Buying Office Furniture: 10 Mistakes to Avoid (Part 2)

Not Buying with Future Growth in Mind.
· Whether you are starting a new business or adding furniture due to expansion, you should take into account how every piece will fit into your current and future environment. Explore the entire line to see what you may be able to do long-term, even if you can only afford a few things at a time. Consider: How will the furniture adapt to Technology & will this furniture keep my workspace flexible? Also remember, most office furniture dealers will offer leasing options to help offset up front out of pocket expenses.

Not coordinating the Products Life with the Accountants Depreciation Schedule.
· Ensure your depreciation schedule is in line with the products life expectancy. For instance, purchasing a chair with a 5 year warranty and you have a 10 year depreciation schedule your purchasing will be out of sync with your accounting practices.

Not Evaluating the True Cost of Ownership.
· The base price of the furniture is just the starting point. In order to fully evaluate true costs, add in such items as: freight charges, taxes, packaging or special handling. Even the term “delivered price” can mean many things. Will the product actually be installed or just dropped at the dock? Also, who will take care of my warranty issues if the need arises? These are just a few things that account for the true cost.

Not Having Your Dealer keep Your Standards on File.
· Once you have established specifications for your office ensure that your dealer provider keeps a record of your standard choices. This will allow authorized purchasing agents to call and order “task chairs” when in reality it will be the Multi-function task chair with #55 Navy fabric. This will save time and labor hours in the long run.

Not Doing Business with a Vendor that Offers Support after the Sale.
· Ask the simple question “do you warranty the installation and for how long? This may save you time and energy down the road when making your purchasing decision. Many times we receive calls regarding product purchased through a different company and they no longer support the product. This can happen quite often due to purchasing through the internet or with large warehouse environments. Ask your sales consultant to provide a copy of their companies warranty not only on the product but for their installation services.

Buying Office Furniture: 10 Mistakes to Avoid (Part 1)

Buying office furniture requires practical considerations that go far beyond aesthetics. The comfort and safety of your employees and your guests must be factored into every decision. By avoiding a few common mistakes, you can ensure that the furniture you select will yield improved employee satisfaction, productivity and profits for your business.

Buying without a Vision or Plan: Accurately assess your needs.
· Before beginning the selection process, think about how an item will be used. If it’s a chair, for example, will it be used occasionally (guest chair) or all day (desk chair). Does it have to be height-adjustable or fixed? Should it be light enough to be moved or will it be stationary? The more thought you give to a purchase, the greater likelihood you’ll get what you need.

Not Considering Employee Comfort:
· When it comes to office furniture, comfort equals productivity. Ergonomic design is critical to the comfort and productivity of your staff. Features such as contoured seats, lumbar backrest support, adjustable seats and armrests can help minimize work-related injuries and lost workdays. In turn, those factors can help reduce your costs for worker’s compensation and medical insurance.

Selecting the Wrong Fabrics:
· It’s important to evaluate the utility and use a piece of furniture is going to have before choosing a fabric. If cleanliness is paramount, wipe-able vinyl might be the right choice for you. This can be especially important in a healthcare or medical environment. Leather, however, remains the most desired fabric for executive suites, conference rooms and guest areas. Mesh fabrics have also gained in popularity, especially in task seating. That’s because mesh allows airflow keeping employees comfortable while they sit for long periods of time.

Purchasing Product not Rated for the Task:
· If everyone had the same build or body type, buying desk chairs and lobby furniture would be easier. In the real world, instead you need to purchase product that will accommodate individuals of all shapes and sizes. For example, a desk chair that is only rated for use by someone up to 250 pounds can lead to problems if the employee is larger. Choosing a product that is not correctly rated can result in costly damage to the chair and possibly injure the person using it. Any saving you realize by purchasing a lower-rated chair would be exceeded by the cost of the liability of the person injured.

Choosing Price over Value:
· Everyone loves a bargain! But, when you evaluate price make sure you give equal weight to value. Consider the cost of ownership over the expected life of the furniture. Repairs and replacements could easily cancel out any up front savings during the initial purchase. Have your sales consultant give you realistic forecasts on the length of time a product should last under “your” normal work day. Most products are rated for a normal 8 hour day, therefore if your days are longer plan ahead.