- Are you a direct office furniture manufacturer?
This is one of the most important questions to ask any office furniture supplier, and here’s why.
There are two main types of office furniture suppliers: manufacturers, who make new furniture, and distributors or resellers, who buy it from a manufacturer and resell it to you. Both kinds of suppliers can offer you great prices on office furniture for lease in NYC, but if you’re looking for a partner for your business who will supply you with the best quality furniture at the lowest prices, deal with a direct manufacturer.
Manufacturers sell their products directly to businesses at lower prices than other suppliers because they cut out the middle man. This means that more money goes into creating high quality products, so when you buy from them, you get higher quality chairs built with better materials and craftsmanship. Distributors often get their product from the same manufacturers as direct sellers do; however, they typically don’t have as much control over production or customization options as manufacturers do.
2. Request a factory tour to see the range of products being manufactured at the factory.
When you visit the factory, look for the following:
- Customer service: Do they address all your questions and concerns? Are they able to deal with your needs? How fast was their response time when you contacted them?
- Factory setup: What is the layout of their factory, office space and meeting rooms like? Is it neat and well-maintained or a mess?
- The manufacturing process: How are the products made from start to finish? Do they have any modern machinery that will help improve efficiency and reduce production costs? Will you be able to customize your furniture if you want to do so later on down the line?
- Quality control: How does their quality control process run – do they inspect each piece of furniture manually or use automated methods for consistency in their quality control processes? Are there employee-led inspections throughout every step of production instead of just at the end after everything has already been completed? And lastly, how many times does each product get inspected before being sold off into retail markets around Australia and overseas markets alike. This should include inspections by both employees as well as external auditors.
3. Ask the supplier about the type of material used to manufacture their office chairs and office tables.
- What kind of materials are used to manufacture their office chairs and office tables?
- Are the materials eco-friendly?
- How durable are the material?
- Does the supplier have any certifications for some or all of the materials used to create their products?
- Do they offer any warranties on these materials?
4. Ask the supplier to show you their office furniture ranges.
Ask the supplier to show you their office furniture ranges.
The supplier should be able to show you the range of products they offer. They should also be able to demonstrate the quality of their products, particularly if you’re buying on a budget and are concerned that the lower end of their price scale might mean substandard quality. The supplier should be able to show you the range of finishes they offer as well as the material used in construction so that your new office furniture is fit for purpose, durable, and easy to clean.
5. Check out the in-house carpenters or production workforce for their experience and expertise.
The knowledge and expertise of the in-house carpenters or production workforce is critical to fulfilling your requirements. You need to be sure that they are experienced, skilled, reliable and thorough in their work.
Ask the furniture supplier about their workforce. Inquire as to whether they are permanent employees or contract workers. Find out if apprentices are sometimes used, and how often this is allowed to occur. Ask what kind of training the in-house workforce receives, and who provides this training – it should be provided by senior staff with extensive experience in the field, not by junior staff or apprentices who have only recently joined the business themselves.
You should also ask about the types of office furniture created by the company’s workforce – you aren’t looking for a company that only creates one type of furniture as this will limit your overall choices when you come to order something more specific from them later on. Finally, ask about the quality control processes that are employed within the company – it is important that there is an effective quality control system employed at all times so that damage can never occur during transportation and delivery
6. Ask if they can provide customised or bespoke office furniture?
When it comes to the office furniture you choose, it needs to be functional in your space and work well with the flow of your employees. Custom-made office furniture will ensure that you get exactly what you need, as opposed to having to compromise on an off-the-shelf option.
Bespoke office furniture is custom built to your exact specifications. This not only allows for a better fit within your space, but also lets you add in additional features that can help increase productivity and streamline workflow. Features like pullout keyboard drawers and monitor risers can help reduce neck strain from looking down at computer screens or up at documents. These small additions can make a big difference in the long run for both employee comfort and productivity.
7. Do they offer after sales support?
>Delivery, installation and after-sales services are often charged separately.
As such, you may want to ask your office furniture supplier if they offer any of these services before you commit to buying. The last thing you want is to be unpleasantly surprised by an upcharge on your bill. They may be able to give a ballpark figure when it comes to the additional cost, but in other cases, it will depend on the total amount of furniture purchased. If so, this is a good opportunity for negotiation. You may also want to find out where their delivery and installation teams are based; if they’re not local, that could mean extra charges or delays in getting those services completed.
8. What is the delivery lead time for standard and non-standard ranges?
The delivery lead time is the time between you placing an order and when that order is ready to be delivered. It’s important to check the delivery lead time when buying office furniture as it affects your project planning. If you need new furniture in a hurry, or in a specific timeframe, you will want a supplier who can deliver before deadlines. If you place an order too late and it cannot be fulfilled on time, it will create delays for your project and cause problems for both yourself and your supplier.
9. Do they keep any stock and do they offer discounts for purchasing in bulk?
It is important to know before you commit to buy from any office furniture supplier, if they keep stock. This is usually the case for large furniture pieces like pedestals and filing cabinets and also for smaller items such as desk tidies and monitor arms. You will want to be sure that they are able to provide what you want in terms of quantities, models, colours and finishes.
Equally important is whether the supplier can offer discounts for purchasing in bulk. If a good deal is what you’re after, it’s always worthwhile asking if they have any promotions or discounts on certain items or when buying several things at once.
10. Not all office furniture suppliers are reliable and capable!
Choosing an office furniture supplier is often an afterthought when you are busy planning your new office. Many companies choose their furniture supplier in the same way they choose their printer or stationary supplier – they choose the guy down the road or a company they have used before with little consideration. Most people don’t realise that not all office furniture suppliers are created equal and there are several ways in which a good quality, reputable and capable office furniture supplier can help your project run smoothly. By asking these questions before you commit to buying from any one supplier, you will ensure you select someone who will deliver your project to the standard and specifications you require:
- Is your company a manufacturer?
- Do you have carpenters working in-house?
- Do you offer a standard range of products?
- How much support do you offer after sales?
- Do I get discounts for bulk purchases?
- What are your lead times for delivery?
Don’t be afraid to ask questions and get the information you need in order to make a smart purchase. You can save yourself time, money, and a lot of frustration by understanding what you’re getting into with your office furniture supplier. So take a few minutes to make sure you have the right questions, give them a call, and get answers that will help you make the right decision—for your business, your employees, and yourself.
