Deciding on refitting your store is the easy, but implementing the project is by far the hardest part of the commitment. The most important decision is choosing the right shopfitter. There is no tried and tested rule to this but initially the retailer should only consider shopftters or shop fitting companies who have a proven track record, ideally in fitting stores in the market the retailer trades in. The recession hit the domestic house market very badly and many builders have decided that they are now shopfitters as well as house builders but it is unlikely that they will be able to provide the expertise that are required to plan a store and produce the fixtures to the standard that a busy retail environment requires. A shopfitter should be prepared to spend time with the retailer to understand their business and the particular issues that need to be considered when planning a layout. Customer flow is vital to a successful shop fit and category management, product placement and planograms are very important to ensure as many shoppers as possible are drawn to all areas of the store. Having the Newspapers and milk just inside the front door of a convenience store will eliminate the necessity for many time strapped shoppers to ‘roam’ the store and they will be in and out of the store having spent little more than £1.00. Shelving heights (wall and gondola bays) also play an important part in this. Too high gondola shelving in a small store can create 'corridors’ that blinker the shopper as well as providing an unpleasant shopping environment. Category management signage on and above the fixtures is important to lead the shopper to the product they are looking for with promotions and special offers being placed on gondola ends to encourage shoppers to buy products they didn’t come in for. Lighting is vital. Many smaller retailers feel that adequate lighting is an unnecessary spends but this can make all the difference to being a successful retailer as the right lighting brings the store and products 'alive’. The chosen shopfitter should be able to produce professional layouts and design schemes. Some might charge for these but many don’t so make sure you establish the 'ground rules’ at the beginning. You will also want to see a programme that shows what works will take place and when and how long it will take. Clearly, if it is a trading store, you will want to stay open during the refit so make sure you agree planned moves with the shopfitter to enable him to have the area he requires but also leaves you with the space required to continue to trade. If it is a new store, make sure that you have a specific agreement of when the works will be completed to ensure that they do not drift on indefinitely. When choosing the fixtures, it is important that the shopffiter is able to offer or produce a system that is flexible and can be easily added to. It is unlikely that the shelving mix will be right the first time so you will need to be able to access additional items fairly easily. There are many standard metal modular shelving systems available and a good shopfitter will be able to have these painted in a colour to match your scheme and manufacture specific extras to suit particular products you may sell or wish to sell. Ensure that the shopfitters can also provide quality joinery items such as counters and cash (check out) points. Joinery shopfittings need to be able to take a significant amount of wear & tear and the process of producing them is a completely different process to that of domestic use joinery. Additional items that should be considered and incorporated in the refit are, floor coverings, decoration, air conditioning, refrigeration, shopfronts, external signage, security shutters, security alarms, CCTV and EPOS equipment. Also, don’t forget disability access and that the shopfitter understands the laws that ensure the store is disabled compliant. As you can see, choosing a good shop fitter isn’t easy, but, if you want a good job doing it is worth taking the time to make the choice properly. DW Display are a shopfitting company that specialises in retail shop fittings. DWD can provide your company with retail interior solutions to match the limitations of your budget or design and build bespoke shop fitting solutions and develop a unique scheme for your retail environment. Article Source: Top Tips For Choosing the Right Shopfitters For Your Retail Outlet Originally Published Here: Top Tips For Choosing the Right Shopfitters For Your Retail Outlet via Tumblr Top Tips For Choosing the Right Shopfitters For Your Retail Outlet When designing your own shop fitout you have a wonderful opportunity to show your product in its best light. Your store design also acts as a physical medium through which you connect and communicate with your customers. We have collected some tips for designing the best shop fitout for your brand. Attention Seeking Details: The main purpose of the retail interior design is to attract the customers’ attention and encourage them to buy in your store. Don’t be afraid, then, to include some out-there features in your shop fitout to make your space a little more enticing. Eye-catching design features such as spiral staircases and full wall murals make your store more interesting and engaging for new customers. Colour: Colour can be used to great effect in your store design to make the space more appealing and exciting. Whether you are selling clothes, computers, lighting or hardware, a touch of bright colour will make the product stand out. Consider using colour in unexpected places, such as geometric shapes of colour on the floor, or along shelving to give your shop fitout a fresh look. Stand Out from the Crowd: You want your store to be exceptional, so when planning your retail interior don’t simply look to what other companies in your industry have done with their retail designs. To stand out from your competition plan a shop fitout that fits your product, target market, and company philosophy, but also follows a style that is wholly your own. Keep it Simple: While designing your store interior can be lots