An educated sales forcehelps dealers make thegrade when selling to thisall-important market.

Page 13

NeoCon2010:PRODUCTPREVIEW

Selling to the

EducationMarket

CJ & Associates, Wisconsin Dealer, Gears Up to Go the Extra Mile for Heart Disease Education

As part of a national campaign to raise awareness among women about heart disease, theAmerican Heart Association named February 5 National Wear Red Day and the CJAssociates team turned out in force this year to help get the word out. The dealership’sco-founder and inspiration for its Families 4 Families program Judy Rudy, is front and center.

For Kim Hastings and her team at CJ & Associates in New Berlin, WI, fighting heartdisease is personal.

The Teknion dealership was founded by Kim’s mother Judy Rudy and her husbandCurt back in 1984 and even back then, Judy, as she has for most of her life, wasstruggling with various heart-related issues. The good news is that apacemaker/defibrillator implant in 2006 brought a major improvement for Judy tothe point that she’s still able to work in the business and can look forward to doingso for many years to come.

But her mother’s many years of illness created in Kim a fierce commitment to dowhat she can to make a difference for others facing heart problems.

newsThis Is Not theYear to GiveNeoCon a Miss

Just a few short weeks from now, the doors willopen at Chicago’s Merchandise Mart for the 2010NeoCon World's Trade Fair. If you haven’t yet decidedto attend, do yourself and your dealership a hugefavor and do it. Now.

Sure it’s expensive at a time when every dollar isprecious. And even though you certainly don’t haveto attend all three days, it still takes valuable timeaway from the business.

But consider the downside of staying home this year.

By most accounts, we are (hopefully) in the finalstages of a lengthy downturn that has broughtprofound changes to the office furniture industry.

Most of us are still trying to figure out what exactlythose changes might mean and right now, there area whole lot more questions than answers.

When are we likely to get back to pre-recessionsales levels? What will be the key growth driversonce business does begin to turn around in earnest?How will we need to change our basic valueproposition and products and services mix torespond to the new needs and priorities ofcustomers in the environment that’s emerging?

There are few places more likely to help you findanswers to those questions and others like themthan at the industry’s annual gathering of the clansin Chicago.

That’s why your attendance at this year’sNeoCon—and later this year, at the OFDA’s ownDealer Strategies Conference as well—is soimportant. The stakes for your business are just toohigh not to go.

Either you put in the effort now to learn as much asyou can about what’s happening and figure out whatyou need to do to adapt to new market conditionsor you keep doing what you’ve always been doingand get left behind. It’s that simple.

If you’re serious about the long-time viability of yourbusiness, it’s not really much of a choice, is it? Seeyou at the Mart!

Simon De GrootEditor in ChiefOFDealer

MAY 2010 OFDEALER PAGE 2

continued on page 4

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The result: Families 4 Families (F4F), the dealership’s ongoingwellness program, whose mission is to raise awareness of heartdisease and promote a heart-healthy lifestyle.

“Our goal, explains Kim, “is not only to provide education onheart disease prevention, but also to foster a business culturethat supports exercise and healthy eating habits.”

In addition to offering education on heart disease and prevention,the dealership has replaced high-fat, sugar-rich snacks withhealthier offerings in vending machines and also adoptedheart-friendly menus for its lunch and learns.

And the CJ team also has done a terrific job of putting its moneywhere its heart is, so to speak! Over the past three years, thedealership’s walking team has raised over $30,000 in support ofthe American Heart Association by participating in the annualHeartWalk event.

“Our people have really embraced Families 4 Families in a bigway,” Kim reports. “We’re not a big dealership by anymeasure—just 26 employees—but most of them participate inour walk team and they bring along family and friends as well.”

Right now, the team is already hitting the pavement inpreparation for this year’s HeartWalk fundraiser, which takesplace October 17. “We’re looking to log 3,000 miles between nowand October and raise another $8,000,” Kim says.

“As a family owned and operated business, we’ve always put agreat emphasis on caring for our internal customers,” she adds.“CJ stands for family, plain and simple and Families 4 Familieshas been a very effective way to express our values and helpimprove the quality of life for those we care about.”

All Makes Office Equipment, Omaha Dealer, Voted Best Place for Office Furniture for Fifth Consecutive YearCongratulations to Jeff Kavich and his team at All Makes OfficeEquipment in Omaha, which last month was named Best Placeto Buy Office Furniture for 2010 by B2B Quarterly, a businesspublication serving the greater Omaha market.

This was the fifth-year in a row that All Makes earned best placehonors from B2B, which boasts a total readership in excess of50,000.

“We’re honored that All Makes has been recognized as theleading office furniture dealership in Omaha for the fifthconsecutive year,” said Jeff. “Every award we earn is a directresult of the hard work and dedication of each and every teammember at All Makes – and we thank them for their continuedefforts.”

BKM Total Office of Texas Launches SpecialAlliance with Afghan Non-Profit

Carlene Wilson (left) and Carol Roehrig (right) of BKM Total Office ofTexas with Arzu Studio Hope’s Connie Duckworth in Dallas last month.

It’s nearly 8,000 miles as the crow flies from Kabul, Afghanistan,to Dallas-Ft. Worth, but that distance seemed almost irrelevantlast month, as Dallas-based BKM Total Office of Texas hostedtwo special events to launch its new alliance with ARZU STUDIOHOPE, an innovative non-profit based in Chicago whose missionis to empower Afghan women by sourcing and selling the rugsthey weave.

The events, targeted at women executives and the A&Dcommunity in the Dallas-Ft. Worth area, showcased BKM’sappointment as the first commercial distributor of ARZU rugs inthe U.S. but, says BKM VP of sales and marketing CarleneWilson, the alliance is about a whole lot more than just sellingproduct.

“ARZU distributes beautifully handcrafted pieces that are wovenin Afghanistan and they have already generated a tremendousamount of interest among our clients and A&D partners,” shesaid. “But the organization also provides a way for Afghanwomen to break a vicious cycle of poverty and gives them aviable path to long-term economic sustainability.”

ARZU was founded in 2004 by Connie Duckworth, a retiredpartner and managing director of Goldman Sachs, after shevisited Afghanistan and was inspired to try and do something tochange the impoverished conditions of the women and childrenthat she found there.

Revenue from ARZU is funneled back to the weavers at abovemarket rates and in exchange, participating families must agreeto send their children to school full-time, allow women in thehousehold to attend literacy classes and permit ARZU totransport pregnant women and newborns to clinics for pre- andpost-natal care.

continued on page 5

D E A L E R N E W S continued from page 2

D E A L E R N E W S continued from page 4

MAY 2010 OFDEALER PAGE 5

“We can now make exquisite ARZU rugs available to a new

market, resulting in more income-generating opportunities that

will support sustainable economic development, instill personal

worth and build gender equality for Afghan women weavers,”

Duckworth said of the new partnership with BKM.

Added BKM president Carol Roehrig, “We are proud to be

selected by ARZU STUDIO HOPE as their exclusive commercial

distributor in D/FW and are looking forward to being a part of

their social mission to provide hope for the women of

Afghanistan.”

For more information, visit www.bkmtexas.com or

www.arzustudiohope.org.

Compass Office Solutions, Florida Dealer, Named Finalist for Honors by Local Business MagazineIn Miramar, FL, Jose Manuel Diaz and his team at Allsteel dealer

Compass Office Solutions had reasons to celebrate last month

after being selected as a finalist by the South Florida Business

Journal for its 2010 Business of the Year award.

Compass was one of three finalists in the category of companies

with up to 25 employees and while the dealership didn’t garner

top honors this year, it was still very welcome recognition.

“We are honored to be acknowledged as a finalist for such a

prestigious award,” said Jose Manuel. “We believe that a

well-designed space improves productivity, raises company

morale and can improve the performance of our clients’

business. It’s our mission to deliver those results in an efficient

and truly enjoyable experience.”

“We are truly fortunate to have Compass in the Allsteel family of

dealers,” said Jason Hagedorn, vice president and general

manager, Allsteel dealer network. “It’s exciting that their

unrelenting drive for success is being honored by such an

influential award.”

Tangram Serves as Lead Sponsor for Local IIDA Fashion ShowThe office furniture industry met Project Runway, some rock and

roll superstars and a whole lot more last month, as Santa Fe

Springs, CA-based Tangram Interiors stepped into the spotlight

as headline sponsor for the IIDA Southern California Chapter’s

tenth annual fashion show.

The economy in Southern California may be fragile at best and

the industry overall is still struggling to come out of a long and

deep downturn, but none of that got in the way of a spectacularly

good time at the event.

“This year’s show sold out with more than 600 attendees,”

reported Tangram Orange County sales director Christine Peter,

who played a key role in spearheading the dealership’s

involvement.

“The A&D community is obviously a critical partner and customer

for Tangram and we support IIDA on an ongoing basis throughout

the year,” she said.

“The opportunity to play a major role in one of the organization’s

major events was not only a great way to take our support to the

next level. It was also a lot of fun.”

DIRTT and Its Calgary Dealer Get Behind Earth Day and Clean Up

DIRTT’s Kim Martin and Nancy MacEachern spent their 22 minutescleaning along the railway tracks behind the company’s facilities.

Calgary dealer Element Integrated Workplace Solutions and

DIRTT found just the right way to mark Earth Day last month as

they helped organized a city-wide “22 Minute Makeover” that

sent civic minded citizens out en masse to pick up trash for 22

minutes.

Later that day, DIRTT and their Calgary distribution partner

hosted a screening of the documentary ‘Dirt! The Movie,’ to help

raise awareness of the importance of what is usually an

undervalued and overlooked part of the planet.

continued on page 7

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MAY 2010 OFDEALER PAGE 7

Western Contract, Sacramento Dealer, ExpandsThrough Merger with Local Competitor

Sacramento-based Haworth dealer Western Contract

announced last month that Design Directions, a local competitor

with a heavy emphasis on the healthcare market, has merged

their operations with it to become Western Contract Healthcare,

making the dealership one of the region’s largest.

“We are very pleased to incorporate the talents and strong

customer base provided by Design Directions into Western

Contract,” stated Bill Yee, Western Contract president and CEO.

“We are confident that our combined resources will serve our

customers very well and position us for continued growth.”

“I am excited about this new adventure,” stated Jeanne Maloney,

former president of Design Directions who will head up the new

healthcare division. “In becoming a part of Western Contract, we

will be able to continue to work with our current clients while

expanding our reach in California.”

The staff of Design Directions will join Western Contract in their

current Sacramento location, the company said.

