Office Depot (NYSE:ODP), a leading global provider of office products and services, today announced that Viking Direct was awarded “The Top Supplier of Office Paper in Europe” by Opticom International Research. Viking Direct is the direct-mail office supplies channel of Office Depot in Europe and offers more than 15,000 office products to its small and medium sized customers.
The study ranked paper suppliers on customer loyalty as well as how well they fulfill the demands on a number of supplier and service-related criteria.
“We’re pleased with the results of this independent survey, which is a clear reflection of our associates’ ongoing dedication to outstanding customer service,” said Dirk Collin, Executive Vice President and Managing Director Europe for Office Depot. “Our customers know that they can count on Viking Direct for the best in quality and performance for their office paper and many other office supply needs.”
Office Depot sells a variety of paper products, including copier, inkjet, color, laser, specialist, and multifunctional, in many sizes and weights from best-in-class brands, including the Company’s exclusive Viking and Niceday brands.
“Whether the customer prints frequently using different paper formats, or requires a high-gloss finish paper for a special presentation, we have the paper solutions that meet their needs,” said Ton van de Weetering, European Category Manager for Office Depot.
Opticom International Research is a leading global market research and consulting firm which conducts an annual “Brand Equity Tracking Survey – Office Paper” survey. This year’s survey was conducted with more than 4,000 participants who are responsible for office paper purchasing decisions in businesses of all sizes from mid-September to mid-November 2007. Surveys were conducted in Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and the UK.
“Viking Direct is among the top suppliers when it comes to understanding and living up to the high demands of office paper buyers, which also explains why customers show such high loyalty towards this supplier,” said Marijn van der Sluijs, Project Manager at Opticom International Research.
About Office Depot and Viking Direct
Office Depot provides more office products and services to more customers in more countries than any other company.
Incorporated in 1986 and headquartered in Delray Beach, Fla., Office Depot has annual sales of approximately $15.5 billion, and employs approximately 52,000 associates around the world. Currently, the Company sells to customers directly or through affiliates in 43 countries.
Office Depot is a leader in every distribution channel -- from retail stores and contract delivery to catalogs and e-commerce. As of September 29, 2007, Office Depot had 1,212 retail stores in North America and another 384 stores, either company-owned, licensed or franchised, in other parts of the world. Office Depot serves a wide range of customers through a dedicated sales force, telephone account managers, direct mail offerings, and multiple web sites. With $4.8 billion in online sales during the last twelve months, the Company is also one of the world’s largest e-commerce retailers.
Office Depot’s common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol ODP and is included in the S&P 500 Index. Additional press information can be found at: http://mediarelations.officedepot.com.
Viking Direct, an Office Depot company, is the direct-mail channel of Office Depot in Europe, with operations in over 16 countries. Viking Direct mail order customers receive a mix of catalogue mailings throughout the course of the year that are designed to keep them informed of new products and special offers. Orders are placed via the telephone, fax or the award winning web sites.
About Opticom International Research
Opticom International Research is a leading global market research and consulting firm with the mission to help their customers make better business decisions. Since 1987, they have been dedicated to serving clients within the pulp, paper and board industry with customised research services focusing on commercial and marketing related issues. Opticom offers experience and in-depth knowledge across a wide range of commercial and market related issues relevant to their customers:
Branding
Customer and market segmentation
Customer satisfaction
Concept testing
Campaign evaluation
Pricing and positioning
Channel/distribution strategy