Category: Office Furniture

The Quality Group Takes Care of Your Furniture Needs

Here at The Quality Group, we take care of your furniture during your move, no matter what stage of its life cycle it’s in.  We make sure all your furniture needs are taken care of so there is no extra work for you.

Recycle

We donate unwanted furniture You’ve taken a look around the office and noticed that your furniture is not what it used to be. It has some scuffs and scrapes, it’s a little out of date and not all of it even matches anymore.  With the move coming up, you decide to throw out the old and bring in the new. The problem is you don’t know what to do with the old. The Quality Group however, knows exactly what to do with your old furniture and they will even do it for you.

When your office moving date arrives, The Quality Group will take the furniture you no longer want and donate it to Habitat for Humanity, on your company’s behalf. You get to free up your space for new furniture without extra work, and Habitat for Humanity gets to use your old furniture for a good cause.

Store

It’s come to your attention that you don’t quite know where to put some of the office furniture in the new office. The new office has a different layout and while you’ve discussed where it can go, you’re still not quite convinced. You don’t want to put it there yet and you don’t want to get rid of it yet either.  Not to worry, during your dilemma, The Quality Group can store your furniture until you are ready to make a decision. Once you’ve decided, just let The Quality Group know and they will help you carry the decision out.

Sell furniture

We sell you furniture perfect for your new officeYour company doesn’t have any furniture for the new office you are moving into because of the different space requirements.  You can’t have your clients sit on cardboard boxes when they come to visit and you can’t expect your employees to sit on them either.

If your new office is going to be looking bare, then let The Quality Group know during your move. They will consult with you about your furniture needs and make suggestions from their assortment of office furniture that they sell. They will ensure that everyone in the office is happy and comfortable with the new furniture.

Furniture is one of the biggest things to worry about during a move, whether you are getting rid of it, keeping it or even if you are unsure about what to do with it. Whichever stage you find yourself in with your furniture during your move, The Quality Group is happy to help.

New Year Moving Goals for Your Office

The New Year is about setting goals and making a fresh start. This year your business is making a fresh start with a move to a new office. The move is the first step in making some major changes in the way your business is run. You’ll want to make sure the changes start right in the beginning with the relocation so you can carry that momentum through the year.

Here are some New Year goals for your business you can begin working on during your move and that you can carry forward throughout the New Year.

Recycle

Recycle old office equipment Businesses burn through a lot of material, including recyclable material like paper and plastic. In addition, employees of businesses go through their own materials including water bottles, soda cans and sandwich bags. Set up a few recycle bins in the office while you start your move and recycle the materials that won’t be following you to the new location. Once you are in the new place, keep the recycle bins alive and encourage your employees to recycle their materials as well.  Your business will become more earth friendly and you will feel better about your business.

Donate

Donating unwanted office chairs

Similar to recycling, during your move you might find some equipment that you no longer use or have replaced a while back with newer versions. Instead of throwing those items out, donate it to other companies that might need it or to stores that take donated items that will resell it. Just be sure to erase any stored information on the equipment to ensure your business’ safety. Donating these items will reduce how much you have to pack from your current office and store in your new office. Supplies that are no longer being used are always appreciated any time of year.

Relieve the extra stress

Moving is a stressful job and adds more to your already huge pile of things to do. To relieve some of that stress set aside time to relax and to ensure that there is no down time in your business operations, hire a full-service moving company that will unpack everything for you.  This will help you stay calm during the move and the service will remove some of the things you have to worry about. Your employees will be able to walk inand start working Monday morning, as if nothing has changed. Setting aside time to relax during the week is a good practice to keep going throughout the year as well, you’ll feel more relaxed and ready to get to work when you need to.

With the New Year here and your business starting fresh in a new place, take some time to set goals for your business as well as for yourself. After all, the New Year is all about making improvements and there is always room for improvements, even in the business world.

