Commercial Realtor Tip from the Pros: Securing a Top Office Furniture and Cubicle Partner

 

We work closely with commercial realtors every day. After all, our businesses cross paths frequently. We both eat, sleep, and breathe new office buildings, business expansions, and office relocations.

From our experience, commercial realtors are often asked by their tenants to recommend where to find various office-related items, including furniture and cubicles. We decided to sit down with a commercial realtor to pick his brain about what he looks for in an office furniture provider. Our goal was to put together a few expert tips for other realtors who are approached by their tenants as well.

Richard F. Smith, Jr., Vice President of Avir Realty Group in Pennsylvania.

Richard F. Smith, Vice President of Avir Realty Group in Pennsylvania.

We recently sat down with Richard F. Smith, Jr., Vice President of Avir Realty Group, Inc., at their office in Fort Washington, Pennsylvania. We asked him: What makes a great office furniture partner?

From Smith:

“Obviously you want a partner who is knowledgeable about the products and understands what tenants need when they are moving into office space,” says Smith. “But to me, it’s more than just knowing what you’re talking about. Since you are making the recommendation for business, like with anything else it’s your name that is attached. You want your tenant to have an outstanding experience, and you want their job to be done right the first time.”

Below are some more specific traits that Mr. Smith looks for in an office furniture partner.

Solid Communication

Like in all aspects of business, people expect their phone calls to be returned and their emails to be answered. The ideal partner in this field is large enough to be able to provide excellent customer service but small enough to be able to add that personal touch that businesses and individuals expect.

Says Smith:

“If I am recommending a cubicle and office furniture company, I need them to be there to take my tenants’ calls. But that’s just the first step. Similarly to how I work with architects, if the tenant decides to move forward with them, I need to be able to rest assured that the company I’m referring to will be there every step of the way – from selecting the right products to laying out and setting up the office. And if they have questions throughout the process – which they will – they need to be answered in a timely fashion. Lack of communication just does not work for anyone.”

Creative Nature

Creativity comes in many forms. Many people in charge of selecting office furniture think about colors, styles, and fabrics. While these are all important elements of a business location, space planning and office layout also require a creative touch.

Says Smith:

“The high majority of tenants I work with are ecstatic when moving into their new office setting. I enjoy helping them select the right space for their needs, but for them this is only half the battle. Laying out the office comes next. With this in mind, I look for furniture partners whose teams have a keen sense of design to help people turn the vision for their office environment into a reality. From my experience, companies with creative personnel who assist with office layout maintain more long-lasting relationships with tenants who have furniture needs than those who deliver product.”

Product Range

There are many factors that determine what types of cubicles and office furniture an organization may need, and no two situations are alike. Factors like spacing, colors, configurations, power requirements, type of workers, and quantities vary for each organization. According to Smith, the right partner will have products that meet the needs – and budget – of every tenant

Says Smith:

“It’s no secret that companies’ budgets vary. I work with multimillion-dollar entities, start-ups, and small to mid-sized entities alike. Some organizations involve architects and can afford elaborate offices, while others just need great-looking cubes that offer privacy and a comfortable “home away from home” for their employees. I need a partner that has an extensive product line and can come through in all of these different scenarios. It makes no sense from my standpoint to hire one vendor for higher-budget tenants and one for lower-budget tenants, for instance. The ability to always recommend the same quality partner makes my life easier.”

So your organization needs to buy cubicles, and you’ve been tasked with the job. Awesome! (Cue sarcastic thumbs-up and over exaggerated smile.)

Realistically, for as much as we enjoy living and breathing the world of office furniture, we have worked with enough office administrators, facilities managers, and purchasing directors over the last 25 years to know that buying cubes is not the most awesome thing in the world. Without the right direction, this process can be almost as painful than a root canal.

We also know that this task is probably among a million others on your to-do list that are all screaming with importance. We hear you, and we understand, which is why we constantly offer resources to make your “job” of buying cubes easier so you can get back to work.

Below are hands-down the four most crucial elements of the cubicle buying process. These tips have been compiled after thousands of conversations we have had with people in your shoes. Rest assured that following these steps could save you precious time and unnecessary headaches.

One last thing – we do not dive into an obvious element of the process: Budget. Only you and your team can determine what you have to spend. Knowing that each company’s resource pool is different, we have built a product line ranging from basic to highly-customized, so we can work within any budget.

Read on to learn more about how to get your plan in place, and feel free to contact us with any questions.

Space Tip – How to be Accurate

Cubicle Measurement

Measuring the space needed for your cubes sounds easy: Just grab a tape measure and any co-worker with a pulse.

Here’s where people go wrong time and time again: They don’t look at the big picture.

Square footage is a key number of course, so you record that measurement for areas where cubicles will reside. But also take into consideration any offices, electrical poles, copier areas, or other “dead zones” where cubes won’t be deployed. Taking a few extra minutes to break the large office space into smaller areas will help you when it comes time to select cubicle configurations and sizes.

Also, if you are purchasing cubicles for a new office setting, it almost goes without saying that you should measure the new office space area, not your old one. You might be surprised at how many times people don’t do this and end up wasting time.

Quantity Tip – Counting the People

Office Personnel Count

How many people work in your office? Better yet, how many people need cubicles?

Many times it takes a little more strategy than just going through the company directory and counting the number of co-workers you have. You may need to have conversations with the business owners or the human resources manager to see who actually needs a cubicle. For instance, a specific scenario to consider is related to sales personnel: Do they need personal cubes, or do they “work from home” or “operate remotely”?

Again, be sure to take into consideration whether your company is hiring. The last thing you need is to place an order, have cubes installed…and then have to go through the process again.

Requirements Tip – Determining Size and Features

We all know the line from “Office Space” – now you get to ask the question!

Determining the tasks your employees perform on a daily basis is extremely important because it will help you nail down the requirements for individual cubes such as size, height, storage, power requirements, and more.

Here are some things to consider:

  • Privacy – Are your employees on the phone all day making calls, like telemarketers or inside sales representatives? If so, cubes with higher walls are ideal and more privacy work best for them and everyone within shouting distance.
  • Storage – Cubicle dwellers working for organizations in healthcare and insurance, for example, have substantial amounts of paperwork, binders, and files. They may need multiple shelves, cabinets, and other storage compartments to support their work.
  • Power Requirements – Is one outlet enough? Probably not if you employ developers or designers who have high-powered computers, monitors, and other gadgets. There are various cubicle options available for users of all types.

Timeframe Tip – Creating a Realistic Timeline

Office Cube Calendar

Nobody ever wants to hear this, but you should realistically start planning your cubicle deployment 30-90 days before you purchase. That’s a far cry from the “tomorrow” timeframe that our customers are often given, but it’s also not that crazy.

If you are replacing cubicles, give yourself a few weeks to measure your space, determine the quantity of cubes you need, and develop a game plan for cubicle needs based on your employees’ tasks. Finalizing space layout, cube configurations, and colors takes another week or 10 days. Delivery can be five or 10 days at least, especially if your vendor has a quick-ship program (like us). So right there you’re in the 45-day range.

And if you’re relocating your office, add another month for packing and moving. This is a big job – don’t rush it!

Developing a realistic timeline can also help you manage the expectations of the powers that be, which is can save you even more stress (we hope).