NeoCon 2011: Preview & New Products
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Office Environments of New England Makes Asset Purchase of BKM Total Office
the Right Answers
Two of the Northeast’s longstanding and
about Outsourcing
highest profile office furniture dealerships have joined forces to create a major new regional player. Boston-based Office Environments of New England (OENE) announced earlier this month its purchase of substantially all the assets of BKM Total Office in East Hartford, CT. Both companies are longtime Steelcase dealerships. By leveraging BKM’s and OENE’s combined resources and capabilities, the new enterprise will provide customers with expanded audiovisual, architectural systems, floor covering and technology solutions, as well as the most comprehensive offering of contract furniture and services available in New England, OENE said. "This is truly meaningful for our customers who depend on us to help them create innovative and harder working spaces that inspire, foster collaboration and optimize their real estate footprint,” said Robert Kelly, president of OENE. BKM chairman Don Griesdorn has owned the company since 1977. He will be retiring and transitioning ownership. “I’ve had a long-standing vision of creating a stronger presence in the New England marketplace,” he said. “I’m excited to see that vision come to life as these two great organizations come together. I would like to extend my sincere thanks and gratitude to our loyal customers and dedicated employees.” Effective immediately, industry veteran Larry Levine joins the company as president of BKM. Robert Kelly will continue to lead OENE as president. Orlando Corsi, CFO and COO of OENE, will expand his role across the entire enterprise. Dan Sabia, formerly BKM president,
the Right Questions &
Finding If you’ve been in the office furniture business for any length of time, you won’t need me or anyone else to tell you about the importance of being able to turn on a dime in response to sudden market shifts. Office furniture has always been a cyclical business but over the past ten years, the peaks have gotten higher and the valleys a whole lot deeper. In good times, dealers find themselves drawn to adding people and infrastructure to take full advantage of a healthy market. In bad times, they go cutting to the bone and hope they haven’t taken too much out of the business so that when things start moving in the right direction again, they’re still able to make the most of it all. It’s a delicate balancing act and the margin for error is slim, indeed. That’s what makes this month’s cover story particularly useful for today’s dealers. Outsourcing is hardly new in our industry any more. But author and consultant Brenda Brodt does a terrific job of putting it in the context of today’s business challenges, presenting the complete spectrum of outsourcing options available and providing a clear-eyed look at their pluses and minuses. The article won’t answer all your questions about outsourcing, but it will give you a much better idea of the right questions to be asking and offer some useful insight and direction on how to go about answering them. And if you’ve got any comments of your own on outsourcing that you’d like to share with our readers or questions you’d like to ask them, we would of course, love to hear from you. Thanks, as always, for reading, and enjoy!
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MAY 2011
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Dealer News continued from page 3 will assume a new role as executive business consultant.
of local, friendly competitor BF Molz in Moorestown, New Jersey.
Each business will continue to operate under its own individual
The merger will provide an estimated 40% boost to Office Basics’
name, OENE said.
sales volume and, says director of operations Ray Kendall, promises to take the dealership’s furniture business to the next level and then some!
COS Business Products & Interiors, Chatanooga Dealer, Celebrates 70th Anniversary
“BF Molz is an extremely good fit for us,” says Ray. “They are an outstanding organization with a truly excellent sales team that has done a superb job against some very tough competition.”
In Chattanooga, Skip Ireland and his team at COS Business
BF Molz is an Allsteel/HON dealer and, says Ray, that side of the
Products & Interiors are icing up the champagne and getting
business, was particularly attractive to Office Basics.
ready to celebrate their dealership’s 70th anniversary.
“We’re looking forward to combining our strengths on the sup-
COS was founded in 1941 by Skip’s grandfather, Henry H. Ireland Sr.
plies side with BF Molz’s strengths on the office furniture side,
Skip and his brother, James E. “Jim” Ireland, vice president of
particularly in the healthcare arena,” he says.
operations, represent the third generation of the Ireland family to
Reflecting the strength of the Molz organization, the company is
lead the business, having purchased it in 1983 from their father,
retaining its name in the marketplace and will operate as BF Molz
H. Hudson Ireland, Jr.
Business Interiors, a Division of Office Basics going forward.
Since that purchase, they have seen annual sales more than
Office Basics is also keeping the entire full-time Molz staff, though
quadruple and positioned the company as a true one-stop re-
Ray indicated some realignment of job responsibilities will probably
source for the full spectrum of office needs, including office fur-
be forthcoming and the two companies work through the consoli-
niture. COS is a Knoll dealership and holds an Office Furniture
dation.
USA franchise. “As a company, we’ve
tomers,” Skip points
AAA Business Supplies & Interiors Expands Furniture Business with Acquisition
out. “The range of
In San Francisco, AAA Business Supplies & Interiors recently ex-
products and services
panded the office furniture side of its business with the acquisi-
we offer today is light
tion of Advent Office Furniture in nearby Santa Rosa.
always been driven by the needs of our cus-
years from what the business started with—or even what it was just five years ago— and that’s due to the tremendous changes that we’ve seen in how our customers work and how they generate, communicate and store business information. As a locally-owned and operated organization, listening closely to our customers is a key part of who we are, and it’s enabled us to grow as Chattanooga has grown.”
AAA said it will be retaining the Santa Rosa Advent location, positioning itself for future expansion of its sales and support team in the Northern California marketplace. AAA is also retaining most of Advent’s employees, including former owners Mark Burchill, Mel Konrad and Darvin Goodrum. In addition, AAA also recently announced another acquisition in the office supplies arena, Corporate-One, also in San Francisco.
Office Basics, PA Dealer, Acquires BF Molz In Boothwyn, Pennsylvania, John Leighton and his team at Office Basics, long a major player in their market in the office supplies arena, are celebrating the arrival of some major new growth opportunities in the office furniture space, following the acquisition MAY 2011
OFDEALER
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Dealer News continued from page 4 DS&D, NJ Dealership, Secures State Grant for Training Program
management, presentations, spreadsheets, etc.), the program also offered courses on time management, customer service, business communications, finance for non-financial employees
A commitment to ongoing training and education is one of the hallmarks of any successful dealer today. In Somerville, NJ, Steelcase dealer DS&D, (Dancker, Sellew & Douglas) has come up with an innovative and cost-effective way to turn that commitment into reality with the help of a generous assist from the state of New Jersey.
and leadership skills. It enabled DS&D to provide training for just about everyone—from warehouse personnel to the sales team and senior and middle management, reports HR director Mary Snyder. Response has been very positive from employees especially since most companies have very little resource dollars to allocate towards training.
For the past year or so, DS&D has been offering a comprehensive, company-wide training program that’s been funded by a training grant from the state and developed in cooperation with a local community college.
