RECYCLER OF THE YEAR FOR 2ND YEAR RUNNING!

For the second year in succession, Reading based company Frasers Office Supplies Ltd were crowned Cartridge Recycler of the Year at a national industry awards conference. They beat off competition from hundreds of other regional and countrywide office supplies companies to claim the title once again.

In 2010 Frasers led the way by collecting 6123 used printer toners and cartridges free of charge from customers and businesses in the Thames Valley region. In 2011 they increased that number by more than 1000 with a final total collected in the year being 7128. If all these empty cartridges were placed end-to-end, the line would stretch over 5 ½ times around the new Olympic running track in London!

Frasers Managing Director, Alan Fraser, commented: “We’re delighted to have won this award for the second year in succession and have all our efforts recognised. Promoting “green” practices and helping our customers reduce their impact on the environment is an important part of our business - cartridge recycling is at the centre of our initiatives.”

Who are you trusting with your waste?

As part of the ongoing environmental commitment by Frasers, last year the company became an Environment Agency Registered Waste Carrier, as required by laws introduced in October 2011. This means that customers can rest assured any used cartridges are being collected, transported and recycled responsibly. 

Businesses have a legal Duty of Care under Section 34 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, which means that anyone from producers, carriers and disposers of waste must ensure that:

• Waste is transferred only to an authorised person such as a local authority, a registered carrier or a licensed disposer
• Waste is not illegally disposed of or dealt with without a license or in breach of a license or in a way that causes pollution or harm
• Waste does not escape from a person’s control

Breaches in this duty of care can result in fines of up to £5000

 

 Frasers maintains its support of closed loop recycling by returning used cartridges to ERS Europe – the market leader in recycling empties and each year donates all profits from rebates directly to local charities.

Frasers continue to collect used printer toners and cartridges as well used batteries free of charge. Thames Valley businesses are always welcome to join the initiative and should contact Frasers directly.

To find out more about Frasers Office Supplies environmental initiatives visit: www.frasersoffice.co.uk

FRASERS SPONSOR LOCAL NETBALL LEAGUE FOR THIRD YEAR

Frasers continue sponsorship of Reading & District Netball League - from November 2011 into 2012

We are proud to support the local community with renewal of sponsorship of the Reading & District Netball League, for the third year in succession.

The valuable sponsorship that Frasers provide allows the league to continue to run netball across four divisions, allowing over 300 netballers between the ages of 14 and 50 to enjoy the game.

Frasers Sales & Marketing Director, Nick Clark, said, “We believe it is important for local businesses to give something back to the community and we are really pleased to be able to continue our support of the local netball league.” The commitment was recently made official with the presentation of a cheque to the League Vice Chairman, Jennie Underwood and President, Carol Hutchings.

Anyone wishing to get into netball can visit the RDNL website at www.rdnl.moonfruit.com

Frasers Office Supplies Ltd

Tel: 0118 9 310 310

www.frasersoffice.co.uk

www.frasersinteriors.co.uk

sales@frasersoffice.co.uk 

READING EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT & BENEFIT EXPO

Come and see Frasers at the Employee Engagement & Benefit Expo at Reading Town Hall on Wednesday 30 November 2011 (between 9am and 5pm)

We've got some great Fellowes Ergonomic products on show to help you create comfortable workstations and working environments for your employees. Plus we've got a FREE PRIZE DRAW to win a Fellowes Shredder.

Register for FREE ENTRY to the Expo here

How many of your employees are suffering from MSDs (musculoskeletal disorders)?

MSDs account for nearly half (49%) of all absences from work and 60% of permanent work incapacity in the EU. The estimated cost to society in Europe is up to £210 billion every year, with 100 million European citizens suffering from the misery of MSDs*

If a computer workstation has not been assessed and adapted for the user's needs, there's every possibility that the individual will be working with poor posture, often resulting in complaints such as back pain, upper body pain and repetitive strain injuries.

Ergonomic products such as foot suppots, wrist supports, back supports and monitor risers can help to provide the adaptation that many users need while working at their computer.

Come along to the expo and learn more about what you should be doing to help your employees achieve the comfort and support they need at their workstation. ITS THE LAW!

* Source: an EU-wide study by the Work Foundation

Frasers Office Supplies Ltd, Reading, Berkshire

Tel: 0118 950 9222

Email: sales@frasersoffice.co.uk

www.frasersoffice.co.uk

www.frasersinteriors.co.uk

Don't slip up this winter!

Now that winter is upon us, it's time to think about safety in and around the workplace during the colder spells. 

With nearly 11,000 people being seriously injured every year due to a slip, trip or fall, companies have a serious responsibility to do more for their employees. Not only should companies get all their winter essentials, but there are some simple things to consider:

Ice & snow:

Quite obviously most people are aware how hazardous these can be. Employers should be prepared for any sudden drop in temperatures or changes in the weather and have stocks of salt/grit and snow shovels readily available before it snows or becomes icy. Car parks and pathways should be cleared of deep snow and salted to provide a clear passage into and out of buildings. This must also include fire escapes and emergency exits.

Rain water: 

The Health & Safety Executive (HSE) say that most accidents happen due to employees running into their workplace with wet shoes onto a surface that then becomes slippery when wet. Absorbent rugs or carpet will help to eliminate this problem, as will prominent warning and advice signs. Encourage employees to stick to paths rather than wet grass when crossing outside areas.

