What are the top 3 things to consider when buying office furniture?
Buying office furniture can be a headache, especially for new businesses. Learn what to look for when purchasing new furniture here.
There is a lot to think about when planning an office project. We know most of these projects come as part of a much larger plan. Perhaps this is a new business which is starting or a merger between two companies. Your company could be growing and in need of more space. Either way, you have the pressures of your business, a construction project, a relocation and many other things to go along with needing new furniture. What should you focus on? Paying attention to these three things will prevent further headaches in the future and keep the process going as smoothly as possible.
- Think of our furniture exit plan
“I wish I would have thought about what happens when I didn’t need this furniture any more” is something I have heard often. It is surprising to most that used office furniture, due to logistical cost, has very little value in the secondary market. If you are lucky you can give it away for free for someone else to try and resell but most charge for the service because there is so little money in used furniture. Sadly, a lot of it ends up in a landfill. In the US, 9 Millions tons annually. There are options for rental furniture if you have a shorter term need or companies like Reseat are pioneering a sustainable marketplace if you plan ahead.
- Can you add on
We have walked many offices and seen 2 or more different workstations in an office. This can be because the original furniture was purchased at a discount and is no longer available or because of a terrible experience the company would rather have mismatched furniture than work with the same dealer ever again. Always ask about the company making the furniture and will they stand behind the product and make parts if you need it. (if you are buying for your office where you could also buy pots and pans or a printer then the answer is no). Check out our resource on commercial vs. consumer grade furniture. Also, ask your dealer who else sells their lines and where you could go for support if their company goes under or your relationship sours.
- Right product, right use
Without some guidance it is easy to get an excellent product in the wrong application. I was watching an extremely popular interior design show on Netflix a year back and could not get over how everyone was using conference chairs at their workstations. They looked great but are ergonomically just wrong for all day use. Meeting areas are also an area where companies over and under spend all the time.
