5 Mistakes to Avoid When Buying Office Furniture
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 commonly made buying mistakes, you can help ensure that the furniture you select will yield improved employee satisfaction, productivity and profits for your business.
1. Buying Without A Vision Or Plan
All too often, people buy furniture impulsively. Rushing through purchasing decisions, however, could lead to choices that will be regretted for years to come. So before you invest in office furniture, we recommend you:
- Accurately Assess Your Needs
- Analyse What’s Good & Bad About What You Already Have
- Choose Timeless Style Over What’s Trendy
2. Choosing looks over comfort
There are plenty of chairs that look nice, but if they’re not comfortable, it won’t mean anything. Keep the comfort of your employees, clients and yourself in mind when choosing furniture for your office. Aesthetics are important, but it’s not what 100% of your decision should be based on. Think about how chairs are going to feel after sitting in them for a few hours. Go to the store and test out furniture before buying it. It may seem like an extra step, but it will pay off in the long run.
3. Forgetting True Cost of Ownership
It’s common to forget that the price tag of your furniture is not the only cost you may incur throughout the purchasing and installation phase. It’s important to remember to add items such as freight charges, packaging and handling costs, taxes, and any installation or assembly chargers that’ll be tacked on. Before you sign on the dotted line (or on the digital screen), make sure you talk to your vendor about what the total cost would be after you factor in all these potential additional charges.
4. Choosing price over quality
A lower priced item may be appealing to your wallet and budget, but the quality may not be as good as a more expensive product. For example, while two chairs may look similar, the more expensive of the two may last two to three times longer. In this case, you’d get more for your money with the more expensive product.
5. 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 clean vinyl might be the right choice for you. Vinyl is great for areas where stains are more prevalent; from break rooms to examination rooms, and if you manage a healthcare facility or medical office, asking for vinyl may not be enough. There are specific vinyl fabrics that can withstand cleaning with bleach solutions to eliminate bacteria and other pathogens. If your furniture needs to sustain heavy use, then durable, engineered fabrics such as Crypton might be an option. The individually treated fibres resist stains, moisture and bacteria. Leather remains the most desired fabric for executive suites, conference rooms and guest areas—and comes in many different grades. Mesh fabrics also have gained popularity, especially in task chairs. That’s because mesh allows airflow to the skin, keeping employees comfortable while they sit for long periods of time.