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Home > Issue by Date > May 2008

Horse Before Cart

Rather than forcing users to adapt, furniture is finally presenting practical, yet creative, solutions.

By Heather McLean Wiederhoeft

In response to the volatility of the current real estate climate, commercial buildings originally scheduled for sale are sitting on the market longer and longer. Consequently, facilities professionals are forced to be even more “inventive” with their purchasing budgets, particularly if creative stretching measures make it possible to breathe new life into buildings that may be obsolete, over (or under) sized, or just plain unsuitable for the current workforce.

When revitalizing facilities or outfitting new spaces, facility managers (fms) should take a long hard look at the latest interior furniture offerings designed to help outfit spaces in the most appropriate and appealing way. Furniture manufacturers have been taking the pulse of this audience for some time, and they have responded by introducing a selection of products that addresses the needs of fms based on their collaboration, standards, and service requests.

Knowing The FM Customer

At Jasper, IN-based Kimball Office, the idea of addressing user needs is taken very seriously. Jeff Fenwick, Kimball’s vice president/general manager explains, “For the past three years, we conducted some cognitive studies where we watched behavior in the office environment and looked at the way people organized their offices. This resulted in some really interesting information. Not only did we focus on user research, but we also lived in the world of fms to determine what they may need.”

Over the past year, the HON Company of Muscatine, IA, has employed a new product development process called Voice of the Customer (VOC) that helps the company identify very specific items and details that facility management (FM) customers may need.

“Like any research, we began by talking to our customers, but then we took what they told us, sketched drawings of what we heard, and then went back to them for more feedback,” explains Betsy Hoye, advertising and public relations manager for HON. “We really felt that by interacting with our customers to find out what they were specifically looking for (and what unmet needs they had), we could develop furniture solutions that would really work for them. We’ll be launching a whole line of products that evolved out of the VOC process.”

The Need To Collaborate

From all appearances, the private office and work station are no longer shrinking as square footage of these spaces has remained a constant over the last five years. However, according to Space and Project Management Benchmarks, Research Report #28, produced by the International Facility Management Association (IFMA), collaborative space is on the rise, with space dedicated to conference, training, and breakout areas increasing by more than 17% since 2002.

Julie Robinson, CFM, facility operations manager for H&R Block in Kansas City, MO, reiterates this finding. “We greatly increased the quantity and variety of collaborative spaces when we built our new 530,000 square foot headquarters building. Most of these spaces have a dedicated purpose but are not owned by any one group. We have huddle rooms for two to three people, meetings rooms with capacity ranging from six to 20 people, and four large training rooms that have been furnished so they can be reconfigured depending on the needs of the meeting.”

Naperville, IL-based OM Workspace, the contract furniture division of Office Max, has experienced an increase in customers not only needing collaborative space furnishings but also looking for furnishings that are both flexible and moveable. “Many of our FM customers are looking for multi-purpose furniture,” explains Samantha Swick, OM Workspace’s marketing, communications, and e-commerce content manager. “They want conference room furniture that can be flipped into training room furniture that is easily moveable. For offices that are limited in space, there’s a need for furniture that can be used for conference, training, and small meetings.”

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“We have seen an increase in the need for public space furnishing,” adds Kimball’s Fenwick. He points out that the creativity and innovation that many companies strive for is developed in work environments that support cognition best encouraged by collaborative, conducive spaces.

“I’m always looking for collaboration options such as contract furniture that has a residential look and feel,” explains Charlene Happel, workspace design manager, interiors/facilities planning, for Nike Corporate in Portland, OR. “I want well designed pieces that are flexible enough to work in a variety of settings. My focus is on furniture that the facilities people can feel good about and that employees will find cool or interesting.”

Get What You Need

Whether formally developed or followed simply by practice, standards are a mainstay of FM. However, meeting the needs of the multigenerational workforce or the specific requirements of different functions within a workplace are challenging some long-time standards. Furniture manufacturers are looking for ways to help facility professionals find solutions to these new challenges.

“Historically, companies have created standards and driven them all the way across the organization,” says Brandon Sieben, vice president, marketing and dealer development at Allsteel of Muscatine, IA. “Fms often are looking for ways to create an effective setup for accounting that may have to be different than it is for sales, customer service, or marketing. There are others who are working to meet the differing workplace needs of the 65-year-old versus the 25-year-old.”

“I don’t sense a lot of product difference between Baby Boomers and Gen Y, but what they are expecting or needing from a workplace is different,” observes Bill Bundy, president of Holland, MI-based Trendway. “I recently spoke with my daughter to gauge what 20-something professionals are looking for. She wants to be connected to technology, have a place to make phone calls, be able to access the Internet, and, occasionally, have some quiet time, but she’s not expecting this quiet from a private office.”

Sustainability Comes Standard

Though voluntary, standards developed by the Grand Rapids, MI-based Business and Institutional Furniture Manufacturer’s Association (BIFMA) International are often embraced—and conformed to—by the furniture manufacturing industry. In late 2007, ANSI/BIFMA M7.1-2007, Standard Test Method for Determining VOC Emissions from Office Furniture Systems, Components and Seating, and ANSI/BIFMA X7.1, Standards for Formaldehyde and TVOC Emissions of Low-Emitting Office Furniture Systems and Seating, were released.