“The program really made a statement about the importance we assign to ongoing education at DS&D and given an extra dimension to our efforts to attract and retain talented and motivated people,” she explains.
New Jersey picked up the cost of outside trainers and course development, with the main expense to the dealership coming in the form of the time taken by employees to attend, since all
And with the market overall showing signs of continued strengthening, the timing certainly couldn’t be better!
courses are held during work hours. In addition to seven different courses on computer skills (project
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BIFMA MARCH NUMBERS:
Orders and Shipments Both Up 25% Earlier this month, the Business and Institutional Furniture Manufacturers Association (BIFMA) released its market statistics for March and once again, the news was mostly very positive. According to BIFMA, March orders and shipments were both up 25% compared to the same month last year, a gain made even more impressive given that March was the first month in a long time that comparisons were being made against growth in the prior-year period. The industry has now experienced year-overyear order growth for 13 consecutive months— following 19 months of year-over-year order declines from August 2008 to February 2010.
Industry analyst Budd Bugatch of the Raymond James investment house declared himself “pleasantly surprised” by the re-acceleration in March incoming order rates. “Net-net, the March 2011 BIFMA release was another favorable data point for the office furniture industry and corroborated our positive industry view,” Bugatch commented. “While the key macro drivers of office furniture consumption (corporate profits, business confidence, white collar employment, net absorption of office space) remain somewhat mixed, it feels like we are headed in the right direction,” he added.
Dunlap Furniture Industry Index Shows Slight Downturn in First Quarter
Kimball Office and Dealers Donate more than $26,000 to Aid Japanese Rebuilding Efforts
Results from the most recent Michael A. Dunlap & Associates quarterly industry survey, completed during April, showed a slight downturn from the previous survey, conducted in January.
In the wake of the tragic earthquake and tsunami in Japan, Kimball Office and its network of dealers have raised more than $26,000 for Architecture for Humanity, a nonprofit design firm dedicated to building a more sustainable future using the power of design.
The survey yields an Industry Index Number to quantify where the industry is currently performing, with 100 signifying things “couldn’t be better” and one meaning “absolutely the worst” they can be. The overall index for April came in at 55.38, compared to 57.01 in January. The highest recorded Index was 59.72 in July 2005; the lowest was 41.45 in April 2009. The average since the survey started in August 2004 stands at 54.24. Despite the downturn from January to April, Dunlap offered a mostly optimistic assessment of survey results. “Although only three of the ten index values show improvement over January, they are important,” he noted. “Order backlog has improved, tooling is improving and the personal outlook index continues to rise, Dunlap pointed out. “I don’t see anything to be concerned about, with the possible exception of rising material costs. All of the other index values are strong, in spite of their modest declines.” MAY 2011
Contributions were raised through individual donations over a two-week period during a recent meeting of the manufacturer's top-selling distribution partners. "The images of towns completely washed away had a powerful impact on our dealers and employees," said Jeff Fenwick, vice president and general manager of Kimball Office. "We wanted to aid in the country's efforts to build stronger, more sustainable communities, and that is at the heart of Architecture for Humanity's mission." For more information, visit http://architectureforhumanity.org.
HON Wins Major Slice of U.S. Navy Business The U.S. Navy has awarded The HON Company a five-year Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA), effective June 1, 2011.
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Industry News continued from page 8 According to Jean Reynolds, HON's vice president of strategic development for government markets, the award makes HON the only commercial manufacturer authorized to sell to the Department of the Navy in all five furniture categories and in all 50 U.S. states plus Puerto Rico, Guam and other destinations where the Navy has facilities and furnishings needs. Categories covered by the award include furniture systems and workstation clusters; worksurfaces, workstations, computer furniture and accessories; filing and storage cabinets; executive office furniture and multi-purpose seating.
Global Hosts ‘Spring Fling’ 2011 Global - The Total Office recently hosted more than 450 designers, architects, dealers and VIP guests at the annual “Spring Fling” events in its New York City and Atlanta Midtown Showrooms. Global’s newest products—including Global Accord Mesh in color, Roma and the Duet seating series and the company’s brand new Princeton desking system—were all prominently displayed in each showroom.
New Name for Ghent Manufacturing Lebanon, Ohio-based Ghent Manufacturing has changed its corporate name to GMi Companies. CEO Mark Leasure said the new name more suitably positions the organization for future growth and helps trade and local communities better distinguish the corporation relative to its primary product brands. GMi Companies began as Ghent Manufacturing, Inc. when it was founded in 1976. Since that time, the business continually marketed its line of Ghent brand of visual communication products and added three distinct company brands: the Waddell brand of fine furniture display cases acquired in 1986; the VividBoard brand of high impact signage boards acquired in 2006, and the WoodWare Furniture brand of technology support furniture acquired in 2010. Today, under the GMi Companies corporate umbrella, the Waddell and WoodWare brands are part of the GMi Companies Furniture Products Group, while the Ghent and VividBoard brands comprise the GMi Companies Visual Communication Products Group. GMi Companies will continue to be headquartered in Lebanon, Ohio. The corporation has two production facilities in Ohio and one in Pennsylvania.
Calibrate from AIS Achieves Greenguard Certification AIS has announced its Calibrate line has achieved Greenguard Indoor Air Quality Certification and Greenguard Children and Schools Certification. MAY 2011
Calibrate is the latest product introduction from AIS and consists of freestanding components and accessories designed to construct open plan desking and benching solutions as well as private office environments. This marks the 6th Greenguard Certified product line for AIS.
ANSI Approves 2011 Editions of M7.1 Furniture Emissions Method & X7.1 Furniture Emissions Standard The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) has approved the new edition of ANSI/BIFMA M7.1-2011 Standard Test Method for Determining VOC Emissions from Office Furniture Systems, Components and Seating; and also the new edition of ANSI/BIFMA X7.1-2011 Standard for Formaldehyde and TVOC Emissions of Low-emitting Office Furniture and Seating. Copies of the new editions are now available from BIFMA.
Inspiration Blooms for West Coast Cancer Center with $25,000 Gift from National Office Furniture As flowers and foliage vibrantly bloom this spring, National Office Furniture delivered a blossom of inspiration; spending a day with Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center in Corvallis, OR to learn about the many great things the hospital does throughout the region and to drop off a big check. Samaritan Hematology & Oncology Consultants, an outpatient clinic of the hospital, was awarded National’s $25,000 Gift of Inspiration for Healthcare. The cancer center’s outreach services run solely on donations in providing care and counseling to cancer patients around the Corvallis area with some traveling hours for treatment. National Office Furniture’s $25,000 Gift of Inspiration provides a much needed boost for the outreach program to support these families, especially those with extended, daily treatment schedules. The funds will help keep spirits high with a variety of services such as onsite lodging in the hospitality house for patients and families and assistance in the form of gas cards, groceries and utility bill payments. “This is more than a monetary donation. The gift will provide inspiration, access to treatment and comfort to oncology patients and families during very difficult times. Words cannot express the difference this will make in many people’s lives,” says Melanie Brown, regional operations manager at Samaritan Hematology & Oncology Consultants. “Our goal is to be a good neighbor. The Gift of Inspiration is one way for us to give back to organizations that do so much for their communities through providing care, education and assurance. We’re proud to support such a worthy program as Samaritan’s Hematology & Oncology Consultants. Their commitment to restoring normalcy and providing on-going support to patients and their families in the toughest of times is honorable, and we’re humbled to be a part of it,” says Kevin McCoy, vice president, general manager, National Office Furniture.
