns from some areas, education remains a

potentially lucrative market for office supplies dealers, with

continued investment, the necessity for ongoing spending

and the opportunity to develop long-term customer bases.

More than a year has passed since the coalition

government claimed power, and the education sector has

changed beyond recognition in many areas. Education

Secretary Michael Gove has been quick to stamp his mark

on the country’s schools and colleges, which has resulted in

new opportunities for dealers. The introduction of academies

has opened the door for new suppliers into the sector, while

free schools are the latest development that could open the

door to further investments.

NEW OPPORTUNITIESGaining academy status has proved a popular move for

state schools across the country, with the latest government

figures showing that over 40% of England's secondary

schools have either converted to academies or are in the

process of converting. In fact, in some areas, such as the

London Borough of Southwark, all secondary schools already

have academy status. The significance of this to the office

supplies dealer should not be underestimated. Having

academy status means that schools are no longer reliant

on the local education authority for their supplies and have

{UPDATE} FEATURE {INTERVIEW} {INSIGHT)

Schools know that they must continue to invest in ICT to stop a new form of digital divide being created, between schools

complete autonomy over purchasing decisions. Previously,

they would have to source products and services through

approved suppliers, whereas academies are free to source

the best deal from wherever they like, thus opening the

market to all dealers.

As existing academies, of which there are over 1,300,

acclimatise to their new-found purchasing freedoms, the

government is planning to further expand the programme

to open up the market to all educational institutions.

Joe Farrell from the Department for Education academy

convertor division says the number of schools making the

switch is predicted to grow. "Ministers would hope that all

schools would be applying to become academies as soon

as possible," he says. "They believe academy status and the

freedoms it offers is right for schools."

Furthermore, the free school programme, which took

effect in September, will see a whole wave of new education

providers established over the coming years. Original take

-up of the scheme, which allows schools to be established in

a range of settings by any approved party, including parents

and teachers, saw 24 new schools open their doors this

term. That is two dozen new avenues for dealers to open

discussions, and there promises to be even more once this

flagship programme gathers momentum.

Another new development is for schools federating

together to draw on the synergy of purchasing in groups.

Whether it is through formal groups of school federations or

occasionally joining forces for large investments, it presents

dealers with the opportunity to secure larger, more lucrative

contracts with schools placing bigger orders.

PROMISING SPENDINGThe statistics surrounding education spending patterns

paint an optimistic picture of the sector as a whole. A recent

report by the British Educational Suppliers Association (BESA)

shows a growing demand for ICT usage in the classroom. It

is predicted that by next year, more than half of lesson time

will be spent using ICT to teach pupils. Importantly, schools

are also earmarking technology as an area for improved

expenditure, with 49% of primary and 33% of secondary

schools stating that they were going to maintain or increase

investment in ICT over the next year.

Director of BESA Ray Barker says there is definite ground

for optimism within the education sector. “The BESA ICT in UK

State Schools' research indicates that despite negative views

about the funding of ICT, an increasing amount of pupil time

is exposed to teaching and learning using ICT,” he says. “We

have to be clear that schools are not going to be told what

to do any more so don’t need to wait to be guided by the

government on their ICT investments.”

The new schools that have been established since the

coalition came to power are also helping to drive investment.

Barker suggests that existing schools will not want to fall

behind the new wave of educational institutions, helping

to grow the sector as a whole. After months of waiting to

see how the educational changes would be adopted, more

schools than ever are getting behind the schemes set out by

the coalition government. Spending may not be as prolific

as in previous years, but the truth remains that the changes

present dealers with new opportunities, a new customer

base and new and exciting products to take to market. n


40of secondary schools are now academies

49of primary schools

and

33of secondary schools

expect to maintain or increase ICT

spending over the next year

Next year, 1/2 of lesson time will be

spent using ICT


What’s IT good for?

With a debate raging over how much

technology improves education, Matt

Jane asks some leading educational ICT

experts why schools should continue to

invest in technology

A recent report from the New York

Times suggested that investment

in technology in the classroom

does not lead to better academic

performance, potentially casting a doubt over

the state of the education market in the wider

world and questioning the rush to integrate the

best technology in schools. The report, based

on schools in Arizona that spent around $33m

on technology, concluded that it could stagnate

learning in the long-term, with Professor Larry

Cuban from Stanford University stating: “There

is very little valid and reliable research that

shows the [technological] engagement causes

or leads to higher academic achievement.”

