Modular office systems may be one of the most overlooked products on the market.  They offer a tremendous amount of advantages over conventional construction and should always be considered when expanding your operation. 

With good reason, many customers who require office space immediately turn their attention to an architectural firm or general contractor who can fulfill their needs.  It’s not a stretch. We turn to these suppliers in our everyday lives when we need work done at home, so why not turn to them at our place of business?

However, keep in mind that a ‘price to price’ comparison is NOT an ‘apples to apples’ comparison.  Modular office systems offer an incredible amount of advantages that easily add value and should truly be the determining factor for purchase.

Benefits include:

·    Adaptability - Quickly and easily re-locatable, expandable, and reusable

·     Durability – Reinforced panels with many facing options including FRP, Steel and Aluminum

·     Pre-wired – Electrical, lights, phone and data outlets are flush mounted in the wall panels.  No need for separate electrician

·     Product breadth for numerous environments

·     Product is pre-engineered, making 2 story offices or load bearing structures simple options.  Design review by an outside architect or engineer.

·     Quick, Turn-key installation by one vendor.  Most installations are completed within one week of material arriving on-site

·     Sound resistance – Laminated panels provide sound and fire resistance

·     Tax benefits – 7 year accelerated depreciation as opposed to 39 years for conventional construction

The bottom line is:  Don’t let price be your only purchase consideration.  Modular office systems supply more than conventional construction partitions.  You may be surprised to find out that overall, modular provides much greater value.

Oftentimes, the strength of the forklift dealership fails to play a prominent role in the selling process.  Historically, a dealership’s value proposition has primarily focused on the strength and benefits of the particular brands they represent.

It is this value proposition that has always allowed the market leaders to differentiate themselves from the competition.  Premier brands always commanded a premium.  This differentiation essentially created a two tier market.  One tier supplying a ‘premium’ forklift and a second tier supplying a ‘price’ oriented forklift.  While the differentiation remains, second tier suppliers have gained ground by skewing the definition of ‘value’ from performance to price.  This is extremely dangerous for both customers and dealers as the operational demands on a forklift are strenuous and require a robust product and quality dealer support to be effective in the long run.

It is important to keep in mind that the quality of the dealerships within a manufacturer’s network can vary tremendously by territory.  The same brand may have a different reputation in two different parts of the country based on the quality of that particular dealer. 

Leveraging your strengths can set you apart from your competition and create value the customer can see.  This can be a huge advantage in diffusing price as the primary decision point.  Response time, number of technicians, first call completion rate, breadth of product offering and parts availability are all things that are at your disposal to gain an advantage over your competition.

Use every advantage you can.  Your dealership has value.  Use it.

South Atlantic Systems is pleased to announce that one of its Principals, Paul Mohrman, has been honored for his long time service to the material handling industry by Forkliftaction.com.  Paul has been a leader in the material handling field for more than 30 years.

To view the article in its entirety please click on the link below:

http://www.forkliftaction.com/news/newsdisplay.aspx?nwid=6086

We congratulate Paul for honor and thank him for his contributions to our industry.

As a whole, installation of material handling projects can be a nerve-wracking prospect. Even when working under the most ideal of circumstances it becomes the most critical piece in ultimately labeling a project a success. Many a good project has succumbed to improper installation.

Successful installation begins with proper planning and solid project management. Designs have been finalized, vendors have been chosen and the job has been sold. It is now up to the project manager to ensure that deadlines are met and progress is made according to pre-determined timelines.

Without a doubt, the insidious ‘Mister Murphy’ will rear his ugly head to throw a wrench into even the best laid plans. However there are steps that can be taken to minimize the impact of these occurrences within the installation period:

1. Plan, Plan, Plan. Anything that can be accomplished ahead of time should be.
2. Clearly and concisely relay proper product specifications to vendors.
3. Work closely with vendors to ensure that product delivery is on-time.
4. Meet with installation crews to discuss the project and make sure there is a clear understanding of what needs to be accomplished.
5. Stay close to the installation; if not on-site, via phone. Be available at all times to answer questions and give direction so downtime is minimal.
6. Keep the customer up to date as to progress. Relay progress on a regular basis so that if a delay occurs, the customer understands the reason and expectations are adjusted.
7. Be honest. Don’t set timelines that aren’t reasonable and relay any concerns to the customer if timeline demands exceed the reality of the installation.

Installations will commonly have bumps in the road. Be prepared for this inevitability, pre-plan and be flexible to make adjustments ‘on the fly’. Follow these guidelines and you will give your installation the greatest chance for success.