How can saving money on overhead help save lives? Unistar Purchasing Solutions and Metro United Way teamed up to do just that. Metro United Way needed a way to reduce the time, effort, and money their staff spent on common overhead items, such as office supplies, sanitary products, and solid waste. They want to focus more of their time, expertise, and resources where they were really needed: the growing needs in the communities they serve.

Metro United Way’s mission is to improve lives and the community by engaging people to Give, Advocate and Volunteer. It supports nearly 90 agencies and over 150 programs focusing in education, income and health, as well as providing for unexpected needs in times of crisis. 

The Story
Like most major companies, Metro United Way had a purchasing function to meet their organization’s needs. They heard that Unistar could help, so Gil Betz, Chief Strategy Officer for Metro United Way, thought it was worth finding out whether Unistar’s services could reduce overhead expenses and enable staff to contribute to the company’s mission and values at a higher level. 

The Challenge 
Could they decrease their hard dollar costs in key areas of overhead expense and increase internal efficiency – without sacrificing service or quality? They identified specific categories to address through the Unistar program. After analyzing the data and implementing the Unistar program, Metro United Way was able to achieve the following results:

Results
Janitorial Paper Products and Cleaning Supplies:
    - 21% cost reduction

Office Products and Supplies:
    - 57% cost reduction

Stationery Program:
    - 18% cost reduction
    - Online program established
    - Standardized logos and a solid brand management program

 Solid Waste Services:
    - 15% cost reduction
    - Started a single-stream recycling program
    - By recycling more material, Metro United Way was able to reduce the number of weekly pickups, generating another 7% savings.

Toner Program:
    - 23% cost reduction
    - A separate toner program was established, replacing OEMs with remanufactured toners.

Conclusion
By using Unistar to save time, effort, and money spent on common overhead items, Metro United Way employees can focus on and contribute more to the core mission of the organization: improving the lives of their community members.

John Sands, Central Services Coordinator for Metro United Way, put it this way, "I used to spend countless amounts of time going back to old folders, searching for invoices, comparing prices and inventory and trying to piece together what we needed at that time, but Unistar changed all that. They negotiate prices on our behalf. They analyze what we buy and make suggestions about how we can save money. They not only provide administrative support to our purchasing function, but they are proactive - thinking of things we may have never noticed."

“What else is there to say about Unistar other than “wow!”? Their sharp and experienced staff listened to our needs, looked at what we were doing, and went right to work for us. Not only did they deliver significant cost savings to a non-profit organization where every dollar is put to good use, but they also helped us organize and be deliberate about our purchasing functions. Their insight, professionalism, and results will be welcomed here for many years to come." - Gil Betz, Chief Strategy Officer, Metro United Way.