of fun, you don’t want to go overboard with accessories and design features that detract from the product you are selling. If you want your customers to be able to find things you need to organise your space well. Create an Atmosphere: The best shop fitouts do not simply house products and a place for people to buy them, they create moods for customers to experience while browsing. Whether you want to encourage a party atmosphere, a feeling of luxury and leisure, or an educational experience with your store design, you should consider what is appropriate to your product and your business. Choose your Location Well: Although not strictly falling under the domain of shop fitout and interior design, the location of your store may be one of the most important factors in its success. Once you have chosen an appropriate location, one in a busy shopping area close to your target market, you should design your shop fitout to fit well to its environment. This information is shared by John K. Taylor who works as freelance writer for Corporate Business Furniture, is well known for high quality shop fitouts, office chairs and ergonomic office fitouts Melbourne. Article Source: How to Design a Successful Shop Fitout Article Source Here: How to Design a Successful Shop Fitout via Tumblr How to Design a Successful Shop Fitout Retail construction is a relatively simple concept to understand. When it comes to building and renting retail spaces there are certain obligations that the builder has to the tenants and vice versa. Basic retail construction means the building of a space that is either finished on the interior or left for the tenant to complete. When a company starts a retail construction project they generally have an idea of what type of business and tenant they will be hosting when the building is complete. With this in mind builders generally construct a building to the specifications that they believe will best fit the type of business that may be housed within the building. For instance, a company that wants to attract restaurants to their retail construction project will likely structure their project to reflect the needs of a restaurant space. Adding rooms like rest rooms, dining rooms, kitchens, and utility closets to mimic the interior of a restaurant. For companies that want to attract stores they may build large show rooms and stocking rooms. For businesses that do not have a preconceived notion about what type of business may be housed in the building it is generally better for them to build only the outer structure. This means building four walls with space inside that can be customized by the renter or tenant when they start renting the space. This type of build is generally beneficial for businesses that have a highly specialized style or that have special needs when it comes to a space. Though this is good if you want an incredibly custom space for your business, it is also a bit pricier than renting a completed space. Tenant build outs are a process by which the tenant rents or purchases a building that has been zoned for commercial use and they complete the interior of the building themselves. This can include painting, flooring, lighting, any extra rooms, furnishing, and any other sort of customization that they require. Because they provide the finishing touches to the building, it is no longer the responsibility of the retail construction company to complete the building unless they are contracted to do so by the tenant. The price of rental and other fees may change after the building has been completed and there is also the possibility that the retail building owner can essentially purchase the completion from the tenant should they vacate the building. The author has spent a lot of time learning about Retail Construction and other related topics. Read more about Tenant Build Outs at the author’s website. Article Source: The Basics of Retail Construction Original Post Here: The Basics of Retail Construction via Tumblr The Basics of Retail Construction When planning an office refurbishment there are many things to consider such as your financial situation and how much you can allocate to redecoration and the likelihood of needing to close your business while work goes ahead - it can be a scary time for businesses but it will be worth it. When it is all finished, not only will you have an office to be proud of but you’ll have a reorganised, functional office where all company employees can enjoy the benefits of a new work space and get a real morale boost to boot. The first thing when choosing to redecorate your office is to assess your financial restraints when redecorating as you’ll want to be in control of your spending, so it is vital that you don’t overspend on items where you can save. Sign up to the service of a certified accountant to help you and they can help you to financially plan your project so you can get the office in the style you want without running up unnecessary debts to do so. When you’ve finished the financial administration you can start by planning your designs and with limitless possibilities you’ll have so many options picking between an enormous selection of wallpapers and furniture so that you can get the design scheme you’re looking for. Selecting office furniture is a crucial part of the process and carefully considered items will make all the difference by pulling your different design concepts together and offering an important aspect of usability to the work space. Sustainable office design is really important in new fit-outs because it is now an important part of new office furnishings and you can get bonuses such as certifications and know you’re being kind to the planet as well. Having a few plants about the place really perks things up and can freshen up a two-dimensional space as well as purportedly raising concentration levels - they should be on every office design check list. Make sure you’ve also got sufficient storage planned particularly as mess doesn’t really look too great in your new work place. You may wish to go down the standard route of filing cabinets but there are