Published In:
Stationery News Date Published:
2nd February 2004 Author:
Michael Leader
The Victorian Bar, a Melbourne based barristers association, reduced its stationery supplies by 21 per cent and consolidated supplies thanks to independent help from consultants Expense Reduction Analysts (ERA).
ERA, which has been increasing its reputation in the marketplace for being an independent cost analysis company, does not charge if no savings can be found.
The Victorian Bar was dealing with five OP suppliers, and reduced it to a single source model. Boise Cascade picked up the contract, a result of its pricing and service, according to the Bar.
"I had wanted to consolidate our stationery needs for quite some time in terms of the suppliers we used and the processes, so that we could cut down the costs and reduce the number of different stock items orderd in," commented the Bar's executive director, David Bremner.
"ERA's role was to guide us through the rationalisation process and get the job done faster and more efficiently then we could inhouse due to the usual time constraints."
Single source supply and cost reductions have been major selling points for companies like Boise and Corpoate Express Australia, and what was a loss for other dealers and the stationery industry - turned out to be a win for the number two in size national dealer.
ERA also monitored the relationship between the Bar and Boise for an initial period to ensure that both parties are working effectively together.
ERA charges 50 per cent of the savings achieved to its clients, and is the world's largest and best-known cost management and procurement consultancy with offices in over 20 countries around the world, including New Zealand.
