SPARTA, Wis., Feb. 24, 2005 (PRIMEZONE) -- The small group of Cistercian monks in Sparta, Wisconsin who own and run LaserMonks, Inc., the online provider of printing and imaging supplies at greatly reduced prices, announced the expansion of their core e-business to now include more than 35,000 office supplies. The product expansion follows exponential growth, from gross sales of $2,000 in 2002, to $2.5 million in 2004.
Although the individual and volume-discounted online office products place the monks in direct competition with major office supply chains, the monks' first concern is not profit.
"Our first concern is always customer hospitality; after all, that's part of our 900-year-old tradition," explains Fr. Bernard McCoy, steward of temporal affairs at the Cistercian Abbey and CEO of LaserMonks and the e-commerce site, www.LaserMonks.com, which he launched three years ago. "Our customers have been asking what else we can do for them, and we've responded by significantly expanding our product offerings to further serve their needs."
The monks' material needs are minimal, and LaserMonks uses all extra revenue to support charitable works around the world. Some recipients include Camp Heartland in Minnesota (a camp for children with AIDS), Angel Ranch, Inc. (an emergency shelter in Mississippi for abused, abandoned and neglected children), and an overseas orphanage run by Tibetan monks.
Fr. Bernard was named one of 2004 "Fast 50" national leaders in business innovation by Fast Company, and LaserMonks' cost-saving story has been featured in Forbes, Wired, Entrepreneur, Associated Press and Chicago Tribune, and on national and international business talk shows from New York to the Netherlands.
"Our customers realize the tremendous savings they can achieve through LaserMonks. They know that we offer high-quality products yet we operate on a shoestring budget, with minimal overhead and minimal mark-up. We aren't concerned about making as much money as possible, and we have no distribution middleman," says Fr. Bernard. "Our goal is simply to save our customers money and use the proceeds for our operating expenses and charitable causes."
Customers are pleased. A sampling of typical e-mail notes from business customers throughout the country include such comments as: "Thank you for your quick response . . .. We need more businesses that take a positive role in customer service." "I am so pleased with our order. Your prices are great and the quality is excellent. . .. You guys are just great!" "Your business is excellent and I will recommend LaserMonks to everyone at our company."
For more information, visit www.LaserMonks.com, or call 866/808-8080. The site observes industry standard security and customer privacy policies. All major credit cards are accepted and all products are 100% guaranteed.
About LaserMonks: LaserMonks is a wholly owned imaging and office supplies subsidiary of the Cistercian Abbey, based in Sparta, Wisconsin. Founded in 2001 by a team of enterprising monks, the company follows in the tradition of monastic business endeavors, uniquely blending philanthropy, spirituality and enterprise to support a life of prayer and charitable service.
LaserMonks offers brand name, compatible and remanufactured supplies for offices and printers, having arranged significant purchasing discounts with top manufacturers and distributors of office products. Revenues from LaserMonks are used to cover the monks' modest living expenses. The rest is used for charitable works throughout the world. LaserMonks' tagline says it all: "Real Monks, Real Savings, Supporting Real People." For more information, visit www.LaserMonks.com.