Category: Office Furniture

5 Reasons To Buy New Office Furniture When Moving

Posted on June 13, 2017 by Joe DiGiovanni - Commercial Relocation, Moving Preparation, Office Furniture

Buying New Office Furniture for Your New Office Is Sometimes The Best Option

Moving to a new building, whether it is up-sizing or downsizing, can be tough for any business. Will the furniture fit in the new space? Is the furniture even suited for the new space? Today, we’ll be giving you five reasons why selling old furniture and buying new office furniture may be the right, and easy, choice for your company. FF&E installation can save you some headaches.

1. Buy New Office Furniture to Fit In a New Space

One of the most obvious reasons to buy new furniture is to avoid the risk of your current furniture not fitting in your new space’s floor-plan. When you purchased your current furniture, you may have had your old office space in mind. Your new location may be smaller or larger than your previous space, and the old furniture just may not fit.

If you buy new furniture for the office you’re moving into though, you have the ability to shape your purchase for your new space. Rather than fitting a large desk into a small room, simply sell the old desk and trade it in for a smaller desk that is better suited for the space.

2. Buy New Office Furniture to Fit a New Aesthetic

Just as square footage matters, appearance is also a big deal in a new office. Your furniture needs to match your space’s aesthetic to create a more pleasant atmosphere for both you and your employees. To make sure you create a pleasant atmosphere with appropriate furniture, consider other aspects of your new area outside of the floor plan.

How much natural lighting does the new space have? If the natural lighting differs from your previous space’s lighting, your furniture may change the look of the office entirely.

The color of the walls could clash with your older furniture as well. For instance, dark furniture may clash with a dark color on the walls or make the room feel gloomy. Many problems can be easily avoided by starting with a blank slate and buying new furniture, specific to the new space.

3. New Furniture Will Last Longer

Your old furniture may be ready for an update. Moving offices may give you the perfect opportunity to upgrade. Rather than furnishing your new space with older furniture, simply replace it instead. Newer furniture will age with the new building not having the same wear-and-tear as the old furniture. A change in scenery can also be a valuable investment in your employees’ happiness and productivity.

4. Allows for Evaluation of What Is and Is Not Necessary

Over years of being in the same space, offices can get cluttered. You may have gotten a new desk that was a steal at the time but subtracts from the limited space you have available. Think of selling your office furniture as spring cleaning. Selling gives you a chance to consider what is really necessary for your space and what is not.

When having a chance to buy everything again, you may realize that the three plastic filing cabinets you bought last year may be too much. Instead, you may decide to downsize to one or none at all. Moving allows for reevaluation, which can be the best thing for a new space.

5. Ultimately, It Is Easier To Sell or Donate

Convenience is another reason to buy new furniture rather than moving old furniture. Rather than focusing on the hassle of packing old furniture, sell it instead. As moving is a stressful time, selling the previous furniture can simply make it easier on you.

At The Quality Group, we want to make your job easier by doing our job. Connecting with the industry’s best, we coordinate your move by teaming up with office furniture planners when you want new furniture for your office. We even set up your new space for what’s best for your business. Moving is exciting and stress-free when you have the right help from your movers and furniture suppliers.

Work with The Quality Group

At The Quality Group, we’re your commercial relocation specialists. Founded in 1987 in New Orleans, LA, The Quality Group serves the Gulf States with comprehensive commercial moving services from move planning to furniture installation. No other company puts in the time or preparation that we do to make your move stress and hassle-free. The company now has locations in New Orleans, Baton Rouge, and Jackson, Mississippi, and is able to do high quality FF&E installation throughout Louisiana and Mississippi.

Refurnishing Your Business After a Flood

Posted on March 14, 2017 by Joe DiGiovanni - Office Furniture

A flood can be emotionally and physically devastating to you and your business. After floodwaters have cleared, your office furniture may still be left damaged. Here are the steps you should immediately take to refurnish your business after a flood.

Refurnish Your Office After a Flood with Professionals

Assessing the Damage After a Flood

After clearing out the standing water remaining from a flood, it is important to assess the damage of your furniture and equipment. Floodwater can leave varying degrees of damage to furniture that can easily increase in severity in a matter of days.

