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Understanding Your Office Moving Company’s Insurance Coverage: Why It Matters!

by Jaclyn Reid••0 Comments

Moving offices can be a complex and stressful process, requiring meticulous planning and attention to detail. One critical aspect that often gets overlooked is the insurance coverage offered by your chosen office moving company. Before entrusting your valuable items to an office furniture moving or service vendor, it’s essential to understand their insurance policies to ensure you are adequately protected in case of any unforeseen mishaps. Mishaps happens and sometimes accidents during an office move are unavoidable, and knowing what can be done in the event of a mishap is an item that should be on your pre-move checklist!

In this article, we will delve into the importance of discussing coverage options with your office move provider prior to hiring the company and highlight the key factors to consider when evaluating insurance coverage for your office move.

Insurance is in place for a variety of reasons, but most importantly its in place to ensure you, the customer and as well the vendor, are protected! This is why before any move project or furniture install is started, the client will likely request a certificate of insurance from the vendor. As a client, if you’re reviewing the COI, it is important to keep in mind that this document only confirms the type and amount of coverage. Read the fine print of the vendors’ damage/repair/replacement policy, and ask the important questions: what steps are taken and what coverage do you offer should an incident occur while my office items are being moved?

Reading the Fine Print:

When it comes to the safety and protection of your office items during a move, it’s crucial to go beyond the surface-level requirements and scrutinize the fine print, or reading between the lines, of your office moving company’s insurance coverage. While a certificate of insurance may demonstrate that the necessary general liability coverage is in place, it’s essential to understand what actual coverage is extended to you as a client in the event of damage or loss.

Replacement or repair costs are an important factor when analyzing the insurance coverage offerings and will vary from company to company.

Below is a general summary of two main types of typical coverage offered for items that may be damaged or need repair due to a mishap during relocation or moving.

Per Pound Coverage:

The minimum required replacement or repair based upon legal requirements in Canada is a dollar value based upon weight. This is more commonly used and found amongst residential movers as opposed to corporate moving companies. This coverage typically offers reimbursement for damaged or lost items based on a specific amount per pound. The reimbursement rate can range anywhere from $0.60 to $2.00 per pound. However, it’s essential to consider whether this valuation accurately reflects the true value of your office items.

An example to use as a reference point could be a piece of art. Think: how much does art usually weigh, framed or unframed? Does the offer of a per pound replacement based on the weight match the full-replacement-value of that piece of art if you had to replace the piece? A framed piece may only weight a few pounds, but even at fifty (50) pounds, the range of value you’re receiving as a customer would be: $30.00 (at $0.60/pound), up to a maximum of $100.00 (at $2.00/pound). At CSS, we’ve moved many pieces of art for our corporate clients, and we can almost guarantee that a per pound value for coverage would never come close to the value of the art!

The one clear advantage of this type of coverage is the standardization of knowing what to expect. As the vendor or the client, if you know the weight and the value ($0.60 or $2.00/pound), then there’s no question about the amount of coverage.

A word of caution!

There are only a handful of items that would have a matched value with their weight, that would fully compensate to the customer having to replace at item damaged during an office move.

There are moving vendors that offer this type of coverage and offer customers to additionally increase the value of their items – but of course, this comes with an added cost. Be weary and ask the questions upfront!

Full Value or Replacement Value Coverage:

Alternatively, some office moving companies offer coverage based on the full value or replacement value methodology. This approach assesses the actual worth of the damaged or lost item, taking into account factors such as its market value and condition. This method ensures that you are reimbursed for the full value of the item, regardless of its weight.

This ensures that as a customer, you’re able to have that item replaced or repaired without question, without using a valuation method that creates comfort and piece of mind!

Understanding the Difference:

The disparity between the per pound coverage and the full value or replacement value methodology is significant. When evaluating the replacement value of any office items, it becomes apparent that majority of items their worth extends beyond their weight. Consider items such as desks, whiteboards, monitors, or computers—how much are they truly worth when examined from a per pound value versus a full replacement value perspective?

Your items matter to you, and they should matter just as much to your office furniture moving company.

