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CSS is Different. Here’s How.

by Jaclyn Reid••0 Comments

What’s so unique about the CSS way?

At CSS Office Solutions we’re different than most industry providers in that we manage all aspects of what you could ever need from an office furniture service company!  Not to mention our high level of customer satisfaction and being true representatives of our corporate values.  Placing importance on integrity, collaboration, pride, and craftsmanship is what CSS is to everyone, you, our customers, our staff, and all of our stakeholders.  CSS is the Calgary-based company that’s been providing an unprecedented level of office services for over 35 years.  We know what we’re doing, and we’d love to show you what that means to us, and how it feels for our lucky clients.

When we say we handle everything to do with office furniture, we’re not joking.  This is where we pat ourselves on the back knowing that we’re constantly pushing ourselves to be the best with all the services, repairs, customizations, etc. we do!  We literally do it all as it relates to office furniture products and services.  Not all office furniture product providers, or movers provide you with a one-stop-shop company – that’s where CSS comes in and shines!

We can move your office furniture and whole operation to a new location, or maybe you’re just moving the staff’s office items or files within the office, we handle all of that too!  We offer multiple storage options, a variety of services for all your office furniture needs whether it be a sticky drawer, a drawer needing keys, installing a floor of furniture or a hanging one whiteboard or an entire floor of artwork installations.

Have furniture that needs repair?  You bet we do that too!  We perform all types of repairs and modifications for office furniture, various types of office furniture, chairs and seating, etc.  We have yet to come across any furniture repair or modification that wasn’t able to be entirely handled by CSS, start to end, because of our incredible staff and collaborations with other partners.

And if you have panels in your office environment, we work wonders in our shop being able to modify the heights, layout, fabric swaps, etc.  Have what you think may be an impossible office furniture task?  Just give us a call and let us wow you with our office furniture service magic!  We’re certain you’ll be impressed.

If you’ve ever spent time on our website specifically the services page, you would have seen the multitude of categories headlining the offerings we provide – and that’s just the high-level version so we don’t overwhelm with each little detail CSS can provide.

There are truly unique aspects of this industry, and the variances you’ll observe between the companies offering similar services.  One of the main reasons we offer so many services and offerings, is again quite simple: to keep your job/task/project as a client of ours as simple for you as possible!  We want to take the hard-work-for-you out of facilities management and office furniture moving and office services.  Read our testimonials to find out in our clients’ own words about the difference working with CSS Office Solutions can make.  The client experience is extremely important to each of us at CSS, that’s why we always go the extra mile to ensure our clients satisfaction is exceeded = mind blown with happiness!

At CSS we showcase the highest level of pride in our accomplished work and are always looking for opportunities to be the best, most trusted service partner in our industry.  This ties into our company’s purpose of providing the ultimate in office furniture services and products by exceeding customer satisfaction with superior expertise.

Without integrity in our business, we wouldn’t be who or what we’re known for.  We do things the right way, for the right reasons.  Held in high regard, of all our corporate values is first and foremost: integrity.  It guides us all in doing business the right way, not just in a way to get business.  This means we’ll be 100% honest with you, in all our dealings, in all our interactions as repeat loyal business is the best kind of customer a business can hope for.  We’re super grateful for our long-term clients that have been with us for so many years who all genuinely value a wonderful customer experience.  We’re always looking to add more amazing clients to our list.

Maybe this new amazing client is you, reading this right now?!

Interested in wanting to know what the CSS client experience feels like?

Give us a call or send us an email today!  We’re always more than happy to answer your questions and provide you with all the details you need to make the most informed choice of picking an integral office service and product provider.

 

Community Supporting Community SALE

by Jaclyn Reid••0 Comments

ALL of our in-stock used FURNITURE IS 50% OFF!!

Promotional image which says that all our used furniture stock is 50% off.

We’ve decided we want to give back to the local community that has steadily supported us over the past couple of difficult years. For the entire month of December, we are BLOWING OUT EVERY SINGLE PIECE OF OUR IN STOCK USED FURNITURE AT 50% OFF!!!! It doesn’t matter if you’re a returning customer, or if you’re new to the CSS experience – if you take the time to come visit us and support our business, we will discount your used furniture purchase by 50%.

CSS has always been a huge proponent for supporting local businesses. Whenever and wherever possible we try to source everything we need from local vendors, or at least Canadian based companies. We provide our employees with opportunities to engage in local businesses through gift card challenges (they get a set amount at several local businesses and have to spend that amount in a specific timeframe). Being a local business ourselves, we feel and see the benefits from local Calgarians that stop by our showroom and find that something special they’ve been looking for.