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OFDA 2011 Dealer Strategies Conference – Looking to Transform Your Business? This year’s OFDA Dealer Strategies Conference, September 25-27 in Tucson, AZ, will focus on strategies to help you ‘transform your business for future success’ and offer practical approaches to help you implement your chosen strategies.
In recent months, OFDealer has highlighted our keynote speaker, Jaynie Smith, a toprated Vistage International presenter, who will focus on defining and communicating your unique competitive advantages, and our manufacturer presidents’ panel on “The Future of the Office Interiors Industry: Changes in Customer Expectations and Dealer Roles.” These two sessions will kick off our September 26 and 27 conference programs. OFDA also is organizing two additional general session panels that will follow the September 26 and 27 luncheons, respectively. Our general session panel format will allow conference participants to submit their own written questions, anonymously, from the floor to ensure that the most pertinent issues are addressed by our thought-leader panelists.
early-afternoon general session program, which will take as its topic, Emerging Workplace Trends and Major Customer Needs – The Future is Now! The session will be moderated by Mary Lee Duff, Assoc. AI, principal of IA Interior Architects, a highly respected international architecture and design firm active in many major U.S. metro markets. She has helped OFDA organize a diverse panel of experts on emerging workplace design and facility use planning in corporate, government and other vertical markets. Panelists include: Kevin Kelly, Sr. Architect, Center for Workspace Delivery, General Services Administration Jan Penagos, LEED AP, Senior Strategic Planner, Intuit Garth German, Change Management Consultant, Expressworks These individuals are on the front lines of building and interior design projects with some of the world’s most progressive and sophisticated customers, who are defining and applying state-
All panelists are now confirmed for our Monday MAY 2011
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OFDA news continued from page 10 of-the-art workplace strategies to attract, develop and retain the top talent they need for future success. OFDA’s 2011 conference offers you a unique opportunity to interact with and learn from these thought-leaders.
Third Sunday Afternoon Workshop Confirmed OFDA has also confirmed its third Sunday afternoon (September 25) workshop: “Dealer Boot-Camp Program for Hiring and Training New Sales Talent,” to be presented by Debbie Junge and Brenda Brodt of Junge + Associates, a highly regarded consulting team with a strong background of experience in sales and operations within our industry. This workshop will provide guidance and tools that participants can take home and apply to improve their own sales team’s effectiveness. Topics will include: Hiring the right DNA of top performers Establishing performance measurements and rewarding results Implementing training
MAY 2011
approaches for on-boarding new sales employees Helping new employees set goals, develop daily plans and understand ‘the sales cycle’ Your engaged participation in any part of OFDA’s annual conference—Sunday workshops, Monday keynote, Monday or Tuesday general sessions or a handful of our 15 interactive “how-to” breakout sessions—will ensure a positive return on your investment of time and money to attend. The scope and depth of this uniquely dealer-focused, educational and networking experience are unparalleled in our industry.
Where else can you effectively learn from your most successful peers and knowledgeable experts on industry and general management best practices in areas such as sales and marketing, operations and technology, organizational development and strategic planning and leadership in a compact two-day period? If you have not done so recently, we encourage you to visit the OFDA website to review our updated conference program. You can register online at http://www.ofdanet.org/Dealer-Strategies-Conference through the end of May to take advantage of our low ‘early bird’ rates.
May 31 is Deadline for 2011 Dealer Financial Comparison Survey If you haven’t yet completed the survey for this year’s OFDA Dealer Financial Comparison (DFC), please find time in the next week or so to do so. The final deadline for survey responses is May 31. When it comes to finding out just how well your dealership measures up against industry best practices and determines your operation’s strengths and weaknesses, there are few better resources available than OFDA’s annual DFC Survey which is prepared confidentially by Industry Insights. But we need your participation to insure results that reflect as broad a crosssection of the industry as possible. Go to https://www.iisecure.com/OFDA/Survey/Login.asp to get started.
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SMART sourcing OutSource? MultiSource? InSource? By Brenda Brodt
“
Don't be afraid to change the model. – Reed Hastings CEO Netflix
Our industry has spent the last 10+ years adapting to ever shrinking margins and volume. We have all been forced to embrace the “close to the bone” business model. Dealers have honed the multi-positioning of key employees and the painful release of others, while many if not all manufacturers have introduced more complex products but reduced the amount of dealer support they provide to bring them to market. The big question today: How much or how little “people power” should a dealer put in place to win and manage the work? How can a dealer create a robust, low-risk, flexible model for sustainable future growth with innovation, knowledge, stability and healthy margins? Many dealers struggle daily to manage their staff and resources through the constant ebb and flow of business that comes with the occasional tide wave of demand. Outsourcing or the use of marketplace partners has become the norm in business today. Though a relatively new and limited concept for office furniture dealers, this practice has been fully embraced by many other industries. In the technology industry, hiring on an “as needed” basis is widely accepted because it is simply too costly to hold a permanent skilled brain trust in-house. Today’s business environment has cultivated a highly developed, specialized breed of contractual workers and services. There is an up cropping of new young lean office furniture dealers that outsource virtually all their work and technology is what makes this new aggressive model possible.
“
The people who resist change will be confronted by the growing number of people who see that better ways are available; thanks to technology. – Microsoft chairman Bill Gates continued on page 14
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Cover continued from page 13 Many dealers have developed a comprehensive business strategy using many different types of outsource partners. Kris VanDierendonck president of KV Workspace a Kimball dealer located in New Orleans started her dealership in 1995 using outsourcing as a key component to managing her costs. She successfully continues today contracting services such as IT, payroll services, installation, sales training, sales strategy and design.
