Spicers, European wholesaler of office products, has launched its online resource Knowledge on Demand. The third module within its click-n-print tool, Knowledge on Demand provides a centralised resource for product information and the latest marketing tools from manufacturers, to ensure dealers have the most up-to-date solutions to help them sell. Knowledge on Demand currently features six brands – 3M, Pentel, BIC, Nestle Professional, Tetley and Esselte. Dealers can view key facts on the manufacturer, and then drill down by product areas into specific items including product guides, web banners, ‘how to sell’ advice, product images, links back to product microsites and the relevant pages from the Spicers catalogue as an easily downloadable and printable PDF.
 
David Richardson, Sales Manager, Stationery Division at BIC, says: “Knowledge on Demand is a great resource for any dealer’s sales people. It provides a wide range of category information beyond what is in the catalogue, such as how to sell guides and the benefits to their customer of trading up to a better product. This acts as a learning resource for newer sales people, as well as helping with ongoing sales and promotions. As everyone knows, the stationery category can be seen as complex and the portal will truly help the office products sales person become a trusted expert and advisor to their customers, rather than simply an order taker.”
 
As well as product information, Knowledge on Demand allows dealers to view the latest promotions on each listed product. Due to the integration with click-n-print, email and print flyers can then quickly and easily be produced and sent to customers. A new message board function means Spicers can leave targeted messages for dealers, making them aware of relevant promotions and updated product sections.
 
Jane Rowe, Marketing & Communications Director of Spicers UK, comments: “It is very important for dealers to have the correct and most up-to-date information at hand when selling products. There is so much content available in the market but it is time consuming for dealers to find the information they need. Knowledge on Demand provides a central resource; for manufacturers it ensures all dealers are equipped with the right tools and knowledge to help increase their sales, and for dealers it gives fully searchable information and marketing tools by vendor, category or keyword to help them revive their marketing and keep web pages and collateral refreshed and relevant.”  
 
Knowledge on Demand is available now to existing click-n-print customers for no extra cost. Spicers will be adding product information from more manufacturers throughout the year. Spicers’ click-n-print tool: http://www.click-n-print.co.uk
 
About Spicers
Spicers is a wholesaler of office products, focused on helping resellers of every size and type build successful businesses. Owned by FTSE250 listed DS Smith Plc, Spicers UK has grown to a business with a turnover of well over £300 million, successfully maintaining its vision of being ‘exclusively wholesale’. In addition to supplying a vast product range of over 18,000 stock lines, Spicers has also invested in a number of new categories such as EOS and facilities management products to enable dealers to continue to build their businesses in today’s challenging economic environment. www.spicers.co.uk

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