inSights: Mistakes to avoid when buying office furniture

Over the course of 25 years in the office-interiors business, I’ve had many opportunities to spot potential office-furniture-purchasing crises and correct them before they happen. Whether you fail to consider ergonomics, company growth or tasteful color schemes, poor decisions in the beginning can seriously hurt your bottom line later on. Here are some factors business owners should consider when purchasing furniture and designing their interiors:

• Choose furniture collections that can expand with your business. As a vendor I have seen some pretty “out there” furniture that looks great in the showroom but not so great five years later. Avoid trendy pieces or individual pieces that can’t work with what you already have—or plan to acquire. I once worked with a client who had previously purchased furniture that couldn’t be reconfigured for future expansion—a big mistake for a small start-up. Within a short time, all that furniture was put in storage and replaced with more flexible pieces, totally wasting the first investment. This problem can be avoided with better research and foresight for company growth.
• Maximize your footprint. Small offices can be both turned into very efficient spaces and made to seem larger if every square inch is considered. Invest in flexible products that will allow you to adjust or reconfigure as personnel, tasks and technology change. Take advantage of the space you have before you attempt to add on or relocate. A well-designed interior space will maximize your footprint even without extra square footage.
• Considering employee comfort and ergonomics. I’ve worked with executives who budgeted $1,000 for their own new, top-of-the-line chairs yet shrugged their shoulders when ordering for their employees. They believed that $150 was enough to spend on an assistant’s chair, but when it came to their own comfort, the sky was the limit. This approach can be costly in the long run. In 2005, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics, lost productivity and workers’ compensation claims topped $7,500 per employee in the average American office. I encourage clients to start with simple ergonomic modifications, such as adjustable keyboard trays and monitor arms, if they cannot make major ergonomic purchases immediately.
• Don’t sacrifice high quality for low prices. Do you know someone who has sat at the same desk for 20 years? Or who only uses reconfigurable products? These clients understand the difference between quality and price. They look at each piece as an investment, not a future addition, to a landfill when it breaks or becomes outdated. When you purchase furniture, think “green.” What will be sustainab le? Durable? Recyclable? Remember that furniture depreciates after seven years; that’s more than five times faster than a typical office building.
• Trust first impressions. No matter how neat your desk drawers or well-filed your archived invoices are, clients and co-workers alike will lose interest if they aren’t “wowed” by your office upon arrival. Try to view your office the way others do. Walk in with the mindset of your customer. Do you feel comfortable? Does the environment portray the business identity that you see? If not, it’s time for a change. I believe that investing in one great piece of furniture can speak volumes about a business owner’s success, as well as the business’s attention to detail. A poorly lit and badly outfitted reception area could kill a deal before your client even makes it to your conference room.

Brad Eiken is the owner of inside the LINES, a Columbia-based commercial interiors company. www.insidethelines.net