Business Practices
“Outsourcing gives me flexibility and can gain time,” says VanDierendonck. “As we all know time kills deals.” Is there opportunity inside your dealership to leverage the mainstream acceptance of outsourcing? The services available are vast and include:
Sales & Leadership
Design Services
Process Improvement
Training
Specification
CFO
Project Strategy
Specification Verification
Financial Performance Review
RFP Development
Reconfigurations
Diversity Status
Hiring Talent
Rendering
H.R. Payroll Benefits
On Boarding
Presentation Materials
Personnel Assessment
Profit Improvement
Competitive Product Assistance
Accounting
Sales Management
IT Services
Lead Generation
Project Management
Exit Strategy Planning Business Valuation
Installation
Marketing
Field Verification
Outsource Service Strategy
Website Management
Inventory
Cultural Psychologist
Social Media Implementation
Asset Management
And it is not an all or none proposition. Almost all dealers who outsource believe in multi-sourcing, blending your internal customer-centric staff with external expertise to gain agility and maximize growth. David Noel, president of MOI, a Knoll dealer and one of the largest dealers in the Washington, DC market, explains that they have used outsourcing for over 20 years. It initially was a tactic to cope with surges in business. Today, it is firmly part of their business strategy for managing multiple locations and an extensive staff that includes over 20 on-staff designers and their own installation team. “Outsourced talent often has expertise that doesn’t existing inside our own walls,” says Noel, who cited as an example a recent situation involving a client who owned competitive product. “We outsourced the reconfiguration work to maintain control of the relationship,” Noel explained. Greg Sheridan of Metro Office Solutions, a Teknion dealer in Belcamp, MD, is actively seeking a balance between in-house design staff and qualified outsource partners. As with many dealers, he struggles with the possible loss of control but understands this new, efficient model is most likely the future. “A recent manufacturer transition increased our dealership’s need for bandwidth,” explained Sheridan. “There are many different MAY 2011
types of design outsource vendors available. We have experimented with true off-shore services, a small independent and a U.S.-based company with national reach. Of course prices varied as did the services. We feel there are advantages to a company with compatible software and errors and omissions insurance. We have outsourced other services with great success including TeamDesign improvements, internal process restructuring and monthly accounting and controller services,” he reports. At Intereum, a large Herman Miller dealer located in Plymouth, MN, managing partner Matt Sveen is an avid proponent of outsourcing. Even with their sizable staff, management understands the power of purchasing expertise from the outside. Their newest venture in outsourcing is with a PhD psychologist who is helping them develop a deeper cultural bond between multiple generations within the company. “We continually augment with many of the traditional services such as design and installation,” explains Sveen. “We also have an ongoing affiliation with a contractual CFO who assists our controller, advises us in our succession strategy and has been key in the development of our banking relationship.” There are vast advantages to outsourcing to be leveraged inside an office furniture dealership.
OFDEALER
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Cover continued from page 14 Capacity Management. A marketplace partner can assist in stabilizing workload surges.
contract should include a confidentiality clause. Complexity of Transaction. It can be perceived as being more complex to manage an outsource vendor vs. using in-house staff. A co-management or in-house quarterback is the essential mechanism for communicating and managing individual projects and ensuring that the parties in the relationship understand and agree on the current business strategy, sourcing maxims, sourcing strategy and delivery strategy.
Flexibility. It is easier to flex hours with a vendor than to cut an employee or their hours. Response Time. Outsourcing can enable your company to function 24/7 and respond more quickly to your customers. Expertise. An outsource partner is focused and specialized in their field. They concentrate on staying upto-date on the latest technology, codes and guidelines in their field. They often are best of breed.
Lack of Control. Customers may not be handled the way you prefer. Using your own staff for client interface and relationship management is often preferable.
More Focus. Outsourcing non-core activities will give you more time to concentrate on core processes.
Threatened Dealership Employees. Your employees may feel threatened by the use of outsourcing. The communication of your outsourcing strategy with your team can actually create a cooperative and productive situation.
Best Practices. An outsource service provider’s focused experience and exposure to multiple resources allow them to accumulate greater depth of knowledge in a particular business segment. A commitment to using the best practices in any field is a commitment to using all the knowledge and technology at one's disposal to ensure success.
Non-Exclusive Outsourcing Relationship. Your outsource provider may be catering to more than one company and may not be exclusively focused on your company. Developing and maintaining an outsource partnership that understands your business strategy and forecast is advisable.
Reduce Expenses. You can move many of your fixed expenses to variable expenses and reduce labor costs by outsourcing. The total cost of an in-house employee is usually higher than an outside service provider.
Managing Expectations. Develop a contract with the exact scope, thereby ensuring that the parties in the relationship understand and agree on the current business strategy, delivery strategy and deadlines.
Control Capital Expenditures. Your outsourcing partner is investing in technology i.e. software, computers etc., not your dealership.
Lack of Company Knowledge. Your outsource partner most likely will not have an understanding of your company’s processes, ethics or culture. Business strategies change during the course of a sourcing relationship. An internal company coach to manage the process and handle all communication will ensure greater success.
Risk Mitigation. By selecting a marketplace partner with an errors and omissions policy, you can lower your company’s exposure. Training Costs. There are no training costs or ramp up time involved with the use of a marketplace partner. Level Playing Field. Outsourcing can help your company operate in an increasingly competitive marketplace. It can enable a smaller company to match or out perform a larger competitor’s in-house support staff.
When developing an outsource portfolio, consider the following:
Networking. Your outsource partner may be a source for networking, referral opportunities and lead generation.
On the flip side there are certainly less positive aspects to using market partners to be considered and addressed throughout the process. Trust. You are putting your company’s reputation in someone else’s hands and creating possible exposure of confidential information. It is extremely important to select a vendor with aligned values by interviewing and checking references just like you would with a new employee. Your MAY 2011
OFDEALER
What work should be outsourced? You can outsource simple tasks such as a single spec check or long term more complex projects or service agreements such as sales management over many months. Either way all work should be well defined. How do you define scope? Develop a detailed description of what is to be supplied (the deliverables), with any additional services to be provided and other options, all with a concise timeline.
continued on page 17
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Cover continued from page 16 A service level agreement or contract is critical. This should outline fees, scope and address protocol for errors. Your mess for less? Be realistic. Are you outsourcing as a way to hand over a muddied business process that needs cleaning up? Develop solid communication between your dealership and the service provider. This may be a function delegated to a single person inside your organization to act as a liaison.
There should be continual and/or periodic review of service levels to ensure they're being met. One decision organizations must make in outsourcing is how tightly the monitoring must be. Too tight and transaction costs rise. Too loose and risk increases. Many businesses view outsourcing more as the simple delegation of tasks than. the development of a refined business strategy. Certainly, there are advantages to balancing a dealerships’ daily load of endless tasks but we would be remiss in not expanding the unlimited opportunities to further our business prowess through the knowledge and expertise of outsource vendors.
The point is that outsourcing is a simple term for a multitude of simple or complex activities. There are many ways to use these services and many reasons why. It may be time for you to consider incorporating or increasing your level of outsourcing to advance your business strategy and create a more sustainable dealer model that works for you.