When you shop at local businesses in your community, you’re not only supporting your neighbours and those businesses that make your community great, you also strengthen the economy. You make an impact on the lives of the employees at that business. You’re also more likely to save yourself some money. The best deals out there aren’t always on Amazon – take an extra second to check out what your favorite local businesses have to offer. You’ll likely save yourself some money, you’ll get unique goods and services IN STOCK and you’ll be helping the environment.

Not sure where to look for a local business? Check out these wonderful local websites that feature local businesses:

calgarysupportlocal.ca
supportlocalab.ca
Calgary Business Directory Biz Calgary
Calgary Chamber Directory Listings
Calgary, AB Small Business Networking – Alignable
BBB: Start with Trust® | Better Business Bureau®
Business Improvement Areas in Calgary
Calgary, AB, Canada Small Business Directory Listings | FS Local
Calgary Business Directory Listings – Local Business Listing Calgary AB

Feel free to stop by our showroom, give us a call, or shoot us an email! We’ll be more than happy to help you find that perfect piece of furniture.

The sale prices are in effect from December 1 – 31, 2021. 

Our office and showroom hours are Monday to Friday 8:00am to 4:30pm (closing at 4pm on Friday).

The CSS People that Make it Happen – Jim

by Jaclyn Reid••0 Comments

Meet Jim – one of our extraordinary warehouse coordinators!

Picture of Jim - Our amazing warehouse coordinator

Today I am elated to introduce to you another highly valued member of the CSS work family.  Meet our warehouse coordinator Jim!  He has been with us for only the last two years, but he makes us feel like we’ve known him for many years now!  You may not see him quite as often on site in your office but for sure you will find him in our warehouse, helping to take care of the many aspects of being a warehouse coordinator.  His hard work and sincerity say it all.

Jim highly appreciates the care and concern CSS Office Solutions provides to each and every employee.  And yes, that’s the reason we call it our CSS work family.  Working together like a family makes us unique and helps build up our individual strengths every day.  We are proud of all our employees!

His favorite type of food has changed lately as Jim is experimenting with various gluten free foods.  Good thing the food industry has made leaps and bounds with gluten free options that taste great!  His go to drink is Pepsi although now he is trying to get rid of it in the evenings, so please be sure to offer him a Pepsi only during the day!

Jim says if he won the lottery, he would like to buy CSS Office Solutions.  Not sure how well that would work, but its nice to have dreams!  The merging of two major manufacturing powerhouses, Knoll and Herman Miller, has been an interesting area for Jim in our industry.

He has yet to decide on his favorite downtown building and local Calgary destination as he says there are a lot to pick from; and we agree.  Jim is from a small city so while he says he like Calgary, it’s far too big for him.  But since CSS is here, he has a great reason to love Calgary.  Jim, you are an asset to our family, and we are so lucky to have you!

The CSS People that Make it Happen – Nicole

by Jaclyn Reid••0 Comments

Meet Nicole, one of our marvelous Moving Supervisors!

Picture of Nicole - one of our amazing Moving Supervisors

Today I am ecstatic to introduce to you one of our core crew members, Nicole Fortin!  She has been with CSS for over 21 years!  She is one of the most recognizable faces in the CSS work family and Nicole has amassed quite the fan base with our clients.

The best part of being a member of the CSS Work Family for Nicole is the loving staff that she works with every day.  Further proof that we aren’t just co-workers, we truly are like family.  The fact that CSS will do anything for our clients is something that Nicole has always found interesting in our industry.

If she won the lottery, she would spend every cent on her family, making sure everyone was safe and comfortable.

She’s a pasta lover and can’t get through the day without a good cup of coffee…or maybe two!

Nicole’s favorite building in downtown Calgary is The Bow – she is as familiar with that building as she is with her own house!  She also loves the museum and all the green space parks that Calgary has to offer.  When not working, she enjoys taking her dog for walks.

 

The CSS People that Make it Happen – Jennifer

by Jaclyn Reid••0 Comments

Meet Jennifer, our awesome HR and Safety Manager!

Picture of Jennifer Eriksson - Our amazing HR & Safety Manager

Today I am thrilled to be able to introduce you to our HR and Safety Manager, Jennifer Eriksson.  Jennifer has been with CSS for almost one and a half years.  She came to us with decades of experience in the field of safety with an HR background and is incredibly talented!  She’s been an appreciated resource and guiding force in ensuring compliance for our in-house and industry safety requirements; plus, her tremendous support through our huge transformation from paper to digital systems and processes!

