Gone are the days when offices would primarily run on files, folders, papers, and pens. Those were the days when technology, particularly computers had not invaded office environments – meaning, most of the work was still done manually and not digitally.
With the advent of computers, digitization of the office space has happened and to this day, a modern office is primarily digital. Having said that, the office supplies business is still vibrant as it has successfully evolved over time, taking shape according to the needs of the modern office.
A leading example that effectively showcases how the office supplies business has evolved, is Office Crave. We recently interviewed them to better understand the evolution of the business and also to get a sneak peek into what the future looks like as far as the office supplies business is concerned. Read on to learn more.
Office supplies – key innovations
Below, we list some of the key innovations and changes that we expect to happen in the office supplies business in the near future.
1. Focus on eco-friendly products
With the increasing global outcry regarding rising pollution levels coupled with the growing awareness amongst corporates for protecting the environment – office supplies will tend to become more and more eco-friendly.
This would mean that the paper that you use at your office might be 100% recycled paper. Likewise, you might notice the reduction in the use of plastic as more and more corporates pledge towards reducing plastic usage globally.
IoT stands for the Internet of Things – a system of interrelated people, objects, and smart machines and devices that communicate with each other.
2. Smart devices and vending
With the advent of technologies such as IOT, AI, and ML, you will soon see these innovations reaching your humble office supplies. Imagine a scenario when you can print documents from your office printer while at home via IOT connected devices. Also, the printer would remember your preferred settings – color or black & white, etc.
Imagine cases in which vending machines become smarter. In a sense that they are stocked up automatically, avoiding any downtime for the employees, thereby making the employees more productive.
Besides product innovations, there would also be changes in how office supplies are getting distributed. It won’t be far-fetched to imagine a scenario when office supplies companies start delivering their products to corporates via drones. These drone deliveries would in-turn be linked to a central demand management system, which will automatically predict a low stock value and trigger the drone deliveries. Imagine how interesting and fascinating that would be!
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Robotics And Automation
Automation is rapidly spreading across all types of businesses. With robotics, full automation in offices is not far from happening. Robots and automation will change the way business operations are conducted and can be a game-changer. Business owners should consider automation when planning their future business practices.
Here’s how robotics and automation may change business operations:
- Cut Downtime And Reduce Waste: Robotics and automation have revolutionized the manufacturing sector by creating automated and more accurate processes that cut down on time and reduce waste.
- Improve Production: Robotic systems help reduce labor costs, increase efficiency, and improve production. Businesses have been able to implement robotics and automation in their daily operations, resulting in better results with greater profits.
- Create New Tools And Equipment: For now, you can take advantage of office clearance London sale for your office supplies and then embrace new tools and equipment that’ll be invented in the future. Robotic systems are being used in different applications, opening new opportunities for research in a variety of fields to create new devices, such as new production equipment, office tools, and even medical devices.
- Deliver Expected Results: When a robotic system is used for a particular purpose, the owner is assured that their system will deliver the results they expect. Business owners can concentrate on making the best decisions and can eliminate unnecessary distractions.
- Eliminate Stress On Repetitive Tasks: Human employees often become stressed and lose focus on the task at hand. Robotic systems eliminate such issues because they automate a number of repetitive tasks so that human employees can focus on one task.
- Create More Jobs: Robots and automation will improve the way that business operates because they’ll allow a business owner to spend more time focusing on the quality of the products that they create. Because they will help increase profits, these robotic systems will also create more jobs.
Potential game-changers
These are some of the major issues that we think would potentially be game-changers as we move forward. Usage of artificial intelligence would help in making Smart Vending Machines even more powerful and take the entire thing forward, and with the changes in the production and distribution channels, we are excited to see how the office supply industry moves forward in the new decade.
All in all, as technology gradually changes every aspect of how we live and interact with our environment, office supply companies would also catch up with the innovation and bring interesting products to us, delivered to us in innovative and personalized ways.
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