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MAY 2010 OFDEALER PAGE 8

BIFMA March Numbers: Orders Up 5%;

Shipments Down 7%Earlier this month, the Business and

Institutional Furniture Manufacturers

Association (BIFMA) released its market

statistics for March and for the first time

in close to two years, industry order

growth was in positive territory.

BIFMA said March orders increased 5%,

marking the first monthly year-over-

year incoming order improvement since

July 2008.

While the prior year comparison was

modestly easier (-34% in March 2009

versus -32% in February 2009), on a

two-year stack, March orders improved

about 900 basis points relative to

February, Raymond James analyst Budd

Bugatch pointed out. Importantly, he

noted, prior year comparisons will remain

pretty easy (down 30% or more) until

November.

Consistent with the 6% order decline

reported last month, March shipments

fell 7% .

Bugatch described BIFMA’s March

numbers as “encouraging” and said they

corroborated his own view that the

contract office furniture industry is in the

process of bottoming.

While the industry’s key economic drivers

remain mixed, on balance, macro and

industry-specific data points have

continued to improve, Bugatch said. He

pointed to a vast majority of first quarter

earnings reports that have handily

exceeded analyst expectations and said

corporate profits are likely to record a

second consecutive quarter of year-over-

year growth.

He also cited widespread de-leveraging of

corporate balance sheets and growing

business confidence as positive

indicators.

“While the unemployment rate remains

elevated, the economy has begun to add

jobs, albeit at a modest pace,” Bugatch

added.

Specific to the industry, Bugatch contend-

ed that while weakness in commercial

construction is likely to remain a drag on

project-related business for the foresee-

able future, the Architect’s Billing Index

(published by the American Institute of

Architects) improved to 46.1 in March, up

from 44.8 in the previous month.

continued on page 10

Industry Index Improves in Latest SurveyLast month saw publication of the latest industry survey from

Michael A. Dunlap & Associates and the findings generally provided

support for the argument that the office furniture has bottomed out

and is starting to move, albeit slowly, towards recovery.

The survey’s overall industry index posted a slight gain, coming

in at 51.51, compared to 50.64 in January 2010 51.45 in October

2009. The highest recorded Index was 59.72 in July 2005; the

lowest was 41.45 in April 2009. The average is 53.95 since the

survey started in August 2004.

Among the highlights from the most recent survey:

• Gross shipments declined but order backlog has increased.

• Employment held steady while hours worked declined.

• Capital expenditures and tooling expenditures improvedsignificantly.

• New product development soared.

• Raw material and employee costs have both risen, but notto alarming levels, according to Dunlap.

"I'm pleased with the results this quarter but I am somewhat

surprised at the dip in gross shipments and am very surprised to

see the increase in material costs," commented Dunlap. "I am

delighted to see the high index values in capital expenditures and

new product development. The majority of respondents continue

to cite increased energy costs, health care costs, and low cost

as the largest threats to the industry.”

Dunlap continued, “2009 was, without question, the worst single

year in modern history for this industry, I think that there are enough

strong indicators in the April survey that demonstrate that the worst

is behind us and that we are finally seeing some solid signs of

recovery. However, I think it will take at least another 12 to 15

months to come out of this recession with any significant growth.”

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MAY 2010 OFDEALER PAGE 10

INDEAL, New Dealer Association, DebutsDave Bloch and Dave Gatherum, untilrecently the top two executive officersfor WorkPlace Furnishings Canadaand both former presidents ofcontract furniture dealerships, have

established the organization as a North American buying association fordealers on both sides of the border.

Joining Bloch and Gatherum on the INDEAL leadership team is Ed Doucette,formerly director of Business Development for OFDA.

INDEAL said it is forging contracts with a list of preferred suppliers to offerdiscounted pricing to INDEAL dealer members, along with rebates whenperformance criteria are reached. The new association said it also hasmarketing and training services for its dealer members.

Bloch and Gatherum say that INDEAL is targeting dealers who have a primaryalignment with one of the top-tier manufacturers. Their goal is to havecontracts with a broad range of preferred manufacturers who support andcomplement the dealer’s primary supplier. INDEAL intends to build amembership of market-leading contract office furniture dealerships fromacross North America.

For more information, visit the INDEAL website at www.indeal.org or contactBloch or Gatherum at INDEAL’s U.S. headquarters toll-free at 888-639-3814.

National Office Furniture Releases 2009Corporate Social Responsibility ReportNational Office Furniture recently released its second annual reportsummarizing the company’s social and environmental efforts. Highlightsinclude:

4 88% of solid waste generated was recycled or reused in 2009

4 National has reduced solid waste generated by 70% since 2002

4 24% reduction in VOC emissions per unit produced in 2009

4 21% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in 2009 vs. 2008

4 98% of National’s loads are delivered via SmartWay certified carriers

4 94% reduction in recordable injuries since 2004

4 92% of products are level 1 or 2 certified to the BIFMA e3 sustainabilitystandard

4 81% of products earn the SCS Indoor Advantage or Indoor Advantage Goldmarks

“At National, we strive for continuous improvement in everything we do, fromsafety and transportation to environmental and education,” said Kevin McCoy,National’s general manager.

“Our actions have impact beyond our walls and that’s why our responsibilitiesto our employees, customers, communities and the environment are measuredand play an integral role as we move forward as a company. We’re extremelyproud to share these results and look forward to sharing more improvementson top of these next year.”

MAY 2010 OFDEALER PAGE 11

Help Shape OFDA’s Future Programs and ServicesThe OFDA Board of Governors recently identified four key areasof association services and has formed four task forces toevaluate current offerings, establish clear roadmaps for enhancingOFDA programs in identified areas and launch a new traininginitiative designed to complement existing manufacturer-sponsored and generic training programs aimed at office furnituredealers. Here are a few snap-shots of the work now in progress.

2010 annual conference planning – OFDA’s 2010 conferencetheme is “Sailing toward the Future: New Realities, NewStrategies.” With early signs of economic recovery appearing,this year’s OFDA Dealer Strategies Conference will focus onunderstanding how fundamental changes in the economiclandscape are impacting future strategic options for dealers andtheir business partners as they seek new avenues for revenuegrowth and profit improvement.

The event will be held at the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort& Spa in Bonita Springs, FL on October 10-12, with grouprecreational activities (golf and back-water fishing) offered onSaturday, October 9 to encourage new relationships and informalbusiness networking. The educational program will begin earlySunday afternoon and conclude following a closing luncheonwith an informative speaker.

Like OFDA’s 2009 conference in Austin, TX, this year’s event willinclude general, workshop and breakout sessions – along withample networking time – in an atmosphere that is ideal fordealers, manufacturers and service providers to buildrelationships and generate new business opportunities. Theagenda is being set by members for members and OFDAencourages members to share their key issues, speakersuggestions and ideas on how to enhance the total experienceof this premier industry event. There is no better time or place togain new perspectives on strategic management issues andbuild your business network than you will find at this year’s event.

OFDA website development – OFDA’s web site developmentvision is to progressively develop an online association andindustry information and services resource that will provide rich,practical content, more business enhancement tools and easiernavigation and search capabilities to members. The new OFDA

website will also provide new opportunities to expand members’connections to other industry communities and experts. Thiswebsite redevelopment initiative will be an ongoing process,shaped by industry dealers and their business partners to ensurehigh relevancy and value.

Dealer financial, operations and other benchmarking programs– One of OFDA’s premier services has long been its annualDealer Financial Comparison and Benchmarking Guide, whichprovides dealers with reliable comparative data and analysis tohelp them focus on the most critical opportunities to improvetheir business practices and financial results. A task forceconsisting of U.S. and Canadian dealers, both aligned andnon-aligned, is being formed to evaluate all aspects of theprogram, from data collection to reporting methods and options.At the same time, this group will combine their expertise asregular users of OFDA’s benchmarking program to offersuggestions on best practice methods and new tools formembers’ use in effectively applying survey results to improveoperating and financial performance.

Proposed new dealer training initiative – A fourth task force isnow working to address a key ongoing industry challenge –shortening the learning curve of new employees in understandingthe fundamentals of the office furniture industry, its structure andcommon business practices. The emerging vision is to prog-ressively develop and make available to OFDA members a strongfocused curriculum that complements existing manufacturer-specific and general sales and business skills training.

Looking ahead, the office interiors industry can expect to facestrong competition from other industries in recruiting andretaining top quality professional talent. Quality training is oftena central element in developing new employees and employeeretention, and arguably has never been more essential inensuring the future prosperity of the office interiors industry.OFDA is developing a progressive strategy to contribute to thatkey industry-wide goal.

For more information or to inquire about how you can contributeto these major initiatives, contact Chris Bates, OFDA president,(cbates@ofdanet.org; Tel: 703.549-9040, x 100).

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MAY 2010 OFDEALER PAGE 13

You may not need an advanced degree, but a

certain amount of smarts certainly helps when

selling to the education market. At least that’s

what furniture dealers who consistently do

business with K-12 and/or higher education

think.

Win Stoller is CEO and owner of Widmer

Interiors in Peoria, IL. His dealership covers a

good portion of central Illinois, which happens

to be home to a number of colleges and

universities. The key to Widmer’s success in this market, he

says, has been an educated sales force.

“We have salespeople who have gone through specific training

for the higher education market,” says Stoller. “We’re also a

Herman Miller dealer and they’ve provided us with industry-

specific training.”

That combination of internal training and vertical market presentations

from their manufacturer has brought Widmer’s reps up to speed on how

to identify decision makers in this market as well as given them the

requisite product knowledge. The latter has been especially important

when it comes to products for classrooms, libraries, and residential

halls—three product areas the average contract furniture sales rep isn’t

typically well versed in.

Truth be told though, a lot of what has made Widmer successful in

this space isn’t all that different from what they provide their average

commercial client.

“If they allow us to add value through our design, space planning,

installation and delivery services, it really allows us to partner with

them,” says Stoller. “That’s where we’ve had success. Where we

have challenges is when they treat each project as its own bid.”

Indeed, bids create a more challenging procurement process and can make it

difficult to forge that partnership. Like it or not, that’s the nature of the education

market, even though Stoller believes fundamentals make a big difference.

“One way to convert them to a partner is by servicing them like crazy,” says

Stoller. “That’s where they see the value.”

Herald Office Systems in Dillon, SC, knows a thing or two about the

education market. They ought to since that market is responsible for 50

percent of their business.

