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Supplier of the Year is an annual award that we at NBF extend to one of our manufacturers in order to recognize the success that their hard work yields. The results are in and the NBF Supplier of the year for 2014 is none other than (drumroll, please) National Office Furniture! Of course, National Office Furniture didn’t just win this achievement for having some of the best looking furniture on our website and in our catalog. Take a look at some of the things we take into consideration when selecting our Suppliers of the Year. It really is a science!

 

Sales growth. We want to ensure that NBF is always providing the types of products that our customers really want. The best way to do that is to look at the numbers. The more furniture we sell from a manufacturer, the more that tells us that their furniture is popular amongst our loyal customers, and the more we’re likely to add more of their furniture collections to our website and catalog in the future.

 

Growth percentage over the previous year. We want to make sure that our manufacturers are not only performing well, but consistently growing as well. We as a company are never content with settling for good enough. We strive to provide better furniture and better service year-over-year, and we expect our suppliers to do the same.

 

Consistent shipping. No one likes to wait weeks or months for their furniture to arrive, so we take timely and consistent shipping into consideration when choosing recipients of this award. Only manufacturers that consistently ship their products on time are even considered as candidates.

 

Quality of product. This one’s a no-brainer. We only want to provide high-quality furniture that can last for years in our customers’ offices. We determine whether or not a supplier is continuing to live up to our high standards by analyzing our customer service trends. If there is one specific product getting a large number of customer complaints, we take note of that and work closely with the manufacturer to remedy the issue. We also take a close look at our customers’ product reviews on our website when looking into these sorts of issues.

 

Best pricing. We work hard to find manufacturers that make high quality furniture at affordable prices, so the price needs to be right for our partnership to work.

 

These are only a few of the things that we take into consideration when choosing the annual recipient of this award. We would like to give a special thanks to National Office Furniture for serving us well throughout the years, and especially in 2014. Congratulations!

More From NBF

Email Etiquette: Best Practices for the Workplace

Email Etiquette: Best Practices for the Workplace

As email use rises in the workplace, so does the opportunity for these emails to result in clashes between workers with different communication styles. This can cause unnecessary tension between colleagues and between managers and employees. So how do we fix the tension and other issues that email miscommunication can create? Here are some email best practices that can help to keep everyone on the same page.

Be Direct 

Being straightforward can help save time and keep others from misinterpreting your intentions. Avoiding sarcasm, as the chances your tone will be conveyed how you intended are slim. Say what you mean to lessen the chance of confusion.

Avoid Being Short 

While being direct is certainly a good practice, overly short emails can convey displeasure or irritation to the reader—even if the sender didn’t mean for such a translation. The best course of action is always to include a greeting and write complete sentences. While replying “Great.” is shorter and less time-consuming than “Hello, Marie, I think that sounds great,” the second option clarifies the tone and meaning of the email.

Avoid Informal Abbreviations

Using ‘u’ instead of ‘you,’ ‘r’ instead of ‘are,’ or ‘lol’ to show your amusement has become common in part due to the desire to type or text a message as quickly as possible. Despite time-saving intentions, an email correspondence full of such abbreviations may strike readers as unprofessional or even rude. It’s best to leave casual abbreviations and acronyms out of workplace communication.

Avoid Colored and Wacky Fonts

While it may be tempting to personalize your email settings, bright colors or swirly fonts can be very distracting for readers and may make your message difficult to read. It can be a frustrating experience for the receiver if they must read the message repeatedly or squint at the screen. Instead, use easy-to-read fonts and dark colors such as a traditional 12pt. Arial or Times New Roman font in black.

Have Long Discussions Face-to-Face When Possible 

It still holds that email is a great way to communicate for short, quick messages. Talking in person is a better option for longer discussions or topics more up for debate. While it may be easier for emotions to escalate while behind a computer screen, being face-to-face during these discussions makes it easier to express or understand an opposing point of view and reach a compromise.

 

What to Do When Your Office Chair Just Doesn’t Fit

If you find yourself with your feet dangling off the ground or not enough seat space to stay comfortable, it may be time for a different size office chair. Employees in most office settings are equipped with a standard-size office chair that, to be fair, will accommodate the majority of people. But for those who do not fit within the realm of being 5’5” to 6’0” tall and weighing less than 250 pounds, it may be time for a new chair.

Chair Is Too Big

Problem: My office chair is too large and uncomfortable for my small body frame.

Solution: A petite office chair with a lower chair cylinder and shorter back will provide a more comfortable fit.

Most petite office chairs support the same weight as a standard-size chair, but this type of seating is designed on a smaller scale. A shorter-than-average chair cylinder puts the user’s feet closer to the ground, and a smaller seat pan and back are ideal for individuals who are 5’4” or shorter.

 

Chair Is Too Small

Problem: My body frame is tall or large, and a standard-size chair lacks the support I need to be comfortable on the job.

Solution: A big and tall chair will provide greater support for tall and large individuals via a larger seat and back and a higher weight capacity.

Be sure to read the description of the specific big and tall chair you’re considering. All big and tall chairs can support more than 250 pounds, but some have a weight limit of 400 pounds while others have weight limits as high as 700 pounds.

 

Baytown Area Water Authority

Industry: Government

Location: Baytown, TX

NBF Sales Executive: Brian Hunter

Furniture Collections Used: HON Foundation Series, Global Swap, and NBF Signature Series At Work Collection 

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Nicole Groshek

Nicole Groshek is the social media and content coordinator for National Business Furniture. She helps employees discover the true joy in loving what they do, from working in an inspiring office to having a little fun on the job.