So what does this mean for office supplies

dealers looking to target the education market

in the UK and how can they counter any

concerns that schools may have on reading

this research? We ask some leading experts

from the IT sector.


“In my opinion, this survey shouldn’t change anything for dealers, as schools will always need to find the

right technology to enhance and support education. The purpose of technology in schools is to bring ideas

and concepts to life in the classroom and help pupils to maximise their potential.

“Academic performance isn’t driven by technology, technology is a solution that supports academic

performance. Ask any teacher and I think you’ll find they say that they are absolutely embracing technology

and constantly looking for new and innovative ways to get pupils learning in an attention-poor world.

“Today’s young people have been born into a digital world and their whole lives revolve around

technology. Today’s schooling has to reflect that, so is heavily focused around e-learning, with children

using mobile technology, laptops and the internet to carry out projects and homework.

“Teachers are under big pressure to get results and we see our role as working at their side to help

achieve these results, by constantly innovating technology to provide new solutions for schools.”

PHIL JONES, SALES AND MARKETING DIRECTOR, BROTHER

“Productivity is the key to improving our education systems across the world and children learn most

effectively when subjects are made relevant to their lives. It is often easier to bring subjects to life and

demonstrate complex concepts through technological resources. Technology encourages interaction

within the classroom. This increases participation and inclusivity, ensuring that different types of

learners, from diverse backgrounds, and with varying levels of confidence, all learn productively and

gain core social skills.

“The latest technologies, such as multi-touch interactive whiteboards, engage with students in a way

that echoes the technology they are familiar with away from the classroom, such as smartphones and

iPads. This makes learning relevant to the outside world and more natural for pupils.

“Investing in technology also has benefits for teachers, increasing their access to online materials,

providing efficient ways of performing tasks and reducing the amount of ancillary work needed to execute

a lesson plan. Furthermore, technologies such as learner response systems offer an invaluable means for

both formative and summative classroom assessment in real time.

“Ultimately, the success of technology in the classroom is a direct result of the investment in it and the

ability to integrate it with established teaching practices. Technology cannot replace traditional teaching

methods, but with the right training and support, it has the potential to enhance best practice, efficiency

and results.

JIM WYNN, CHIEF EDUCATION OFFICER, PROMETHEAN

“I was surprised to read the New York Times report suggesting that investment in technology in the

classroom does not lead to better academic performance. There’s a wealth of existing research suggesting

the contrary; that ‘active’ learning, supported by technology, is beneficial to learning. Active learning

involves a mixture of listening to, demonstrating and interacting with subject material. Ideas, concepts,

data and other information are associated with images – with the concept that visual aids help enhance

thinking and learning skills. Within this, technology such as interactive projectors and visualisers is crucial

in presenting and displaying the many visual elements.

“Over the years, numerous studies have supported this connection between technology and learning

– specifically that the quality, range and topicality of visual-data presentation, combined with skilled

teaching, is likely to enhance pupils’ learning experience. Real world examples also reinforce this. During

2009-2010, for example, Cromer High school invested heavily in its ICT system and visualiser technology,

and saw its evaluation from Ofsted inspectors change from a ‘notice to improve’ to ‘good, providing

outstanding features’. Technology was judged to be one of the crucial elements in this transformation.”

GRAEME DAVIDSON, CATEGORY MANAGER, AV, EPSON >

Why should schools continue to invest in

ICT and what are the education benefits?

[A recent study into the effects of 3D technology in schools] compares the difference in comprehension,

information retention and overall behaviour between students learning via traditional methods versus

learning via 3D projection. The results indicate a marked positive effect of the use of 3D animations

on learning, recall and performance in tests. Under experimental conditions, 86% of pupils improved

from the pre-test to the post-test in the 3D classes, compared to only 52% who improved in the

2D classes. Within the individuals who improved, the rate of improvement was also much greater

in the classes with the 3D. Individuals improved test scores by an average of 17% in the 3D classes,

compared to only an eight per cent improvement in the 2D classes between pre-test and post-test.

“The marked improvement in test scores was also supported by qualitative data that showed

that 100% of teachers agreed or strongly agreed that 3D animations in the classroom made the

children understand things better, and 100% of teachers agreed or strongly agreed that the pupils

discovered new things in 3D learning that they did not know before. The teachers commented that

the pupils in the 3D groups had deeper understanding, increased attention span, more motivation

and higher engagement.”