Becky Williams, director of Herald’s furniture division, believes the

company has been successful in this market because of their

partnerships with some key strategic manufacturers—KI, HON,

Allsteel—all of whom, she points out, offer innovative products

specifically targeting education clients.

continued on page 14

Selling to the

EducationMarket

By Scott Cullen

C O V E R : S E L L I N G T O T H E E D U C A T I O N M A R K E T continued from page 13

“Those clients are hungry for new ideas and ways to better servicetheir students,” says Williams. “Mobility and flexibility are key in theclassroom because K-12 needs to be able to move andreconfigure.”

Williams firmly believes in partnering with her manufacturers whentargeting education.

“It’s key to have their support and backing from the standpoint thatthey’ll help you go out and make some of those calls and provideyou with materials whether it be literature or samples.”

The number one challenge for Williams in her day-to-day dealingswith education clients revolves around budgets and pricing.

“It’s trying to get the school districts to look at product other thanjust from a pricing standpoint and to change that mindset of justgoing with the least expensive option. We have to teach them thevalue of what the better products have to offer as far as longevity,”she says.

What’s the secret to getting that message across?

“I wish I knew the secret,” laughs Williams. “A lot of times it’ssimply being in the right place at the right time and in front of theright person. I don’t think there is a secret, it just takes thatdetermination and consistently going in and delivering the messageand hoping the right person hears you.”

Identifying the right person to speak with is a challenge that everydealer selling to the education market encounters.

“Because that person is not always the same person within thevarious districts,” she says. “It’s not a set role a person has andeach district is different. Every time we go in it’s a different ballgame and a different challenge.”

For Commercial Furniture Interiors in Mountainside, NJ, educationrepresents 10 percent of the company’s business. Not bad

considering the dealership only began focusing on that market alittle over a year ago. The company focuses on both K-12 andhigher education although president Ray Blau reports that theprimary long-term focus is on higher ed.

“Of course, this could change at any time along with the ebb andflow of the economy as well as public tax and spend policies,” hesays.

For Blau, the challenges of selling to this market aren’t all thatdifferent from what he encounters on an everyday basis in thecommercial sector. Identifying the decision maker within anorganization and then getting that person’s attention is the primarychallenge.

“On a more specific level, there is often much more bureaucracyinvolved,” adds Blau. “So much of education is controlled orregulated by the government. The dealer must learn how tonavigate a myriad of regulations and qualifications that thegovernment requires. As a general rule, however, we have foundeducational facility people to be quite sophisticated and aware ofthe latest philosophies and approaches to the use of space.”

Relationships with the A&D community have been instrumental infinding clients, says Blau. Commercial Furniture Interiors is alsocommitted to investing in this market as a way of settingthemselves apart from competitors.

“Many educational dealers aren’t very sophisticated when it comesto processes and marketing,” opines Blau. “We believe over timewe will be successful in eroding our competitors’ market sharesimply because we bring more value to the end user, particularlyin the traditional areas of design, project management, installation,and service.”

Blau also believes that an educated sales force is essential forselling to this market, even though the skill sets aren’t really any

continued on page 16

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MAY 2010 OFDEALER PAGE 16

different from the skill sets needed to sell and provide designservices for the commercial market. As Blau says, “It’s simply amatter of doing and learning.”

That said, there’s still some learning to do.

“Whenever you enter new markets you are challenged to learn thecustoms of that market,” explains Blau. “Also, different segmentshave different influencers and decision makers.”

Before Commercial Furniture Interiors entered the K-12 market,Blau assumed the principal’s office was the place to start.

“Certainly in many cases the principal plays a key role in thedecision-making process,” he says. “But don’t overlook the

influence of the custodian who is responsible for day in, and dayout maintenance. They are major influencers because they areoften involved in the receiving and installation process as well asthe cleaning and reconfiguration of the school spaces. Theprincipal wants the custodian happy and values their input on whatis needed to keep the physical plant running smoothly.”

Like many other dealers, Blau sometimes finds the educationmarket too focused on price and, he says too much of this marketdoesn’t understand the added value a dealer like CommercialFurniture Interiors provides.

“This is one of our great challenges,” he says. “However, Romewas not built in a day and we believe over time, we will get ourmessage across and it will become an important factor in ourgrowth in this market segment.”

Desks Inc. in Chicago doesn’t mess with K-12 , but they do havea fair amount of higher education clients. The dealership carriesKnoll and Agati products and managing principal Jim Ford believesthis gives them an advantage in this space.

“Those brands help us greatly because we’re walking in the doorwith something they’ve heard of or whose value they can quicklyrecognize.”

Asked about the challenges of selling to the education market, Fordboils it down to the decision makers. “It’s more complicated thancommercial work because there are many layers of influencers,”he says. “In some institutions, the purchasing group is the mostimportant, in others it is facilities, and in others, it’s real estate.”

That’s one of the reasons why educating the education market isso important.

“You definitely have to provide a strong level of education aboutwho you are and your pedigree. Your products only get you so farbecause there are so many levels of influencers and each has anagenda,” says Ford.

Unlike other dealers who have found buyers in this market focusedon price, Ford doesn’t see it that way.

“The higher education market tends to have a fairly open mind,”he says. “Price needs to be appropriate and on budget, and theyonly have X amount of dollars to spend and don’t traditionally havethe ability to find more than what they’ve budgeted.”

This is different, he says, from the commercial environment wherethere might be other places to cut and other places that can beused as a source of revenue.

“In education it’s usually donated money or some sort of a bondthat was floated, and it’s a fairly finite number,” says Ford.

Desks Inc. has a team of experts knowledgeable about this market.

“You need to be a salesperson, a great communicator and beextremely patient because the process is long,” says Ford. “That’swhy these experts have to be almost an island to themselvesbecause there’s a whole different group of people they need toknow.”

“It’s more complicated than commercial workbecause there are many layers of influencers.”

continued on page 17

C O V E R : S E L L I N G T O T H E E D U C A T I O N M A R K E T continued from page x

MAY 2010 OFDEALER PAGE 17

Business Furnishings in South Bend, IN,began focusing on the higher educationmarket about 8 ½ years ago. They don’treally do much with K-12 , mostly becausethat market is served by traditional K-12suppliers who are difficult to compete withfrom a pricing perspective.

The biggest challenge selling to largeruniversities, according to Mark Macheca,co-owner of Business Furnishings, is thenumber of different silos within theinstitution that a dealer is likely toencounter.

“Everybody has their own vision and ittakes a large, sophisticated group offacilities managers, maintenance peopleand architects to control it,” says Macheca.“And on top of that, you should also expectpeople just going off and doing their ownthing. You have to call on all these differentclient groups and it’s very time consuming.”

Dealing with tenured faculty is a big part ofthat challenge.

“The higher ed market gets what they wantand gets it when they want it, and it can bedifficult to service that market,” statesMacheca. “Try to tell a tenured faculty thatthey can’t have a certain office configurationbecause it’s not part of the standards.”

That’s an issue mostly in private institutionsalthough he occasionally sees it in publicinstitutions too.

“But when state funding is involved, theretends to be more of a low-dollar, lowfirst-cost focus,” says Macheca.

Business Furnishings recently won a bid fora large college system across the state thatinvolves at minimum 10 differentmanufacturers and they’ve been asked tomaintain pricing for three years. That tendsto be difficult to do, says Macheca, but thedealership will certainly try because theywant that business.

Dan Wacker, an account manager withContract Associates in Albuquerque, NM,has been selling to education clients invarious markets around the countrythroughout the course of his 36-year career.Right now, he says, business is booming inK-12 and higher ed, which he attributes tothree familiar factors: location, location andlocation.

“New Mexico is literally 22 sovereigncountries with all the reservations andthey’re getting a lot of government money

right now,” Wacker explains. “If they havemoney and a reason to do a new school,they’re doing it,” he adds.

That’s great news for Contract Associates,especially since they aggressively targetK-12 and higher education. Wackerfocuses primarily on the K-12 market whilean associate handles most universitybusiness.

“The range of products for the K-12 marketis much broader,” says Wacker. “We did aschool a year and a half ago and used 26vendors while in higher education, we mayuse five. There’s a real difference in K-12 inthe ability to be a complete solution interms of anything that’s related to FF&E(furniture, fixtures, and equipment).”

Contract Associates has relationships withnumerous architects throughout the area,

which is helpful for getting referrals andidentifying potential clients.

“That’s what separates us fromcompetitors,” says Wacker. “By no meansare we the biggest player here, but we arethe most successful because we’re a lotmore efficient.”

Being a contract furniture dealer alsoseems to give them an edge overcompetitors who are vertically focused oneducation. That may sound strange, butWacker claims the ability to offer higher endproducts from Smith and KI, and providingdesign services and detailed equipmentlists allows Contract Associates to offeradded value.

“The other guy is coming in with a catalogand saying, ‘Pick six from this page and sixfrom this page and we’ll deliver it.’ I’mcoming in with a complete service packagerather than just what’s in the catalog.”

The variety of influencers in the educationmarket presents an occasional challenge,but more often than not, those influencersare looking for someone to come in andmake things happen. One of Wacker’srecent projects involved 27 different class-rooms, 27 different teachers, and 27different equipment lists.

“They are educators as opposed to officeworkers and not as focused on furniture,”says Wacker. “They’re more concernedabout books and keeping order in theclassroom. The good news is if we haveminor punch issues, they’re probably moreforgiving in K-12 because of that. Wecompleted a $4 million commercial job ayear ago and they still keep findingscratches underneath desks in the backcorner that we have to take care of. In K-12,an hour after we’re done the place lookslike chaos anyway.”

“The other guy is comingin with a catalog and

saying, ‘Pick six from thispage and six from this

page and we’ll deliver it.’I’m coming in with a

complete service packagerather than just what’s in

the catalog.”

Scott Cullen has been writing about the office products, office furniture, and office equipment industries since 1986. He has been workingas an independent writer and editor since 1997, and is currently editorial director and managing editor of OfficeSolutions and OfficeDealermagazines as well as publisher and editorial director of the new ezine, Imaging Solutions Reseller.

The ways in which educators teach and students learn are shiftingdrastically and furnishings for today’s learning environments needthe flexibility to adapt to different users, different applications andever changing technologies.

An educational environment, especially in colleges and universitysettings, should be suitable for a diverse audience, with studentsof all ages, gender and stature.

No matter the purpose of the classroom, the furnishings must bedurable and “student friendly.” Schools look at furnishings asinvestments and want to ensure they can hold up against manyyears of rowdy group discussions and projects.

