What is a print and office audit and how can it benefit my business?

When it comes to business decisions what goes on the office stationery list or whether to print 200 or 500 new brochures could be seen as a fairly minor choices. However, if left unchecked print and stationery costs can spiral out of control and see you creating unnecessary waste in the business.

A quick audit of your current processes can save you time and money by helping to get your purchases on track.

Simple changes will have a big impact and not only save you money but help to streamline your processes to make things more efficient.

But how does an audit really work, and could it benefit your business? We find out what it all means so you can make an informed decision.

How an audit works

At LG Davis we are passionate about making sure every customer gets the very best service. It is why we offer regular free audits to existing and new customers. But what does that actually mean? How does an audit work?

A good audit should evaluate what you are currently spending across all your supplies and look at how you could make changes to improve your purchases.

It isn’t just about saving money and doing things cheaper. It should be about making sure you are getting the very best value and whether there is a better way of doing things. Are there some things you are buying too often? Could you streamline your deliveries by combining orders?

An audit looks at everything you purchase and do, and how you can make sure you are getting the very most out of every part of the business.

The LG Davis way

LG Davis has been carrying out audits for its customers for over 60 years and our experienced team will always look for ways to make sure that you are getting the very best value.

One of our team will sit down with you and go through all your existing print and office supplies costs and purchases. We look at where you are buying items from, how much they cost to be delivered, how often you buy and what you use.

We then look at how you could make simple tweaks or changes to your orders to make sure you are getting the very best value both in terms of cost and quality.

Take the time to get to know what you actually need

We work with you to look at whether you could update your printing choices. Are you using the right paper, size, finishes. Are there better options? Have newer techniques come out that mean you could be doing something differently? Are all your printed materials co-ordinated? Are your colours and styles aligned?

If you have always done something a particular way chances are there might be a more efficient way now. Print technology changes rapidly so it is important to keep up to date with techniques and processes.

Remove duplication

Then we review what you are ordering compared to what you are using. Do you have lots of items left over or continually run out of others?

Have your stationery or print requirements changed recently? Have you taken on new orders which mean that it might be better to look at things in a different way?

Simplify the process

Once we know what you need and why we look at how we can make the whole ordering process easier. By combining invoices in to one convenient monthly bill it means that you have all the details in one place.

No more chasing around and multiple orders. One delivery charge, and we can even offer storage services so you can benefit from bulk buying products all in one go but only get the items as and when you need them.

Only change what you want

Once we have a clear picture of your spending and requirements, we then present you with all the information so that you can make an informed decision.

There is no need to change things if you don’t want to. It is all about having all the information so you can make an informed decision. We will offer suggestions and use our knowledge to point out how you might want to do things differently knowing what your aims and requirements are. Whether that is right for you is up to you.

Is an audit necessary though, will it make that much of a difference?

It may seem like a simple thing that wouldn’t make much of a difference, but we have found customers have not only saved money but simplified their ordering to cut down staff time spent on admin tasks all while streamlining their print and office purchases. Here are just some of the benefits:

1. Cut out unwanted spending

It is only by reviewing what you are spending on that you can identify where savings can be made. Often print and stationery supplies are purchased from multiple sources in different departments making it very difficult to get a full picture without carrying out a quick evaluation.

2. Reduce waste

If your orders are set up on repeat chances are you aren’t taking stock of what you actually need. Businesses are continually evolving and changing which means what is needed can also change. Regular reviews help to make sure that resources are being spent in the right places and that essential items aren’t missed or forgotten.

3. Create one order to reduce delivery costs and delays

One of the easiest ways to simplify print and office supplies is to put everything under one supplier. By bringing everything together it helps to reduce the risk of duplication and limits the need for multiple orders and deliveries. An audit can identify which supplier, if any, can offer all your products at the best rate. Don’t forget to factor in delivery costs and admin time when working out savings. Multiple suppliers mean more staff time spent placing orders and paying invoices.

4. Free up staff time for other tasks

Nobody wants to spend hours chasing orders and paying invoices. An audit can help to identify inconsistencies across your business and work out how to streamline your processes. Regular reviews make sure that actions aren’t being duplicated and staff time is being used as productively as possible.

5. Re-evaluate print needs to update finishes

It is easy to get into a pattern of just repeating orders without re-evaluating whether it is the best option for you. A regular audit helps you to relook at what you are actually ordering. Are there different techniques or finishes that would be better? Could your print or office supplies be changed to offer more efficiencies? Has your business changed, do your marketing materials still match your brand? Are there errors that need changing?

An audit does not need to be time consuming, and it can make sure that your business is running as smoothly as possible. Left unchecked stationery and print can easily go off track. Pencil time in the diary each year to review your choices and make sure that everything is working as efficiently as it can be.

When was the last time you took stock of your stationery and print spending? Why not find out about our free no obligation audits?

We do the hard work to give you everything you need to know about how your business is performing. Most clients see substantial savings and find out that little changes could make a big difference

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Don’t carry on blindly find out how you can get the most out of your print and stationery supplies today. Call our friendly sales team on 0121 430 9000 or email sales@lgdsolutions.com for more information.