by Diana L. Martin

Shipping products presents various challenges, depending on the item. Most people think of fragile items or liquids when they’re thinking about items that need special care in packaging, but really all items need to be packed securely to prevent damage. Let’s face it - carriers are not exactly gentle on packages.

Occupational wellness speaks to a person’s ability to balance work and life in a healthy way that promotes satisfaction personally and professionally. Whether it’s engaging in work that motivates you, having a strong sense of work/life balance, or collaborating well with your coworkers, occupational wellness can come in many forms. Here are a few ways to improve your own occupational wellness so you can make the most of your career.

by Diana L. Martin

The Green Movement has been around for a lot longer than most people realize. It actually has its roots in Europe and has been active in the United States since at least the time of the Industrial Revolution, although most people here probably think it began in 1970 with the first Earth Day celebration.

Many of you are concerned about environmentally friendly and safe office products, especially as it concerns janitorial/cleaning supplies.

by Kim Schroeder

When contemplating commercial carpeting for your business, there are some things that need to be considered before buying. For example, what type of business do you have, and what kind of foot traffic comes through on a daily basis? The answers to these questions will determine what type of carpeting you will need to install.

Commercial carpeting is durable and intended for heavy traffic. It is designed to last a long time and has stain-resistant properties to make it do so.

by Diana L. Martin

Anyone who knows me well will tell you that I’m a very particular person. Actually, they may say persnickety, finicky or fussy. Personally, I think exacting, meticulous or discriminating are better adjectives. When I find something I like I don’t like having to make substitutions. Consequently, the whole pandemic situation is not good for people like me - especially in the grocery store!

Supply chain issues exist everywhere, in every industry, and it’s just getting worse. If you’re like me and are brand loyal, you’re probably a bit frustrated.

by Alex Plachta

Customized shirts and jackets are a fun way to give your employees something practical to represent their company. Personally, I feel more professional wearing my Office Express gear and it gives me some zero thought outfits to wear to work, which is always good! Not every promotional item gets good use and I think apparel has as good a chance as any to be used and appreciated.

by Diana L. Martin

IT’S BACK!!! Have you seen it?

You’ve been asking for the ability to pay your invoices online ever since we switched to our new website in 2021 and we’re happy to announce that the feature is finally back! You can now pay your outstanding invoices online with a credit card.

It’s super simple. The Pay Invoices function is located on your Dashboard. Here’s a quick tutorial. Click on any of the images to enlarge them.

by Diana L. Martin

At Office Express, our passion is you - our customers. We’re constantly striving to give you the best service possible and the driving question is, “What more can we do for our customers?”

Running a business is hard work and requires an enormous amount of time and energy - and legal red tape. We can now help make that a little easier for you with the addition of notary services.

Lunch and Learn programs have become the latest trend to take over the world of office culture, particularly due to the potential benefits they can offer. From decreasing turnover and boosting employee morale to encouraging teamwork, here’s why Lunch and Learns may be the right fit for your organization.

by Diana L. Martin

Here we are at last. The final installment of the totally epic series "How to Choose an Office Supply Vendor." The series that has overtaken Harry Potter as the most read of all time! The one that has had you riveted to your seat!

Just kidding.

No, really...I'm kidding.

Seriously.

(Yeah, like you really thought I was serious.) So anyway, we've arrived at the last of my topics - Payment Terms and Refunds. I think I'll work backward here and start with the refunds.

by Diana L. Martin

Hello again!

I know what you're thinking. You're talking back to your monitor right now wondering what took me so long to get to this point. Well, if you've been following this series, hopefully you've started to realize that there are many things to consider when choosing an office products vendor - not just one. People put too much emphasis on that one thing. But it is there, and we do need to talk about it, so here we go.

Let's discuss the dreaded . . .

P R I C I N G

by Diana L. Martin

So here we are on Part 4 of my current series - How to Choose an Office Supply Vendor. Today we’ll look at ease of ordering.