Brenda Brodt is a veteran in the contract furniture industry with over 20 years of experience. She joined Junge + Associates as a sales, leadership and operations specialist in 2009, where she provides consulting services that include development, training and implementation of best practices. Her years of practical work experience include leadership positions with multiple dealerships that are aligned with Steelcase, Kimball, Haworth and most recently Knoll. For more information, visit www.jungeassociates.com.
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projectprofile
Communicating
Teamwork By Alicia Ellis Combining several offices into one is never an easy task, but according to Kevin Kennedy, vice president of sales for Waldner’s Business Environments in New York City, a melding of the minds made the consolidation of Publicis Healthcare Communications Group’s three offices with three distinct groups of employees into one centralized location one of the easiest projects of the year. An aligned Steelcase dealer since 1939, Waldner’s is a certified women-owned dealership that does about $100 million a year out of three locations in Farmingdale, Westchester, and New York City, NY. Waldner’s preexisting relationship with a member of the project management firm responsible for the new real estate allowed the dealership to avoid the bid process and jump into the project very early in the planning stages. A leading healthcare communications agency offering a wide range of corporate communication and media services, including creative advertising, media and campaign planning, marketing, and public relations, Publicis’ decision to move into a brand new office building in Ardsley, PA would require all new furnishings to fill the three-story space, including 280 workstations and 82 private offices for its more than 375 employees. “The project manager, Steve Whaler of WG Project Management, did his homework well in advance,” said Kennedy, who explained that Whaler had priced out a number of different manufacturers MAY 2011
and dealers in advance of deciding on Waldner's. "Whaler knew what his clients were looking for and what would fit the space." "Today's new business reality has changed," said Kennedy. "Clients are more budget conscious and want a high-quality product that is aesthetically pleasing and has great functionality and they want it without spending a lot of money." Working with the tight budget, AIS was chosen as the primary manufacturer for all 362 workstations/desks and the office's breakroom areas with the conference room furnished by Nucraft and seating from Global-The Total Office, Humanscale and Steelcase. "Some of the workstations would be used for employee groups that have to work together and communicate frequently," said Kennedy. "Although not publicly released, the design firm for the project was introduced to AIS's new Calibrate freestanding desking solution and liked the open feel and low panels. AIS's DiVi monolithic workspaces were chosen for the private offices." Orders were placed and time lines arranged to coordinate the installation in three stages. Because AIS's Calibrate product was so new and the client wanted customization of Calibrate panels and
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Profile continued from page 18 benching, Kennedy worked very closely with AIS senior vice president of sales Ben Maxwell and executive vice president of sales and marketing Rob Lazarus. "We were happy to work with Waldner's and to further develop our Calibrate product to suit Publicis' needs," said Lazarus. "Our goal is to make it easier on the dealer to complete a project and maintain their profitability.” Furnishings were shipped directly to the site and Waldner’s team of installers was able to put everything together within the aggres-
sive schedule with no problems to speak of. The combination of project manager, client, design team, manufacturers and support staff at Waldner’s helped to make everything run smooth," said Kennedy. "You hope for a couple of these types of jobs a year and start to finish, this was one of them."
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Business Model Innovation for 2011 By Bill Kuhn
Every so often, the Harvard Business Review publishes a breakthrough issue. I was excited to see that the special double issue for Jan/Feb 2011, which turns the spotlight on business model innovation, was one of those exceptional issues. Typically, many HBR articles are geared to larger corporations and their leaders. However, this issue was equally applicable to small businesses—for that matter, to our entire industry—in terms of addressing innovative leadership and strategic planning. As a follow-up to my December 2010 column titled, “2011:
Greater Opportunity, Greater Risk,” I thought it could be very beneficial for dealer principals and their management teams to extract some of the gems of wisdom from the recent HBR.
Reinvent Your Business In an article titled, “Reinvent Your Business Before It’s Too Late,” Paul Nunes and Tim Breene write about the dire consequences of failing to reinvent yourself in time. They cite an alarming statistic published in the book Stall Points continued on page 21
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Business Model continued from page 20 by Matthew S. Olson and Derek van Bever, namely that, “When a company runs up against a major stall in its growth, it has less than a 10% chance of ever fully recovering,” with many of those companies later being
“
...at-risk companies typically focus on their existing operations and wait too long in preparing the groundwork for their future.
acquired or forced into bankruptcy. That’s particularly interesting in light of a recent industry poll in which 67% of those polled said they did not believe our industry would return to a $10 billion per year business in the next five years. The office furniture industry fared better than that 10% chance of recovery during the 2000 to 2002 recession, as many dealers found ways to expand in product areas such as green products and LEED projects, as well as expanding into growth markets including healthcare, education, and government. However, those dealers who didn’t move quickly often became the kind of casualties cited by Olson and van Bever. Nunes and Breene suggest that at-risk companies typically focus on their existing operations and wait too long in preparing the groundwork for their future. Compa-
nies frequently fail to move from the end of one performance curve to the rising slope of another. Their research also indicates that those companies that successfully reinvent themselves have two traits in common: first, the ability to broaden their focus beyond their present product lifecycles, and second, the ability to address three key areas—the need to track the basis of competition in their industry, renew their capabilities and nurture a ready supply of talent. How many of you really address these areas as you develop your business plan? This article on reinventing your business is packed full of strategies and thought processes to address these three areas. I will certainly be incorporating these concepts when I work with dealers in their strategic planning processes. continued on page 22
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Business Model continued from page 21 Design a Winning Business Model
focus on Box 1—managing the present (i.e., preservation).
Another informative article in the Harvard Business Review issue on innovative business planning is by Ramon CasadesusMasanell and Joan Ricart and titled, “How to Design a Winning Business Model.” While most companies are engaged in some type of business model planning, the authors contend they typically develop their models in isolation without adequately thinking about competition, even models that companies believe are highly innovative. The writers state that a company’s model must depend upon how it interacts with the models of other players in the industry, arguing that a more narrow view dooms many to failure.
I certainly cannot argue against that position. Of the dealers I’ve observed and consulted with, I would estimate that 80-90% are devoted to the present (i.e., I have my hands full at trying to survive and get through these difficult times). Perhaps 10% are devoted to the future (I’ll worry about that when I know times will be better), and roughly 5% to selectively forgetting the past (I can change…if I have to). I’ve continually preached that real change is very difficult. The writers state it slightly differently: “Before you can create, you must forget.” They add that many companies become too comfortable with their existing business models and that they need to reinvent those models to fend off new competition.
Other players are no longer just manufacturers, independent installers, design firms, and competitive dealers. Increasingly, they include commercial brokers and a constantly changing mosaic of different rationales and decision-making authority among customers. One needs to know how, who, and where these customer decisions will be made.
A Call for Innovative Planning and Leadership
It is important to develop your strategies around the vulnerabilities of competitive players, including conducting your own SWOT analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) as well as a SWOT analysis for each of the major players in your market, particularly those doing well and perhaps a step ahead of you in their creative thinking.
