Well, I just got back from taking our firstborn off to his freshman year in college. And we only went through one box of tissues! (Quill brand, of course). Actually I am quite proud of my son. For the past four years he has worked very hard in his high school academics, hockey team and various bands, and is well prepared for college. In fact, I was a little jealous while walking the campus with him after helping set up his dorm.

Speaking of dorms, one thing I had forgotten from my own days in college was the creativity and innovation of college students in determining what is possible for a 10' x 12' dorm room. As we were taking load after load of "stuff" to my son's room, and his roommate was bringing in his 42" plasma TV (and to think I was happy with a 10" black and white with rabbit ears), I thought for sure there was no way it was all going to fit. But with loft designs and creative engineering, they made it fit and it actually looked okay.

At Quill.com, we also use innovation and creativity to make our web site as user friendly and efficient as possible. While some of us may no longer be young college graduates, we do have the expertise to help you find the products you need most with our unique product finders and web site navigation. Over the next several months you'll see more and more improvements to our navigation, plus web tools to assist you in finding the right products for your specific needs. It's all part of our steadfast commitment to making your shopping experience at Quill.com the Best Experience in Office Products^sm.

Sincerely,

Michael Patriarca
President

The economy is tough--no question. We get it! 

That’s why we offer you a line of our own Quill Brand supplies. These products aren’t seconds or generics—they’re quality supplies that we develop and design to do the exact same job as the national brands. Even better, you’ll find that they cost a whole lot less than the better-known brands you’re now using.

If you haven’t already, I urge you to give one of our 3,200 Quill Brand products a try. You’ll put a little money back in your pocket, and if you aren’t 100% satisfied with their quality and performance, we’ll refund your money or replace your purchase with a comparable national brand.

Sincerely,

Michael Patriarca
President

In tough times like these, I think it’s vital for companies to keep things simple and focus their efforts on whatever made them a success in the past. I firmly believe it’s a mistake when a company tries to do too many “new” things to overcome economic challenges...or, worse yet, tries to reinvent themselves into something they’ve never been before. 

Here at Quill, we’re going to be focusing on two very basic things throughout 2009: making sure you get an outstanding value every time you order, and maintaining our industry-leading level of customer service. These are the two principles that have made us successful, and I know these same principles will help keep us a success today.

So what exactly does all this mean to you—our valued customer? First of all, it means that whenever you’re ready to order, we’re going to be ready with offers that help your office save some real money. It also means that we’re not going to abandon our commitment to having the supplies you need in stock and ready to ship at a moment’s notice.

As far as service goes, we’re fortunate here because great service is something that’s always been at the center of our operations. In the past, we’ve defined our service with things like fast delivery and easy returns. Today, however, we’re broadening our definition of great service so it covers your entire experience with our company.

In the coming months, we’ll be rolling out improvements to Quill.com that will help you find the right product faster than ever. Also, we’ll be making Quill.com a place where you can always learn something new and useful, such as how to make your business more secure.

By making improvements like these, we hope to become more than just your office supply company. Our goal is to be a company you can count on for smart office supply solutions.

Sincerely,

Michael Patriarca
President

You might have heard that a major office supply company has announced that they're closing select stores across America. Some of these closings might, unfortunately, affect you.

Undoubtedly these are difficult times, but I want to tell you this with confidence: Quill is the office supply company you can count on today—and tomorrow, too!

There are two main reasons why we’re succeeding when other office supply companies are falling short. First is our service. It’s been the best for more than 50 years, and I know customers like you truly appreciate the difference this makes. Next is the fact that we are an online retailer, with a lower cost structure than many of our competitors, which allows us to give you great savings every day. Our store is Quill.com, and it’s always open for you.

Even in today’s uncertain economy, I want you to know that you can still count on Quill as your source for office supplies. We’re the company where you can expect—and always get—a higher level of service and savings!

Sincerely,

Michael Patriarca
President
mpatriarca@quill.com

Hi—I'm Mike Patriarca, the new President of Quill.  I’m writing to you today while looking out my office window at the turning leaves on a beautiful autumn afternoon.  The scene reminds me very much of where I grew up in New England.  While I still miss the beaches of Rhode Island, I’ve also come to really appreciate the Midwest.  There are great people here and the suburbs of Chicago are an ideal place to live and work.

Since this is my first attempt at “blogging”, I thought I’d start off by telling you just a little bit about myself.  After working in various companies and positions in corporate finance, I started here at Quill more than 8 years ago as the Controller and Vice President of Finance.  Since then, I’ve been fortunate to manage several Quill departments including Human Resources, Operations and Merchandising. 

I know Quill intimately now, and have learned a lot over the years.  My most valuable lesson has been learning what it takes to provide quality service to all of our customers.  When you do business with Quill, you can trust that there are over 2,000 associates with your satisfaction at the top of their minds.  Many companies say they have great service, but I think we’re different because we have the customer satisfaction survey scores and customer service awards to back up our claims. 

I think the key to our company is really quite simple—if we treat you with respect and provide you with value, you'll come back.  And that's what being in business is all about, right?

I think our emphasis on service and value will serve us well during these difficult economic times.  What we are now experiencing in the economy and stock markets can be very frightening,  but as we learned with the dot.com bust at the beginning of this century as well as the economic downturns of the early 90's and 80's, the business cycle goes on and on.  The reasons behind our economic slowdowns may be different every time, but you can usually count on one to happen every 10 years plus or minus a couple of years.  

I am telling all of our Quill associates to hang in there during these difficult times, and continue to do the best job they can, especially when it comes to taking great care of you.  Times like these require all of us to refocus on the basics, remain committed to our core business and execute like crazy.  I know this philosophy has worked well for Quill in the past, and I’m confident it will again this time.

Well, thanks for "listening"! I’m glad you decided to visit our new community page at Quill.com, and I hope to hear from you soon. Send me an e-mail when you have a minute and let me know how I’m doing!

Mike

mpatriarca@quill.com