Become A Facilities Hero: Maintain Office And Restore Furniture
Posted by Jim Sutter on Sat, May 08, 2010 @ 11:32 AM
When it comes to office furnishings it's a known fact that they take a beating. Whether it's the waiting area or the cubical, the elevator cab or the conference room, the amount of traffic and wear and tear on furniture in the office is much greater than a residence.
It's important for professional office furniture to look great all the time. Visits from customers and potential clients result in visual inspection that reveals a lot about your company. Weary, threadbare sofas in the lobby and a marred conference table with scars from use will imply that your organization may not be successful.
Facility managers are faced with the task of maintaining a professional environment, managing costs, and keeping the office updated.
The current economic climate has resulted in budget restrictions and reduced capital budgets. Some facilities managers have resorted to replacing unservicable furniture with inferior pieces. However this can also result in the impression that the company is floundering.
Rather than the capital expense of new furniture, some facilities managers are becoming heros by restoring office furniture or refinishing wood furniture to recapture the original beauty for a fraction of the price. This new way of preserving furniture or refurbishing desks, refinishing conference tables and restoring chairs and cabinets typically runs less than 50% of the cost of new furniture and also has the advantage of being 'green'. Less new furniture purchased results in less trees being sacrificed, and that's a goal for renewable energy.
A maintenance contract for office furniture is one way to assure that the furnishings are inspected on a regular basis and repairs made as needed. Preventative techniques for preserving wood furniture help to assure the longevity. Most offices are furnished in classical or contemporary style, therefore the furniture is likely to become worn before it has lost it's visual appeal.
When evaluating a service agreement for office furniture there are three things that the facility manager should take into consideration:
- The reputation of the supplier
- The time the supplier has been in business
- The knowledge that the supplier has with regard to furniture restoration, furniture repair and furniture refinishing
Overall, a maintenance agreement could be a great way to reduce costs, yet still have that professional and successful image that a corporation's office should convey. Being a thrifty facilities manager does not have to mean threadbare chairs or scratched, marred desks.
Be a facilities hero and your conference table's lustre will shine for years, as will your reputation.