Designing an Office Lobby Your Customers Will Love

As soon as a new client walks through your business’ door, the evaluation of your company begins. Wandering eyes will carefully examine the lobby looking for clues as to what you and your business might be like. This room is where your company gets its first impression, so you want it to be a good one. Here are some tips on how to make a positive lasting impression on everyone that walks through your business’ front door.

Office lobby with check-in deskBefore you design your perfect office lobby, you need to think about a few things. Will there be a lot of people in your waiting area? Will there be a check-in desk? And, how much space do you have to work with? These questions are important so you know how to effectively design your space.

After you figure out the answers to those questions, you’ll know what kind of furniture to work with so that you can adequately accommodate your guests. Make sure to plan for enough seating for the maximum amount of people that you think will be waiting at a given time. You don’t want any of your guests uncomfortably standing.

If you have a check-in desk, it’s important to make sure this desk is not too high. If it is, it can cause guests to feel intimidated. So, just be sure when planning your check-in area, that the desk is a suitable height for your guests.

Now it’s time to talk décor. Bottom line, you want the décor in your lobby to be aesthetically pleasing to your guests. This starts with having a lot of natural light streaming through the room because it makes the room appear bigger and brighter. Also, you should not paint your lobby a “loud” color like neon green, hot pink or bright purple. Having an accent wall is one thing, but painting the entire room a loud color is not recommended.

To add some sophistication to your décor, add some art, your company’s logo and some of your business’ prestigious awards to a few walls or shelves. Spice up your company’s logo by adding spot lighting to shine on it. Not only will this be an impressive touch, but it will also reinforce your brand, and what company doesn’t want that? As for art on the walls, frame a piece or two to add a little something about your company’s personality. It could be a framed quote, or a nice picture that preaches determination and the will to never give up. Whatever it might be, make sure it will convey something your brand does or believes in.

For some small impressive accents, we suggest putting some of your branded promotional materials out for visitors to take. Whether it’s a bowl of branded candies, pens, or business cards, these materials will add some pizzazz and a professional feel. Another added bonus to having these promotional materials out for grabs is that your company is more likely to stay at the forefront of your clients’ minds even after they leave. Next time they go to write their “to-do list,” they may just grab that pen they got from you to write it.

Magazines stacked on tableNobody likes to wait, so it’s important to keep your guests happy while they’re waiting. Have some industry-related reading materials out on the table to help clients pass the time. We also suggest having a TV in the waiting room with a news station on. Not only will this keep your visitors occupied, but it will also show to them that you’re staying current with today’s news and trends. For your guests’ enjoyment, we also suggest having a coffee, tea and water station in the lobby area in case guests need some refreshments.

You only get one chance to make a first impression, and in most cases, this impression begins in the lobby. By putting a little extra effort into the design of your lobby, you can be sure that your guests will wait happy and have a positive lasting impression about you and your company.

Move without Really Moving? Here’s How:

We get it. Your business is in a prime location. Easily accessible to customers and clients, and you’ve been at this location for years. You’re not quite ready to part with your building, but you want a new, refreshed office. So, how do you get that without moving? Well, you’re in luck because we’ve got some answers.

img_paintingTo refresh your space, you can always paint, paint and paint again. Want to open up your space and make it look and feel bigger? Then, stick with lighter colors. Going darker encloses your space and makes it look and feel smaller. Believe it or not, colors can actually affect work productivity and evoke certain emotions. Want more productivity? Then try not to overload your office with white paint. Want to create an environment all of your guests will most likely love? Stick with a shade of blue because most people enjoy this color. The new paint color is sure to change things up and give your space a new and refreshed look.

The next thing you can do to revamp your current office is get new furniture, or rearrange current furniture. If you decide to go new, depending on the type of furniture you want, certain kinds allow you to better maximize space and offer storage capabilities. Research various types of furniture to see what type will help you make the most out of your offices’ space, and give you much-needed storage. If you want to rearrange your current furniture, map out what furniture would best fit in different places. Maybe you want to just move around your employee’s offices for a change of scenery. Whatever route you take, changing up your furniture will definitely help you refresh your office space and make it feel like new.

