Page 8 - BOSS Today Issue 62

BOSS Today #62 SPECIAL REPORT BOSS Today #62

By deeply understanding our end of H1 2026, with research already Each new category has its own OP: Our diversification has been very
customers’ businesses, we identified planned to identify the next phase of nuances, so ensuring that data is positively received by both our Dealer
opportunities to expand into Cleaning and janitorial expansion in H2 2026. Some colleagues were accurate and includes clear guidance on Partners and their end-user customers.
complementary categories, such as our compliance requirements is essential to While there’s an inevitable comparison
successful move into Janitorial supplies a along with all things IH: We began looking at it seriously in the cautious about moving too making expansion possible. with Amazon’s ever-expanding range,
few years ago. At the same time, we are facilities supplies ticks the late 2010s, but the pandemic accelerated far from traditional office what sets us apart is the combination of
entering new vertical markets, including box and is a category we’ve things. Customers wanted fewer supplies, but once they IH: Workwear, for example, demanded high-quality products with local, trusted
Hospitality and Catering, which allows suppliers, more efficiency, and partners new processes including embroidery, service. The IDC (Independent Dealer
us to attract entirely new customers put on the map. who could help them meet new challenges saw how it strengthened sizing, personalisation and tighter Channel) embodies this difference,
who may not have previously considered such as hybrid working and sustainability customer relationships, compliance. We invested in software enabling our dealers to address evolving
buying from us. targets. That was the tipping point. and workflow systems at our CDC market needs while staying competitive.
In short, we’re no longer just a buy-in followed. and built partnerships with specialist We’re fortunate to have a strong
provider of office supplies; we’re Shona Patterson, Channel Director, How did you assess which adjacent manufacturing partners to ensure we and collaborative dealer community.
positioning ourselves as the partner for Facilities Supplies & New Reseller, categories were worth investing in? could meet standards consistently. They actively share success stories and
the full spectrum of Everyday Business VOW Wholesale Ian Haywood, Managing learnings with one another, creating a
Needs. From the front desk to the back IH: Customer needs drove it. We Director, UKOS What were the biggest internal culture where one dealer’s win becomes
office, the warehouse to the washroom, listened to clients who asked, “Can challenges when diversifying and did you an opportunity for all. This openness
and even the café and meeting rooms, if you also supply workwear? Can you face any resistance internally or from allows us to learn quickly, adapt as a
you tipped an entire office building into manage our print requirements? Can your existing customer base? group, and strengthen the network as a
the street, we supply everything you see. you design, project manage and deliver whole.
our interiors projects?” From there we SP: We faced no resistance at all
SP: Diversification has been an ongoing looked at capability, where our logistics, internally; the market trends and the SP: Our existing customers and dealers
strategic process for us at VOW. We follow procurement and service model gave us strategic need to future-proof the have responded very positively to
market trends closely, and the main driver an advantage, and made investments business spoke for themselves. The the diversification, which has both
was recognising the significant challenges well-being, and the push for sustainability where we could deliver with the same biggest challenge has been external, strengthened our relationships and
around traditional categories and volume were no longer just trends, they had quality and reliability as in office supplies. focused on the supplier side as we successfully begun to shift our customer
as we understood that digitisation was become necessities for our customers. transit of chemicals, which is essential to transition to become more of a core profile. Traditional VOW resellers are
impacting our core business. Our main This prompted us to make a conscious Were there specific customer segments providing a truly credible range. Crucially, Facilities Supplies (FS) wholesaler. This keen to learn more about the Facilities
goal is to retain our relevance and ensure decision to transform our business model or verticals that influenced your our own dedicated fleet, Truline, has been required significant effort to move Supplies (FS) world and understand
our customers have the options to remain and diversify into categories that are diversification strategy? instrumental in providing the operational the perception away from us being how they can grow their overall spend
relevant in their own markets. This growing and urgently needed, leading to flexibility needed to adapt our product known solely for office products, and to in these new, growing categories.
meant we absolutely had to pivot into our expansion into new, key areas such as IH: Not specifically. It was more about mix. This has ensured we maintain a fully demonstrate our credible place in the While some customers are further
non-digitisable products. This strategy HoReCa (Hotels, Restaurants, and Cafés), identifying customers and prospects compliant, credible, and seamless end-to- Janitorial and wider FS space. This shift ahead in terms of their FS mix, this
led us directly to high-growth areas like Workwear, and Education. Ultimately, this with aligned consolidation strategies. end range offering for our customers. in perception was essential for building strategy has been critical in allowing
Cleaning and Janitorial, which now forms a shift was about strategically aligning our For them, a consolidated supply chain direct relationships and gaining the us to enter and engage entirely new
cornerstone of our wider facilities offering. portfolio to help our customers simplify saves money, simplifies compliance, and OP: The biggest challenge was finding necessary ongoing supplier support. markets and customers, a significant
their operations and be fully equipped for reduces carbon. Those conversations the right suppliers to partner with. For a Ultimately, it’s all about education, both shift in our overall profile. This strategic
IH: A mix of market pressures and long- whatever market challenges come next. helped us develop Print, Workwear, and business of our size and complexity, this for suppliers and customers—to ensure pivot reinforces our position as an
term strategy. Margins and demand in core Interiors from peripheral categories into requires a rigorous selection process to they see our capabilities in providing a indispensable partner for their long-term
office products have been under pressure OP: Diversification became a serious core offerings. ensure suppliers meet our operational comprehensive, future-facing service. growth.
for years, and we saw a clear opportunity focus around four years ago. Before requirements, covering areas such as
to grow by helping customers consolidate then, our product range was primarily What operational challenges did you EDI, order tracking, returns, drop-ship IH: Internally, it was about mindset. IH: Positively. By offering more
spend into adjacent categories. determined by what wholesalers offered, face when expanding into categories capabilities, query management and Diversification meant retraining teams categories under one roof and
Diversification and consolidation position with non-listed products sourced only with very different product logistics and credit facilities. and embedding new knowledge. Some positioning ourselves as specialists, we
UKOS as a trusted, strategic partner with upon request as “specials.” At that time, compliance standards? Another critical challenge is colleagues were cautious about moving have deepened relationships and become
a broader value proposition. we worked with four core suppliers under maintaining high-quality product data. too far from traditional office supplies, strategic partners rather than just
trading agreements. Today, we have 12 SP: Expanding into categories like Facilities, This is especially important when dealing but once they saw how it strengthened suppliers of a near-commodity product
When did diversification become a trading suppliers and a network of 150+ Cleaning, Hygiene, and Catering introduces with legal or compliance requirements. customer relationships, buy-in followed. category. It is not just about product;
serious consideration for your business? additional partners to meet customer entirely new operational challenges For example, certain products, such as Customers, on the whole, have it is about helping customers cut costs
needs beyond the standard range. compared to handling our traditional core knives, can only be sold to customers who welcomed it. and carbon through consolidation. That
SP: It became a serious consideration We’ve methodically expanded into offering. The key to navigating this has are 18 years of age or older. Our systems message really resonates.
about 5 years ago, we recognise that our categories such as workwear, warehouse been internal preparation and support must clearly flag these items so that our How have your existing customers
customers face significant new challenges and packaging, food and drink, and from the wider team. We were required to internal processes capture the necessary responded to your diversification? Did
every day. We realised that issues like hospitality and catering. Our product implement new safety standards, notably identification checks before releasing the it strengthen your relationships or shift
hybrid work, a greater focus on employee roadmap is now defined through to the achieving ADR certification for the safe order. your customer profile?

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