Space for many institutions is limited, which requires classroomsto be multi-functional and flexible.

Designers and dealers must take advantage of all available space,including walls for incorporating learning tools, such as white-boards, tack boards, projector screens, desks, and computers.

It’s not uncommon for a room to be used for both private,individual work and collaborative instruction many times a day, yetanother reason why flexibility of furnishings must remaintop-of-mind.

The same holds true for computer labs, which may be used asclassrooms, group meeting spaces and study areas.

Good design evokes emotion and promotes creativity, which areobvious objectives in any learning environment.

When students and faculty feel comfortable, information may beretained at a higher level and discussions will flourish.

By providing the tools collaborative open spaces and classroomsneed to encourage creative thinking, a dealer and designer cancreate an environment more conducive to effective learning.

We know what is needed for an effective learning environment, butwhat should facility managers, dealers, and designer rememberwhen planning? Consider the following five elements whenselecting furnishings:

1. Flexibility, including with technology

2. Maintenance

3. Cost of ownership

4. Ergonomics

5. Sustainability

While cost, durability, functionality, comfort and safety are alwaysimportant to consider, understanding the needs of the workenvironment—such as group discussion, lectures, or study time,to name a few—is critical.

By Terry Carroll, Market Intelligence Manager, Kimball® Office,and Rebecca Denison Schultz, President, d2p, LLC

How toCreate

Effective LearningEnvironments

continued on page 19

MAY 2010 OFDEALER PAGE 18

E F F E C T I V E L E A R N I N G E N V I R O N M E N T S continued from page 18

MAY 2010 OFDEALER PAGE 19

Team huddle areas and lounges are increasingly popular oncampuses — especially with students who have access towireless technology and devices.

However, seating in labs, conference rooms, and lounges canalso contribute to creating an effective learning environment.

Slouching and leaning forward in a chair can cause commonaches in the neck, head and shoulders, and leaning forward cancompress the abdomen, which decreases respiration.

The best option is to encourage clients to invest in chairs thatallow for adjustments for workers’ different body types andstatures. Important features include height, arm and seat depthadjustments, as well as tension controls for the back.

Of course, even with adjustments, one chair may not fiteveryone’s physical and cognitive needs.

Finally, with a majority of classes taught indoors, sustainabilityand indoor air quality (IAQ) are important factors to keep in mindwhen selecting furnishings.

Certain chemicals used in raw materials, adhesives and finishes cancontribute to poor IAQ as a result of the gasses they can produce.

Socially-responsible furniture manufacturers recognize theimpact their products have on the people using them and many

follow IAQ standards and guidelines recommended by the U.S.Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Green BuildingCouncil (USGBC), and the Business and Institutional FurnitureManufacturers Association (BIFMA).

Indoor air quality also impacts institutions choosing designs andproducts based on the USGBC Leadership in Energy andEnvironmental Design (LEED) system.

Facility managers, dealers, and designers must be aware of theneeds of schools, students and faculty, and cognizant that achair and desk may not simply be a place to sit, but a way toincrease learning and productivity.

Terry CarrollA six-year member of the Kimball® Office team, Terry Carroll, currently servesas a market intelligence manager, focusing on external market trends,end-user evaluations, competitive intelligence, and industry technologies.

Rebecca Denison SchultzPresident and founding partner of d2p, an Indianapolis, Ind.-based Kimball®Office select dealer, Rebecca Denison Schultz, is known for introducing positivechanges in work environments. The company recently completed projects forIndiana University in Bloomington, Ind. and Ivy Tech Community College inLogansport, Ind.

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Everything’s big in Texas and so are their schoolswith two percent enrollment increases each year,and an almost 20 percent enrollment boost indistricts statewide since 1997.

Keller Independent School District (ISD), locatedbetween the bustling hubs of Dallas and Fort Worth,is one of the state’s fastest growing schooldistricts. Enrollment, which is comprised ofstudents from more than nine cities, has virtuallydoubled during the past decade and is expected tocontinue to rise, with a projected student body of40,000 students by 2019.

An educational giant, Keller ISD currently has 36campuses serving more than 31,000 students in

grades kindergartenthrough 12. To accom-modate projected rapid

growth, the school districtembarked upon a major con-struction initiative to develop11 new campuses totaling1.4 million square feet of space; the mostrecent of which was the Timbercreek High School,a 440,000-square foot, two-story school designedwith a collaborative learning experience in mind.

Architects planned the entire building’s footprintand interior scheme around an open, flexiblelearning strategy which supported technology sowhen it came to the classroom furnishings, it wasimportant to the overall look of the school to havecustomizable desks, tables and seating that wouldpromote an interactive, easily configurable learningenvironment for every teacher and pupil.

“Going into this project, we wanted an affordable,holistic, technology-centric furniture solution thatnot only looked appealing, but also provided ourteachers with the flexibility to configure theirclassrooms to better support their individualteaching styles,” said Dr. James Veitenheimer,Keller ISD superintendent.

While long time administrative furnishings supplierto the Keller school district, Texas Furniture Source,an unaligned dealer serving the Dallas/Ft. Worth

area since 1985, had shied away from sellingclassroom furnishing to the K-12 market in thepast, the introduction of HON’s SmartLink line ofclassroom furnishing opened up the market withits flexible products and affordable price point.

“In the past, we had found it hard to compete inthe K-12 area because the products that wereavailable to us were just too highly priced to becompetitive so we stuck to higher education,” saidTexas Furniture Source president Ron Parr. “TheSmartLink line opened up the door for us tocompete not only on price but flexibility, mobility,durability and attractiveness.”

To better convince the local school board that thefurnishings would be a perfect fit, Parr displayedthe product on school premises to allow theeducational community to personally try it out.

“For more than a month, school board members,teachers and students were able to check out theproducts and ‘kick the tires’ to get a feel of thecapabilities,” said Parr.

MAY 2010 OFDEALER PAGE 21

continued on page 22

Texas Furniture SourceMakes the Grade

with EducationalFurnishings

By Alicia Ellis

A+PR JECTPROFILEthe Top of the Class

P R O J E C T P R O F I L E continued from page 21

MAY 2010 OFDEALER PAGE 22

Working from the number of classrooms and teachers and the average numberof students per classroom, the Keller school district wound up purchasing avariety of SmartLink products for Timbercreek High School, including 128teacher stations, 2,000 student desks, 3,200 stacker chairs and 128 modularstorage cabinets; not to mention furnishings for the breakrooms, administrativeoffices, principal’s and assistant principal’s offices.

“We had 17 trailer loads of furniture and two weeks for setup,” said Parr whoseown installation crew, at times during the project 20 strong, was able to getthe install done in record time with only three returns and an elevator issuethat made hauling to the second floor a bit difficult at times. “Despitethe size of the project, this was probably the easiest install we’ve everhad,” Parr noted.

With installation completed two weeks before the start of the schoolyear, teachers were able to configure their classrooms to suit theirneeds. The school opened to cheers as students and faculty settledinto their new surroundings.

“Walking through Timbercreek’s hallways today, I can honestly say notwo classroom configurations look alike,” noted Veitenheimer. “It’s atestament to the extreme flexibility and innovative collaborativecapabilities SmartLink offers. The students and teachers can’t sayenough good things about how it’s changed the teaching and learningprocess for everyone involved.”

“The desks are very easy to move and reconfigure, which is important to mebecause I like my students to collaborate in groups,” said Mindy Martin, 9thGrade English teacher at the school. “Plus, even with thirty students in myroom, the furniture makes the room seem spacious—which gives me moreroom to get to every student quickly.”

Looking to the future, construction is well underway on a Keller hybrid schoolthat will house fifth through eighth graders. It is scheduled to open in Augustand once again, the school board is looking forward to working with TexasFurniture Source to supply the furnishings.

MAY 2010 OFDEALER PAGE 23

When we heard that United Stationers, one of the largest North

American wholesale distributors of office products and furniture,

was creating a new division to market its product and service

portfolio, including the proprietary Alera line of office furniture,

through the office furniture dealer channel, we couldn’t help but

wonder why? Given present industry sales conditions and

near-term projections for a slow recovery of the office furniture

market, why would United plan to launch an office furniture

division in 2010? And how does United Stationers’ plan to

position its brand and office furniture products so that they can

enter new furniture market channels and then carve out a

significant, growing share of today’s tough market?

To find some answers, we sat down with Jim Fahey, president of

United Stationers’ new Furniture Division, and in a wide-ranging

interview, he explains some of the reasons behind United’s

decision and the factors that make him confident that once the

economy and the channel start to grow again, the wholesaler’s

furniture division will be positioned to take full advantage.

OFDealer: So Jim, let’s get down to business here, why is

United Stationers taking this initiative now?

Fahey: The decision to create a separate furniture division and

market through the dealer channel was not made lightly. We have

been strategically planning for years; looking at the various

product categories and divisions within United and reviewing our

long term goals. In regards to office furniture, we conducted

internal and external research around the market that validated

the development of the new furniture division.

The first thing we did was look at the furniture market as a whole.

Historically, United Stationers is the largest furniture wholesaler

in the U.S. but what became clear was that we are the largest

wholesaler in a small area of the market.

With a total office furniture market of around $15 billion, eight

billion of that is through contract dealers where United has never

effectively penetrated. We are good at selling through office

products dealers, Staples, OfficeMax, Office Depot and a broad

range of etailers, but have never actively sought to sell the

contract dealer the products and services that they would look

for from a partner like United.

The second determinant to the creation of this furniture division

was finding that while we have a branding strategy for our own

Alera line and have been successful in creating a high value

product line, as a distributor we needed additional scale to

maximize the return on our investment. We needed to

meaningfully increase the volume of our own brand to make it an

even more attractive investment. To facilitate this we needed to

develop a focused direct, active selling method.

continued on page 24

Jim FaheyPresident of United Stationer’s New Furniture Division

By Alicia Ellis

S T O R Y continued from page x

MAY 2010 OFDEALER PAGE 24

With office products dealers, we enable them to take and fulfill

office furniture orders just like any other office product. If we

wanted to grow our product we would have to become active

sellers and help our dealers to become active sellers in furniture.

We do a lot of work around variable costs to manage the supply

chain on the office products side but furniture is a cyclical

business and goes up and down. Our existing model of selling is

very difficult to take out costs quickly in the early phases of an

economic downturn such as the one we’ve all been experiencing.

We needed to rethink our service proposition; what needs to be

available next day; and what broader assortment would be

enabled by stocking in hubs.