New flooring can also transform your space. Ripping out that old grungy carpet and replacing it with something more modern can do wonders. Choose a new carpet, or upgrade to tile, hardwood or laminate flooring. New flooring can open up your space and make it feel fresh and new. While you’re at it, you maimg_flooringy even want to revamp your baseboards. You might not think about it, or notice the baseboards, but when they’re new and freshly painted, you’ll be sure to notice them, and you’ll be surprised how your office transforms.

The next thing you could do to make your office feel like a completely different space is to check out the office building next to your current office. Does a business occupy that space? If not, would it be possible for you to make that space yours? If this looks at all possible, contact a contractor to see if they can put a door in to connect your current space with the adjacent one. This can be a great transformation for yourimg_upgradeicons space. You can take over a new office, while still occupying your current office. You can’t get much closer to moving without actually moving than this, huh?

Whatever upgrades you decide to do to your office, you’re going to need to get your furniture, computer equipment and everything else you have in your space out of your office so you can get it done. Our advice to you: don’t lose time moving your stuff out of your office yourselves; look into commercial movers who can help you out. At The Quality Group, we not only do moving from one location to another, we can also help you with retrofit. So, if you’re looking for that perfect office, without the move, we can move you.

Moving your office from one location to another can be a great thing for your business. But, it’s not the only option you have when you feel like you’ve outgrown your office or need a refreshed look. Whatever you decide to do to change up your look, make sure you explore your options so you can get on your way to make your office feel like new again.

 

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.

 

Furniture Installation Made Easy

You’re a business owner. You’ve got a lot of things to worry about and deal with, but, there are some things you just shouldn’t have to do.

When you order new furniture for your office, you shouldn’t be worried about how to install it. You need to focus on what you do best, and that’s running your business. So, we’re going to tell you how The Quality Group does furniture installation to make your life easier.

To begin the furniture installation process, we schedule a meeting with you. We want to know about what you want when it comes to office furniture. We’ll boil down what furniture best fits for your business’ functionality, and what pieces will look great in your office as well. After we decide what you want, we map out some pricing and the proposed installation services.img_furniture

After we finalize everything in a contract, we meet with you and our furniture dealer to schedule proposed dates of meetings with the construction contractor. We want you to be in the loop on every part of this process so that we get everything done just how you want it. Open lines of communication between all parties is so important, so we do our best to stay in constant contact with everyone involved.

We believe in doing things right every time for you, so we carefully review the specifications for the furniture install and review the plans to ensure accuracy.

Next, we have a crew go to your office to verify critical measurements and check for electrical and communication entries. Then, we attend the contractor’s meetings so that we make sure we’re doing everything according to your timeline. We want to limit the hours spent on furniture installation so that you can get back to business as soon as possible.

After we coordinate the furniture delivery times and receive the furniture at your office, we inspect the furniture for all necessary pieces and any damage. If needed, we’ll file a damage report.

When we have everything we need, we begin installing your furniture. We visually inspect each workstation and private office to ensure we accurately installed the furniture. We make sure the level, trim and all other aspects of your furniture are perfect and functional.

After this whole process is complete, we sign off with you; we contact the furniture dealer for the final punch list and make sure you’re satisfied with all services.img_furnitureinstall

Furniture installation is a process, and we make that process easy by installing it for you. You shouldn’t have to worry about missing furniture pieces, how to put together a desk or filing damage reports. So, relax, The Quality Group has you covered.

 

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.

Finding the Right Office Furniture for Your New Space

When you move, you and your business get a fresh start. New office, new surroundings and a new feel to go along with it. As you look around your current office space, you begin to contemplate where you’re going to put things. You’re not sure if your furniture will fit and look best in your new location. So, where should you begin to solve this problem?

rightoffice_furnitureFirst, start with your moving company. You should ask your commercial movers what furniture they suggest, if they can recommend a furniture brand/style to best fit your new office and business operations and if they can install it.