What happens if you do, or do not, have a competitive differentiated advantage? Are you looking at all of your potential opportunities (including new growth) and are you positioned to respond to possible threats?
The Role of Leaders in Business Model Reinvention
This HBR issue triggered my thinking on several issues that dealers should be continuously reassessing.
Do you know when and when not to outsource? Have you and your leadership team developed a mindset that will create a business model based upon innovation? BIFMA is now forecasting 2011 orders to increase by 9%, shipments by 14%. The majority in an industry poll believe that is a too robust a forecast, but the industry is looking better.
Business model reinvention requires leadership on the part of the dealer principal and his or her management team. The third article I reference is titled “The CEO’s Role in Business Model Reinvention” by Vijay Govindarajan and Chris Trimble, both with the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth.
The opportunity is here and the time is now; however, it appears that it is still survival of the fittest. Capturing that opportunity in a timely fashion will require an innovative business model. Take to heart what these HBR authors have said.
In past articles, I’ve written about the need for the appropriate vision, about change, flexibility and organizational realignment. These authors perhaps say it better. They contend that a forwardlooking CEO must do three things: Manage the present, selectively forget the past and create the future.
Bill Kuhn, principal of William E. Kuhn & Associates, is a noted industry
They argue that for companies to endure, they must get the right balance among three boxes: Box 1 being preservation, Box 2 being destruction, and Box 3 being creation.
by phone 303-322-8233, fax 303-331-9032, or e-mail: BillKuhn1@cs.com.
consultant, writer, and speaker with over 35 years of industry experience. He consults with dealer principals and their management teams in areas of strategic planning, leadership and organizational development, marketing, financial management, valuation and merger/acquisition. For more information, contact Bill
The authors go on to say that most companies overwhelmingly MAY 2011
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2011
Come see. m|t|w
June 13–15 The Merchandise Mart Chicago
Pre-Register by June 11th & Save | Onsite Registration is $25
neocon.com
2011
NeoCon
The 43rd annual NeoCon World’s Trade Fair, which runs June 13–15 at Chicago’s Merchandise Mart, is North America’s largest exhibition of contract furnishings for the design and management of the built environment. NeoCon features the latest design trends, products, and concepts in office, healthcare, hospitality, residential, institutional and government interior environments from more than 700 showrooms and exhibitors. Keynote speakers at this year’s event include CEO of Frisker Automotive, Henrik Fisker; actor and environmental activist Ed Begley; film and television set director Amy Wells, sponsored by Paoli; Editor-in-Chief of Architectural Digest, Margaret Russell, and President and CEO of Global Green USA, Matt Peterson, sponsored by Allsteel. In conjunction with NeoCon, OFDA will
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®
once again be offering its Dealer Strategies Seminar Series led by industry experts and focused on the issues that concern office furniture dealer principals, project managers, senior sales and operations managers the most. Sessions include: How to Wow Interior Designers in the Furniture Specification Process by Stephen Witte, project leader for Stephen Witte Associates, Evansville, IN, who will teach dealer sales associates how to build a loyal following by bringing the “wow” factor when selling to interior designers. A design expert will illustrate which specification information is most useful, how to customize your presentations for maximum impact, and how to build loyalty with better communication and service.
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After-market Business Opportunities for the New Furniture Dealer, presented by Keith VerHage, principal at United Asset Management in Alto, MI, is designed to teach dealers how to identify customers who are as-is furniture buyers without compromising new furniture business. Topics include managing customer expectations in the after-market business, how to handle logistics such as freight and expenses and how to create a financial model for the right profit margin. Dealers already in the after-market business can sharpen their skills to maximize revenue and control expenses.
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NeoCon continued from page 24 Leveraging and Integrating Technology Tools for Improved Processes, Customer Experiences and Profitability, presented by David Solomon, principal at SolomonCoyle, LLC in Alexandria, VA, will help dealers find ways to increase efficiency, improve communications and reduce internal operating costs. This session will include examples of how dealers are integrating new technologies in areas such as lead management, work order management and project management to differentiate their companies in the market, compete to win and manage business more effectively
A Benefit for Barry Coyle
Solomon will also conduct a seminar entitled The Dealer’s Role in the Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) Process and the opportunity for dealers to position themselves as a trusted consultant, strategic partner to their clients and valued member of the project team. Learn how IPD works, how the dealer fits into the project team dynamic, and how dealers can move from being viewed as a vendor to taking an active role in the process. Wayne Breitbarth, president of M&M Office Interiors, Inc. in Pewaukee, WI, self-professed Linkedin guru and frequent writer and speaker for OFDA, will host LinkedIn for Skeptics and Novice Users, a seminar designed to teach dealers about the merits of social media. Discover not only why professionals should use LinkedIn, but also how to navigate the world's largest business networking site, create a powerful personal profile and develop a strategy that will lead to more customers, business opportunities or perhaps even a new job or career. RFP Responses: Outsource or In-House is a session led by Evan Morris, founder of RFP Specialists, LLC in Greenwood Village, CO, that will show dealers that, when presented with the opportunity to react to a high dollar volume, low margin RFP, there are compelling reasons to consider outsourcing the process. Find out how to provide a high quality, world class response that most likely will cost less than if you used inhouse resources to respond and review the basics for organizing a logical response to an RFP that will help dealers get to the next step, and win. In addition to the many opportunities for attendees to network with manufacturers, colleagues, new business prospects and peers, more than 40,000 industry professionals from around the world will have the opportunity to review thousands of new products from more than 700 of the world’s top manufacturers for commercial office, residential, health care, hospitality, institutional and government design environments. Following are just a few of the many products that will be showcased at this year’s NeoCon. Check out more products in OFDA's weekly Connecting eNewsletter. To subscribe, visit OFDA's website.
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Join us in honoring Barry Coyle's dedication to our industry by establishing a scholarship in his name. When: Sunday, June 12 from 5:00 to 7:00 PM (the day before NeoCon) Where: Wine & Beer Tasting Reception, The Artisan Cellar, Suite 116, Merchandise Mart, Chicago Why: Join with Barry's friends and colleagues to recognize his many contributions to our industry, celebrate his life and work, and raise funds to establish an annual Barry E. Coyle Memorial Scholarship Special Guests: Gayle Wyborny and Brian Coyle, Barry's wife and son Please join hosts Mark Vignoles of ServiceWest and David Solomon of SolomonCoyle for the Barry E. Coyle Memorial and Scholarship Fundraiser. This event honoring Barry offers the opportunity to share our memories, connect with colleagues and pay tribute to his legacy. Our goal is to raise $25,000 to establish a named scholarship to be awarded annually through the OFDA Association Scholarship Fund. The scholarship will commemorate Barry's many contributions to our industry and his extraordinary commitment to higher education, training and continuous improvement. Please RSVP to the event by calling 800.542.6672 or email Billie Zidek, Scholarship Coordinator at BZidek@iopfda.org. For more information, visit OFDA's Scholarship page.