There are lots of things to discuss on this topic and I’ll start with the most basic question - "How many ways can I order with your company?"

Believe it or not, there are companies out there that don't take phone orders. Or fax orders. Uh huh. All orders have to be placed online. Friendly, eh?

by Diana L. Martin

Welcome back! The next thing to consider in your search for an office supply vendor is products and delivery.

PRODUCTS

A big question here is: Does the supplier carry the items you purchase regularly?

Ideally, the answer is yes. A good office supply vendor will carry a vast array of items - not just typical office supplies like paper, writing instruments and binder clips. Can your company buy its basic supplies, ink and toner, electronics, furniture, breakroom and janitorial supplies all from the same vendor? What about specialty supplies? Make a list of your frequently ordered items and verify that the supplier carries them. If not, are you willing to switch brands? A good supplier will offer multiple name brand and generic ("house brand") items to choose from. Also, is the supplier willing and able to special order items for you?

by Valerie Glander

NeoCon was back for 2021! The annual commercial design show features the latest trends and newest products from furniture manufacturers and finish vendors across the industry. Furniture trends continue to show softer designs, quite literally. Velvet was featured everywhere! Soft curves, warm colors in furnishings created inviting and comfortable spaces in our vendors’ showrooms. Keep scrolling to see some of our favorite things!

by Diana L. Martin

Everyone has had bad customer service experiences - some worse than others. I know I've had many, many more than I care to remember. Customer service is a fundamental part of any business and should be one of your top priorities when selecting an office products vendor - or, for that matter, any other supplier.

Usually people start with price when evaluating suppliers, and we’ll get to that in a future blog, but customer service before, during and after the sale is extremely important. Can you call and speak with a live person or are you limited only to email or chat? Does the supplier hide their phone number on their website? Is their phone tree endless? Do they have knowledgeable representatives with industry experience who can answer your questions or are they outsourced (usually overseas) and reading off a script? Do they even offer customer service?

by Alex Plachta

This sounds like a more complicated topic than it really is - I promise! This article is intended to give a functional understanding to a casual person who needs to order print but does not have a graphic design background. It will not provide any ground-breaking information to someone with design experience!

Basically, file type is important because certain files may not translate well to physical printed products even if they look alright on your computer screen. These files (known as raster images) and their images are made up of many individual color pixels

Did you know that hiking can have physical and emotional benefits? If your organization is looking to fuel productivity and develop leaders, hiking may just be the answer. Here are just a few potential benefits to consider.

by Diana L. Martin

Go to any office product supplier's website and read their blog and you'll undoubtedly find a post about how to choose an office products supplier. They'll talk about price, selection, ordering, brands, delivery, etc. And they'll always give you reasons why they're the best choice. So ..............here you are reading my blog post titled "How to Choose an Office Supply Vendor" ......................and I'm not going to be that much different. I mean, really - you don't expect me to recommend someone else, do you?

Yes, in this and subsequent "parts" I will discuss those topics - and others- but I'm going to start today with one that everybody else seems to forget. And yes, I'm going to tell you that Office Express is great at it - because we are. That topic is:

by Diana L. Martin

I don't belong to any warehouse clubs because I refuse to pay someone for the privilege of shopping in their store. You will make your money off of me when I buy your products at the register - I am not going to pay you just for the ability to walk through your door. I have so many loyalty/member card key fobs on my auto key ring that I think the key ring weighs more than I do! But they're all free cards - if someone tries to sell me a card, I always decline. <deep breath> But I digress. Let me climb off my soapbox now and get to the real point of today's topic.

Positive affirmations, otherwise known as mantras are statements that can provide encouragement and motivation for yourself or others. While they can be used in every facet of life, mantras in the workplace can offer a tremendous amount of benefits, from improving confidence to overcoming negative habits. Here are just some of the ways positive affirmations can transform your mindset at work.