Jennifer’s favorite part of working at CSS is the camaraderie and laughter that inevitably occurs during the workday while we’re all getting the job done.  Not having much of a background in office furniture she found it very interesting to see how large pieces of furniture are moved easily with the right tools and equipment.

Her absolute most favorite type of food is chocolate cake, and to wash it down she reaches for a latte from Rosso Coffee.  Sounds like a winning combination to me too!

If Jennifer won the lottery, there’s no way she would pay off debt!  Instead, she would spend it all on guinea pigs!  They are her most favorite animal and would have no trouble renovating a room in her house to be a guinea pig room.  She would have one of every color, short haired, long haired and everything in between!  Maybe an obstacle course?  Jennifer would probably need a veggie garden in the back yard too!  One thing is for sure, she would be in “piggie heaven”!

Jennifer finally figured out how to get to Scotsman’s Hill and that’s officially her favorite local destination to visit.  She also loves the old feel and grandeur of the Hudson Bay Building in downtown Calgary.

She has been lucky enough to get out of the office once or twice to shadow the crews on job sites, getting a firsthand look at everything that goes on behind the scene of a move and install project and says, “we are the unseen people of the office world”.

The CSS People that Make it Happen – Jen!

by Jaclyn Reid••0 Comments

Meet Jen, our amazing Operations Manager!

Picture of Jen - our incredible Operations Manager

It is my wonderful pleasure to introduce you to the wonderful person who handles all things operationally happening at CSS.  If you’ve had any contact with our office in the last 20 years, then chances are quite high that Jen has part in your contact/service/billing, etc.  She currently occupies the role of Operations Manager and has fulfilled many roles while working for CSS!

When Jen was asked the question what’s the best part of being a member of the CSS work family – her response made perfect sense!  She feels that the solid relationships that are built over time and get stronger with each year that passes are pretty incredible parts of her daily work!  She also appreciates knowing how valuable she is to others – and we supremely appreciate how valuable she is to us!

Even in Jen’s twenty years of being a part of the CSS work family, she knows that there is still so much to learn from our business operations and the industry in general!  We’re always learning new things as the industry and economy evolve and Jen is a person that has learned so much during her employment – add to that all that she has contributed that’s resulted in so much positive change at our company, we’re pretty happy to have her at CSS.

If Jen won the lottery, without a shadow of a doubt, she would move to an acreage with too many horses and a collection of chickens, cats and dogs.  Fun random fact about Jen: her post-secondary education is in equine studies, so no surprise where her animal love started and has stayed!

Jen’s most-loved type of food is Caribbean, especially doubles – what she tells us is the most amazing street food in Trinidad and Tobago.  Not too sure how this would pair with her favourite beverage which happens to be whiskey, but I’m sure she manages to enjoy each of these favourites when the opportunity arises.

At CSS we encounter so many buildings and offices in and around Calgary given the nature of what we do, so its really enjoyable for us to ask our staff what building is their favorite, as there are so many to choose from!  We’re always astonished by some favourites shared by our staff, and it brings us joy to discover the buildings that are exciting to them for various reasons!  The Doll Block Building, being beautiful and haunted ranks as Jen’s favorite building in Calgary.

Not exactly a local Calgary destination, but Jen loves spending time in the Peter Lougheed Provincial Park.  Being so close to nature in Calgary, why wouldn’t someone want to enjoy actually being right within the mountains whenever possible!

Jen is such a valued member of our work team and office environment, not a day goes by that there isn’t some form of laughter or comradery that helps define us a wonderful workplace, with an even better work family.

If you’re ever near our office location, don’t hesitate to stop by and say hi to Jen – guaranteed you’ll leave with a bright smile on your face!

Movers vs. Installers

by Jaclyn Reid••1 Comments

Here’s a hint – they are not the same, but CSS takes care of BOTH!

Our team member doing the installation process

We all hear the terms “moving company” and  “installation company” but what exactly do they mean?  What’s the difference?  In this post we’ll discuss the differences as they relate to the office furniture world.

Basically, a moving company is just that – a company that moves you from point A to point B.  There are numerous companies operating like this.  They should be capable of loading, transporting and unloading boxes, crates, and disassembled furniture.  They should be able to provide you with all the moving supplies you’ll need such as boxes, plastic bins, labels, bags for cables/phone/computers, and should have their own maintained equipment to facilitate the move.  You need movers during a relocation – they do the heavy lifting and transportation! 

An installation company has a different purpose and scope.  Installers are trained technicians who know the proper sequence of disassembly/reassembly so that all pieces of furniture can be moved safely and without damage.  Considering some workstations have multitudes of small individual components it doesn’t take long before that becomes overwhelming to someone inexperienced.  Most installation companies do not do the physical moving, they’re often called in before a move to take furniture apart for the moving company and then return after the move to re-assemble the furniture. 