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2011
NeoCon
ÂŽ
New Seating Options
Visual Impression 20-20 Visual Impression software creates full-scene, manufacturer-specific, 3D visualizations of office environments. As a companion product, it is tightly integrated with 20-20 CAP Studio, 20-20 Giza Studio and 20-20 Worksheet. This integration with the design and sales software that dealers are using today fits into the current workflow and makes 3D visualizations possible on every project, helping to shorten the sales cycle, lowers costs and create more satisfied customers.
Ballara is a collection of single and modular seating units that incorporate lounge, table and power components. From the club to the open armed seating and bench, Ballara units can gang together to incorporate an infinite number of lounge seating scenarios. The Duet high-density stacking chair with built-in wall saver feature and a waterfall front seat design can be stacked up to 40 with a mobile dolly and up to 10 high on the floor. The Roma family of seating is available in three versions: mesh, upholstered or perforated flexible polypropylene. A flexible built in lumbar support changes shape with user movement. Global - The Total Office www.thinkglobalstyle.com 10th Floor, #1035
20-20 Technologies 800-227-0038 | www.2020technologies.com 7th Floor, #7030
Calibrate Use AIS Calibrate to construct open plan desking and benching as well as private office solutions. This new product contains freestanding components and accessories to pump up the volume of any traditional office space while delivering custom workspaces. Consider Calibrate an Ă la carte offering with flexible upscale components you can mix and match. Calibrate components can be coupled with any AIS product. AIS | 800.434.7400 www.ais-inc.com 10th Floor, # 1082 MAY 2011
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NeoCon Preview continued from page 26
CET Designer 2.6 Configura’s CET Designer 2.6 will launch on August 15. Best of NeoCon award-winning CET Designer is used to design and specify office furnishings and space. The software produces photo-realistic renderings in 2D and 3D, video fly-thrus, accurate bills of materials and complete installation instructions. New Photo Lab, included automatically with CET Designer 2.6 offers photorealism rendering in a single design-and-specification solution. Enables immediate post-rendering processing and changes, renders multiple images at once, performs automatic updates and eliminates need for add-on-tools or outsourcing. Configura www.configura.com 7th Floor, #7046
Canvas Office Landscape Herman Miller, Inc., introduces its latest advancement in systems design: Canvas Office Landscape. Bringing choice, harmony and connection to the interior workspace, Canvas Office Landscape provides a look and can be moved from one application to another. Scalable in price and performance, it enables endusers to leverage one solution for multiple applications. Herman Miller 888.443.4357 | www.hermanmiller.com 3rd Floor, #321 continued on page 28
MADE IN COLORS InTouch true blue An utterly hip and versatile seating experience, InTouch is available in 6 designer colors on an innovative thermal-plastic back, with matching seat fabrics. InTouch: superior comfort and support – and good looks. available in: black
sage
slate
chestnut
white
battleship
Visit us at NeoCon June 13 -15, 10th floor, showroom 110
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Cover continued from page 27
Think Smart
Voi
From the reception area to interactive learning stations and computer labs, Lacasse offers a complete range of products covering the full needs of teaching establishments. All components are designed to meet user requirements in terms of ergonomics, flexibility and the integration of new technologies. Think Smart. Think Environment. Groupe Lacasse is GreenGuard Children & School certified.
An integrated solution for multiple work styles, Voi’s collection of layered worksurfaces and practical storage components is designed to meet the personal needs of any user in any type of workplace application from private and semi-private office to teaming, touch down and open plan. Not only does Voi achieve the right mix of functionality and style, it creates a unified, cohesive aesthetic for an entire workplace community.
Groupe Lacasse 888.522.2773 | www.groupelacasse.com 10th Floor, #1042
The HON Company www.hon.com | 800.553.8230 11th Floor, #1130 continued on page 29
We Can Help You Reach the Summit x
Strategic Planning and Risk/Opportunity Analysis
x
Merger/Acquisition
x
Executive Counseling
x
Succession Planning and Exit Strategy
x
Valuation and Maximizing Owner Value
William E. Kuhn & Associates MAY 2011
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billkuhn1@cs.com 303 303--322 322--8233 PAGE 28
NeoCon Preview continued from page 28
TransAction 120º Workstation Finn Influenced by mid-century Scandinavian design and joining wood and aluminum, Finn displays the natural beauty of wood with a clear finish that reveals the true fingerprint of each species. Finn is built to exceed BIFMA standards to live for many generations of proud furniture owners. Arm and armless models with one, two and three seat capacity accompany a full range of lounge tables. Jasper Group communityfurniture.com 3rd Floor, #111
TransAction’s 120-degree, 3-person workstation allows three people to work individually yet come together collaboratively. Acrylic screens add privacy, power/data are concealed in the under table trough and monitor posts can be placed in the center for shared use. The workstation is available in Mayline’s full selection of high-pressure laminates and corporate paints including new Tech Silver. A knife-edge profile and a stylish leg end panel with coordinating laminate strip complete the look. Mayline www.mayline.com 11th Floor, #1147
Mii Mii is all about you. With multiple design options and a comfort flex-back, all Miis nest together, allowing anyone to create workspace possibilities by multiplying seating capabilities. Flip up the seat for compact storage. A variety of style options and optional phenolic tablet arm with pencil holder are also available. Safco | 800.328.3020 www.safcoproducts.com 3rd Floor, # 331
New Priority Options With several new additions, Kimball Office’s casegood line, Priority, is designed to allow people to move seamlessly between individual and group work modes. New pieces include benching and worktable solutions with space-dividing and mobile storage bench height components, vertical units, and stanchion-supported overheads. There are height-adjustable tables with multiple adjustment options, too. Priority will also feature new pulls and new wood and woodgrain laminate finish options. Priority is SCS Indoor Advantage and BIFMA level certified. Kimball Office www.kimballoffice.com | (800) 482-1818 325 N. Wells Street continued on page 30
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NeoCon Preview continued from page 29
Exhibit Exhibit’s use of wall space with various inserts, such as slat walls and work tools, marker boards and tack boards, serve as an organizational coach, brainstormer or an impromptu art gallery. Exhibit’s wall rail solution supports National’s WaveWorks worksurfaces and overhead cabinets, which can be positioned anywhere along the rail. The rail, along with tackable and marker board inserts, can be field scribed for a custom fit without the custom price. Exhibit is SCS Indoor Advantage Gold and ANSI/BIFMA level 2 certified which can contribute towards LEED points.