NEIL HARTIGAN, CHANNEL DIRECTOR, NEC

“In-house printing technology can deliver cost savings and add educational value. A recent survey

from the Centre for Economics and Business Research (Cebr) found the UK education sector could

save £245m per year by adopting smarter, more efficient printing practices, partly by moving

expensive outsourced printing in-house, and partly from more efficient management of existing in-

house printing tasks.

“Printers also add value by enabling schools to customise documents more easily. At OKI, we’ve

developed free ‘in-the-box’ utilities, which enable schools to tailor material to their needs. This

type of software can support teachers’ lesson preparation by enabling them to create and modify

templates for presentation boards, posters and banners to inject excitement into the learning

experience. Equally, efficient printing can help engage children by bringing coursework and projects

to life with high-quality colour printouts.

“High-quality in-house printing can also be a source of incremental revenues for schools and

for pupils. Printers can be used to produce materials that can then be sold for profit –items

for the school fair or Christmas cards designed by the children, for example. In this

way, they can be self-funding and at the same time help instill commercial

awareness into pupils.”

ANDREW HALL, MARKETING MANAGER, OKI

“Are you a parent? Do you want your children to be at the

cutting edge of technology as it increases its tentacles into

every aspect of home and work life? I am and yes I do! Are

you an employer? What key skills are required to hire a new

employee? Well, ICT skills are very high up on the list. If you

agree with these points, then teaching ICT must be considered

a priority for our children in the UK.

“Pupils will demand to use ICT products that they want

to engage with and enabling this will be any school’s greatest

challenge and will require teachers and IT managers to be

current, constantly trained and supported by their value-added

reseller – whether an office products supplier or IT supplier. Such

resellers need not be wary of the need for ICT in schools, but

need to inspire the teaching community to use ICT effectively and

not oversell!”

ALEX TATHAM, SALES AND MARKETING DIRECTOR,

WESTCOAST


“Technology for the sake of having technology never

works. Dealers need to understand what a school

wants to achieve and advise them on the best type

of technology that will help them with attaining these

goals. It is important to engage the schools’ senior

leadership team to ensure that the technology is

adopted and that training is undertaken to get the

best from new technology investments. For example,

if a school wants to foster a more reflective way of

learning, products such as Smart Response voting

systems encourage pupils to think about the 'how

and why' rather than just learning by heart.

“Technology should be an integral part of

how a teacher inspires their class to become

actively engaged in their learning and gain deeper

understanding of a subject. Where this has been

achieved, the results are amazing and there is plenty

of anecdotal evidence to support this. Ian Morrel,

deputy headteacher at Titus Salt School, is one

example: 'The introduction of Smart Boards really

did engage the boys a great deal. We’ve reduced the

gender gap for GCSE results from 25% down to six

per cent' "

“Schools should continue to invest in

technology for cost efficiencies and energy savings

too, for example with the latest BenQ SmartEco

projectors you don’t need to compromise between

getting full brightness and a better lamp life, while

saving energy and money by 50%. You can have

your cake and eat it.”

MARTINE DODWELL-BENNETT, SALES AND

MARKETING DIRECTOR, STELJES n

Technology should be an integral part of how a teacher inspires their class

EDUCATED SUPPLIESLast month, MD of Office Supplies Now John Fitton tweeted

about his record-breaking August sales results, generated in

part by the company’s growing education offering. He tells

Nina Rosandic why dealers should be selling into schools

{UPDATE} {FEATURE} INTERVIEW {INSIGHT)

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN SUPPLYING THE EDUCATION MARKET?As a company, we are now in our sixth year, and for the last

three we’ve grown in the education market. In the last year alone

we’ve grown our sales into education by about 40%.

WHAT PERCENTAGE OF YOUR SALES IS GENERATED THROUGH SCHOOL CLIENTS?August was a particularly large percentage – around 25% of

our sales were generated through schools, although our year

average is more like 15%. Realistically, with the way it’s growing,

with 40% year-on-year growth selling into schools, there’s no

reason why it won’t represent more like 30-35% going forward

a year or two. We have about 400 regular customers and only

about 30 of those are actually schools. It still represents a small

part of what we do, but we’ve entered a rapid growth period

as we’ve learned what they like about our service, which is the

personal touch.

WHO IS YOUR MAIN COMPETITOR?Most schools in our area use Yorkshire Purchasing Organisation

(YPO), a local authority purchasing consortium. They have

great prices and a thick catalogue of 2,000 or so pages, with

everything a school could need, but the lead times are quite

long. By waiting weeks for a delivery, the schools have to find out

what they want in advance, plan out and measure the rooms

– whereas we go in and do that for them. A personal touch is

what the schools like and we’ve sold on that service. We’ve got

testimonials from the schools that use us and we’ve used that

as a marketing tool. We go in and say: “Right, we cater to every

school in your town; this is why they use us; can we speak to you

about that service?”