With everything considered and fresh ideas on how to develop

sales, United Stationers pursued the purchase of OfficeSource

in late 2009. While the purchase was not consummated and

OfficeSource ultimately went into liquidation, United did hire a

significant portion of OfficeSource’s sales and sales

management team which has become the nucleus of this new

division. The downturn provided a perfect time to invest in the

organizational capabilities, the salesforce and the resources that

have become the foundation for what we expect will be a

turnaround in the furniture business in the next 12-18 months. .

OFDealer: Can you tell me about the types of furniture you

will be offering?

Fahey: In additional to a broad portfolio of nationally branded

office furniture lines, United’s Alera brand products feature

casegoods, storage units and seating. In the coming months, we

will be expanding into some new seating lines, and showcasing

vertical market opportunities such as in the industrial and food

service segments. We added a custom seating fabric program in

the middle of last year, have our own space planning tools and

are rolling out new special order capabilities. Alera represents

quality construction, high quality materials and aims to be a cut

above with our broad assortment and massive distribution

capabilities.

OFDealer: How is your distribution different and what will it

mean to dealers?

Fahey: Across our the furniture lines, we offer deep inventories,

strategically deployed across our network to be close to points

of consumption allowing us to offer rapid deliveries with minimal

handling and freight expense. As well, we are looking into a

supply chain opportunity to marry orders coming from each of

our 31 distribution centers with custom and special orders and

delivering them in a consolidated fashion directly to dealer or an

installation site.

In the past, United Stationers had a single inbound channel in

the U.S. for its globally sourced products; bringing these

shipments from the port to our Memphis hub and re-distributing

from there. We knew we needed to increase the footprint we use

to distribute Alera so we just opened a second bulk

re-distribution center in Sacramento which will take out a lot of

lead time and freight cost to dealers in the western U.S.

OFDealer: What strategies do you have to help dealers to

grow?

Fahey: Dealers right now are in a huge squeeze on margins. My

question to the dealer is, How can we help them with the projects

they’re working on and create an assortment and service

proposition that enhances their ability to capture additional

market share? Can we recommend relevant product lines to

meet the end-users needs and enhance the dealers’ margins or

should we ask what else can you sell with this project?

We are putting together a “margin maximizer" program for the

dealer that builds on our strengths as an office products

wholesaler. More add on opportunities for office furniture dealers

means higher margins. Trashcans, mailroom equipment, jan/san,

whiteboards are just some of the opportunities out there. What

other natural product adjacencies are available to make the

dealer more valuable and relevant to their customers?

OFDealer: I understand you are looking for additional sales

people?

Fahey: Currently we have sales coverage in the west, central and

east region and are recruiting in the southeast and selected other

strategic markets. We hope to establish a presence with our new

business model throughout the U.S. in the next 3-5 months.

As we have for the past several years , we will be showcasing

Alera at the NeoCon World’s Trade Fair where we plan to show

dealers our product line and teach them about our capabilities

and tools to help assist in closing more project and transactional

business. Our message is that we are a valuable extension of

the dealers’ own product offering and sales efforts with the skills

and resources the dealers need to succeed and grow in the

future. United Stationers is not just office products. This is an

effort to reintroduce ourselves to the contract furniture dealer

community and reinforce our message. My belief is that United

Stationers will become as important in contract furniture as we

are for the independent office products dealer.

MAY 2010 OFDEALER PAGE 25

NeoCon World’s Trade Fair returns to Chicago’s Merchandise

Mart June 14-16, for its 42nd year. North America’s largest

conference and exhibition of contract furnishings, NeoCon is

where the commercial interiors world comes together for three

days of pure energy, bursting with new thinking, new resources

and networking opportunities.

More than 40,000 industry professionals from around the world

will have the opportunity to experience thousands of new

products from more than 700 of the world’s top manufacturers

in commercial, residential, health care, hospitality, institutional

and government. Products will once again span a wide range

of categories, including: architectural products, artwork and

accessories, building products and services, fabric, floor

coverings, furnishings, kitchen and bath, lighting, outdoor

furniture, stone and tile, sustainable design products,

technology, textiles and wall coverings.

NeoCon 2010 will once again offer great opportunities to

expand your mind. Whether you are focused on a particular

area of the industry or seeking specific CEU credits, NeoCon

showcases 150 seminars, association forums, special events,

featured programs and leading-edge keynote speakers. New

this year, a Career Development Educational Track has been

added to the NeoCon schedule to assist industry professionals

who are looking for a job or trying to secure their current

position.

This year’s conference schedule is organized into 14 different

educational tracks and segmented into three skill levels. With

topics ranging from design trends, social responsibility,

healthcare, sustainability, economics, politics, global issues,

industry practices, residential, hospitality and product design,

NeoCon feature programs offer something for everyone.

Key to the seminar series for dealers is OFDA’s Dealer

Strategies track. This year OFDA offers six seminars aimed at

dealer principals, designers, project managers, senior sales

and operations managers. In addition, there are many seminars

of interest to dealers in the Environmental Design, Health Care

Design, Hospitality, Office Design, and Institutional Design

tracks, just to name a few.

continued on page 26

NeoCon 2010: Inspiring an Industry with New Ideas and Fresh Perspectives

MAY 2010 OFDEALER PAGE 26

Make Cold Calls Warm [M120]Salespeople require a unique capability to upset the “make do” mindset of today’s facility investors. Successful reps must create asense of risk in continuing to allow the economic consequences of postponing facility upgrades. Learn how to get appointmentswith potential facility investors, discuss their perceptions of their needs, and create an urgency to upgrade.

Peter Otterstrom is chief catalyst at HUMAN ENERGY Associates in Bethel, CT.

Date: Monday, June 14 Time: 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Growing Your Business In A Flat Economy [M144]While office furniture dealers often hear that “flat” is the new “up”, this session provides practical strategies for growing your businesseven in this uncertain economic climate. See examples of savvy dealers who are taking advantage of the current environment togrow stronger and distance themselves from their competitors, positioning their companies for even greater growth when theeconomy improves. Learn the tips and techniques for targeting the right customers, expanding your product and service offeringsmarketing wisely and becoming a trusted advisor and strategic partner to your clients.

David Solomon is a principal of Solomon Coyle, LLC in Alexandria, VA.

Date: Monday, June 14 Time: 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM

Linkedin Speed Training [M156]Get familiar with Linkedin, the largest business specific social networking site, with more than 60 million members as of February2010. See how it can help with marketing and branding your firm as well as the individual professional. The session focuses on whatLinkedin can do as an asset to business, and less on the intricate “how-tos.” Learn to use this potentially valuable tool to find vendors,suppliers, employees and more. [basic]

Wayne Breitbarth is president of M&M Office Interiors in Pewaukee, WI.

Date: Monday, June 14 Time: 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM

Leveraging Technology In Your Business For Greater Productivity [T208]Today’s challenging business environment requires that dealers find ways to increase efficiency, improve communications and reduceinternal operating costs. Effective use of technology is the catalyst to not only increasing employee productivity, but also improvingthe customer experience and overall dealer profitability. Learn how leading dealers are leveraging their investment in design,specification, and business systems, as well as CRM, Microsoft SharePoint, and other new technologies. Review examples of casesin which dealers are integrating new technologies in areas such as lead management, work order management, and projectmanagement to differentiate their companies in the market. Learn to compete to win, and manage your business more effectively.

David Solomon is a principal with Solomon Coyle, LLC in Alexandria, VA.

Date: Tuesday, June 15 Time: 9:30 AM - 10:30 AM

Build A Community Of Customers [T232]Everyone knows that warm, comforting feeling that comes from belonging to a group—a community of like-minded people. Creatinga community for your customers is a way to hold onto them when others are scrambling to take them away from you. Learn how youcan develop a community of your own customers and how that is valuable to your marketing efforts. Hear about the successfultypes of community initiatives in use by businesses today, and how your firm can implement them, making customers more loyal toyour services and products.

Terri Maurer, FASID, is the owner of Maurer Consulting Group in Akron, OH.

Date: Tuesday, June 15 Time: 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM

continued on page 27

OFDA NeoCon Dealer Strategies Seminar Series

N E O C O N 2 0 1 0 continued from page 25

N E O C O N 2 0 1 0 continued from page 26

MAY 2010 OFDEALER PAGE 27

A Non-Traditional Sales Approach To Grow YourBusiness In A Down Economy [T244]

High performing professionals have learned that there arebehavioral keys to their success. Learn the activities thatseparate them from their competition. Leave this session withten new behaviors that can be used immediately to increaseselling success. Topics include how to “hunt” for new businessoutlets in a tightening economy, and explore existing customersfor additional revenue. Get the simple attitudes, behaviors andtechniques that will differentiate you from your competitor.

Bill Bartlett is president of Corporate Strategies, A SandlerTraining Center, in Naperville, IL.

Date: Tuesday, June 15 Time: 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM

Once again this year, NeoCon will feature show components

such as the Lighting Pavilion and GREENlife, to provide insight

and inspiration for your next projects. Buildex Chicago for

individuals in the building and property management industry will

make its debut at this year’s show with the latest products,

solutions and strategies to help manage and operate buildings

more efficiently and effectively.

Chicago is one of the most architecturally inspiring cities in the

country and the tours offered through this year’s NeoCon are

sure to impress. Of particular note to dealers is a Green Building

Walking Tour of facilities in Chicago that have instituted green

building practices and that promote sustainable initiatives on

many levels and a tour of the Clare at Water Tower, a 56-story

high-rise senior living community featuring living units, skilled

nursing facilities, Loyola University classrooms and much more.

There are also tours of Chicago’s AAA Four Diamond Hotel -

theWit Hotel and Prentice Women’s Hospital, the largest

LEED-certified hospital in the United States.

Finally, no event would be complete without some fun and

NeoCon’s evening events are not to be missed. Hundreds of

parties and networking events are hosted by manufacturers,

industry associations, publications and not-for-profits in fabulous

permanent showrooms, temporary exhibits and interesting

venues around the city. A plethora of events from Black-Tie

Events to Meet and Greets to evening dinners give attendees a

wealth of different networking opportunities.

Visit www.neocon.com for more information.

www.configura.com/make-it-happen

MAY 2010 OFDEALER PAGE 28

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2/90 Sign Systems | www.290signs.com | 616.656.4310 | NeoCon Booth #7-4066

20-20 Functionality

20-20 Technologies' latest product delivers the function requested most often:realistic 3D visualization directly from CAP, Giza and Worksheet. You’ll see highquality renderings using actual manufacturer finishes created in minutes insteadof hours. You’ll visually validate selections and help your clients “see” thedesign. Visualization sells, and 20-20 is developing an entirely new visualizationplatform designed to help you win more orders.