“To date, there have been no changes to these standards, and we don’t anticipate any updates for another year or so,” says Thomas Reardon, BIFMA’s executive director. “The standards are useful in many ways. The U.S. Green Building Council has approved these standards as an option for the low-emitting product credit for the LEED for Commercial Interiors rating. There also are a few third-party certification programs that use the standard as the underlying technical method within their laboring program.”

For those furniture manufacturers who are committed to sustainability, another BIFMA standard will help them meet this goal. “We are in the process of releasing a sustainability standard by year’s end that will be a standardized method of evaluating the sustainable attributes of furniture products,” Reardon explains. “This standard is expected to cover a range of issues including material utilization, water usage, natural resources, wood certification, renewable wood certification programs, energy, CO2 emissions, greenhouse gases, toxicity of materials, and social responsibility. It really will be a multi attribute evaluation tool.”

Like many furniture manufacturers, High Point, NC’s, Dar-Ran is working to meet the green needs of the facility professional. “We’re often asked what we’re doing for the environment, particularly by our facility customers whose goals are to achieve LEED certification,” says Dar-Ran’s Jeff Hollingsworth. “Even though furniture may only play a small role in this certification, fms still want to know what it can contribute.”

It’s The Recession, Stupid

Nike’s Happel does not believe the current economic climate will alter her furniture purchases for the remainder of 2008, while H&R Block’s Robinson does believe her spending on furniture will decline for the last months of this year.

“We may consider options that are more economical (for furniture purchases) but will not likely sacrifice quality,” confesses Greg Buse, corporate director, purchasing, for Great Wolf Resorts of Madison, WI.

“Some manufacturers are very positive, some are pessimistic,” says BIFMA’s Reardon. “Generally speaking, there’s some question and concern about the underlying economic fundamentals, but it’s certainly not a doom and gloom scenario. Our forecast has been predicting a flat spot for the last several quarters. We certainly don’t anticipate the degree of decline that we saw five to eight years ago.

“Our data for the first two months of the year is positive in that orders and shipments are both still positive in the 1% to 2% range. I think from this vantage point, a flat year is certainly a realistic expectation,” he asserts.

Furniture manufacturers and distributors have different reactions to the economy. “We’re very well positioned in this market,” explains Allsteel’s Sieben. “Certainly the market is tight, but the bigger question is, ‘What is our organization going to do about it?’ We have a set of products for these conditions as well as a business model that responds very well and is competitive from a price perspective.”

OM Workspace’s Swick sees many similarities to the economic environment from earlier in this decade. “The pulse on business for us now is pretty strong, with lots of work and lots of project requests but some hesitancy to spend yet. Some customers are putting their toe in to see how much this is going to cost and then are waiting to see what happens with the U.S. presidental election and the economy. So many factors are causing some fms to plan for what they need, but many consider putting the purchase off until the first quarter of 2009.”

Even with an economic downturn, Kimball’s Fenwick refuses to be held back by it. “We’re certainly not naive, and we realize there are some very challenging conditions right now. However, having said that, there is opportunity as well. This is a chance for people to continue to recruit, retain, and attract the right kind of people for their businesses as various organizations go through downturns. If you have the right office environment, this can be a really productive time for you.”

Service Matters Most

The quintessential chair, the newest twist on the multipurpose table, or a distinct approach to storage may catch the interest of fms, but in the end, none of these products will make it to the workplace without an amazing level of service from the manufacturer and dealer. “A quality manufacturer and local dealership stand behind their product and become a partner that you can depend on for years to come, not just during the initial stages of the project,” explains H&R Block’s Robinson.

Caryl Francis-Niedens of FM-Extension in Overland Park, KS, agrees with the importance of service. “When I’m looking for a furniture manufacturer, I’m really looking toward customer service, especially from the end user dealer,” she says. “All of the large furniture manufacturers have great products, but for me, what it really comes down to is the service and responsiveness of the local dealership. This relationship has to be strong in order for the corporate relationship to work.”

Embracing the demand for service is not lost on the furniture manufacturers. “When I’m with an end user—and, oftentimes, this is an fm—I ask the question, ‘As it relates to office furniture, what are your priorities?’” explains Trendway’s Bundy. “What I found is that, at least 75% of the time, the answer has nothing to do with product; it has to do with the service experience. For some fms, previous purchases have been a hassle, particularly when what was promised was not delivered. That’s why Trendway is committed to asking the questions, listening to the answers, and always focusing on service.”

Clearly, the current climate has provided fms with an array of new products, services, and choices. Fortunately, there are many furniture manufacturers out there who are making a concerted effort to deliver products the 21st century fm has come to expect. It’s about time, isn’t it?

McLean Wiederhoeft (heather@hmwcommunications.com) is the owner of HMW Communications, where she provides clients with writing, editing, and marketing communication services. Her experience in facility management communications includes spending eight years working for IFMA.

Have you been forced to make furniture decisions based on the economic climate? Send comments to schwartz@groupc.com.

 

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