It’s very safe business; the school’s always going to pay you and pay you quick, so there’s no risk of debt

John and Avril Fitton

{UPDATE} {FEATURE} INTERVIEW {INSIGHT)

DO YOU TEND TO FOCUS ON LOCAL BUSINESS?The bulk of our business has been built on local customers

within a 30-mile radius. Our own council procurement

department has encouraged local businesses to get involved

with buying locally off one another. Whereas the councils are

a bit more tied, the schools now have their own budgets, so

they’ve actively encouraged us to approach schools. It has

become more of a hunting ground for us.

WHICH PRODUCTS ARE MOST POPULAR WITH SCHOOLS?We’re stronger in terms of equipment, like noticeboards, dry

wipe boards, and furniture – that makes up a big chunk of

what we sell to schools. We’ve sold a few Smart Boards, and

other interactive whiteboards. Spicers and VOW aren’t that

strong in terms of education offerings. Although VOW has

grown its range, there could be more. There are education-

specific furniture and equipment manufacturers and we’re

now finding ourselves dealing directly with the suppliers the

wholesalers are buying from, and cutting out the middle man.

HOW ABOUT TRADITIONAL STATIONERY?We find that [schools] order a very limited range of traditional

stationery items, however, what they do buy they buy in

massive bulk. For example, paper, laminating pouches

and binding products – that seems to be where the

money goes.

Another area we’re yet to grab in our schools is cartridges.

Teachers each have a printer by their desk, obviously they

have big copiers and a huge amount of copying and printing.

The majority of schools will have an IT accounts person who

handles all printer cartridges, who needs to be addressed.

HOW DO YOU MARKET YOURSELVES TO SCHOOLS?When we go into a school and say we’re from Office Supplies

Now, it doesn’t give off the right message. So we’ve just

created a specific education division to differentiate it from

the office supplies market and rebranded that arm with a

separate website called Education Supplies Now.

We’re are also one of the first dealers to employ

Officepoint’s new digi-cat: an online education flippy

catalogue that hosts products designed specifically for

pupils, like exercise books, arts and crafts, and various items

that we’ve never had access to before.

That launched in September and we’ve launched an

email campaign to make sure it gets round to our schools,

but like anything, I think it’s better in person, so we go in

there and demonstrate the other products we’ve got. We have

recently recruited a new member of staff who focuses purely

on education. There are 600 schools on our database in the

North West and she’s phoning them with a view to getting

appointments with schools so that we go in and let them

know what we can offer.

WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES FACED BY DEALERS SELLING INTO THE EDUCATION MARKET?What took us a while is working out who to sell what to, as

they don’t seem to have one person who covers everything.

For example, you may have a facilities manager; a business

manager; a reprographics person; teachers with a budget;

and there’s normally a bursar. At some schools we have really

strong relationships with facilities, but not particularly with

the bursars – and vice versa. So if you don’t have success

with one person, dig a bit deeper and find out which other

people are buying different products. Of all the schools we

deal with, we are yet to gain 100% of their buying – we’re still

digging out other areas.

SO, IN SUMMARY, WHY SHOULD DEALERS SELL TO SCHOOLS?It’s been very successful for us – and it’s very safe business;

the school’s always going to pay you and pay you quick,

so there’s no risk of debt. As we’re finding, there are so

many different areas within the school where money can

be spent. It’s very hard to get into, but now that we’ve got

some really good referrals and testimonials, it could

potentially snowball.

Once you’ve got the credibility and reputation with a

school, you’re on your way, as they do tend to refer to each

other. The bursars and headteachers have regular meetings

and conferences and we’re trying to get a slot for a five-

minute presentation to sell ourselves.

It’s a good market to get into, and we very much focus

on the personal touch of the dealer and the faster service

that they won’t be able to get with the likes of YPO. YPO is

cheap, but not as great on delivery. Yes, we can compete, but

we can also get it to you a lot quicker – that tends to make

their ears prick up. n

COMPANY CVNAME: John FittonPOSITION: MDCOMPANY: Office Supplies NowWEB: www.officesuppliesnow.co.uk

We’ve just created a specific education division to differentiate it from the office supplies market

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PLAYGROUND REBRANDING Forging client relationships with schools need not be a hard task, as dealers

are already well-equipped with the product base and service values to attract

business from classroom spenders. Jonathan Hills looks at how selling to the

education sector is something every dealer can do

When dealers

look to supply a building company, they don’t consider selling bricks! They sell the products that they specialise in

{UPDATE} {FEATURE} {INTERVIEW} INSIGHT

Knowing your audience and catering for your

customer is a prospect we are all more than

familiar with, and dealers need to keep this in

mind when chasing new business avenues, such

as the education sector. It's all very well having the products

to sell, but with education-specific suppliers chasing the same

clientele, how can you ensure your service is attractive and

suitable prospect to a school's needs?