20-20 Technologies | www.2020technologies.com | 800-227-0038 | Booth 7030

Volume II

ABET LAMINATI introduces Volume II -- a collection of 234 new laminates. This addition allowsABET to offer a total of 642 laminates in the US including: solid colors, woodgrains, metals, patternsand textured designs.

ABET LAMINATI | www.abetlaminati.com | 800-228-2238 | NeoCon Booth #8-4129

Seek Seating Solution

Seek multi-purpose seating solution is lightweight and mobile, nested stacks do not requirea cart, and the overall footprint for storage is reduced. Automatic ergonomics are built-into provide proper support and the flexing back encourages body movement and blood flowto extremities. Seek can be stacked or nested only, or be combined stacked/nested forsecure, completely mobile stowing in a minimal space. The frame is available in a silver orblack finish, with a polymer seat and back available in a choice of eight colors. A mesh backalso is an option and a seat cushion style can be covered in all standard upholsteries. Thechair can be ordered with or without arms, with multi-surface casters or glides.

Allsteel Inc | www.allsteeloffice.com | NeoCon Booth #1120

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Islands collection

Escape traditional lounge seating and take an adventure withIslands—a modular bench collection comprised of center seatsand circular pedestal bases that create flowing ensembles ofseated bliss. With multiple connection points allowing maximumflexibility in scale and configuration creativeness, Islands is invitingin small and large spaces alike.

Arcadia Contract | www.arcadiacontract.com | NeoCon Booth #340

Mobi by Berco

Mobi is Mobility. From I to we, and we to I; Mobi makes any collaborative environment aflexible environment. Mobi can move from individual work to group work in minutes. With avariety of unique top shapes, Mobi allows users to grow a meeting from two, to three, to fourpeople with ease. And with the mobile whiteboards, carts, and podiums impromptu meetingsare a breeze. Go from your traditional rows of desks to teams without missing a beat.

Berco | www.bercoinc.com | 888.772.4789 | NeoCon Booth #8-4102

New RHOMBII Lectern

The front of the new RHOMBII lectern supports a flat panel between 42 and 50 inches in size. This allows forthe display of logos and graphics to engage, add interest and help students, professionals and other audiencesretain the information being delivered. The lectern is also available with a solid wood panel on the front. Theback of the lectern is designed to support multiple presenters with holders for bottles of water and organizersfor file folders.

Bretford Manufacturing | www.bretford.com | New NeoCon Showroom #355

Sector

BBF’s new Sector line is a compact modular desking and storagefurniture solution suitable for a wide variety of work settings includingconventional office, alternative office environment and work at home.The new collection is mobile, lightweight and easily adaptable to theoffice’s changing needs. Sector’s contemporary designs supporttoday’s technology with robust wire management capabilities, adequatestorage and ample work space. Sector products meet ANSI/BIFMAstandards and are backed by BBF’s 10-year warranty.

Bush Business Furniture | www.bushfurniture.com | Booth # 7-4102

The Jazz Collection

Designed by Jane Wicks for cf stinson, this collection celebrates Jazz with patterns that are optimisticand playful. All patterns include Agion active antimicrobial built in to the bleach cleanable, post-consumerfiber.

cf stinson | www.cfstinson.com | 800-841-6279 | NeoCon Booth # 8-4067

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PRODUCED BY

JUNE 14–16 THE MERCHANDISE MART CHICAGO NEOCON.COM

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VERDE

VERDE is a comprehensive collection designed to address today’s officerequirements in the reception, conference, private and general office areas. A wideselection of sizes and shapes in two finishes are offered as part of Cherryman’sIn Stock Nationwide program.

Cherryman Industries | www.cherrymanindustries.com | NeoCon Booth 8-2114

Self-Returning Swivel Seat

The Self-Returning Swivel Seat is a fixed seating systemdesigned for nurse alcoves that combines functionality and style with safety. A contemporary andcomfort-conscious design paired with smart engineering make the Self-Returning Swivel Seat the perfectsolution for any high-traffic working environment. The seat returns to its original position every time. Almostevery part is customizable to meet even the toughest specifications.

Clarin Seating | www.clarinseating.com | 800.323.9062 | NeoCon Booth #7-4037

Enea Lottus Collection

Enea Lottus, designed by the Barcelona-based design trio Lievore AltherrMolina for Enea of Spain, offers a full range of options from chairs tostools to tables. The collection is suitable for many applicationsincluding meeting spaces, cafeterias, and more and brings a simple andclean design aesthetic to live/work settings.

Coalesse | www.coalesse.com | 866.645.6952 | NeoCon Booth #1032

2010 Colors Collection

Community brings new life to classicdesigns with a burst of color. The2010 Color Finish Collection fromCommunity offers popular choicesfrom the Sherwin Williams color wheel for convenience in design coordination. The collection easilypairs with designs and components through all series offerings from Jasper Group and its family ofbrands, JSI, Community and Klem. DuraTex, Jasper Group’s low emission topcoat, completes thecollection by significantly reducing hazardous formaldehyde gases.

Community by Jasper Group | www.communityfurniture.com | 800.457.4511 | NeoCon Booth #3-111

CET Designer 2.4

NeoCon award-winning CET Designer, used by Steelcase, Haworth, Teknion,Spacefile and soon Mepal, launches the latest version of its design andspecification software. In addition to a robust graphics engine that handles hugeprojects, CET Designer offers Revit, Google SketchUp and CET Movie StudioExtensions. The ProjectSymbols Extension includes more than 80 percent ofoffice furniture industry products. CET Designer produces photo-realisticrenderings, accurate bills of materials and complete installation instructions.

Configura | www.configura.com | 616.242.6262 | Booth No: 7-7046

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Filmore Lounge Series

Armless chair options and horizontal backdesign allow this collection to gang,offering endless design and specificationpossibilities. Filmore is also available witha tablet arm, making it perfect for meetingor study sessions.

DAR RAN | www.darran.com | 800.334.7891NeoCon Booth # 3-345

LED Lighting

EcoBrite by Lotstar Limited provides energy-saving, mercury-free and cutting edgetechnology LED lighting products with a variety of styles, brightness and power that meettoday's market needs. A wide selection from dimmable LED to state of the art slim 17mmthick flat recessed LED panel with remote color control provide color and lighting effects invarious lighting environments.

EcoBrite-LED by Lotstar Limited | www.EcoBrite-LED.com | 408.605.5335 | NeoCon Booth #7-2099

Flurry

Flurry high-density polypropylene stack chair features signature cut-outs on itscontoured back, while a waterfall seat provides enhanced comfort. Able to stack25-high on a dolly or 10-high from the floor, its space-saving capabilities areendless, and with eight contemporary colors to choose from, Available optionsinclude clear ganging connectors, glides for hard surface flooring and anaccompanying dolly for maneuverability ease.

Encore Seating | www.encoreseating.com | NeoCon Booth # 8-4022

PRINCETON Desking System

The PRINCETON fully modular desking system provides maximum functionality in theleast amount of space. Catering to the collaborative workplace, PRINCETON offers awide selection of self-supporting worksurfaces, personal storage, filing andorganizational unites that are easy to move and reconfigure.

Global Total Office | www.globaltotaloffice.com | NeoCon Booth #1035, 10th Floor

Primacare

The Primacare collection of lounge, dining, guest and patient room seating offers back seat curvature and built in lumbar supportwith replaceable seat covers and replaceable and/or removable seat cushions for easy cleaning and germ removal. The waterfallcushion design eliminates leg discomfort and enhances circulation. Available in a wide variety of textiles, Primacare's wood feed

and frames are available in an array of finishes all top coated with an anti-microbialadditive. And, the entire collection has a 350 lb. seat capacity.

GLOBALcare | www.thinkglobalcare.com | NeoCon Booth #1035, 10th Floor

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CITE Collection by Lacasse

CITE is the next step in the evolution of collaborative and innovative teamingenvironments. This freestanding collaborative furniture system is perfect forteam-based organizations that need an office environment with outstandinghigh-end esthetics and functionality at a competitive mid-market price point. Theblend of materials with translucent acrylic inserts and aluminum accents lend thecollection a truly modern flair. Complete with unique double-sided storage elements,CITE is the solution to create refined and distinctive teaming workspaces.

Groupe Lacasse | www.groupelacasse.com | 888.522.2773 | NeoCon Booth #1042

Fine Art Prints on Alternate Substrates

Select from thousands of images printed in any size on any of five unique substrates, featuringsustainable bamboo, lightweight aluminum, luminescent acrylic, eco-friendly cotton canvas or archivalart paper. Whether your goal is LEED certification or simply a unique décor option, our fine art printson five alternate substrates offer earth-friendly solutions to transform your space and offer maximumvisual impact.

H. Marion Framing & Art Consulting | 847-562-1222 | Booth #8-2075

Valance

With its smooth and tailored contemporary styling, Valence looks at home in any tasking orconference environment. Molded seat and back foam create the perfect sit for all day comfort – ata surprisingly affordable price. Available with mid- back or high- back styles, multiple arm andcontrol choices, and a seat slider.

Highmark | www.highmarkergo.com | NeoCon Booth # 110 - 10th Floor

Nucleus Seating

The new Nucleus work chair offers a clean, contemporary lookthat delivers a personalized, comfortable sit. The use of

high-tech materials in the seat and the back help Nucleus deliver comfortin a very slender profile. The internal structure of the seat is made from a unique

suspension material that is stretched over a contoured frame and over-moldedwith foam to provide a soft initial feel and responsive, lasting support for virtuallyall body types. The chair back features ilira-stretch M4, a mesh fabric with afour-way stretch that moves with you. The lumbar support is designed into the

back and requires no manual adjustments. The Nucleus line includes a work chairand guest chair – both with or without arms. The guest chair is available with casters

or glides and stacks four high. The ilira-stretch M4 back material is offered in threeneutral colors: Vanilla, Fog, and Black; and the seat upholstery is available inall HON Core, Select and Smart finishes.

HON | www.hon.com | NeoCon Booth #1130

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Healthcare in Harmony

The Harmony sofa/bed provides seating space for up to three adults by day and asleeper for one by night. Its clean lines fit with multiple room styles and decor. Woodlegs and optional wood arm caps are available in thirteen finishes. Simply unfold theback cushion for a comfortable sleep surface. No additional floor space is required aswith conventional day beds. Other options include anti-microbial polyurethane arm capsand laminate or upholstered front drawers.