many other options beside this as there is a wealth of innovative “hidden” options. Whichever style you choose will depend on a number of things as you may need to leave an area for meetings with clients and decide if you’re going to need room for expansion. The final part of the fit-out is choosing your office systems and you have the chance to choose how you’d like your office lighting to work as well as finding the right heating control system for your office needs. Don’t forget that lighting can become a focal point for the room such as modern desk lamps or standing floor lights - proof that you don’t need to resort to fluorescent strip lights! A humidifier may also be a great option for your new space to add the cherry on top of your beautiful new office. Don’t let your imagination be limited, there are many ways you can create Miami office space that shines, just make sure your office reflects your company values and allow time to adapt to the new surroundings. Our office space consultant is familiar with the areas property locations and will be sure to get you the ideal office for your business. Article Source: Help on How to Decorate Your Office Suite and Make Over Your Company’s Environment Article Source Here: Help on How to Decorate Your Office Suite and Make Over Your Company’s Environment via Tumblr Help on How to Decorate Your Office Suite and Make Over Your Company’s Environment Over recent years, of the retail sectors who have survived the onslaught of supermarkets, few have needed to embrace change more extensively than pharmacy. In previous times the community pharmacy would often find that the turnover split of business would be roughly equal, with about 50% coming from over the counter sales and the balance from the dispensary. The consequence was that much of shop space was allocated to a wide range of product on shelves and perhaps 25% of shop area to the dispensing area. Times have changed. With the vast range of items naturally thought of as chemist items being very competitively available in the supermarket, margins became squeezed and sales plummeted. Two factors remained in the Pharmacist’s favour:
The result was that there were still real opportunities for successful growth by expansion and redevelopment but the effective result was that most investment became redirected from retail to the dispensing areas. Volumes of prescriptions increased over the years, SME groups formed and then were absorbed, many Medical Practices amalgamated into Medical centres and the pharmacies, despite setbacks imposed by various acts of government, thrived. In particular, one could say that pharmacy has generally proven pretty recession proof, maybe even to the extent that it has profited from the higher volume of sickness originating directly from recession. In most instances these demographic moves have dictated that re-fitting is necessary to provide the facilities for the future. This has resulted in the consequential re-alignment of interior space from retail to dispensary and to include more patient services such as consultation rooms, providing medical testing services and taking particular account of DDA Disability requirements by employing such things as automatic entrance doors etc. All of this process has required the input of specialist shop fitting design companies who had the knowledge and understanding of the challenges of pharmacy and how to best meet them. Embarking on the road of refitting without the valuable assistance of carefully designed pharmacy equipment can spell problems. In particular it is very important that the working environment of the dispensary operates ergonomically with correctly placed working and storage levels. Employing the right design and fitting partner is a critical element in achieving an effective refit or new premises installation. The wrong choice could result in long term problems. Article Source: Keys to Avoiding Refitting Disaster in Your Pharmacy Learn More Here: Keys to Avoiding Refitting Disaster in Your Pharmacy via Tumblr Keys to Avoiding Refitting Disaster in Your Pharmacy As businesses everywhere are tightening their belts, optimizing productivity among employees is becoming increasingly important. In addition to obvious factors like efficient management and employee incentives, the design of office space is a significant factor in increasing workplace productivity. Architects and interior designers take many factors into consideration when designing interior spaces. They are well aware that the physical work environment has a direct psychological impact on people, affecting their behavior, emotions and thoughts. Creating a well-designed environment is just as important as building a functional one, since good design boosts creativity and productivity. There are numerous factors that come into play when considering good office design: lighting, temperature, color, noise levels, furniture, space layout, among others. Here are a few key considerations. Space LayoutBy selecting ergonomic chairs and workstations to maximize physical comfort, or by installing shelving and cabinets to keep the work area tidy, you can help increase employee productivity. However there is something that has a much more pronounced effect on employee function and psychology: the overall space plan. Planning an office space layout is not unlike urban planning, in that people need both public and private spaces to function adequately and productively. By applying the urban planning model to office space design, the ideal office layout should have both private and public meeting spaces, private office and more public ones (cubicles), and various passageways to allow for easy traffic flow, such as hallways and corridors. How does this urban planning model play out in terms of office productivity? Office assistants, for example, are generally situated in spaces that are more ‘public’, often close to the main passageways so that they are more accessible to their supervisors and other staff members. In contrast, more senior management tend to have offices with doors so that they are able to hold private