There is an old adage that you shouldn’t put all your eggs in one basket. It applies to a lot of things nowadays and the idea behind it is that you reduce your risk by either choosing multiple suppliers or spreading your costs across a variety of products. In some cases it makes sense to do this. For instance, if you are dealing in shares it’s a good idea to spread the risk around so that you don’t lose too much of your budget in one place.

On the other hand, if you are applying for a job then it increases your chances to make numerous applications because success is largely a numbers game. For organisations looking to purchase office products and stationary, it may seem reasonable to choose a number of different suppliers but this can often be a false economy.

First of all you have to keep track of all those different suppliers, set up payment schedules for them, and make sure you choose ones that will give you the best deal. This can add to your administration time and even cost you money if you lose track of who you need to contact and when. There is also the question of developing a meaningful relationship with a supplier which could have much greater benefits in the long term.

Buying office products and stationary is one area where actually settling on one supplier is a good idea and can help you reduce the cost and time spent ordering the right things for your company.

1. You will be able to build a long term, beneficial relationship with the supplier that is built on mutual trust.
2. Because you are giving them a larger proportion of your stationary business you should be able to negotiate better deals.
3. You have a reliable source that can get products to you when you need them and suggest new ones that might benefit your business.
4. A single supplier will get to know your office needs and will be able to ensure that you don’t run out of vital products when you need them most.
5. You cut down on administration costs as there are less people to deal with and you reduce the risk of getting things wrong.

There are plenty of options out there for businesses that want to go for a single supplier option and our advice is to make sure you shop around for the best deal. It’s not just about the price but the quality of product and the overall service that is provided. A cheap deal may seem like a good cost saving measure but if the quality is substandard then it won’t benefit your business. Likewise, a great product but a sporadic delivery service may not be an ideal match either.

Our advice is to make a list of what you want out of your office product and stationary provider and then go out there and hunt them down. You don’t have to settle for second best and you can negotiate the terms of service and the sort of price you want to pay if you have a good idea of what your business really needs. Take your time and make the right choice of supplier – it will provide your business with numerous benefits that will help the office run more smoothly.