According to a report from Access Markets International (AMI) Partners, small-to-medium businesses (SMBs) have reported that they are turning to all sorts of cost-cutting measures in the wake of the current economic crisis. Thankfully for all those worried about their jobs, the report has shown that businesses have been able to significantly reduce their costs by trimming the often high price of printing and office supplies:

Reducing office supplies and printing costs is simpler to implement than other cost reductions, and the benefits can be immediate since all employees can play a part in reducing this line-item expense, the report found. The findings were released in an AMI study titled ‘Printing During the Downturn: How the Recession Has Created A Significant Printing Opportunity.

Due to their greater touch points and exposure, Medium Businesses (companies with 100 to 999 employees) are likely to be more negatively affected by the downturn and have initiated more cost cutting plans compared to Small Businesses (companies with 1 to 99 employees),” said New York-based AMI analyst Melissa Chong. “In a recent internal study, 77 percent of U.S. MBs and 47 percent of U.S. SBs, respectfully acknowledged that their company has taken measures to reduce office supplies and printing costs.”

While some see this as bad news for vendors of printing and office supplies, I can’t help but think of it as a solid opportunity for a small or medium business to form a relationship with a low-cost online vendor of office supplies. Through a combination of bulk ordering products to get the most value for their money and receiving helpful service to make sure the supplies and equipment they do have are being used effectively and efficiently, a small indpendent retailer can offer the small business more in the way of cost-saving measures than a huge conglomerate or a big-box retailer.

Once again, it all comes down to value vs. price. A lot of companies are only focused on getting the lowest price on office products, and that’s understandable considering the current economic climate. However, once companies start realizing that the most important thing for a small business is to receive the most possible value for every dollar they do spend, I think we’ll see a massive shift toward value-driven companies that provide a level of service and commitment that is usually not thought of as “standard” in such a profit-driven industry. I’m proud to be a part of just such a company.