Patio Furniture Buyer's Guide: All You Need to Know

JavaScript seems to be disabled in your browser. For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser.

Click here to get more.

Purchasing office furniture can be a daunting and time-consuming task, but it doesn't have to be.

Indeed, the products offer extensive customization options, and the selection is almost endless. While lead times may extend for weeks or months based on the product and manufacturer, this isn't the primary reason why buying office furniture can be challenging.

The difficulty in purchasing office furniture often lies in the lack of upfront information, forcing potential buyers into consultations with sales representatives.

To address this issue, we created the Ultimate Guide to Purchasing Office Furniture. This comprehensive document aims to answer your most frequent questions, enabling you to research confidently before making your next purchase.

Table of Contents

Factors to Look for When Choosing Office Furniture

Choosing office furniture involves several considerations. We've narrowed down the most important criteria to seven key factors.

Aesthetics

The visual appeal of your office can significantly influence your company's success. Research indicates that an attractive workplace helps in drawing and keeping top talent.

The ambiance of your workspace is crucial when recruiting and retaining staff. Investing in a well-designed office space demonstrates that you value your employees, their time, and their well-being.

Ergonomics

Ergonomics, the science of designing workspaces to fit employees' needs, should be a critical factor in your furniture decisions.

Ergonomic furniture, such as footrests, adjustable monitor arms, and supportive chairs, can enhance productivity, health, and job satisfaction. Prioritizing ergonomically sound office furniture is vital for an efficient workplace.

Adjustability and Flexibility

Employees come in various shapes and sizes, making it essential for office furniture to be adaptable to individual needs. Many desks and tables offer height adjustability to help maintain proper posture.

Office chairs should have adjustable arm, head, and backrests. Investing in adjustable furniture ensures that all employees remain comfortable and focused.

Warranty

Office furniture is a significant investment. Ensuring that your selected items come with robust warranties will provide quick and cost-effective solutions should issues arise.

Impact on Employee Wellness

The right office furniture can substantially affect employees' lives. Research shows that comfortable, ergonomically-designed furniture boosts both happiness and productivity.

Multi-functionality

Maximize your furniture budget by opting for pieces with multiple uses. For instance, lounge or storage furniture can double as areas for meetings or collaboration.

Many desks, designed initially for one user, can serve as collaborative spaces, and tables can be moved around the office for various purposes like training sessions or presentations.

Brand Reputation

Choosing products from reputable brands ensures quality. Top-quality furniture can help bring out the best in your team.

Select brands known for their use of high-quality materials and commitment to eco-friendly practices.

Back to top

The Furniture Buying Process

The process of buying office furniture can be boiled down to nine key stages: product selection, drawings, finish selection, quote supplied, customer sign-off, order entry, manufacturing, shipping, and finally, delivery & installation.

Here is a breakdown of each stage:

1. Product Selection – one week (highly variable)

The first step is selecting your furniture. For straightforward orders, this could take a day or two. More complex projects might require several weeks.

2. Drawings – 1 to 2 days per revision

Drawings are created by the CAD team to ensure all parts fit your floor plan. This step's duration depends on the number of revisions requested.

3. Finish Selection – 1 to 3 days

After finalizing the furniture and layout, you will select finishes. The main factor here is how quickly you make decisions.

4. Quote Supplied – 1 to 2 days

Your account manager will prepare a quote, typically within one to two business days, depending on order complexity.

5. Customer Sign-Off – 1 to 3 days

This step requires customer approval. If all stakeholders are up-to-date, it can be quicker. The pace of this stage is in the customer's control.

6. Order Entry – 1 to 2 days

After sign-off, a Furniture Sales Coordinator processes the order, creates a project management file, and orders the products from manufacturers.

7. Manufacturing – 4 to 5 weeks

Manufacturing timescales vary. Standard products take four to five weeks, while customized items can take up to 16 weeks. Ordering off a ‘Quick Ship’ list can reduce lead times to one to two weeks.

8. Shipping – 1 week

Most office furniture is manufactured in North America, taking about a week to ship to the dealer. Reducing this timeframe is often challenging.

9. Delivery and Installation – 1 to 5 days

Once your furniture arrives, the dealer will coordinate delivery and installation. Installation typically takes less than a week.

How Soon Will I Receive My Furniture?

Expect the entire process to take between seven to ten weeks from the first conversation with an Account Manager to complete installation.

Budget five to seven weeks from order placement to delivery and installation.

For more details on lead times during or post-COVID-19, Click here.

Back to top