Though there may be a number of ICT, presentation and

education-specific products, of which dealers have increasing

access to from the wholesalers' expanding education

catalogues, it's worth keeping in mind that product sales are

not entirely dependent upon the provision of equipment to

students and teachers; schools also have large administration

departments. This allows for the sale of technological hardware,

software programmes, hi-tech equipment, consumables and

traditional pen and paper supplies within the office.

The issue for dealers therefore becomes one of

introducing oneself to the sector. Finding contacts in this

respect is rather easy just by looking close to home: schools

are prolifically distributed and nearly everyone has a viable

contact through their or their colleague’s children.

REPACKAGE, REBRAND Wholesalers and dealer groups are finally sitting up and

helping dealers to package their offering and promote to the

education sector, through special 'for school' catalogues and

marketing tools. Some dealers have even gone as far as to

launch an education division to their business to differentiate

themselves and make their company a more viable choice.

As a dealer, you may have to present your school products

differently to ensure they become more attractive to those in

control of purchasing within the education sector. It is possible

that you may have to source a few additional products to keep

your clients satisfied, but fundamentally there remains little else

to do but repackage your existing supplies for this new client.

Neil Basham, purchasing director at Integra, believes that

conditions for selling to the education sector remain more

optimistic than other areas, considering the current economic

climate. “The education market is significant and although

there has been recent public spending cuts, the impact to

education is minimal, with only a one per cent annual saving

needed – over the next three years the education budget has

been increased,” he says.

Acquainting yourself with the idiosyncrasies of the

education sector will increase your chances of selling

successfully to an educational institution, so bear in mind the

individual you are selling to and what they are looking for in

a supplier.

“Schools respond better when there is a 'one-stop'

approach, says Basham, “but it is important that dealers

sell themselves as product and supply experts, so it’s really

important that they understand what they are selling. "

TAILORED DEBATE Chris Collinson, MD of Superstat, believes that many dealers are

not taking the correct approach to trading with the education

sector. He thinks that there is very little, if anything, that dealers

have to do to adapt to the education sector client and that

dealers shouldn’t get carried away with selling products out of

their remit. “I don’t believe dealers have to change their image

at all,” he states. “They are specialist office supplies dealers

wishing to sell office supplies into schools. The products that

dealers are able to sell into schools are the same products that

they sell into an engineering company. They will be supplying

the school’s office.”

Collinson emphasises how many dealers tend to

misunderstand or become daunted by selling to the education

sector, that they must adapt their products and change their

look to enter the market. “For some reason lots of dealers

shy away from it, believing they need to be able to compete

on exercise books and the like in order to supply,” he says.


“This is simply not true; schools have huge administration

requirements that office product dealers are perfectly placed

to provide.”

Many dealers make the mistake of trying to incorporate

every product in the sector they are attempting to move into,

according to Collinson. “They do not need to take on the

sports equipment supplier and to be honest, without huge

investment they wouldn’t stand a chance, but the sports

equipment supplier doesn’t sell office supplies,” he says.

“Schools buy paper, clipboards, diaries, presentation

equipment, office furniture, staplers, EOS, and much more, just

like any other business or organisation,” continues Collinson.

“All dealers have to do is treat them like any other potential

customer and make them aware of the dealer's offering.

“When dealers look to supply a building company, they

don’t consider selling bricks! They sell the products that they

specialise in,” he adds.

There is still a point to be made concerning the role that

dealers play as the personable source for office equipment,

and this point, as Basham believes, remains a necessary virtue

of the office supplies dealer. “There is definitely more than a

'dressing up' of dealers’ existing range” to adapt to the education

sector. The opportunity is large and there needs to be a real

understanding of how schools work and the kind of product

needed,” he says. “Plus there is an essential requirement for

IT infrastructure compatibility to ensure schools can continue

to meet their legal and regulatory obligations, both to the

Department for Education and their relevant local authority.