The water damage will vary based on the material that the furniture is made of. Wood may warp and/or crack after coming into contact with a large amount of water. Veneered furniture, which is typically made of materials such as plywood, particleboard, or medium-density fiberboard, will swell when it comes into contact with water. The end result for veneer furniture being ripped seams and damaged structures. Furniture with vinyl or low-pressure laminates will come unglued after sustaining water damage. The finish of your furniture may change as staining occurs. Finally, your furniture may change in appearance and structure including color warping and loose joints.

When your furniture is damaged after a flood, you must assess if it’s worth restoring. Take a look at the extent of the damage, cost of restoration, and cost of the piece. If you have decided that the furniture is not worth restoring, then it is time to start the process of refurnishing after a flood.

What To Do Next

A professional relocation service that partners with an interior design company can help you to refurnish after a flood affects your business. With a partnership, after the professional interior designers plan the office layout with optimal furniture, the relocation company ships the furniture to your business and assembles it professionally so you don’t have to do it yourself. Choose a commercial relocation or interior design company that has a strong partnership so that the design and assemble stages are seamless, leaving you with the best furniture and set up. This will ensure that your office is filled with beautiful, high-quality pieces of furniture and equipment.

After choosing the best furniture for your home or office, it is essential to install each piece correctly. A professional relocation company will provide you with employees that are specialized in proper furniture installation. Using a professional company will guarantee that your furniture is installed properly and safely, leaving you with pieces that will last.

Using a professional relocation company will ensure that the process of refurnishing after a flood goes smoothly and quickly. The professionals at The Quality Group provide the best service as our employees have extensive knowledge of the furniture industry and go through specialty furniture installation training. When you call The Quality Group after a devastation such as a flood, you are guaranteed a professional refurnishing experience. Call The Quality Group today for the best refurnishing team available in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama.

Work with The Quality Group

FF&E Services You Need from Your Installation Company

Posted on January 17, 2017 by Joe DiGiovanni - Facility Installation, Office Furniture

The first impression your clients have of you and your company is extremely important. The client will build an expectation based on that initial impression and they’ll remember that impression when they leave, whether you exceeded it or not. The problem you’ll face will come when your office has seen better days and is starting to show age and wear. If that’s the case, your client will instantly have a poor expectation of the work or service you provide. After all, if you don’t take care of your office, how will you take care of them? You’re fighting an uphill battle. An FF&E Company can help to take care of the details for you.

Deciding to refurbish your office is an important decision that can have a huge impact on your client’s impression of your company. When choosing an installation company to help you transition with the new furniture, fixtures, and equipment you’ll need, ensure the company meets your expectations and needs in the following categories:

Furniture, Fixture, and Equipment Services You Need

Selection and Shipping

Many relocation services are limited in their resources and partnerships, making the process of refurnishing your office much more difficult. At The Quality Group, we partner with interior designers that have extensive knowledge in furniture selection. This strong partnership helps to give you the options you’ll need to find exactly what furniture, fixtures, and electronics you want.

After our partners at the interior design company select the perfect furniture for you, The Quality Group can help to order the furniture within a reasonable time frame. If you have limited space in your office or you can’t receive a delivery at any time, we have the ability to receive the shipment of furniture, fixtures, and equipment for you. From there, it’s important to ask about storage and warehousing.

Storage and Warehousing

Your office has limited space because it’s already filled with furniture and fixtures leaving no spare room for new items on top of the old ones. This means you can’t store the new furniture in your office while waiting for all of it to arrive from the different suppliers. You also may want to do the update room by room to limit operational disruption. For these reasons or others, if you want the new furniture, fixtures, and equipment to be stored off site until you are ready for it at your office, ensuring your installation company can store everything for you will be essential.

Ask your installation company if they have the storage room for your furniture and equipment. A professional installation company like The Quality Group will have warehousing space capable of storing your furniture until you need it at your office. They will also inventory check the items that you ordered for accuracy and quality control. Once your installation company has every item in, they’ll arrange for shipping to your office on your schedule.

Delivery and Installation

Updating your office is a massive project that can be taken in small steps or be done all at once. For your specific needs, verifying your delivery options with your installation company is important. The Quality Group can deliver your furniture, fixtures, and equipment in a way that is custom to your needs, whether that may be half of the new items at one time and half at another or all at once. Ask your installation company beforehand what your delivery options are.