Keep an eye out for these common warning signs for a less-than-ideal moving or installation company:

·         Inability to provide proof of insurance.  This is a huge red flag!  DO NOT hire any contractor that cannot prove they have insurance coverage.  Should the unforeseen happen you are stuck paying for furniture repairs/replacements.  Also consider that most movers carry general liability insurance which only covers $0.60 per pound!  Always ask about insurance coverage and inquire about the cost for additional coverage if it’s needed.

·         Inability to provide a WCB clearance letter in good standing.  As stated directly on the WCB-Alberta website “A clearance letter indicates if a contractor has their own coverage or would need to be covered as your worker.  If the contractor has their own coverage, the letter clears you of responsibility by notifying you if the contractor has paid their WCB premiums.  If you do not have a clearance letter and the contractor has not paid their premiums, you may be liable for those premiums.  You should get a clearance before you hire the company or individual and before releasing payment.”

·         Using temporary workers instead of hiring staff.  Using temporary workers or “independent contractors” may save these companies costs associated with payroll deductions and benefit coverage, but they’re also not likely to be well trained or experienced which can lead to an uptick in damages to your furniture, belongings and even the building you are in which again can cost you more than you anticipated.

Office furniture (and space) is expensive – don’t take the chance with untrained or inexperienced companies, you’ll regret it! 

Want to know more now?  Give us a call or send us an email!

 

The CSS People that Make it Happen – Alicia!

by Jaclyn Reid••0 Comments

Meet Alicia, our amazing Administrative Assistant!

We think it’s fun to put a face to the name, so we recently introduced #friendfriday so you all can get to know everyone behind our stellar service!

Alicia - CSS Admin Assistant

First up, meet Alicia!  You’ve probably spoken to her over the phone or had the pleasure of being greeted by her smiling face when you visit the office.  I’m confident you’ve heard that smile through the phone too, she just radiates pure positivity.  Alicia is our incredibly talented Admin Assistant – and we’re sure glad she is part of our team; we’d be lost without her!

Alicia’s favorite part of being a member of the CSS Family is the work that she does and the appreciation she receives.  An interesting fact she learned from her time with us is that moving furniture is SO MUCH MORE than just putting it on a truck and going.

If Alicia won the lottery, she wouldn’t quit working with CSS!  What?!  She would give it all to her mom to start a before and after school daycare and teenager hangout in her village (see why we love her?  So much kindness).

Her favorite food is anything she doesn’t have to cook, but Subway and Chinese food are the top of the list.  If you want to spoil Alicia bring her some sparkling water or “water pop” as her son calls it, or a Kinder Bueno bar…and watch her eyes light up!

She loves the Bow building in downtown Calgary, especially the Lego display in the lobby (she’s a little bit obsessed with Lego).  Heritage Park and the Calgary Zoo are her favorite local attractions to visit.

She says, “The people I work with are amazing and always willing to help whenever I find myself stuck on something”.

Here’s to many more years of fun, friendship and family Alicia! 

Welcome to The (CSS) Green Side!

by Jaclyn Reid••0 Comments
We’re happy to introduce you to us, CSS Office Solutions Inc.

It’s official, we have a blog and we’re learning how to use it!

Hello, and welcome to our first post. 

We are so excited to share more of who we are and what we have to offer!  We’re proud of what we’ve been able to accomplish over the years and can’t wait to bring a deeper level of who we are and what makes us tick through this blog.

CSS Office Solutions vehicle
So, who are we?

CSS Office Solutions Inc. is a long-standing family-owned office solutions company operating out of beautiful Calgary, Alberta. Over the  last 38 years we have established ourselves as leaders in the industry when it comes to catering to the different needs of our clients.

What do we do?

At CSS Office Solutions, we strive to provide superior products with unmatched customer service to ensure our clients receive the utmost satisfaction at every level – from hanging a simple picture, repairing a lock, refinishing your favorite table to relocating over 1,000 offices – CSS is the company to call.  Our talented Account Managers are here to help you every step of the way AT NO CHARGE by helping you design your space, source new or used furniture, and project manage your entire move.

Okay, but wait – what is the green side?

Many of you will recognize the CSS crew out and about in our green shirts…hence “The Green Side”. Over time we will showcase some of the amazingly talented crew members that make up the CSS Office Solutions family and their take on being “green”.

Contact us today and find out for yourself why we truly are Calgary’s ‘ONE STOP SHOP’ for all your office needs!