If your commercial movers do not provide these services, then we have some tips for you to remember. When you shop for your new office furniture make sure your shopping not only for a reasonable price, but also for functionality. You don’t want to buy hundreds of cubicles when your business operations require employee collaboration. If you buy office furniture that isn’t functional for your business operations, it could also lead to unproductive employees. You need to foster a productive work environment for your business and your employees. So, if you’re shopping for new office furniture make sure to keep functionality, operations and employee productivity in the forefront of your mind.

QG_rightofficeThe next thing you want to think about is furniture storage. You need to be prepared if either some of your new furniture, or some of the old furniture doesn’t work in your new space. If you find yourself in this situation, we recommend you ask your commercial mover about any solutions they might have. They should be able to either store it, or dispose the unwanted office furniture. If they have storing capabilities, make sure the storage facility is secure so that all of your office furniture is safe and sound.

You spend a lot of time in your office and at your desk, so you need to ensure that both you and your employees have functional office furniture. You don’t want to find yourself with too much furniture for your new space, or with furniture that doesn’t flow properly in your new office. Take some time to consult with your commercial movers, think about the best way to organize your office to streamline your business productions and then shop for that perfect office furniture that will make your new office the office of your dreams!

 

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.

 

 

 

Maximizing Your Small Office Space

You started a small business and are about to move into a new space. You’re wondering how you can make the most of your new office space. You want it to be practical and functional, but you don’t know where to start. We’ve compiled a few tips so that you can make the most out of your small office space.

First things first, assess your new office space. What are the sizes of each room? Are there large open spaces? Big windows? Does the space have any restrictions from the landlord? Ask these questions and get answers so that you can best smalloffice_modernplan out your new space.

If you have a commercial moving company helping you out with your office move, they may be able to help you answer some of these questions. Your space needs to function for you and your business operations. So, think about what you want each room in your space to be functional for. Do you want a collaboration room? Break room? Individual offices? After you figure out how you want your space to function, talk to your commercial mover. They should be able to help you plan out where your furniture and equipment should go so that you can maximize office productivity and make use of your space.

We also suggest looking into modular furniture as an option for your small office. With this type of furniture, you can easily take apart, put together and rearrange workstations to fit your particular need. Modular furniture is good for small spaces because it can help you optimize your space. If you decide to look into this type of furniture, make sure to talk to your commercial movers to see if they are able to install it.

Storage is another thing you’ll need to think about when trying to maximize your small offices’ space. You’re going to have a lot of office supplies, maybe extra furniture and other items that you’ll need to store. If you don’t need these items in-house, consider putting the items in storage, especially if it’s furniture. For the items you do need to have in your office on a daily basis, make sure to have the items organized. Disorganization will only lead to clutter that will take up space. Purchasing decorative storage bins or purchasing office furniture with a lot of storage capabilities will help keep your office organized, and help you maximize your office space.

smalloffice_paintYou also need to think about the visual impact you want your office to have. Do you want your employees and visitors to be wowed when they walk in? Of course you do. Consider painting some walls to add a little character to your space. Painting is an easy and great way to make your small space stand out.

Just because you have a small office space doesn’t mean it won’t be functional. You just have to make sure to plan everything out so you’re using your space to its full advantage. Talk to your commercial mover and come up with a strategy to help you configure your space into the office of your dreams.

 

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.

 

Finding the Right Moving Company.

When My Business Moves, Can You Set Everything Up in the Right Place?

When planning your commercial move, there are a lot of things you have to worry about. But, walking into your office with boxes and cords everywhere, and furniture in the wrong places, shouldn’t be one of them. So, how do you know if your commercial mover will set your office up correctly? Well, we’re going to give you some insight on what questions to ask and how to know if your office will be fully-functioning on Monday when you walk into work.

