How to Order Office Supplies

As an administrative assistant, you are likely going to be in charge of ordering basic office supplies for your office and the other offices under your supervision. While this seems like a simple task, in reality it can get quite complicated and expensive if it is not properly monitored. The best way to order office supplies is to set up a system ahead of time that will enable you to keep track of usage and make sure you always have enough office supplies so that you do not run short at a critical juncture.

Step 1: Make a spreadsheet of all the office supplies that are currently in the office (or that should be)
This will help you track what you should be ordering. Anything that is missing, you should go ahead and order when you start this process. Once you have done this, then you can work these items into the regular ordering rotation. Include things like paper, pens, notepads, printer cartridges and any supplies specific to your individual business.

Step 2: Check supplies once a month
You will not need to order everything every month. However, checking your spreadsheet once a month against what is in the office will keep you abreast of what is running low, and what things do not need to be ordered again. For example, if you order a pack of 36 pens it is unlikely that these will all be used up by the end of one month. However, by checking monthly you will notice when there are only 5 left, and can order more before a shortage ensues. 
 

Step 3: Avoid superfluous items unless they are specifically requested
Often, you will find that while you are ordering office supplies a particular organizer, pencil holder or customized notebook becomes particularly attractive. In general, unless you have a specific need for the item or it has been requested by someone in the office, you should resist the temptation. These types of things end up collecting dust on shelves and can represent hundreds of dollars wasted in a budget.

Ordering office supplies can easily become part of your routine, and you (and your office mates) will love the security of knowing that you have all the supplies and resources you need at your disposal.

You know that being able to answer the phone effectively can earn your business many repeat customers and create a positive buzz about your company and your customer service. But did you know that being able to make effective phone calls to others is just as important as your phone abilities on the incoming end? Your phone demeanor can net you additional business, help you develop customer loyalty and play a major role in growing your business.
Here are some ways to make effective business phone calls:

Have all your information in place
Make sure you know who you are calling and why you are calling them. You may even want to write down your goals for the call before you ever dial the phone. In addition, have any information about their business, their history with you and their needs on hand. You also should have any relevant information about yourself on hand so that you can easily provide your name, your business name and a concise summary of what services or products you provide.

Prepare questions ahead of time
Make notes of questions that you need to ask, and all the information that you will need in a response. This will save you from having to call back multiple times to get small items of information that you forgot.

Identify yourself clearly when you call
Always make sure that people know who you are and why you are calling right away. This will not only improve your chances of reaching the person you are calling, but it lets them know that you are calling on legitimate business. In the same professional tone, always thank the person for their time at the end of the call and make sure to reiterate any course of action you have decided on so that the listener knows that you listened to their needs and are responding appropriately.

Phone calls cannot be professional or effective if there are noises like music, television, pets or babies in the background. You should make professional calls at a time when noise will be minimal to nonexistent, even if it means hiring a babysitter to entertain the children in the other room while you make your calls.

Meeting agendas can help you plan more effective meetings that run on time and address the issues that need to be discussed. An agenda can help all members of a meeting prepare ahead of time, and will also help maintain focus during the meeting. Time that you spend planning a meeting agenda will almost certainly result in saving time for all meeting participants, since the agenda will give you a clear set of topics, objectives and time frames.

Meeting agendas do not just have to be lists of topics. In fact, many agendas are far more detailed, and can even include how long you have allotted to a topic before you will move on.

Here are some parts of an agenda that you may wish to include when you are planning your own meeting:

• Items are topics to be considered. Before you place an item on an agenda, make sure that the people in the meeting are qualified to consider the item and then reach an actionable conclusion.

• Priorities indicate how important items are. This is totally subjective, but you should generally avoid giving anything "low" priority or it will simply never be discussed. You can use priority to help you determine how much time should be spend on an item.

• Desired Outcomes let people know what you are hoping to accomplish. If you do not want to tell the meeting participants your personal goals, then you can use outcomes like "reach a conclusion on the Richards account and move forward with electing a leader in that team."

• Time is simply a projection of how much time you are willing to give an item in order to achieve a desired outcome. If you like, you can use time as an ideal set of goals, or you can use the time markers to keep the meeting running on track and to be sure that you cover everything. If you have hard time cut-offs, however, you should be prepared to not finish some items. This may be okay, but generally you will want to wind up discussion in time to reach a meaningful conclusion.

In nearly every administrative position, you will be in charge of at least some of the business' incoming calls. This provides you with a unique opportunity to bring in business, and with just a little fine-tuning, you can easily make yourself indispensible to nearly any service-oriented business simply by answering the phone effectively.  In no time, you will find that your phone manner actually helps bring in more business and even is the deciding factor in winning over potential clients.

Here are some simple tips to super-charge your professional phone skills:

Infuse your voice with warmth and enthusiasm
Many professional administrators say that they literally make sure to smile when they pick up the phone because customers can "hear" the smile through the line. This is the first impression that a customer will get of your company, so it is important to sound ready, willing and able to help.

Grab all calls before the third ring
Wait longer than this, and you give an impression of being too busy to handle more business at best, and not caring at worst.

Always provide identification
This can require a little experimentation to get the right information. You should provide your business name and your name, and then offer help. However, some businesses find that they get good results from adding in their slogan as well, or supplementing their greeting with phrases like "It's a beautiful day at [your business]. This is [your name.] How can I help you?"

Use positive vocabulary
Even when you are having an awful day, simply making it a habit to answer "of course," or "certainly' instead of simply "yes," or "okay" can give your phone conversations a positive, enthusiastic tone. Excluding "fillers" like "uh" and "um" can also make you sound more enthusiastic, professional and eager to assist.

Use consistent greetings when answering the phone
Callers like to hear the same thing each time they call. It also helps with recognition so that people do not have to ask if they have reached the right place. Make sure that everyone in a business who is answering the phone is doing so in the same way so that your service sounds professional.

The phone is the first place that a potential customer will encounter your business on a personal level, and an initial conversation is often the crucial factor when people decide with whom they are going to work. Make sure that this factor is working in your favor with carefully honed phone skills.