Office furniture is an investment – ideally, one that will last for a good few years and that will meet your or your employees’ needs exactly. By providing proper support and ensuring the comfort of anyone who uses it, well-designed office furniture can help keep employees happy and productive. The right furniture can also provide your office with a professional look and feel that inspires confidence in your clients.
For all these reasons, it’s a good idea to plan properly before buying office furniture. Consider some of the common mistakes that people make so you can avoid falling into the same traps.
Mistake #1: Impulse buying
Before buying office furniture, it’s important to consider exactly what your needs are. So don’t fall into the trap of buying on impulse.
If you’re buying a chair, for example, think how it will be used. Someone who’s constantly moving between a filing cabinet, a PC, the phone and a printer needs a chair that moves easily, for instance. A desk chair that will be occupied for upwards of eight hours a day has to provide better back support than a chair intended for a reception area, and so on.
Another good way to figure out what you want and need is to think about the furniture you already have. What are its shortcomings and how could it be improved? Maybe a larger desk area would be useful, or maybe employees struggle with shoulder pain because the arms on the chairs they’re using aren’t at the right height and can’t be adjusted.
When it comes to a desk or table, avoid the all too common mistake of failing to measure the available space before you buy. It’s no fun buying a desk for your home office and then realising it won’t fit into the area where you planned to use it.
Mistake #2: Going for glamour
Trendy, modern items of furniture may look good, but especially when it comes to office chairs, it doesn’t make sense to prioritise pizzazz over comfort. If you or an employee can’t work comfortably in a chair, it’s not going to serve well.
Instead of being “glamoured” by innovative designs and bold colours, go for well-crafted, ergonomically designed pieces. For example, make sure that office chairs include features like proper lumbar support, contoured seats and height-adjustable seats and armrests.
Mistake #3: Not looking to the future
Before buying office furniture, consider how your needs may change in the near to mid-future. Is your company likely to expand, for example? If so, will you be able to purchase additional items in the same style, or at least in a style that will complement the furniture you already have? Also, will furniture you buy now provide enough storage space for your future needs?
Generally it’s a good idea to choose items of furniture that are as flexible and easy to move as possible. That way, you can more easily reconfigure the layout of your office as needs change.
Mistake #4: Buying cheap
There’s nothing wrong with a good sale. However, make sure that slashed or low prices don’t tempt you into buying office furniture that isn’t comfortable or won’t really meet your needs.
Also bear in mind that you should consider the total cost of an item of furniture over its expected life, rather than focusing just on what the price tag says. If a chair or desk will have to be replaced or repaired within a year, it’s obviously not as cheap as its tag suggests.
Mistake #5: Forgetting about after-sales service
Be sure to find out what warranties are offered and what you can expect from a vendor if something goes wrong. For example, what if an item you buy is damaged or badly scratched when it’s being delivered to you? If an item of furniture like an office desk, shelving unit or chair requires assembly once it arrives onsite, will the vendor be able to assist you?
The best approach is to stick with a reputable vendor known for its good service and reputable business practices.
K-Mark specializes in office chair manufacturing, furniture installations and office relocations. Browse our office chair catalogue and services.