In conclusion, when selecting an office moving company, it’s crucial to prioritize insurance coverage and how repairs and replacements are handled. Asking the right questions upfront will help establish the coverage and method used to determine the value of each item. Also knowing that the certificate of insurance only confirms types and amount of coverage, but not the valuation or methodology used to determine repair/replacement values is a great tip.

Understanding the extent of coverage and the methodology used to evaluate the value of damaged or lost items can make a significant difference in ensuring a smooth and stress-free move.

CSS, Always Going the Extra Mile:

At CSS, we go above and beyond to provide our commercial clients with top-notch customer service, including comprehensive insurance coverage.

We also recognize that the full value of an item cannot be measured solely by its weight. We firmly believe that should an item be damaged during transport or installation, it should be restored to its original state without compromise! This is one of the reasons why we offer full value coverage, ensuring that our clients have peace of mind during the moving process. We prioritize our clients’ needs and work diligently to find the best outcome, guaranteeing that damaged items are replaced based on their true value, not their weight.

To learn more about our insurance policies and how we prioritize client comfort and peace of mind, reach out to our office today. Trust us with your office move, and we’ll handle the rest with utmost care and professionalism.

DYK: CSS Office Solutions has a YouTube Channel!

by Jaclyn Reid••0 Comments

Although it isn’t the newest news, we thought it worthwhile to reintroduce that CSS Office Solutions Inc. has its own YouTube Channel! You can say you heard it here first, unless of course you’ve been to our channel or are a follower of, in which case we applaud and appreciate you!

Interestingly enough, CSS Office Solutions debuted itself on YouTube with its first video over six years ago! Yes, six years ago which seems like a lifetime when you consider what’s gone on since then!

You’ll find our YouTube Channel here: CSS Office Solutions’ YouTube Channel

Our first videos published were demonstrating to clients how to construct our moving boxes. A simple concept that led to a brilliant idea!

Not-so-fun-fact: if the moving boxes aren’t assembled correctly, you run the risk of damaging your items being moved, or worse hurting yourself during the process. For instance, if the side sections of the moving box are assembled incorrectly, the bottom of the box will literally flap wide open the moment you lift it. If you’re picturing a gif with a person lifting a moving box, and the contents fall out of the bottom, that’s exactly what would happen if the box isn’t constructed the way its intended to be.

Our moving boxes are delivered flat to our customers, and let’s be honest no flat items are easy to make work easily unless you know exactly what you’re doing!

Often CSS would ensure that all boxes delivered were assembled on-site for the client, or show a client contact how to construct them so that person was able to instruct others.

For the times where a client wanted to assemble the boxes themselves, we would often receive calls asking us how to build the boxes, along with an expectation of being able to walk someone through the assembly instructions over the phone. Imagine trying to build anything flat-packed, on the phone with someone giving you the build instructions – exactly, not so much, right!?

What did we learn from this: we needed to create a better way to instruct our customers that want to build the boxes themselves, with an easy how-to guide.

The idea lightbulb went off, and so started the beginning of our YouTube first appearance.  

YouTube is a great way for CSS to be able to share our knowledge and inform our customers of pertinent information that’s available at their fingertips!

We’re proud to keep these initial videos in our channel today for a couple of reasons: they are still used by our clients (although they could use a refresh!), and it reminds us at CSS where we started. We may not be experts at creating videos, but we’re certainly experts when it comes to office moves, services, and installations – so that’s what we’re showcasing to our audience with our YouTube Channel.

From our first videos to now, lots has changed – in our industry, in our offerings, in our clients’ needs, etc. One thing has remained the same, CSS is constantly looking for ways to deliver more value to our customers. Putting customers first has always been at the core of our business, from day one in 1984 when the founder started CSS. We’re a company that views each client as more of a relationship that matters and we’re invested in, vs. strictly transactional.

While seeking to assist our customers grow their knowledge, answer their questions in a better way while positioning the company on a variety of media platforms, it was only a matter of time before we looked to YouTube to continue building our video library.

