by Diana L. Martin

To say the pandemic has thrown a wrench into business operations would be the understatement of the century, but one thing the slowdown has done is give us the opportunity to assess, revise and reorganize. When you’re looking for ways to improve efficiency in the office, one of the most basic processes to consider is your filing system.

Options in filing products are overwhelming and this article would be very, very long if we discussed them all, so I’m going to concentrate on just a couple aspects today.

by Sarah Izzo

The experience is often everything in promotions - and life for that matter. It is surely one of the main reasons why brick-and-mortar businesses still thrive in an increasingly online world. Why else would you go out when the need is not immediate and everything can be ordered and delivered the next day for us for the right price?

Supporting small business could be a reason (and a great one) everyone should get behind with every dollar they spend. However, people still go to the stores because they want the experience - to see it, touch it and decide to buy.

by Diana L. Martin

Reopening during Covid requires some additional safety features - some as simple as signage and masks, others as drastic as reconfiguring your workspaces to allow more distance between people. Let’s look at the simple solutions today - signage and barriers.

You’ll need some way to indicate where & how far apart people should stand while waiting to be served and most businesses are using floor decals for that purpose. Consider these large 20” diameter decals:

by Diana L. Martin

With more businesses starting to reopen, now is the time to stock up on the supplies you need to get off to a running start. One of the most important supplies is going to be your ink and toner. There are few things as annoying as your printer telling you to replace the cartridge, only to find that you don’t have a spare. We’ve all been there - the last person to change it never told the appropriate person to order a new spare and now you’re dead in the water until the new one comes.

by Diana L. Martin

Depending on the state you’re in, your business may be on the verge of reopening and may be facing some significant challenges. Or perhaps you were an essential business and have been open the whole time, but sales were (obviously) much lower than usual. In either event, jumping back in, reconnecting with your customers and presenting products and solutions to meet their needs and jumpstart your sales will be crucial.

by Diana L. Martin

This is the time of year when I like to showcase new products. Our 2020 catalog has been out for a month or so and it’s full of great items!

Today I’d like to show you two items in the markerboard arena. Markerboards may not be the most exciting thing in your office, but they’re pretty much a necessity - even for home offices - and when something new comes along, we want to give you first look at it.

"Is there something that I can use to put brochures or magazines in a binder without punching them - and so that you can read them?  I don't want a sheet protector.  Don't they make something like this? What's it called and where do I find it?"

by Diana L. Martin

It's here....................that dreaded time of year when you have to tackle the year-end filing.  It doesn't matter whether you're a business or an individual - we all have to do it.  Tax records, employment records, investment records, etc.....

Lucky for you, I work for an office supply company so I can help you with this.  You have two basic choices available - storage drawer systems or individual storage boxes.  Step 1 is to decide which of those you want.

by Diana L. Martin

We recently added a new function to our site that I think you’re going to love. It’s called Shared Cart and it lets other people add items to a shopping cart that you created. This can be a great time saver - for one thing it eliminates the need for requisition forms. Just think - no more collecting requests from employees and no more stacks of requests on your desk to be reviewed. (Or does your computer look like this after everyone leaves you notes with their needs?)

Meetings are a regular part of the office environment. You may like them or you may hate them, but they are a fact of office life. Are you and your staff getting the most out of yours? If not, it’s time to get organized and get the right tools to make your meetings more effective.

Audio visual equipment plays a large part in the meeting equation.

Every business needs to mail larger envelopes and packages - some of us more frequently than others - and it can be frustrating and annoying when you don’t have the right size box or padded mailer for the item you need to send.

3M has introduced a new product that it says eliminates the need for boxes, styrofoam/padding, tape and envelopes. It’s called Flex and Seal Shipping Roll and it’s composed of three layers - an outer waterproof layer, a middle bubble layer and the inside adhesive layer.

June is National Safety Month. There are oodles of ways to keep employees safe at work - which ones come to mind first for you? Probably fire extinguishers, wet floor signs and safety goggles. Excellent choices! But I’d like you to think a little ….. simpler.

It’s been almost two years since we introduced our new online custom stamp ordering site and we’ve received a lot of great compliments on the site from those of you who are using it. We love hearing your feedback - thank you for sending it to us!

Two common questions we get are: 1) How do I get to the site? and 2) Why doesn’t it recognize me when I try to login on the checkout page? Give me just a few minutes of your time and I’ll answer those for you - it’s super easy.

May is Enjoy Your Work month and in our weekly eblasts we’ve been featuring items to make your work life better - and fun! Fun office supplies, breakroom treats, cool tech, comfy seating and more.

Today I’d like to show you the ChargeTech Power Table.

Normally I write about items you can use in your office, but the product I’m reviewing today is more for you to use in your personal life. I suppose you could use it if you travel for work and need to transport samples and such.

Introducing the Velcro Brand StayHold Cargo Holder.

Did I pique your curiosity with that title? I hope so!

There are many options when it comes to dry-erase boards. You can get the basic melamine, or go to steel, porcelain on steel, porcelain or glass. Choose from economy grade, extensive use or heavy use. Do you need magnetic? Wood frame or aluminum frame? And what size?

Ay, yi, yi!

Well, guess what? Now you don’t need a dry-erase board to have a dry-erase board in your office! How does that work, you ask?

This month our theme is “Lean, Mean and Green!” and we’re featuring eco-friendly and recycled products.

Of course, the starting point (if you haven’t already done it) is to get recycling bins for your office. There are indoor ones for desk and kitchen, outdoor styles, color coded options, plastic ones, stainless steel ones - just tons of options. Start by getting your office organized and make sure everyone knows where the bins are and what they’re for. Then arrange for a service to pick up your recyclables weekly.

You’re off to a great start!

No, that’s not what I meant. (Shame on you!)

If your business handles cash, you are constantly on guard for counterfeit bills. Forgers are coming up with new methods all the time and you need to be diligent in your efforts to protect your business. We’re all familiar with the counterfeit detector pens, but those only tell you whether the bill is on genuine U.S. currency paper. UV lights will show you other features of genuine bills, giving you added protection. There are several counterfeit detector products available that offer UV light and I’d like to showcase two of those products today.

If you’re a regular reader, you know that I’m a geek for writing instruments. Well, today I’d like to show you two items - both of which claim to solve some significant problems for you. Will they earn fame or shame? Read on to find out!

First up is the Zebra PM 701 Permanent Marker.

Like it or not (I know many of you don’t), our world is technology-based. And technology moves at a very rapid pace. New inventions, faster speeds, networks, routers, more bells and whistles………………….honestly, it can make your head spin sometimes.

But it can also help your business run more efficiently.