If you work in an office or small business you’re surrounded by a huge number of everyday items – everyday items that may be supplied by Doubleday Office Products. The Benton Harbor based firm can trace its history back 125 years to when the Doubleday Brothers purchased a book bindery in Kalamazoo in 1895 and soon ended up in the office supply business.
The World of Business is very different today, and so is Doubleday Office Products, under the leadership of Jim Marohn and Bryan Shindeldecker. The duo has managed and led Doubleday since acquiring the company in 2000 from a local ownership group. The two partners, friends since childhood, sat down with MoodyOnTheMarket.com to look back over 23 years of growth and change, and to look at what’s ahead for Doubleday and the hundreds of loyal customers it serves in Southwest Michigan and Northern Indiana.
Jim Marohn readily acknowledges that because Doubleday is ‘business to business’ and most people don’t know much about their firm, except perhaps that Doubleday sells ‘supplies for the office.’ Paper, pens, toner and all the other consumables we use every day in business. However, in addition to supplies, Doubleday is also a big player in the ‘office environment’ and office furniture. Marohn and his team can, in his words, “consult, design, specify, install, and ‘create’ your perfect office space.”
Before we delve into that aspect of the Doubleday Office Products story, it’s important to understand what has driven the company’s success over the past 23 years. It comes down to two words ‘Customer Service’. Yes, it’s a term thrown around frequently, but at Doubleday Office Products, it’s a hallmark, a way of life for its small, experienced group of professionals.
Jim told us, “We’re built around the promise of ‘Next Business Day.’ Service sets us apart. If you call us, you’re going to reach one of our small in number but large in experience customer service team members, Marcie Shindeldecker and Pam Fulmer. You’re going to get to know them and they’re going to work hard to solve your problem or meet your specific needs.”
“We know our customers. Often, we know they want ‘this pen, not that one.’ It’s nice if they give us a specific part number, but if not, we’ll find it in their last order. That’s part of what we do, part of our service. We try to ‘fit into your system’, not make you fit into ours!”
Marohn acknowledges the sales process for business products has changed. “We have a seasoned and passionate outside sales team in veteran sales Terry Etter and Jim Smith, however it’s a tough job because many customers don’t want sales reps dropping in. So, we try to build customer relationships and offer customers our online ordering system for accuracy and efficiency,” explains Marohn. “We also welcome call-in orders, email orders, and a few customers still fax orders! We’ll take an order on the back of a napkin if that’s how the customer wants to communicate it. Personally, I am very connected in social media but haven’t taken that leap in our business yet.”
Doubleday Office Products’ service extends to delivery and returns with our in-house delivery team. “We will get to know where and how you want your deliveries. We don’t just drop it at the front door. And if you ordered the wrong item, call us, we’ll figure it out, stop by, pick it up and bring you the right one. That’s part of serving the customer!” Doubleday’s ‘Free Next Business Day’ delivery is a valued service appreciated by local businesses.
Jim admits it’s a challenge competing with Amazon, which offers no expertise or assistance, but has become a ‘standard source’ for so many products of every variety. If a customer simply wants the cheapest price on a commodity item, he understands they might choose Amazon over Doubleday. However, he also points out that analysis shows Amazon does NOT always have the lowest price anymore – they simply own that perception!
Marohn knows this for sure: when there’s a problem or a unique or ‘custom’ item needed, Doubleday Office Products hears its phone ring or sees an email pop up! With a smile, he says, “They don’t need us until they need us. And then we’re there to solve the problem! We hope we can turn those situations into a broader customer relationship going forward.”
Beyond Office Supplies …
That’s one reason why the two partners have focused on developing the office and furniture aspect of the business over the years. “We both enjoy listening to people, understanding what they’re saying and translating that into a solution that fits their needs.”
Doubleday offers many national brands of office furniture but does not attempt to stock a showroom of furniture for display. They utilize their office on Plaza Drive as a ‘Working Showroom’. “We use the products we sell every day.” Doubleday’s approach is to diagnose the customer’s need, identify solutions, and offer prompt delivery from the warehouses of those manufacturer – allowing the customer maximum choice in design, color, and other variables.
Customer service extends to the office furniture part of the business as well. Bryan Shindeldecker commented, “We have our own in-house installation team that are experts at taking our designs and making them a reality in your workspace. Our installers have been with us for many years, and they know how to make customers happy and blend right into your office environment as they do their work. We are proud of this team and the value they bring to our business by making customers happy every day.”
Doubleday Office Products ‘Custom Shop’
Bryan also told us something that really sets Doubleday apart from most competitors is their Custom Shop managed by Tom Deegan, who has been with Doubleday and its predecessor companies since 1990. Deegan’s experience and craftsmanship help set the Doubleday Custom Shop apart from any competitors., offering ‘build from scratch’ fabrication services, as well as modifications to existing furniture or office environments. “We build or modify custom furniture specifically for your business or office space. The shape, size, and design that YOU need to do YOUR job, not something that ‘kinda works.’
Shindeldecker showed us an oddly shaped table with dimensions precisely needed for a local manufacturing plant, and a custom conference table that needed a new top but had a unique mid-century modern base that might be a conversation piece in the right office environment. He pointed out that modification or adaptation of furniture or partitions—new or existing– is possible through the Custom Shop, but unlikely through mass market sources. He summed it up: “You can buy theirs. Or let us create yours.”
Beyond the Covid Pandemic …
Marohn admits that the Covid Pandemic was hard on the business. “Covid sent a lot of people home. Now, the goal is often to get people back in the office. What do you do to make your workplace appealing to the people coming back? Everyone sees that a little differently and we’re here to help them create a unique environment for their particular business. That’s what we do!”
Jim explained that some offices are still looking to create separation in a space that’s ‘just too cozy’ by today’s standards. Others are looking to ‘bring people back together’ to heighten or stimulate collaboration. Marohn pointed to several examples where Doubleday has been asked to extend existing partitions, sometimes to the ceiling. The Custom Shop may be able to do that without replacing the partitions, at a considerable budget saving.
Marohn said post-pandemic business owners are finding they must take into consideration the changed attitudes of their employees. Many workers are looking, in many cases, for a more flexible environment in their workspace. He pointed to a sharp increase in the number of flexible ‘sit-stand’ desks or work surfaces that he’s installed recently, as well as requests for new common areas in offices. “People don’t want to just sit in a cubicle all day,” he explained. “If they are in the office, they want to interact with others, and many want the option of sitting or standing. So, their workspace needs to adjust to that.”
Doubleday Office Products: The People and the Community
Marohn and his team believe deeply that it’s important to be involved in the Community. Over the years, service clubs and organizations, the St. Joseph Public Schools Foundation, a local credit union board all count Jim as an active member. “That’s what good small businesses do. They get involved and invest themselves and their time and a portion of profit back into the Community. That makes this a great place to live and work.”
Community leadership and involvement is a tradition in the Marohn family. Jim’s parents, Bill and Jane Marohn have been lending their leadership and support to community projects, particularly those benefitting St. Joseph Public Schools for decades. Bill Marohn is a retired former President of Whirlpool Corporation.
Jim Marohn believes Southwest Michigan is a great place to live, work, and raise a family. That’s why he returned and invested in a leading business. He told us the Doubleday team looks forward to continuing to solve customer problems, and create office, business and educational environments that allow people to be successful, productive, healthy, and happy.
Connect with Doubleday Office Products
Learn more at www.DoubledayOffice.com
Visit the Doubleday showroom, offices & warehouse
2435 Plaza Drive, Benton Harbor, MI 49022
Orders & Inquiries 269-926-8293
Jim.Marohn@doubledayoffice.com