Over the last bit, we’ve learned a lot in-house about video editing options, captions, and flow of images, plus content – it has certainly been an interested ride especially knowing that offices these days are not advertised in the same way as ‘back when’…. Just the other day we joked that it doesn’t seem that long ago when all you needed to advertise was to have a great, large Yellow Pages ad – now we’re making videos and snippets to entice business!

YouTube has long since been a contributor of information, knowledge, and verification. As we’ve seen other platforms grow their audience, we appreciate the ability to upload and share videos from YouTube through to our other media platforms.

As CSS Office Solutions has continued building the library of available videos on our channel, it has always remained of importance to ensure clients, potential and current, find value within the content we share. At the time of this blog, we have published a total of seven videos, plus the first couple from six years ago.

We’re proud to share a little bit more about CSS and the services we offer through our YouTube Channel, as a challenge we often encounter is having our clientele know about all the exciting offerings and services we’re capable of completing! CSS is more than your average office moving company, we take it further and ensure that there is more substance delivered beyond the outstanding service we provide.

Interested to learn more about CSS Office Solutions corporate values? Or perhaps you want to see the transformation that can take place with furniture repairs completed by our incredible experts? You’ll be able to find this and so much more on CSS’ YouTube Channel.

We plan on adding in more as the years go by so if there’s a topic or area of interest that you’d benefit from having published in a video, reach out to our office and share your suggestion! Call or email us today!

Our friendly staff are always available to take your calls or respond to your emails during our regular business hours. Reach out anytime and learn about the available office services and offerings available through CSS Office Solutions!

The CSS People That Make it Happen – Sudipta

by Jaclyn Reid••0 Comments

Meet Sudipta, our outstanding Operations Assistant!

Today it gives me great pleasure to introduce one of CSS’ newer family members, Sudipta!  Sudipta completed her practicum through CIWA with CSS, and after a short period of time it became clear to us that she should be part of the CSS family – and she agreed because as soon as her practicum was finished, she was hired on full time!  She now occupies the title of Operations Assistant.

As you know now from reading previous staff introductions, we like to ask our crew a few “get to know you” questions and here is what Sudipta had to say:

Sudipta really appreciates the work culture and ethics that CSS holds.  She says the management and crew members are all so extremely warm, helpful, understanding, and supportive.  In her own words “I feel so blessed to be a part of the CSS Office team”.

As an immigrant to Canada, Sudipta literally had zero background knowledge of our industry so something she found interesting was that there is so much more to it than just selling office furniture.  It’s a huge industry, with many nuances that we’re pretty sure not very many people actually understand.

If Sudipta wins the lottery she would help others who are in need!  Although I’m willing to bet it would probably come after she takes her family on a world tour – that would be so much fun!  She loves Indian and Italian food – and even though she’s tried numerous different styles of cuisine she still considers herself not to be a foodie – and is definitely more inclined toward Indian cuisine.  Sudipta isn’t much of a drinker and there is nothing wrong with that!  She prefers a coffee…whether its hot or cold is totally dependent on the weather.  Occasionally she’ll treat herself to a soft drink – but the go to for sure is water.  Gotta stay hydrated!

Sudipta hasn’t spent a lot of time in downtown Calgary, so when we asked what her favorite building was…she was a bit stumped.  Ultimately, she chose Telus Sky, as it has a beautiful night view.  Agreed!  It’s stunning!  As far as a favorite place to visit is concerned, she has many!  She’s been to Waterton and greatly enjoys that atmosphere.  Lake Louise is beautiful (isn’t it!), Moraine Lake is mesmerizing, Kananaskis, Banff…the list literally goes on!  She admits she has lots left to explore in this wonderous province but, clearly, she’s off to a good start!

When asked if she wanted to share anything else, this was her response.  “It has been an amazing journey with CSS.  When I first started, not to lie, I was super nervous and excited at the same time.  I had no idea how things would go, where my path would lead; I still feel nostalgic looking back at my days when I first started my practicum with CSS with a positive outlook, eagerness to learn and avail the opportunity as much as I could.  But now it’s all history!  I am with CSS now, still a long way to go and lots to learn from the iconic CSS team.  For this I would definitely like to thank management and the rest of the team for being so welcoming, kind and wonderful to me.”

