Page 26 - BOSS Today Issue 25

60 second interview

Rallying Support

MW: Please describe JW: Yes, there will certainly be MW: What (work-related)
your career to date. further consolidation towards an issue keeps you awake
ever more efficient supply chain at night?
JW: Originally, I was on a with less duplication of effort.
management fast-track with There is currently far too much JW: Nothing – I’m too
Surrey County Council in their cost in getting goods from knackered! Seriously, though, if
Supplies Department, spending source to consumer. you are open, honest and caring
seven years being taught and fortunate enough to be in
management and purchasing MW: Is there still control, nothing should keep
skills. I was then offered a job as room for a ‘traditional’ you awake. The OP market is not
Purchasing and Office Manager wholesaler of traditional life and death!
Specialist OP at a small independent dealer OP items in the UK? MW: What has your
called Marathon Stationers,
market researcher which was subsequently bought JW: Not if they only stick with involvement in BOSS
Martin Wilde by Straker’s. Since then, I have traditional OP! Dealers need been to date?
to expand the range they sell
been involved with building
catches up with the business from £2.5m to to their customers and the JW: We use BOSS for our
Jeff Whiteway, £150m, mainly because I was wholesaler has to support them employment support, and they
are very good at that. Other than
in achieving this.
surrounded by some very clever
CEO of Office- people. Pleasingly, 27 years later, MW: MWA and OPI have that, my involvement will be in
the future when I have a little
I now lead the company.
Team, which has recently produced a more free time!
recently come MW: 2014 has seen a report on Amazon’s MW: How can BOSS best
penetration of the UK
fundamental change in
under the same the structure of the UK OP OP market; what advice serve the industry in
ownership as industry supply chain. would you give to OP 2015?
dealers on how to
How will these changes
Spicers. affect dealers and respond to Amazon? JW: Facilitate communication
vendors going forward? and address industry data once
JW: That’s simple: learn from and for all.
JW: I see all of these changes them. Their service is fantastic.
simply as a natural progression Just as when Viking entered MW: Finally, please tell
to a more efficient supply chain. our market in the early 1990s, me one thing that is little
I’ve been advocating this kind learn and add the USPs that known about you.
of vertical integration for many differentiate your business. Be
years. Those dealers who are competitive, but make doing JW: I’ve been rallying with
involved with wholesalers will business with you easy and a Richard Burns, who was the
help drive improved service joy. That is what Amazon does World Rally Champion in 2001.
criteria and will ensure that so well. Sadly, Richard died in 2005 at
dealers’ requirements will be the age of just 34 from a brain
better understood. MW: Which new product tumour. It makes you think:
categories most excite my motto since then has been
MW: Will the UK you? “Enjoy every day.”
market see any further
restructuring? If so, what JW: (laughs) The £500 million
do you envisage and plus my customers buy, but not
why? yet from me!

26 BOSS TODAY | December 2014/January 2015