John Mervenne has a mission: It’s his goal to help local businesses establish and maintain a clean, healthy and safe workplace at the lowest total cost.
Mervenne’who supplies everything from deli containers and grocery bags to janitorial supplies, latex gloves, soaps and shampoos’opened Clarkston Paper in April, after years on the industry’s manufacturing side.
‘I saw a real opportunity,? he said, ‘especially in today’s economy. Businesses are looking to lower their costs.?
His previous experience, Mervenne said, gives him a thorough understanding of the business and factors influencing product cost.
Understanding and working around those factors, he said, allows him to bring the expense down for business owners.
‘Instead of just taking an order I prefer to go in, look at the operation and find ways of lowering cost,? he said, ‘I’ve built up a good network of people on the manufacturing side, so there’s not much I can’t get at a competitive price.?
Customer service, he said, is important, as well.
Over Labor Day, for example, a worried customer called to say he was running low on paper products while working as a food vendor at Arts, Beats and Eats in Pontiac.
Mervenne, who keeps his most popular products close at hand for just such an emergency, was able to grab the necessary items and save the day with a quick delivery.
‘Being responsive is important,? he said. ‘I’m extraordinarily flexible in working with customer needs, delivery days and times, and the products I have available.?
Mervenne has no minimum order restrictions, and working from his home office keeps overhead low, a savings he’s able to pass on to customers.
He also deals with all facets of customer accounts, so there’s no lost communication or disinterested employees for clients to deal with.
‘I bring a lot of experience to my customers,? said Mervenne, whose growing list of clients includes local medical professionals, schools, supermarkets, churches, and office buildings. ‘I’m not your typical distributor going out and quoting a price. You have to show value.?
Switching from the industry’s manufacturing side to supplying the end user not only allows Mervenne to spend less time on the road and more time at home with his wife and two young children, it also imparts a sense of community, which he enjoys.
And with so many struggling against the sluggish economy, Mervenne likes to see local businesses supporting one another.
‘That gets kind of lost sometimes,? he said. ‘Instead of thinking ‘what can you do for me?? we should all be thinking ‘what can we do together to improve business in the whole community???
For more information about Clarkston Paper, call 248-914-1026, email Jmervenne@clarkstonpaper.com, or visit www.clarkstonpaper.com