Livello Work and Meeting Room Tables Livello workstation and mobile flip-top tables are height-adjustable workstation tables that permit seated or standing work and encourage a variety of postures. Mobile Flip-Top meeting tables are ideal for collaborative activities and group tasks that require space larger than the typical workstation. Livello meets or exceeds industry standards for various ergonomic requirements. Teknion www.teknion.com | 877.TEKNION 10th Floor, #1048
National Office Furniture 800.482.1717 | www.nationalofficefurniture.com 325 North Wells Street
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LinkedIn Advanced People Search:
Your Ticket to Improved ROI By Wayne Breitbarth In previous articles we have discussed the value of connecting with other professionals via LinkedIn and developing a comprehensive profile that will allow people to find you when they are searching on LinkedIn. The next step to maximizing your usage of LinkedIn is learning how to effectively find others. LinkedIn can be used for finding not only prospective customers and clients but also for finding: New strategic vendors and suppliers People you want to join you in a project or endeavor, including a charity or not-for-profit with which you are involved New employees An expert in a specific industry Someone you want to engage in a social/business event, e.g., a golf outing or networking event People you want to meet when you are out of town for an event A speaker for an upcoming event you are hosting People who are responsible for organizing events at which you may be qualified to speak or participate By using keywords and other search criteria—such as region, job title, group affiliation, etc.—you can easily find the people you are looking for. Ask yourself, “Who do I really want to find?” As a business owner, business developer or job seeker you will need to identify which keywords the person you want MAY 2011
to find has most likely included in his profile. If that person has done a good job of creating his profile, you’ll find him or her. Bear in mind that LinkedIn has over 100 million members. In other words, once you select your search criteria and hit the Search button, you are looking through what is the largest database of resumes in the world. No tool like this existed prior to LinkedIn, and the site becomes more and more useful each time a new person joins—and someone joins up every second of the day. As LinkedIn becomes increasingly popular, the database will become that much more useful. But enough of the generalities— let’s get on to how an actual search might work for you. As an office furniture dealer myself, I am always thinking about the keywords my potential customers would have in their profiles. Two of those words would be facility and facilities, because in many of the larger corporations, the people I target have titles like Director of Facilities, Facility Manager, or something of a similar nature. For that reason, I do most of my searching in the Advanced People Search function of LinkedIn. If you go to the top of any LinkedIn page, you can access the search feature by clicking the word Advanced, which is just to the right of the magnifying glass on the top right of the toolbar. I type “facility OR facilities” in the keyword box and push the OFDEALER
blue Search button at the bottom of the screen. This searches the entire LinkedIn network for my query, ultimately finding 75,818 profiles that have the word facility or facilities. That’s obviously too many for me to review, and my market is not the entire world. So, if I go back and modify the advanced search to find contacts within a 50-mile radius of my zip code, I now get 764 results. That number is much more manageable and more regionally relevant, and if you think about what it represents—people in my region who somewhere in their profile, have the word facility or facilities—you see that it’s an important list for me. But let’s continue refining the search. Let’s say that, on top of facility or facilities, I would like to search for employees of a certain company. So, I choose one of the larger companies in my marketplace, Harley-Davidson, and add it to the Company line. Now I am searching for Harley-Davidson employees with facility or facilities in their profiles who work at a location within 50 miles of my zip code. That produces 13 results. By now I think you see how you can use the different search boxes on the Advanced People Search page, which allows you to narrow the entire LinkedIn database down to a small, targeted group. Keep in mind that the success of your searches is directly related to the number continued on page 32
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LinkedIn continued from page 31 of people to whom you are connected on LinkedIn. There is no exact number of connections you must have to perform effective searches, but I do know it takes at least 50 to 70 quality connections before your search will consistently provide significant results. This part of LinkedIn, the finding part, really rewards the person who has spent time building his or her professional network and then makes the effort to put those people into LinkedIn as first-level connections.
Saved Searches Once you land on a search that produces quality targets for you, LinkedIn allows you to save that search. This is one of the best features on LinkedIn, but it is often overlooked. From the screen that shows your search results, simply click Save on the top right and then choose whether you want LinkedIn to send
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you an e-mail weekly or monthly to notify you if a new person who meets your search criteria has been found in your network (including Levels 1, 2, 3, and Groups). You can save up to three searches with a free LinkedIn account. If you are not saying to yourself, “Oh my gosh, that is so cool!” you are not understanding the power of the saved search function. This is a perpetual lead generator, and it is absolutely free. So, when LinkedIn notifies you of a new search result, get on the phone and set up a meeting with this person who has become a part of your network. It could turn out to be a home run.
As you continue to grow your LinkedIn network and learn how to maximize your search results, you should begin to see an even greater return on your time investment in LinkedIn. Using the all-important keywords, consistently try to identify and search for the person you would love to find and make a connection with—and then get ready to see your ROI soar.
Wayne Breitbarth is an owner of M&M Office Interiors in Pewaukee, Wisconsin. Wayne began moonlighting as an unofficial LinkedIn trainer in early 2009 and has now led seminars for over 10,000 business professionals across the
In user surveys that I conduct on a semiannual basis, Advanced People Search is consistently rated as the most useful feature on LinkedIn.
country. He was a featured speaker at last year's
This is really where the money is. It’s where you will undoubtedly see the majority of your productivity on LinkedIn.
wbreitbarth@mmoffice.com
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OFDA Dealer Strategies Conference and has recently released a book entitled The Power Formula for LinkedIn Success. Contact Wayne at www.powerformula.net www.linkedin.com/in/waynebreitbarth
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Uncover Your Competitive Advantage Realign Marketing and Management Strategies to Transform your Business for Future Success OFDA Dealer Strategies Conference Keynote Speaker Jaynie Smith Jaynie Smith’s customized keynote for this year’s OFDA Dealer Strategies Conference will focus on helping you uncover and clearly define your true competitive advantages and realign marketing and management strategies to “transform your businesses for future success” – the theme of OFDA’s 2011 event. In an industry and general economic environment characterized by unprecedented competition and extreme margin pressures, her focus on differentiation of your organization from the competition will help your company close more sales, improve margins and retain more customers.
Keynote Speaker Jaynie Smith Founder & CEO Smart Advantage, Inc.
Jaynie Smith Highlights: 15 Top Performer Awards for CEO Coaching Contributing Business Expert Columnist to Affluent Magazine Featured in telecast with Jay Conrad Levinson of Guerrilla Marketing Association Guest on Bloomberg Radio, WABC Radio "Brinker Show,"& NPR affiliate WLRN Featured in Entrepreneur, IndustryWeek, Investors Business Daily & Business Strategies Author of the best-selling Creating Competitive Advantage (2006) - now in its 10th printing Radio host of Mind Your Biz Today on The Biz - South Florida’s only business radio station
www.ofdanet.org/conference