 

SettingUp_Software

 

Make sure your commercial movers are familiar with your office furniture brand. Knowing a lot about a furniture brand, how to move it and how to put it back together can help make the moving process a lot easier. You wouldn’t want a mechanic that knows nothing about Corvette’s to work on yours, would you? Same goes for office furniture. Talk to your commercial moving company to make sure they know the ins and outs of your furniture. You want to make sure they know how to safely move it, and effectively set it up with no hiccups.

 

SettingUp_Organization

 

Additionally, ask your movers if they’re going to set up your computers to be fully-functioning when you get back to your office after the move. If they are, make sure you ask them if they’re familiar with the software your company uses and the types of computers you use. Your computers are vital to your business operations, so making sure your commercial moving company knows how your technology works is very important. You wouldn’t want to walk into your office and see computers unplugged and not turning on. Moving is stressful enough, and you shouldn’t have to worry about your computers not functioning properly.

Moving offices is a time to refresh and change things up. So, if you want to switch up your offices’ furniture arrangement, make sure your commercial mover specializes in space optimization. You may not think about it, but the way your furniture is arranged can affect the productivity of your employees. Make sure you’re able to sit down with your movers and discuss the floor plan of your new office space so that they can map out how to best optimize your office for maximum space and productivity.

If you really want to refresh your office with some new furniture, you also need to talk to your commercial movers to see what furniture they suggest. Your commercial movers should be experts in all things related to relocation. So, talk to your movers about what office furniture they suggest for your business operations and they should be able to get you in touch with a reputable office furniture company. If you find yourself with too much furniture, then talk to your movers about storage options for those pieces that just can’t fit. Ask if they have storage capabilities, or if they know a reputable storage facility.

Moving your business is made up of a lot of moving pieces, literally. You deserve to know what your commercial moving company does and doesn’t do so that you can be best prepared for your move. So, take these simple tips and put them into practice so that you can ease your mind of any moving stresses you may have.

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.

Designing a Healthy Office Space to maximize employee happiness, productivity and communication.

Whether you’re moving your company to a new building, or just looking to refresh your office, we have some advice on what floor plans and designs will be best for your company and your employees.

Open floor plans were popular in the 1990’s, and they were designed to help your company boost communication among your employees. But, communication and collaboration may be distracting and cause employees to become less productive. So, we’re here to help you decide how you should layout your new office space, and how you can get a healthy mix of collaboration and productivity all under one roof.

The Huffington Post wrote an article about offices rethinking the open floor plan design for businesses. “People have different needs throughout their day—times they want to collaborate and times where they just need to think by themselves,” said Ethan Griffin, CEO of Groove, a marketing company.

 

HealthyOfficeSpace_ColleaguesWorking

 

When Griffin was planning his business’ new office space he wanted to incorporate an open floor plan that included a library with books, couches and a fireplace. This space also has an unwritten rule of “no talking” in case someone needs quiet time to relax. Additionally, Griffin added private workspaces for those who require solitude and silence in order to get work done.

According to the International Facilities Management Association, 70 percent of American employees work at an office that has an open floor plan. Some companies are realizing that this open work environment creates less productive employees.

Twenty-five years ago, the open-office floor plan began trending, but today, building private work spaces is trending, according to Sonya Dufner, a director of workplace strategy at Gensler, a design firm.

 

HealthyOfficeSpace_Lounge

 

However, evidence suggests that even though it may cause some distractions, knocking down your offices’ cubical walls can generate good, productive conversation and promote a sense of community.

Environmental psychologists and designers who have studied this workplace dilemma said there’s “no one-size-fits-all solution.” Different workplaces have different needs and methods of functioning. More specifically, different departments within your company have different needs. Some may need communication to occur sporadically throughout the day, and others may not.

“Workspace should be designed as carefully as you would design the cockpit of the Dreamliner,” said Jennifer Veitch, an environmental psychologist with the National Research Council of Canada. Veitch also preached that not giving your employees a suitable work environment can deter from productivity.

When you design your new office space, be sure to keep your employees in mind. Note which departments will need more quiet time, more quick communication or which ones will need a mix of both. So, explore your office and employee needs and come up with your perfect office floor plan.

 

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.