If your job roll involves purchasing of office supplies then you need to be forward thinking to exceed the saving goals of the company you work for. By researching everything about the suppliers you work for can often reward your organisation with much larger long-term savings.
Putting to one side things like promotions, price and product selection you must be able to communicate your goals clearly and spare time for each supplier to listen to ideas they may have for you. If you do not have time to do this then you will probably pay more than you need to for your offices supplies!
The more money you spend with one supplier the better overall discounts you will be offered. (Going back to researching your supplier properly) Most office supplies companies can offer more than your average stationery items and can provide other services such as print, marketing print, archiving, data storage and even recycling.
If the different supply categories don’t fit in to your remit and are dealt with by other work colleagues in your organisation then it is important to work together with them and hold regular meetings to discuss capabilities of each of the supplier you use. If you start prioritising which ones stay or go you might be able to reduce the supply chain down which could save on average about £40 -£60 per invoice not to mention making the ordering process more manageable and environmentally friendly.
