What Can Your Classroom Furniture Supplier Do for You?
By: Bob Roskos
When selecting classroom furniture, we all recognize the importance of examining product features and benefits, as well as carefully comparing prices. By contrast, other significant factors – including the manufacturing, delivery, and service capabilities of furniture suppliers – sometimes get overlooked. Supplier capabilities matter, because they are invariably reflected in the quality of the products you purchase and the services you receive.
Manufacturing capabilities are a good starting point for distinguishing between various furniture suppliers. Beginning in the 1990s, many manufacturers attempted to cut costs by closing their U.S. factories and moving operations offshore. While this strategy may have resulted in some short-term savings, there have been negative longer-term effects. Companies that depend on overseas manufacturing supply chains are more liable to experience delayed lead times for product delivery. They also have less control over product quality than suppliers that keep their domestic factories open and thus maintain day-to-day contact with their furniture as it is being manufactured.
Among furniture suppliers with domestic manufacturing capabilities, those that have continued to modernize and upgrade their facilities – and to expand the scope of their operations – naturally give you more advantages.
Furniture manufacturers that can produce their own in-house tubular steel and stamped steel components are in a better competitive position than those who can’t. That’s because their capabilities enable these suppliers to efficiently produce these components on an as-needed basis, compared to manufacturers who buy pre-fabricated components from other sources, often with a significant supplier mark-up. Moreover, companies that make their own components can exercise direct quality control throughout the manufacturing process; manufacturers who use pre-fabricated components have to rely on their vendors to maintain quality standards.
When you consider the construction of most school furniture items, a high percentage of their weight is attributable to steel legs, backrests, and other framing components. Accordingly, furniture suppliers with in-house steel fabricating operations and internal quality control procedures have the capabilities to offer you components of higher quality for greater product value.
Suppliers with soft plastic injection-molding and hard plastic compression-molding capabilities give you more valuable advantages. Along with better quality control, this technology lets them give you a wider range of plastic colors for school furniture products with faster lead times.
Companies that have superior distribution capabilities provide you with further benefits. Large warehouse facilities enable them to stock a wider selection of furniture and equipment items. For you, that means better lead times, not just for a handful of items in a single color, but for hundreds or even thousands of models in multiple colors.
When it comes to shipping and installing furniture, suppliers with a large fleet of company-operated vehicles offer multiple delivery options. Suppliers that have an in-house fleet can give you a choice of tailgate delivery, which includes moving products to the tailgate of the delivery vehicle for customers to unload and install; inside delivery, which includes moving products inside to the first floor for customers to set up and install; and full-service delivery, which adds furniture setup and installation, and removal of dunnage.
Service capabilities will further differentiate furniture suppliers. Manufacturers with a nationwide in-house sales force give you a direct link to the company that makes your furniture. These sales representatives have the connections to quickly get you product samples and CAD layouts that will provide a clearer picture of how particular furniture models will fit in your school.
Some suppliers offer a furniture, fixtures, and equipment (FF&E) planning service that is especially useful if you are constructing a new school, renovating an existing facility, or making a large furniture purchase for whatever reason.
When evaluating these services, you should consider their capabilities in the four following areas:
1. Needs Assessment
Experienced FF&E planning professionals recognize that no two schools are exactly alike. Rather than using a “one-size-fits-all” approach, they will work with you to expertly assess your school’s individual needs and requirements.
A thorough FF&E needs assessment should evaluate: indoor environments (traditional classrooms, computer labs, music rooms, administrative areas, etc.); space-planning challenges; furniture and equipment preferences; and delivery/installation deadlines.
2. Budget Analysis/Project Evaluation
Because FF&E purchases can involve hundreds of thousands of dollars, it is essential to maximize your financial resources. A detailed budget analysis comparing the features, benefits, values, and prices of competing products will help you identify the best FF&E combination for your school.
A subsequent project evaluation should offer an item-by-item summary of all products you have targeted for purchase. Your planning service should also be happy to provide a reference list of competing products.
3. Contract Procurement
Compared to all the hassles of the bidding process, contract procurement is a great way to save time and maximize value. Your FF&E planning service should enable you to use the state or national contract that best suits your situation. Keep in mind that easy-to-use contracts with a high volume of FF&E products give you a greater range of choices.
4. Project Management
Communication is the key to successful, stress-free project management. Responsible FF&E planners will stay in touch with you throughout your project. Listening to you, fulfilling your requests, and providing you with the right products and timely service will be their top priorities.
As you can see, the capabilities of furniture suppliers really do matter. Now that you know what to look for, what’s the best way to actually assess the capabilities of the suppliers you’re considering?
Why not ask for a factory tour? By visiting the manufacturing facilities of various suppliers, you will be able to get a first-hand look at how their products are made and to see how they maintain their facilities.
You may also want to ask suppliers for written testimonials from customers who state in their own words what they liked about the supplier’s products and services. The more testimonials you can review, the better!
Bob Roskos is the corporate copywriter for Virco, www.virco.com.