meetings or work in seclusion if their tasks require a deeper level of concentration. Of course, the company culture will ultimately dictate where senior management put their offices. It is a trend among some types of companies for managers and CEOs to sit in open workstations along with their staff, so as to appear more accessible. When a city is planned well, the communication channels are well-designed and accessible so that people feel a sense of community and togetherness. In the same way an office layout will dictate the sense of community that the employees feel. The office layout influences the manner in which the staff communicate with each other, the length and quality of their interactions, how they socialize, and ultimately how they learn from each other in both formal and informal ways. When planning the office design, a balance needs to be struck between the ability to interact in open spaces and the ability to work in privacy. This means it is critical to take into consideration the specific job requirements of all of the staff members when planning an office layout. Depending on an individual’s tasks, some employees will need a higher level of privacy to allow for deeper concentration while others will need to be in communication at all times. For example, a tight corner cubicle with high panels would not be suitable for people in a creative role who need to be in constant communication with their team. Sales people, on the other hand, may need to be in quieter, enclosed spaces so that they can carry on confidential phone conversations or conduct meetings in private. Either way, whether the office space is more open-concept or has more private offices, it is always a good idea to designate rooms for coffee breaks and office equipment to an area away from the main workstations. In this way the noise level will not bother other staff members. LightingHaving access to good artificial lighting or daylight is known to increase productivity. When people work under bad lighting conditions, they can develop eyestrain, headaches and general irritability. Particularly dark spaces can have a pronounced psychological effect and depress the brain. Employees should have access to their own lighting so that they can make the necessary lighting adjustments depending on the task they are carrying out. Well-designed artificial lighting will increase functionality, however, there is no comparison to natural daylight, and this should be maximized wherever possible. Windows provide a connection to the outside world and should be used whenever the building design allows for it. Open plan layouts that employ low cubicle panels or glass panels can maximize the entry of natural light into the office. Skylights are also a good alternative when windows are not an option. NoiseEmployees have difficulty working productively in noisy environments, since stress levels increase and concentration is lowered. There are many design tricks architects can employ to deal with poor acoustics. Using the correct materials in the correct location is key to achieving the proper level of sound absorption. For example, ceiling tiles should generally be applied at a low ceiling height. If the ceiling is very high, then other methods need to be applied, such as lining the walls with fabric banners or acoustical wall panels to avoid the sound bouncing off of drywall or other non-absorbent materials. To keep voices from traveling too far, it is useful to places highly-absorbent materials at mouth level throughout the office. Another effective technique in limiting a noisy environment is to create a monotone background sound known as white noise. This can be achieved in a variety of ways, such as through the strategic placement of fans and air conditioners, the use of water fountains or by installing a sound masking audio system. There’s no question about it - an attractive office space increases employee creativity, productivity and overall morale. Designer offices tend to attract and keep their employees longer than more unattractive ones, and good workplace design is one of the top key factors that affect job satisfaction. In fact, it has been suggested that a well-designed office can increase productivity by about 20%. Although many companies do not see investing in good workplace design as a priority (almost half), almost 9 out of 10 employees claim that the quality of their work environment directly affects their attitude toward work. It seems, then, that it would be foolish for employers not to try and find good design solutions to boost productivity - in the end it will be a worthwhile and satisfactory investment for everyone. Office relocations & expansions are infrequent, requiring expertise not often found among internal staff. [http://SuiteDealsChicago.com] is a highly-visible source of news, articles, discussions and key contacts needed to plan and execute a successful move in Chicago. Site Features: - Vendor-authored articles - Industry news - Q&A: End users ask questions, local vendors provide answers - Directory for sourcing reputable vendors - Detailed vendor profiles Article Source: Increasing Productivity Through Smart Office Design Read Full Article Here: Increasing Productivity Through Smart Office Design via Tumblr Increasing Productivity Through Smart Office Design There has been an increase in the number of organisations opting for a green office design whilst constructing a new workplace or remodelling the existing one. Apparently, such designs are environment-friendly and have some positive effects on businesses and their employees. A green design influences several aspects of an organisation in different ways: Brand: Companies that have a greener office can instantly connect with numerous consumers across the world, as there has been a growing tendency amongst individuals to become more environment-friendly. At work, people are using handheld devices to send their messages, reports or any other documents, rather than presenting the information on paper. One of the best ways of building a brand image today is by showing genuine commitment