“Dealers need to demonstrate understanding and

relevance for the education sector – it’s important that dealers

do not try to be anything else, but hold true to their ethical

business approach and exceptional service; the dealer has a

strong proposition for the education sector that fits with their

existing business approach.”

THE VERDICT Clearly there is debate surrounding the issue. Collinson’s

opinion remains that dealers should not be pandering to

products outside of their remit to sell to a sector that is in

need of the supplies they are trading with anyway, and this is

something to keep in mind when approaching this market.

However, the new clientele may require a one-stop-shop

solution, and by gaining the office supplies business, you are

well-placed to offer further equipment such as AV, IT, arts and

crafts, and classroom furniture into schools, and it would be

an oversight to ignore these opportunities.

It is becoming easier to supply schools, with more

niche equipment easily available to dealers through the

leading wholesalers. As Basham states, the focus should be

on the conduct of dealers with their clients and the level of

specialised attention that dealers should bring to the table

that the larger suppliers are unable to offer. With the recent

changes affecting the schools in the UK and greater autonomy

being given to those who hold the purse strings, there has

never been a better chance to explore the potential that exists

within the sector, and considering a tailored approach or

specialised division to capitalise on this may be worthwhile. n


INSIDE SECRETSIn order to gain a better

understanding of supplying to the

education sector, Matthew Jane

speaks to Julie Davis, bursar

at The Mount School, a leading

independent school in York, to get

an insight into how she buys her

products and services and what she

looks for in a supplier

WHAT AREAS OF PURCHASING ARE YOU RESPONSIBLE FOR?My main areas of responsibility for purchasing are utilities; insurance; financial

services; telephone – both fixed and mobile; stationery and publicity materials;

advertising – both PR and recruitment; and catering. My estates manager requires

me to source building and decorating materials and sub-contractors, [while] the

residential services manager requires all cleaning products. In general, if there

is a large purchase or investment to be made in school then I will oversee the

quotation process.

WHAT ARE THE KEY THINGS THAT DRIVE YOUR DECISIONS WHEN INVESTING IN PRODUCTS?We look at cost, quality and value for money initially. Interestingly though,

the final decision can be swayed by service; if a local supplier can deliver an

excellent service and be called and relied upon at short notice, this can be of

more advantage than the lowest price. For some areas of purchasing, reputation

is critical, e.g. insurance. This is a very competitive market and one where quality

is of the essence.

Relationships and confidence in your supplier help enormously to ensure you

achieve the most appropriate products or services required. The capacity to be

able to have a robust conversation with the sales representative has to be a pre-

requisite to ensure the relationship remains balanced and focused on the school’s

ever-changing needs.

HOW DO YOU LIKE TO BE APPROACHED BY COMPANIES AND SERVICE PROVIDERS?For all those cold callers out there – I never appreciate this. Email can be a way

in – a speculative email arrived for document scanning just as we were clearing

a cupboard and wondering how to archive the papers. So, a telephone call to the

company, much discussion on price and process and 33 boxes later, we have

all the paperwork on CD! Researching local companies is always my first option

and then casting the net wider if needed. Personally I prefer initial face-to-face

contact, if this can be achieved, particularly if we are looking to seek quotations

for a significant project.

WHAT DO YOU LOOK FOR IN TERMS OF LONG-TERM SUPPORT AND ADVICE FROM SUPPLIERS?We always aim to achieve a good working relationship with our suppliers. We want

them to want to supply to us as much as we want to use them. Although, being

mindful of being lulled into a false sense of security has to be on the watch list. If

the supplier is offering the best deal then they will never be afraid of us ‘testing the

water’ to benchmark prices, service or quality.

DO YOU HAVE ANY EXPERIENCES OF SUPPLIERS BEING REALLY HELPFUL OR, ALTERNATIVELY, LETTING YOU DOWN?When reviewing our insurance we approached our current provider plus two other

local brokers. One of the local brokers offered us a full audit of our insurance. I

hadn’t reckoned on the extent of the service that would come free of charge! I

walked away with the report believing that they would never deliver on price as well

and was more than pleasantly surprised. This proved that for some companies,

service is of the utmost importance and the relationship continues to blossom.

Catering has been an area where the learning curve has been steep. This is an

area where the school felt price was the best measure of suitability. The expense

of correcting this was not just of a monetary value but also came in management

time and effort. The extra cost invested, interestingly in the skill base, has been

immeasurable and has probably been one of those turning points for looking at

how and why the school uses the suppliers it does. n

Education Guide

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