Staples

My wireless hot spot died yesterday – no flowers needed. I ran out to the local Staples to buy a replacement and that, coupled with an article I read this morning, got me thinking a few things which I’d like to share.
First, I hadn’t been to my local Staples in a bit. I usually get my supplies there but other than printer paper I don’t go through a lot since almost everything I do is digital. Staples seemed to be kind of a dinosaur in that regard. A lot of what is in the store is stuff that people (including me) used 30 years ago – file folders, paper, even pens – to do business.   Much of it is fading away even in schools (certainly in college!).

I try to avoid keeping paper records – they’re all electronic, and I generally only print something if it’s long and I don’t want to read it on a computer screen.  Obviously I’m way more interested in a back-up system than in a filing system.

That’s what was sort of in my brain as I walked in to the store I’d seen many times.  Except it had been done over.  The area devoted to computers was twice the size it had been and there was a huge part of it devoted to support, not sales.   Staples obviously figured out that they were in the business of providing supplies and support, and if the manner in which their customers are doing business changes, so should they.  And did!

I then saw this piece this morning called Staples Focuses On Growing Tech, Services. And it pointed out one thing on which I didn’t focus:  inventory.

There will be more services in our mix, because there is not a lot of inventory and the margins are great.

That’s the CEO, and better margins help every business.

Are you being as smart as Staples?  Are you changing your business to better serve your markets and customers?  Are you even asking the question?  Speak up!