You’ll also want to check on the installation company’s installing process. Ensure that the company will not only install case goods, which are already assembled but also knock down items, which need assembly. This will prevent you from unexpected surprises.

Every installation company is not equal. For a full-service installation company that partners with interior designers in order to take care of your every need, call The Quality Group, or ensure that the one you choose provides each of the above services. Your company update will go smoothly with a professional and customer-centric installation company supporting you.

Work with The Quality Group

Old Office Furniture: Sell, Donate, or Trash?

Posted on October 18, 2016 by Joe DiGiovanni - Office Furniture

When the office is ready for new office furniture, you have to decide what to do with the office furniture you no longer want. It can be a tricky decision to decide whether selling, donating, or simply throwing it in the trash is your best option. Before the new items can be delivered though, you have to make a decision so you can arrange a pickup, coordinate a drop-off, or obtain some storage space to make room for the furniture. Whether you are moving and starting over with new furniture or simply upgrading the office, knowing the benefits and downsides of selling, donating, and throwing furniture away will help you make the best decision for your company.

Benefits and Downsides of Selling, Donating, and Throwing Away Old Office Furniture

Selling the Old Office Furniture

Selling the old office furniture may be a great option for the company. You can make back some of the money you originally spent and put it toward the new office furniture. Getting back money previously spent however is the biggest benefit of selling your old office furniture.

You’ll have to consider the time and effort needed to sell your office furniture. If space, time, and effort are not something you can spare then selling might not be your best option. You’ll have to find someone to buy the furniture, store the furniture until the new owner can take it, and be available when the furniture is going to be picked up or delivered.

If the company needs the extra cash and can spare the space, time, and effort then selling may be your best option. If money is not a concern, you may consider donating or throwing it away to save you some extra effort.

Donating the Old Office Furniture

Donating office furniture offers its own benefits separate from selling and throwing it into the trash. Donating your old office furniture will help others who cannot afford to buy brand new furniture and support your business’ philanthropic efforts. Donating your office furniture is relatively easy as well, as most organizations would be willing to come pick up any donations at your convenience.

Donating your office furniture will also be tax deductible. Just ensure you ask the donation organization for the required information and papers so you have what you need to get the business tax deduction.

Before you donate any office furniture however, examine it with a scrutinizing eye. Assess whether or not the furniture is in decent condition. Would you utilize the furniture again? If the answer is no because of holes, stains, broken parts, or other wear and tear marks then donating might not be right for the used office furniture. Giving it to someone else to throw away is not helping or benefiting anyone. If the used office furniture is just not in your company’s taste anymore and it’s in good condition, donating it to an organization may be right for your company.

Disposing of Old Office Furniture

Disposing of the furniture in the trash is probably the easiest with a simple arrangement with a waste management company in your area. If you’re not worried about money or getting a tax deduction with your old office furniture then throwing it away may be a good option for your company.

In addition, if your office furniture is in poor condition, throwing it away will be your best option. This is usually a last resort due to the only benefit being convenience, but if selling or donating is not the right decision for you then disposing of the furniture will give you room for the new furniture just as well.

When making room for new office furniture, consider the benefits and downsides of selling, donating, and disposing of it before making a final decision. You may be able to make up some previously spent money or get a tax deduction while making room for the new office furniture. If all else fails or you need space immediately then disposing of the furniture can be your best option. Choose what works best for you and your company and get your office ready for a new look with new furniture.

Work with The Quality Group

Designing an Office Space With Efficiency and the Future in Mind

Posted on October 4, 2016 by Joe DiGiovanni - Moving Preparation, Office Furniture

You’re company is relocating, so why not take this opportunity to design your new office space with the future and efficiency in mind?

Capitalize on your business’ relocation and use it as a chance to design a new office space that focuses on workflow optimization, potential expansion, and employees’ overall work environment satisfaction.

Designing an office space does require careful planning to create a productive space but can be done by focusing on a few key points. Office spaces should be created with a focus on workflow optimization and spatial design. Also, all office spaces should promote a positive working environment, while keeping in mind the potential for company expansion.

A Company Relocation Provides Opportunity for Better Office Space Designs

Workflow Optimization

Workflow optimization is important if you want to reduce costs and provide better services for your clients. Designing your workspace with optimization in mind leads to increased performance and a positive environment.

