Staples Expands into Business-to-Business Services Market
Staples, the well-known office supply retailer, is making a bold move into the business-to-business services market. The company has recently launched Staples Technology Solutions, a comprehensive portfolio of data center, print, and managed services aimed at small businesses and enterprises. Joe Kalinoski, Vice President of Finance for Staples Technology Solutions, expressed confidence in their new initiative, stating that it will offer competitive pricing and a great services story for customers.
Staples Technology Solutions includes a range of offerings such as access to certified specialists for various technology areas, server and desktop support for different platforms, printer fleet management, and data center assessments. The company aims to provide a one-stop solution for office products, print solutions, and managed IT services.
While Staples Technology Solutions does not carry enterprise-class servers or storage products, it can provide the necessary infrastructure to run a data center. Thad Coming, Regional Sales Director for Staples Technology Solutions, emphasized their ability to offer racks, cooling, heating, and power.
For small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) with 10 to 250 employees, Staples can serve as a fully managed, outsourced IT department. Jim Lippie, Vice President of Staples Network Services, highlighted their flexibility in working with organizations that already have internal IT departments or providing a complete solution that includes managed IT services and onsite support.
To ensure successful implementation of their services, Staples plans to leverage managed services platforms from N-able Technologies and Kaseya. Additionally, the company intends to collaborate with solution providers for service implementations. Staples has an existing relationship with OnForce for partner services engagements.
While nationwide services coverage has had limited success in the past, Staples is confident in its ability to deliver with its own badged employees and partners. The company aims to provide a local touch with national reach, leveraging its understanding of small businesses as it once started as a small business itself.
Staples will face the challenge of winning services from local providers, but it believes its brand recognition and existing customer base will give it an advantage. Bob Laliberte, Senior Analyst at Enterprise Strategy Group, noted that smaller solution providers may even consider partnering with Staples to benefit from its brand credibility.
Overall, Staples Technology Solutions is poised to make a significant impact in the business-to-business services market, offering a wide range of services and leveraging its established brand to attract customers.