HPFI | www.hpfi.com | NeoCon Booth #8-2062

M8 – Flat Panel Monitor Arm

Through its unique and clever design, the M8 high-capacity monitor arm accommodates the widestrange of monitors available today—any monitor from 8 to 42 pounds. And with an innovative crossbarassembly, it supports dual-monitor configurations up to 40 pounds. In addition to a sleek, modernaesthetic that complements any modern workstation, the M8’s modular design featuresinterchangeable links that can accommodate any application. It offers 11.5” of dynamic heightadjustment and up to 22” of depth adjustment, as well as an integrated cable management systemthat organizes wires and hides unsightly cable clutter.

Humanscale | www.humanscale.com | 800.400.0625 | NeoCon Booth #351

Truman collection, from Harter by izzy+

The Truman lounge chair, bench and table do a bit of everything, from helpingCEOs make decisions and MBA students study, to welcoming hotel guests andmaking waiting more than bearable. Simple elegance makes the new Trumancollection from Harter by izzy+ look great from any angle. With airy cast aluminumframework and signature plyform seat base, Truman scales up or down withdifferent finishes, and textiles from Momentum Textiles, KnollTextiles, Ultrafabricsand Spinneybeck Leather.

izzy | www.izzyplus.com | www.harter.com | 800.543.5449 | NeoCon Showrooms #1150 and #11-100

Broadway +

Broadway+ mixes style, design, function and technology in one series.Technology integration is seamless with cable access in workspace,kneespace and storage components and an optional fold down modesty panelfor access to building power and data. New for Broadway+ is double heightstorage and a convenient tool rail. Offering ten veneer finishes, five colorfinishes, two glass styles, and three metal finishes, five Satin Nickel pulloptions. DuraTex, Jasper Group’s low emission topcoat, completes thecollection by significantly reducing hazardous formaldehyde gases.

JSI | www.jsifurniture.com | 800.457.4511 | NeoCon Booth #3-111

Lyra Lounge Seating Collection

Lyra offers a fresh, modern interpretation of a classic design iconography that provides apowerful, yet understated visual language to complement virtually any environment. Wood,steel and fabric come together within a wide range of configurations and options, allowingthe product to be adaptive in its response to varying levels of formality.

KI | www.ki.com | 800.424.2432 | NeoCon Booth #1181

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Campos

Campos incorporates features such a synchronous mechanism, tension adjustment, options for a seatslider or adjustable lumbar pad, and a mesh or upholstered backrest. The line also includes largecasters, backrest height adjustment, the choice of 2D or 4D armrests, and a polished aluminumor black plastic base.

Kimball Office | interstuhl | www.kimballoffice.com | 800-482-1818 Kimball Office Chicago Showroom, 325 N. Wells St., Ste. 100

Less is More

Combining the simple elegance ofglass with the precisionof cast aluminum, ALURwalls transform whatwas once hidden into aninspiration of form andfunction. Natural lightcascades through the clear glass walls. Architectural details areaccentuated. Mechanical components are beautifullyconcealed. Finally, a wall system that is truly alluring.

MAiSPACE | www.alurwalls.com | 973-448-7744NeoCon Showroom #1056A

Wabi-Sabi is Mayer Fabrics’ collection of recycled polyester fabrics reflectingthe Japanese aesthetic and Zen concept of finding beauty in things imperfect,impermanent and incomplete. The world of Wabi-Sabi encompassesmetaphysics, spiritual values, state of mind and moral precepts as well asmaterial qualities. Our patterns remain true to these concepts through unevenpatterning and simple design elements. The color palette of Wabi-Sabi isprimarily earthy with neutrals, olives, rusts, deep blue, turquoise and marigold.

Mayer Fabrics | www.mayerfabrics.com | 800.428.4415 | NeoCon #8-6062

Stella Series

The Stella Series features a 100% UV-finish coat foradded durability. As a part of Mayline’s REAL Officecasegoods family, Stella offers exciting new optionswith its unique mobile storage features andcontemporary design, as well as matching conferencetables and reception stations.

Mayline Group | www.mayline.com | 800-822-8037 NeoCon Showroom #1147

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Renegade

From private office to open plan and teaming to mobile workforces,Renegade is the perfect balance of collaboration andpersonalization. This go anywhere and look great laminatecasegood series gives durability a new sense of style with mix andmatch surface and chassis options, layered surfaces and tieredstorage. Offering fully assembled and shell based components foradditional versatility, Renegade also earns SCS Indoor Advantageand level 2 certifications which can contribute to LEED points.

National Office Furniture | www.nationalofficefurniture.com | 800.482.1717Chicago Showroom 325 North Wells Street, Suite 110

Beyond Conference Seating

The versatile Omada conference chair’s design features a self-weighing adjustable tilt mechanismand an adjustable, distinctively profiled mesh weave back that distributes body pressure evenly whilemaximizing circulation. Optional, fully adjustable arms have soft, wide armrests that offer comfortableforearm support and yet are low enough to provide clearance under most work surfaces; Omada isalso available with fixed cantilever arms. A slide feature is optional for the upholstered seat, and theback comes in 30 mesh colors that span the spectrum from neutral to vibrant.

Nienkamper | www.neinkamper.com | 800.668.9318 | NeoCon Booth #365

Ergonomic Seating

Neutral Posture's newest ergonomic office chair features a wovenmesh backrest with built-in adjustable lumbar support. Inter-changeable fitted sleeves are available in a variety of colors and fitover the backrest, allowing the chair’s image to be changed basedon its surroundings and the user’s unique personality.

Neutral Posture | www.neutralposture.com | NeoCon Booth #10-153

OFCDesk IDC 2011

OFCDesk IDC 2011 allows project migration betweenAutoCAD and Revit while creating and providing thousandsof Revit families. Along with solving interoperability, IDC2011 features a Typicals and Favorites tool, IDQuote forquoting and specifying, unlimited access to AutoCAD andRevit content, automated processes and more!

OFCDesk | www.ofcdesk.com | 877.OFCDesk | Booth #7-8035

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SPACE 818

The new SPACE 818-series executive high back chairs feature form-fitting backs in U.S. manufactured Matrexmaterial. The 818-series also offers seat finishes in a choice of matrex, mesh or leather. For added versatility,the 818’s innovative design includes a smooth-glide seat sliding mechanism, one touch pneumatic seat heightadjustment, deluxe 2-to-1 synchro tilt control with 3-position lock, anti-kickback, tilt tension control,height adjustable padded arms and arched five-star metal base with oversized dual wheel carpet

casters. Office Star | www.officestar.net | NeoCon Booth #8-1042

Bliss Mid and High Back Chairs

Have a happy, blissful day! The Bliss chair with contoured seat backprovides the perfect seating experience, while the flowing curves ensure

superior back support. With a floral pattern or standard black, Bliss has style for everyworkplace. Make Bliss part of the everyday office experience or please guests in

conference areas for cheerful meetings with limitless productivity.

Safco Products | www.safcoproducts.com | 800.328.3020 | NeoCon Booth #: Suite 331

On Time

The portable On Time chair is ideal for meeting rooms &multi-functional settings in businesses, schools, hotels ortraining centers. The seat flips up & the sides fold into acompact envelope just under 10". Options like casters, glides,suction cup feet and ganging enable multiple roomconfigurations. The On Time portable conference chair'scompact design, modern shape and wide range ofaccessories provide a versatile and stylish alternative totraditional stacking and folding chairs.

Sedia Systems | www.sediasystems.com | 866.892.6130NeoCon Booth #7-4054

media:scape

Introduced at NeoCon 2008, media:scape now offers new settings toincrease connectivity. The first HDVC display creates a visually impressiveenvironment to help people feel closer to colleagues in different cities orclients halfway across the globe. It incorporates life-sized screens,surrounded by lounge seating with ledges, to show people in real scale.The second HDVC display is a sleeker setting with a camera positionedon the ledge of a large, standing media:scape table. In addition,media:scape can now host an array of connected devices including theiPad, iTouch and iPod.

Steelcase | www.steelcase.com | NeoCon Booth 3-300

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dna Modular Lounge Seating and Tables

The dna collection of modular lounge seating and tables goes beyond thetraditional requirements of lounge seating. dna was designed to meet theneeds of today’s new collaborative spaces for increased flexibility andreconfigurability and provide access to power and communications. Modulardesign allows components to connect on all sides for maximum planningflexibility. Modular units are reconfigurable by the user. dna was created byAcer Design in conjunction with Teknion’s in-house design team.

Teknion | www.teknion.com | 877.TEKNION | NeoCon Showroom #1048

Office chair ON

ON dynamic seating encourages the back to adopt a more natural and relaxed range of motion,therefore helping to avoid backaches. At the core lies Trimension, three-dimensionalsynchro-supporting kinematics, just as flexible as our knee and hip joints. The chair offershigh-quality design and ease of use: it has just two buttons and the counter pressure can beadjusted rapidly.

Wilkhahn | www.wilkhahn.com/ON | 212.229.9455 | NeoCon booth #8-4122

“ F I N E A R C H I T E C T U R A L H A R D W A R E F O R Y O U R F I N E F U R N I T U R E ” ®

w w w . m o c k e t t . c o m

Features different sized circles, a simple

SupportsSurface

Work Offer elegance and EZ field

complement your installation?suits all furniture styles. Work surface size, capacity

MAY 2010 OFDEALER PAGE 39

In last month’s assessment testing overview we shared arationale for assessment testing especially in light of personnelcosts and the need for personnel to be aligned into productivecollaborative teams operating at the highest levels ofperformance. This month we look at differing types ofassessment tests which serve many different purposes.

Peter Drucker, 20th century management expert, shared that“Erroneous assumptions can be disastrous.” Specific andfocused assessment tests can abate the potentially negativeinfluence of “intuition” or “gut level” decisions. Let’s look at thevariety of types of common assessments available.

1. Hard skill assessmentsHard skill assessments test an individual's knowledge oftechnical and administrative procedures. For example, a hardskills assessment might look at how well someone can use MSWord, or how well they understand HIPAA rules or COBRAregulations. Hard skills are relatively easy to observe, quantifyand measure. In addition, very little "unlearning" is requiredbecause hard skills don't typically involve behaviors that havebeen developed over many years.