While all areas of your office will benefit from workflow optimization, the positive effects will be most noticeable in delivery systems, back-office operations such as technical services, and material handling areas.

To create an office using workflow optimization, some easy tips can be used. Remember to construct wide isles so multiple people can pass comfortably. Create areas with easy access to technical equipment and electrical outlets. Position your mailroom near the delivery dock to make the exchange of mail and packages seamless.

When designing with workflow optimization in mind, the main focus should be on eliminating waste and improving the overall efficiency of your office.

Spatial Design

Working hand in hand with workflow optimization is spatial design. In today’s work place, it is important to design spaces that enhance collaborative behavior and encourage innovative discussions.

A spatially designed office should support the free flow of ideas from people in the office. From open workspaces to dedicated meeting rooms, create spaces that your employees can use to share and workshop ideas. Make it easy to get from place to place and encourage teamwork with suitable group furniture, tools, and design.

Potential Expansion

When relocating, you should keep an open mind about potential future expansion. The last thing you’ll want is to have to redesign or move your office again due to an unexpected need for expansion. Not allowing space for expansion now will cost you both time and money later.

Having a multifunctional room in your office that can be used for meetings now and employee workspaces in the event of an expansion later can save you big in terms of time and money. If you know the business will expand in the future, purchase a building with extra land for future renovations.

Project for future business endeavors now to avoid being inefficient in the future.

Positive Environment

Sometimes we tend to look past the fact that our immediate environment affects our emotions, mannerisms, and general wellbeing. When relocating, create an office space that promotes a positive environment. Include break rooms, open snack pantries, and creative meeting rooms to enhance your employees’ happiness.

Providing your employees with a creative and innovative work place leads to an overall positive environment, increasing productivity as well.

Relocating your business provides many opportunities for you to design an office space that supports innovation and high productivity. Focus on workflow optimization and spatial design to create a new space that promotes discussion and creativity. Remember to plan ahead for any potential expansion your business may go through. Above all, design a workspace your employees are proud of and comfortable in that results in a positive work environment for everyone.

Working With The Quality Group:

When you work with the Quality Group, you’ll get to work with Louisiana’s foremost commercial relocation experts. Our company was founded in 1987 in New Orleans and now serves the entire Gulf South with comprehensive commercial moving services.

How to Downsize Your Office Space

Posted on August 16, 2016 by Joe DiGiovanni - Moving Preparation, Office Furniture

There are many benefits to downsizing your office space. It can be a money saver, a workforce enticer, and a business expansion enabler, but making it happen can be tricky without some careful planning. The point is not to move into a new office that will have you and your employees crammed and rubbing elbows with each other for an extended period of time. Instead, you want to find a smaller yet comfortable space that eliminates unused areas yet keeps functionality at its full potential. If you are downsizing your office, consider these tips:

To Downsize Your Office Space, Don’t Think Traditionally

Multi-Functional Rooms

Many companies have dedicated conference rooms, meeting rooms, and break rooms that people use on a regular, but isolated, basis. These rooms usually serve specific purposes and the rest of the time each sits empty and unused. Businesses can easily conserve space by finding an office that has a room that can be used for all of these purposes. A single room can be dedicated for those eating lunch for several hours in the day and then serve as a meeting room or conference room during other business hours. This will cover all your business needs while reducing the amount of office space required.

Furniture

Workspaces, tables, and chairs are all relatively easy to change when downsizing your office. Many furniture companies now have modular furniture options or furniture that can be converted and used in multiple ways. For example, a large table that can be broken down to several smaller ones or a desk that also acts as storage space can be extremely useful to the business trying to save space. Easily moved lightweight furniture and furniture on wheels can also make reconfiguring your office easy when the need arises.

Location

There are many alternatives to the traditional, stand-alone office building. If you are looking to downsize your daily needed square footage you may consider alternative workspaces. Pairing up with another business to share conference areas or break rooms can help decrease the square footage of your needed personal office space. You can also encourage your employees to work from different locations. Allowing your employees to work from home or another location, even on a rotating basis, can save your company loads of space.

Think Vertically or Digitally

When needing more storage space, many businesses tend to expand horizontally, adding in another desk or file cabinet. Horizontal expansion however is not always the best option. Businesses can use less square footage if storage is built vertically or digitally. Acquiring shelves to go on top of desks or to be secured on walls can mean less furniture spread throughout the office. Digital storage is also a great option to reduce the amount of furniture and thus space needed in an office. You can remove large amounts of paper and store it online or on hard drives and turn a whole file cabinet into a folder on a computer with digital storage.

