Staples partners with business-services provider

Josh Reynolds /AP Images for Staples Workbar at Staples location at the Brighton, Mass. is part of an ongoing diversification effort by the company.

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By Sam Bonacci

In an ongoing expansion of its service offerings, Framingham-based Staples announced Thursday that it has partnered with Managed by Q to connect small businesses to more than 100 on-demand office services.

“Partnering with Managed by Q directly supports Staples’ previously announced strategy to focus on providing mid-market customers even more products and services beyond traditional office supplies," Neil Ringel, executive vice president of Staples Business Advantage, said in a statement.

The online service connects small businesses with services as varied as cleaning, IT helpdesk, catering, and workplace yoga. Starting in the first quarter of 2017, Staples customers in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York City, and San Francisco will have access to Managed by Q’s suite of office services, with a plan to expand to other cities over time.

The move is part of an ongoing strategy by Staples to expand their offerings to their business customers. Previous parts of this effort have included a digital “Easy Button“ for ordering and customer service.

Staples is rebuilding itself to rely less on its retail arm, which it is on schedule to reduce by 50 stores by the end of the year.