The Chamber sat down with Marissa Cherepanov and Jacky Ellerbrock to learn more about Office Depot Office Max, their merge, the business’ community impact and where the company is heading now.
In 2013, Office Depot and Office Max merged in order to bring the best shopping experience possible. A barrier the company still runs into is confusion over the names. While some regions have completely rebranded, there are still stores that are Office Max. To assist with the transition and combat confusion, the company recently went through a brand change, and are working on getting that new message out.
Not Just Paperclips and File Folders
Office Depot Office Max is changing from being solely an office supplier into providing Workonomy Business Services, including a Workonomy Hub—Office Depot Office Max’s take on the coworking space. Business Services also provides a suite of services 24/7 for your business. Next year, the company plans to open 200 Workonomy Hub spaces nationwide by shifting half of the stores blueprint into rentable offices.
You can see a Workonomy Hub at Tigard’s Office Depot. For anywhere from $100 -$700 you can have a desk space, shared workroom with coffee and snacks and the ability to secure your workplace when you leave. They also offer a conference room at a rental rate of $35 per hour.
Cherepanov said, “The concept is really cool too, especially because I’ve had my own business where I worked from home before. You can go with your laptop and do your work, and then walk through the doors [of the main store] and there’s everything you need to run your business on the other side of the wall—so they’ve got all your work supplies, your ink, and your conference room.”
The Power of ‘Yes’
As for a saying to live by, the team at Office Depot/Office Max goes by a simple one, “Always say yes.”
“If someone comes and says, ‘I found a coupon on Amazon for a different brand, but you guys carry it in this brand,’ [and ask if we would honor the lower price from our competitor], we always say yes, no matter what. We price match anything. That’s kind [our] way of get[ting] people in the door—[how] we fight the internet sales,” Cherepanov added.
Office Depot Office Max also says yes to community involvement, and that’s what Ellerbrock enjoys about her position. “I was heavily involved in community service with Big Lots and had to fly back and forth to our corporate office. What I like about Depot is that I can do community service within my own community,” said Ellerbrock.
Stay Tuned!
What does Office Depot/Office Max want Salem to know? Cherepanov said, “Come get to know Office Depot/Office Max! We’re a rapidly changing office supply store.”
You can visit Office Depot Office Max at the following locations:
2945 Liberty Rd S E, Salem, OR 97302 or 520 Lancaster Dr NE, Salem, OR 97301
Or online at: https://www.officedepot.com