Wet leaves:

These can be as slippery as ice and people often don't realise. Also, a heavy covering of leaves on pathways can also hide hazards, such as uneven surfaces. Paths need to be swept clear regularly to avoid these dangers.

Heating:

Often taken for granted and not usually considered a hazard is building temperature. Most employers generally provide a workplace that is suitably heated in winter and either cooled or ventilated in the summer. But is must be remembered that cold stress can easily occur in offices where employees are not active. The HSE recommends a working temperature of no less than 16 degrees C for inactive employees and 13 deg C for constantly active workers.

Work vehicles:

Ideally, all company vehicles - cars, vans, trucks, buses etc. should have a winter service. All should be prepared with anti-freeze, good tyres, all lights working and generally maintained to prevent breakdowns and problems. After all, a fleet that remains mobile is earning the business money, rather than costing it money that could easily have been saved.

Don't leave it too late

Too many employers slip up at winter time because they are not adequately prepared. Now is the time get stocks of salt or grit, snow shovels, de-icers and window scrapers. If you haven't got yours yet then click here to get all your winter essentials. Or call Frasers on 0118 9 310 310, email sales@frasersoffice.co.uk

 

The customer is always right… or are they?

Publicly, “the customer is always right” may be the proper concept to follow. After all, people have built businesses on making customers happy. That being said, there are instances when the customer is not always right. Sometimes the expectations of consumers is so far beyond the pale that anything the company does to try to please them will be met with grumbles and complaints.

Some customers want to pay a price far below what is fair, perhaps even below the cost to the seller. Other customers might abuse the firm's employees or asks the supplier to do something that is unethical or even violates the law. These customers are definitely not right.

(A customer looking for printer cartridges)

Supplier: “Good afternoon, how can I help you”

Customer: “I need a black and white ink cartridge.”

Supplier: *joking* “Well, we’re out of black and white ink. How about black and clear?”

Customer: “No! I really need the white ink!”

The majority of customers simply want value 

They want their products or services to do what it says it will do – and do it reliably. It is easier than ever with the online age for unhappy customers to make very public their complaint or dissatisfaction – through text, images, video and social media, instantly and for free for the world to see. Imagine you're in line at a busy supermarket and you're wondering why they don't open up the empty cash registers surrounding you – with smartphone in hand, you're just an infuriated tweet away from telling everyone you know (and many you don’t know) all about the failings and inadequacies of that retailer, as you see them.

Customer: “Hi there. Uh, I was wondering, do you have any pads?”

Retailer: “Do you mean iPads?”

Customer: “Yeah pads, iPads, whatever. Can you show me where they are?”

Retailer: “Certainly. Are you interested in the iPad or the iPad 2?”

Customer: “Wait… so, does that mean I use the iPad at day and the iPad 2 at night?”

The concept of building relationships

One of the most powerful concepts in business is customer-supplier relationships. By working together for common goals, a far better result for both customers and suppliers can be created. When we understand that neither the customer nor supplier is always right, we can find far better solutions far better and these solutions need not be compromises. True partnering leads to win-win solutions.

Supplier: “Sir, can I help you?”

Customer: “I need a cable.”

Supplier: “Ok, what kind of cable do you need?”

Customer: “Uhm…. a cable. USB? I need to hook up a computer.”

Supplier: “Here are our USB cables, but could you be a little more specific?”

Customer: *getting angry* “These are not what I need at all! I need a cable! Are you deaf? I need a C-A-B-L-E. I need one for my computer.”

Supplier: “Sir, there are a lot of cables, if you could tell me what kind of thing you were trying to hook up?”

Customer: “Is there anyone else on the floor that can help me!? Maybe one of the computer guys? You’re obviously too stupid to understand.”

Supplier: “Sir, I am the only one on the floor at the moment and I am trying my best to help you find your cable.”

Customer: “Miss, why don’t you go back to the registers where you belong and bring me a computer guy?”

Supplier: “Sir, I am the tech person and would be happy to help you find your cable. Could you show me an example of what you mean?”

(The customer, extremely agitated, goes to a display computer.)

Customer: This is what I wanted! A cable!”

Supplier: “You mean a keyboard?”

Customer: “Um…yes.” 

Focus on customer service

"Delivering Happiness" and the concepts behind it are about focusing on customer service and not about the customer always being right. Saying you are going to give someone a WOW experience means that you're going to be creative and going above-and-beyond to give a positive lasting impression. In many ways, it's about moving beyond a concept of right/wrong.

You should always listen to your customers, but the customer is not always right.

www.frasersoffice.co.uk for all your office stationery and office supplies
www.frasersinteriors.co.uk for all your office furniture and interiors

Welcome to the Frasers Office Supplies Blog!

We hope that you find this new blog entertaining, informative and maybe occasionally humorous. 

We're not just going to talk about office supplies - we hope we can bring you a whole host of interesting subjects and amusing stories. Our aim is to not only keep you in the picture with what's new for your workplace, but also what's going on with Frasers, our region and anything else we think is fun and of general daily interest.

Coming up...

Is the customer always right?

Winter's coming... are you ready?

Be careful who you trust with your waste!

Is your keyboard as dirty as 300 toilet seats??? 

Thanks for joining us. Make sure you come back and visit us again soon! 

www.frasersoffice.co.uk for all your office stationery and office supplies
www.frasersinteriors.co.uk for all your office furniture and interiors