VIP Royal Treatment

Office World News, Mar/Apr 2005 by Ellis, Alicia

After 30 years, customer service & industry advocacy is the key

in 1975, Dianne Norton opened VIP Printing & Office Supply in the small town of Hinesville, GA. Located just southwest of Savannah and bordering Fort Stewart Army Base, VIP spent many years servicing the base as well as area residents and businesses. After acquiring a furniture dealership seven years ago, the company renamed itself VIP Total Office Solutions.

Looking back at 30 years of business under Norton's tutelage, much has happened: VIP's growth was tremendous; the company's product line and services were expanded; it developed an online presence for its customers; established a remanufactured toner/inkjet cartridges division; and most recently added an office furniture showroom.

Although business is booming today with a $1.5 million sales increase last year alone - things were not always as good. In 2002, when the army awarded a Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) to the Big Box players, VIP lost 25 percent of its business...overnight. According to President Barbara Pilkinton, VIP shifted its focus from government to commercial accounts relatively quickly and wound up increasing business by 10 percent in 2003.

"If it were not for Dianne and her forward thinking, I don't think we would have accomplished quite as much in the same timeframe," said Pilkinton. "Dianne is the driving force behind our long-term vision and her planning and dedication to the way we service our customers has enabled VIP to continue its success over the years."

Having the foresight to attract commercial accounts at a time when many businesses were becoming disillusioned with the Big Box promises of superior pricing and service, VIP's contract business grew to more than 70 percent of its total sales. That said, when NOPA announced its intention to take the BPA battle for the independents to Washington, VIP threw its support behind NOPA, becoming an active member and recruiting for events such as the annual NOPA Legislative & Government Procurement Conference (see story p. 28). You get back what you put in. When the U.S. Department of the Army awarded the estimated $100 million BPA for office supplies to independent dealers last year, VIP was one of the 15 dealers given the contract.

"We not only got the opportunity to service our long-term customers at Ft. Stewart," said Pilkinton, "we can now service the entire U.S. Army."

To handle this, VIP has increased its sales force to 13 people with four dedicated federal sales specialists and four outside sales reps. Telephone sales specialists and service specialists ensure that customers of all sizes receive superior service. And, not to forget its hometown crowd, VIP sends out a quarterly newsletter with coupons, tips and services.

Almost 30 percent of VIP's orders are processed through its website (www.vipoffice.com). This figure is expected to increase when VIP introduces its redesigned site that will offer improved ordering capabilities and incorporate a 360degree view of the new furniture showroom.

"While technology is responsible for the greatest changes in our industry over the past five years, the desire for responsive customer service has come full circle," said Charlene Parlett, VIP marketing manager. "Our people are our most valuable asset. We hire the very best people we can find, and they, in turn, provide outstanding service that gives us a competitive edge over our competitors."

VIP insists that a person, not an automated phone system, answer each phone call received during normal business hours. Customers receive friendly, helpful service by trained and dedicated people who know the business, she said.

"In fact," said Parlett, "the majority of our new accounts come from referrals. We take care of our employees and they take care of us."

DEALERprofile

* Company: VIP Total Office Solutions

* Location: Hinesville, Georgia

* Established: 1975

* Employees: 40

* Customers: Retail (13 percent]

Government (34 percent)

Contract (53 percent)

* Product Mix: Traditional (55 percent)

Furniture (40 percent)

Printing (5 percent)

* Annual Sales: $ 7.5 million

* URL: www.vipoffice.com