Shopping for office cubicles online is a great way to get your project done quickly and at a great price. There are many online vendors who are prepared to help you with your project and make it a success. In this post I will be giving some insight to the process, in turn saving you from some of the pitfalls and time wasters of shopping for office furniture online.
If you are like the majority of cubicle buyers out there you are part of a small to meduim sized business and it is your first time doing a project like this. A few internet searches and some phone calls to local furniture companies later, you may have *some* idea of what your project will cost, but no real straight answer you can take to the boss. Here is a list of questions and some items to have prepared so you can make the most of your search:
1.Have a space plan ready. If its your sketch, an architects drawing or even the flier from the real estate agent, the cubicle company will want to see where you are installing the cubicles. Part of their job is to prepare a drawing that shows clear aisles, ADA compliance, local and state code compliance as well as provide a clear installation drawing for their installers and your electrician.
2.Have a preliminary budget and time line in place. A budget will save everyone time. If you are looking for a mercedes on a kia budget you want to know as soon as possible so you don’t end up spending time getting a bunch of quotes that just won’t fly with the accountant. It’s okay to share your budget with a potential vendor – furniture is priced very similarly across the board and they will be able to tell you right away if what you are looking to do vs. your budget is attainable or not. The other key is the timeline. Furniture lead times can vary from a few days to 8 or 12 weeks depending on the brand and current availablility. Pricing can also be affected by your timeline. CubicleSales.com stocks all of its own inventory, so leadtimes are minimal.
3.Know how many people you are trying to fit in the space. This is where your furniture consultant can help you, as long as they have a drawing to work with. Be realistic and take into account the job function of each person when choosing the size and configuration of the cubicles you are asking for. Click here for a good example of several typical layouts to start from.
4.Know what you are buying. Many dealers provide a turn-key project for you. From design to product selection to project managment and installation. Ask your vendor what services they are providing and at what cost. Some dealers will provide a cubicle cost as a teaser, but when it comes down to it they have not included anything but the actual product in the quote. You may be all the way through the design process and approaching your order deadline – then you are stuck and must pay for shipping and installation that you did not anticipate. As with all things…if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is! Also, don’t be fooled – you ARE paying for shipping. No matter what anyone says, it costs money to ship that product. The cost may be hidden elsewhere, so keep that in mind when comparing prices.
5.Bundle when possible! Are you looking to buy chairs too? A reception station? Keyboard trays? Get it all quoted together – at the same time – in order to save money. If your vendor knows they need to ship a full truckload or that they have a volume discount available when combining chairs and cubicles from a single factory they will pass that savings on to you. As with most things, the more you buy the more you save. A package deal from a vendor can be a powerful money saving tool.
6.The data cabling and electrician! Don’t forget to arrange for these trades
to be there on the day of the installation. It is much easier and therefore
less expesive to have your electrician wire up the electrical whips that attach
to the electrical system in the cubicles when they are able to move them around.
Same applies for the data cabling. Most installers will assemble the spine
first and let the data people wire the raceway as they move throught the process.
This saves them from crawling under worksurfaces and fishing wire around drawer
units. CubicleSales.com is a licensed electrical contractor and will be able to help you determine your needs.
7.Choose your furniture vendor wisely. The entire process of buying office furniture is a considerable project any way you look at it. It does not have to consume all of your time, though! A good furniture vendor is one who is working to make you look good to the people who are depending on you – the people who will be spending their time sitting in their workstation day in and day out. Your vendor should be evaluating your space plan, pointing out potential problems, suggesting solutions, managing the process and following up to make sure that everything is working out to you benefit. Partnering with a vendor who you are comfortable with can provide a high level of service can be very valuable and perhaps worth paying a little extra for. You don’t want a shady operator responsible for making your project successful!
I hope this overview helps you in your search for cubicles for your office. If you have any questions or want more information about office furniture please Email
me or visit my website at CubicleSales.com. Future posts will include information on buying chairs, conference rooms and other aids such as an ‘office furniture terms’ glossary and reader suggested content
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Looking to modernize your office with some new and stylish office furniture chairs? Spacify has everything you need.
ReplyDelete