to the environment. Most consumers prefer a brand that is contributing more towards a greener planet. Clients: When an organisation has a client visiting its offices for the first time, the interiors will create an impression of the organisation in the visitor’s mind. Interiors that incorporate green designs can readily impress a visitor and make the individual feel comfortable. A client always looks for commitment in the service provider and having an office designed with a sense of responsibility towards the environment would help create that good first impression and lay a foundation to build a long lasting partnership. Employees: The design of an office affects the employees the most. They spend their whole day sitting at their workstation. Although it may seem like a minor issue, the temperature of the office can have an effect on their productivity. The quality of the air indoors also has a profound effect on the performance of the workers in an organisation. Researchers conducting studies on the relationship between air quality of a workplace and its effects on the productivity of the workforce have come up with some interesting findings. According to them, certain chemicals and compounds found in building materials can affect the air in the office and make the individuals that are working feel tired and sleepy, ultimately affecting their thought processes and productivity. Company: A greener office would go a long way in creating a healthier work environment. Such interiors increase productivity, impress visitors and build a foundation to develop a great work culture. With the adoption of a green design for its office, a company can also cut the cost of the electricity bills by making better use of the natural daylight. With the advent of new technologies that redirect sunlight to provide natural lighting, offices can have uninterrupted light with minimal use of electricity. There are other benefits that companies can have from their green offices. Workplaces designed in this way can play a big role in making the employee feel comfortable and relaxed. This ultimately will also relax their mind and senses; and as a result, they can have greater clarity in their thoughts. This can be extremely crucial when important strategic decisions are taken for the organisation. Hiring a company that provides interior architectural design services with an expertise in designing green offices can help organisations in enhancing their performance, whilst promoting environment-friendliness. Sachin Boradia is the Managing Director at Transcend Design Consultants, an interior architectural design services company in Mumbai that focuses on green office design and other revolutionary concepts for its customers in the UK, US, India, Canada and the Middle East. Read Full Article Here: Green Office Design Works at Different Levels via Tumblr Green Office Design Works at Different Levels A long time ago, office spaces were defined by boxed - in structures called cubicles and employees slaved from within (catching those forty winks in the bargain when nobody came peeping in). They were left unto themselves, had the privacy that individuals always seem to need and could decorate their exclusive space how they wanted. Was that enough? No, they felt cut off from the rest and longed for those water - cooler moments when they could interact with someone. With time, things evolved and a more collaborative culture came into being - the Open Office where everyone and everything seemed to overlap and everything belonged to everyone. So how did workers feel? Again they had a grouse; there were too many distractions, they couldn’t concentrate and were always in the midst of a crossfire of conversations being bandied over them. “Space shapes our behaviors, so if organizations want to foster the types of behaviors that encourage growth, innovation and creativity, you have to invest in the spaces that do that,” notes Linda Kano, president, Interior Showplace Ltd. And there couldn’t be a truer word than that – after all workspaces are where people spend a lot of time and they need to have the best working environment to get those creative juices flowing. That said, which one should it be? Open Office or a cubicle? Let’s sneak into each of those and see what they have to offer by way of pros and cons. Open Offices are what they profess to be - open and transparent - where inconspicuous employers can keep an eye on errant employees and ensure that they are on the job for the time they actually bill. Information flows down better, communication is seemingly easier and there is an apparent improvement in productivity. Employers pat themselves on the back, while employees frown as they are frustrated at the ‘lack of visual privacy’ and the constant exposure to clatter and clamor that does very little to stimulate those gray cells. Cubicles - - they are just that - cuboid like spaces that promise a little privacy, shuts you off from the many distractions of the open office and even gives you a small storage space for all your paraphernalia. So are those juices flowing? Not yet, because now you feel stifled and non - creative because there is no external stimulation or interaction to get the cells ticking. Ah! Well, a hybrid workspace that gives employees at all levels places of their choice to use at any time of the day. Some private rooms when they need to concentrate, open spaces when they need to brainstorm, work - stations and perhaps cubicles that can be moved anywhere - the list is endless - but this could well be the answer to the much hotly debated 'Open Offices Or Cubicles’. After all, the main purpose of workspaces is to enhance performance, increase productivity, up user satisfaction – all critical elements for a successful business. So move over cubicles and open offices! Visit Commercial Concepts and Furnishings to find more office design tips! Article Source: Open Office Vs Cubicle Office Design See Full Article Here: Open Office Vs Cubicle Office Design via Tumblr Open Office Vs Cubicle Office Design |
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