Interior Designers

Designing an office to be both functional and space efficient requires skill and knowledge about what products are out there and what designs are functional. Interior designers can design and organize an office for functionality and efficiency no matter the office size. Choose interior designers that partner with a relocation company for a smooth transition through space design, furniture selection, and furniture installation. If your goal is to have a small yet functional office, hiring a moving company that is paired with interior designers can help your business achieve your ideal balance of office size, storage area, and workspace room.

Downsizing to a smaller office can be a beneficial decision for your company. With some careful planning you can obtain increased efficiency in a smaller space and save money all at the same time. Think outside the standard office space to downsize effectively and remember these practical tips for a smooth transition

Work with The Quality Group

Avoid Moving Twice with New Furniture

Posted on June 7, 2016 by Joe DiGiovanni - Commercial Relocation, Facility Installation, Moving Preparation, Office Furniture

Moving logistics can be a nightmare when trying to coordinate all variables. From the moving company, keeping clients informed of your schedule, interior designs, system installers and everyday vendors, the stress can add up quickly. The Quality Group can help alleviate much of this stress and can help our clients that use this time to update their office furniture as well. Whether it is due to normal wear and tear or the desire to keep the office atmosphere consistent with the new location, businesses can often add another layer of complexity with scheduling when making this decision. What happens if you order and it is scheduled to arrive after you’ve already moved? What happens if it arrives too early? We have some advise on how the Quality Group can help.

Don’t Let New Furniture Result in You Moving Twice

Avoid Moving Twice

A common practice in the business world when relocating is to essentially move twice. You may think this is absurd, but it happens more often than you think. Many companies will move into their new office with their old furniture, then pay someone to come and get the old furniture and then pay someone else to bring in the new furniture. Businesses lose a production day when this procedure is followed, but they often don’t see another option. Companies have to keep old furniture until new furniture arrives and scheduling pick-ups and deliveries for the same time is virtually impossible. You can however, avoid moving your furniture twice with a little help and planning.

Purchase and Ship Your New Furniture Early

To avoid moving twice, purchase your furniture early in the moving process. You can avoid a large amount of stress by researching and purchasing your new office furniture before you start attempting to coordinate companies. Purchasing the large items early will also give you leeway on deciding when and where you want it delivered. Instead of shipping your new furniture to your old location where you don’t have room for it, or having it shipped to your new place weeks after you’ve moved in, you can ship it to your moving company: The Quality Group.

Store Your New Furniture with the Quality Group

Storing your new furniture with The Quality Group can reduce the amount of work you have to do by cutting down coordination requirements and streamlining the time needed to get your new office up to par. When you purchase your furniture from an outside vendor, The Quality Group is able to safely store it until moving day. When you ship the furniture to The Quality Group, you remove the need to find storage elsewhere and you avoid moving twice. The Quality Group receives, inspects, corrects any mistakes, and stores your furniture until you are ready to move into your new office.

Enjoy the New Furniture at the New Office

When your move day comes, The Quality Group brings and installs the furniture to your specifications. With this process you don’t need to worry about having your old furniture in your new office until the new ones arrive. You also don’t have to worry about coordinating multiple companies, into your move. The Quality Group will already know your move schedule and relocate the new furniture into your office at the same time as moving all of your other equipment, thus avoiding operational downtime. The whole process will happen on the same day and you will avoid the double move situation.

Storing new furniture with your moving company can greatly reduce the stress and work that comes with business relocation. Excess company coordination is removed and aesthetics are not sacrificed when everything arrives at the new office at the same time. The Quality Group aims to ease your moving process by helping to manage your furniture substitution by storing your office furniture until the day you move into your new office.

Work with The Quality Group

The Modern Office

Posted on April 26, 2016 by Joe DiGiovanni - Office Furniture

The New Modern Office is Trending

It’s 2016 and the workforce is slowly shifting from the baby boomer generation to the millennial generation. With that workforce shift comes a shift in office space and lifestyle expectations. Keeping your new work force motivated and happy at work can have a huge effect on their happiness and productivity. Many millennials now want to be part of the open office trend, which means you might be looking into a new office space and an openly designed office layout. While you are shifting your office over to the new modern office trend, keep The Quality Group in mind as we can help you get into your new office with ease.