2. Soft skill assessmentsSoft skill assessments measure how people learn and think.These typically evaluate behavior, personality, attitude,preferences, personal integrity, communication style, leadershipand management aptitude and style. Soft skills are more difficultto observe, quantify and measure than hard skills. Ourpersonalities form early as a result of our upbringing andenvironment. Our behaviors are often deeply ingrained, makingsoft skills much more difficult to learn as well as to "unlearn." Forthis reason, organizations will often make selection decisionsbased on people's soft skills and then provide the necessaryhard-skills training.

3. Job performance assessmentsThese typically come in three types: 180 degree, involvingfeedback from oneself and one's direct reports; 360 degree,involving feedback from supervisors, peers, direct reports,oneself, and customer loyalty assessments in which one'scustomers provide feedback.

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E M P L O Y E E A S S E S S M E N T S

The Ground G A M E:

Common Types of AssessmentsBy Jeff Brown and Tom Davis

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4. Job-matching assessmentsThese typically measure a person's potential for success in aparticular job. The individual's cognitive abilities, interests,motivations and behavioral traits are quantitatively assessed,scored and compared against the organization's top performers.

5. Onboarding and Ramping UpWhen an employer has more insight into the capabilities andbehaviors of the candidates selected, the organization can betterprepare the employee and manager to work together. Forexample, the employee might respond better to certaincommunication and management styles, or have particularstrengths or weaknesses that the manager must be prepared toproactively address.

When a manager has this information, they can usually "rampup" the employee’s productivity quickly, navigating critical earlystages of employment in which an employee gains confidenceand enthusiasm for job and employer.

6. Managing assessmentsThe most successful managers can adapt their style in order tounlock the full potential of each of their employees. Employeeassessments help the manager understand their core ownbehaviors and capabilities, as well as those of their employees.

This heightened level of awareness is extremely valuable formotivating the employee and navigating situations involvingconflict, stress, or frustration.

Assessments can also be used to select, motivate and manageteams by identifying weaknesses and opportunities to build onthe complementary strengths of team members.

7. Developing assessmentsThese help in identifying and prioritizing the skills and behaviorsan employee needs to change to improve effectiveness. Oncetraining investments have been made, assessments can be usedto help drive accountability for behavior change by trackingongoing development from benchmark.

8. Planning assessmentsAssessments can play a powerful role in strategic workforce andsuccession planning by giving an organization a commonlanguage and process for evaluating and discussing current andfuture talent needs.

They can help identify high-potential employees and buildsufficient "bench strength" to guard the organization againstdisruption from unplanned departures of key employees.

Assessments can also help organizations successfully navigatemergers, acquisitions, divestitures or reorganizations by helpingthem select the people who will best serve the needs of the futureorganization by moving forward in a manner that minimizesdisruptions and maximizes success. Objectivity is especiallyvaluable during times of change and systemic confusion.

Selecting the right assessmentConsidering the wide array of employee assessments available,how should you select what's best for your organization? Everybusiness has its own unique needs; every team has its ownchemistry. When reviewing the various assessments ask thefollowing questions:

What is the purpose of the specific assessment tool andhow will it help accomplish our objectives?

How does the assessment help us understand the wholeperson and give us a more substantial basis to makeimportant career and employment-related decisions?

ls the assessment instrument unbiased, fair and appropriateto all groups of our target population who will be assessed?

ls the assessment procedure and instrument adequatelyreliable for our use?

ls the assessment procedure and instrument valid for ourspecific purpose?

ls understandable and comprehensive documentationavailable for the assessment instrument?

ls training and support provided for assessmentadministrators to ensure that scores are interpretedproperly?

ls the data from the assessment instrument secure?

ls the outcome of the assessment simple enough to enablemanagers to interpret the results or is a certifiedprofessional required?

Assessments: Summary of benefits Employee assessments help reduce:

Cost of theft

Insurance premiums

Training and development investments

Conflict between manager and co-worker

Absenteeism and involuntary turnover

Risk of employee failure

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Poor customer experiences

Hiring employees not fitting your culture

Recruiting and on-boarding time and expenses

Cost of a bad hire

Employee assessments help improve:

Employee engagement utilization, productivity and retention

Management productivity and effectiveness

Team chemistry, productivity and success

Customer satisfaction and loyalty

Organizational climate and culture

Strategic workforce and succession planning

Communication between managers and employees

Post merger and acquisition integration

Organizational alignment and efficiency

For a more in depth understanding of the questions and theprinciples of assessment, please download the US Department

of Labor’s publication http://www.onetcenter.org/guides.html“Testing and Assessment: An Employer's Guide to GoodPractices."

Jeff Brown founded Comprehensive search in 1983 and isits President. He has held line management positions withMilliken and Company and Armstrong World Industries. Heholds a Masters degree in Psychology. He can be reachedat 706.884.3232 or via e-mail atjbrown@comp-search.com.

Tom Davis is a Senior Consultant for Comprehensive Search.Prior to that he held executive positions with dealerships inCentral and South Florida representing manufacturers suchas Steelcase, Knoll, The HON Company, Kimball Office andNational Office. Davis can be reached at 888.801.6550 orvia e-mail at tdavis@comp-search.com.

Comprehensive Search is the endorsed Search firm of the Office Furniture DealersAlliance. They represent assessment products of Profiles International who contributedto this article.

MAY 2010 OFDEALER PAGE 42

Commercial lighting or illumination is the deliberate applicationof light to produce some aesthetic or practical effect in theworkplace. It includes the use of both artificial light sources, suchas lamps, and natural illumination from daylight.

The integration of all building components in a workspace planis critically important to the overall success of the indoor environ-ment. Good lighting design is an example of this, as lightingenergy use in most buildings can be cut at least in half whilemaintaining or improving lighting quality; a lighting retrofit has thebest return on investment (ROI) of any energy-efficient tech-nology with typical payback periods between 14 and 18 months.

Illumination requirements must be assessed for each use areawithin the building. This requires an analysis of lighting quality toensure that glare and/or an incorrect color spectrum will notadversely affect the occupants of the area. Space planning, furni-ture, interior architecture and paint palettes must be melded withlighting design to ensure that competing factors are not evidentand that the area and lighting solutions complement each other.

Lighting standards in facilities are dictated by ASHRAE Standard90.1, which is typically used in local building codes and for LEED.The standard recommends a maximum of 1 watt per square foot,so lighting in support of furniture must complement, but not addto, existing lighting levels.

Opportunities exist for dealers to become an authority on lightingfixtures, LEED and sustainability that will educate potential andexisting clients to the advantages that lighting can offer.

Types of LightingThe most prevalent lamps used in interior office spaces arefluorescents, compact fluorescents and LED lighting.

New generation T-8 lamps (800 series) and LEDs are improvingrapidly over time, creating better, cleaner light while being moreenergy efficient than their predecessors. (Lamps, commonlycalled light bulbs, are the removable and replaceable portion of a

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Illuminating dealers

onL I G H T I N G

By Bill Conley CFM, CFMJ, LEED AP, IFMA Fellow

I L L U M I N A T I N G continued from page 42

MAY 2010 OFDEALER PAGE 43

luminaire that converts electrical energy to both visible andnon-visible electromagnetic energy.) These lamps should be usedin an optimum coordination of overhead lighting and task lighting.

The effectiveness of a lamp, besides the lower wattage used in

newer models, is measured in a number of ways.

s There is Candlepower, or footcandles (fc). One footcandle is

equivalent to the illuminance produced on 1 square foot (0.09

square meters) surface area by a source of one candle at a

distance of 1 foot (0.3 meters).

s There are Lumens. A lumen is a unit of measure of the actual

amount of light produced by a light source.

s Kelvin relates to color temperature. It is a numerical

measurement expressed on the Kelvin (K) scale to describe

the color appearance of light produced and of the lamp itself.

s A color rendering scale (CRI) of 1-100 determines how 'true'

colors appear under artificial light.

These are all factors that must be taken into consideration when

supplying light in work areas. For instance, the same amount of

light is not needed everywhere. Different applications demand

different light levels.

A desktop needs between 32-35 fc, while hallways and common

areas only need 17-25 fc. Floor levels need at least 1 fc of

emergency lighting for evacuation purposes. The point is that

lighting is not a “one size fits all” situation; office layouts must

be designed to bring the right amount and quality of light to the

appropriate places.

Task LightingIn the application of task lighting, where the task light is used to

increase illuminance on the reading area, the light level is not the

only factor governing visibility. Contrast is also important, and a

poorly positioned light source may cause contrast reduction,

resulting in loss of visibility.

Therefore, it can be argued that the most important purpose of

task lighting in the office is not increasing illuminance, but

improving contrast.

s If a lamp is placed so that printed letters reflect some of the

light, their contrast against the paper background will

decrease.

s A lamp type that is not carefully chosen may render text

illegible, regardless of illuminance level.

s Glare can decrease worker efficiency. Proper lighting systems

reduce glare which helps to reduce eyestrain, thus boosting

occupant productivity.

s On the other hand, over illumination can lead to adverse health

and psychological effects such as headaches, stress and

increased blood pressure.

Supplying the correct lighting levels enhances visual comfort,

reduces eye fatigue, and improves performance on visual tasks.

Well designed lighting can therefore increase productivity and

reduce absenteeism.

Because costs associated with a building’s occupants greatly

outweigh other building costs, any lighting application that

improves the indoor environmental quality is worth implementing.

DaylightingIt is also important to try and provide layouts and furniture that

allow as much natural light as possible into the workspace.

Greater reliance on natural light reduces energy consumption,

favorably impacts human health and improves workplace

performance.

Based on research by Carnegie Mellon University and others,

daylighting appears to improve productivity and reduce

absenteeism by at least 20 percent. A 20 percent increase in

productivity by an employee making $50,000 annually yields

$10,000 to the company.

If an organization can realize even some savings through furniture

design and proper integration of natural and artificial lighting, the

project would more than pay for itself. And, the more knowledge

about lighting the dealer has, the more valuable they become.

Bill Conley, CFM, CFMJ, LEED AP, IFMA Fellow, is the author of the IFMA Foundation’s

recently released Sustainability “How-To Guide” Series on Lighting Solutions. For more

information, visit www.ifmafoundation.org.

Conley is owner/CSO of CFM2, a facility management &

sustainability consulting company based in Orange County,

CA. He has more than 35 years of experience in the facility

management profession and has been a proponent of

sustainable operations for more than 17 years. Conley has

worked on LEED projects as well as assisted companies in

implementing and benefitting from sustainable practices. He

received his Certified Facility Manager (CFM) designation

from IFMA in 1992 and achieved LEED professional

accreditation through the US Green Building Council in 2002.