Location

The millennial generation puts emphasis on balancing work and home life. Having an office in an urban area with high walkability access will sit well with millennials who are big on convenience. Easy access to work and entertainment in an urban area will be exactly the kind of convenient balance of work and life they are searching for in their life. They also like the option to choose where they work. Finding an office that has multiple workspace options, including outside options, can go a long way with your upcoming employees. While moving into a new office can seem daunting, planning for the happiness of your future employees is important. The Quality Group can ease your move into that modern office by taking every detail into account. We even calculate how many elevator trips it will take to move you and do so at a time that won’t interrupt business.

Space Planning

The modern office trend that the millennial generation expects comes with a whole different setup from the cubicles that used to be popular. Open-concept design and collaborative furniture are now on the rise and require spaces where more than one person can sit. The Quality Group has partners who can help any office optimize its space for the new workforce. They can optimize your office for your workers who need open spaces and for those who need individual spaces.

Furniture

The Quality Group partners with interior design companies that can help any office plan, design, and equip their office with the right furniture. From collaboration furniture to individual workspaces, they can help create your modern office with a perfect blend of open and individual workspaces with furniture professionally assembled by the Quality Group. Whether you are bringing your previous furniture with you or are looking for new furniture, The Quality Group can help by moving, arranging, and collaborating with you on your furniture needs.

The millennial generation may have a different idea of an office from previous generations but The Quality Group is here to help you get a handle on moving. When you find the new office that will suit your workforce’s expectations, let The Quality Group come and seamlessly move you and create a workspace your new employees will love.

Work with The Quality Group

Large Office Move

Posted on March 15, 2016 by Joe DiGiovanni - Commercial Relocation, Office Furniture

Coordinating a large office move can be stressful and time consuming. There is a lot to plan and many matters to consider. You need to worry about what day to start getting items together, how to unload when you get to the new office, and how to continue operations during that time. The Quality Group can ease your stress with your large office move by coordinating and executing the entire process. With our proven relocation formula that provides a seamless transition, we will move your large office with precision and efficiency.

Equipment

No office is too large for The Quality Group to relocate. Our consultants start each move by determining the size of your relocation and what equipment will be needed to ensure your office is moved safely and securely. Our large inventory and many resources allow us to move your items in the most efficient and cost effective way possible. When we move your large office, all of our resources are dedicated to you until you are comfortably settled into the new place.

No Cost Surprises

Your large office may have hundreds of pieces of equipment that need special attention during a move. This may bring you to worry about the cost of the move increasing as it progresses, but that doesn’t have to be the case. We use our expertise and outside resources to anticipate challenges. When you move with The Quality Group, you get our not-to-exceed pricing principle, which means we try our hardest to refrain from adding unexpected fees. We tell you the expected price upfront and work within the quote.

Effective Process

Our proven process delivers an efficient move with little to no down time. Our consultants assess your large office and coordinate our three teams to create an efficient move with no wasted time. We provide a relocation plan specific to your large office needs and factor in everything, even the weight capacity of the elevator, to deliver you your ideal customized move. Our process leaves you with no worry, as we organize and plan the entire process based on when you want to be in the new office.

Additional Services

Your new office is obviously going to be different than your old office. It will have a different number of rooms, different dimensions, and a different flow. You might be unsure as to how you want your new furniture to be arranged or if you even want it anymore. If you don’t want the hassle of deciding how to arrange the furniture, leave it to the Quality Group. We can optimize and organize your new large office based on your needs or manage your furniture until you decide. We can provide new furniture customized to your office or store your furniture that you are unsure what to do with. Let us know how we can help and we will provide you with exactly what you need.

The Quality Group can move any sized office, from 1,000 to 400,000 square feet and beyond. We can relieve your moving stress and relocate your business into the new office with a customized plan so you can focus solely on your business. Your relocation doesn’t have to be stressful when you move with The Quality Group.

Category: Office Furniture

5 Reasons To Buy New Office Furniture When Moving

Buying New Office Furniture for Your New Office Is Sometimes The Best Option

1. Buy New Office Furniture to Fit In a New Space