The Problems Solved by CSS Office Solutions

by Jaclyn Reid••1 Comments

CSS solves your furniture and moving problems!

At CSS Office Solutions we deliver the unexpected when it comes to all things related to office furniture. Sure, we’re known as office movers, furniture installers, etc. but it goes way beyond that!

We solve furniture and moving problems for clients, we assist with space adjustment needs and we take a load off the office furniture and your workspace to-do list!

CSS is known around the Calgary area for the extra level of customer service we provide, which means that on top of delivering outstanding office furniture solutions, we take it further… so far in fact that our clients that we’ve performed work for truly understand it when we say: pick up the phone and contact CSS, and in one call we’ll take care of it all!

CSS delivers office furniture solutions if your office is moving, whether you need office furniture for your space, or you’re needing to expand or condense the setup to accommodate the square footage you occupy. Whatever you may need for your office environment and furniture as a company, it is all handled professionally by CSS Office Solutions!

We created a simplified list of the common problems CSS Office Solutions solves for our clientele:

  • Incorrect furniture in the space or the furniture items not being used for the desired setup
  • Wanting to use the current furniture differently (reconfiguring the items)
  • Having a couple pieces of furniture, but needing more pieces or components to complete the space design (desks, panels, chairs, etc.) to complete it
  • Needing additional furniture parts to complete an office layout (going from a workstation pod of three to a pod of four, as an example)
  • Relocation of an office space in its entirety
  • Transitioning or organization of file room spaces or storage rooms
  • Converting offices to open spaces or creating more/fewer private offices
  • Furniture that’s in disrepair needing some TLC
  • Too many furniture pieces or items in the space that need to be stored elsewhere
  • Getting spaces ready for subleasing by setting them up in a standard layout
  • Decommissioning a space that’s no longer needed

To deliver the true one-stop-shop for all the office furniture service needs a corporation could possibly dream of, CSS has it covered with the right solution! CSS mainly supports large corporations that have staffing into the hundreds and thousands as we’ve found that the needs of this customer group match amazingly with our depth of offerings and partnerships.

We also enjoy collaborating with general contractors and designers. Ever think about what furniture moving needs there are while you’re doing an office renovation or a new build?! We think about those things all the time (we may even dream about them!), and that’s why we deliver solutions that put your mind at ease knowing all the little details are considered and covered. 

Delivering a solution in our world is having a handle on all the moving parts within a project, or any on-site visit and all that result in little to no deficiencies. And then making sure to consistently deliver on this execution!

This is what we strive for at CSS, the consistent delivery of outstanding customer service and outcomes that far exceed our client’s expectations. If you’ve been on the opposite end of the customer service spectrum with your office move provider, it will be worth your while to investigate other possible suppliers.

It’s important to realize that price doesn’t always win or provide you with what you may have expected as delivered results. This ends up costing you as a client more; more time, more money! More time to accommodate multiple deficiency trips back to the space, you may not be paying for the deficiencies with money, but you’re paying for it with your time.

Call our office today to experience the feeling of problems solved, tasks taken off your to-do list and all your office furniture service or moving needs vanished from your responsibility – poof, enter CSS Office Solutions! We’re looking forward to your call and showing the solutions that are available for your office furniture service, product, and moving needs! 

The Office Furniture Glossary

by Jaclyn Reid••1 Comments

The Office Furniture Glossary

Glossaries can be extremely helpful, we all know this, and especially advantageous if they include pictures!  In fact, think of how many articles that have a reference to a picture that’s included with a description so that there‘s no question about what‘s being talked about. Super easy to understand, right?

Today is another proud moment for CSS Office Solutions Inc., as we’ve recently created our very own GLOSSARY of terms!  This reference is a beginner’s guide to basic terms related to office furniture, and office moving.  The glossary of items can be found within our website’s Resources page.

When I first started working in the office furniture industry early in 2005, I had no idea what an overhead was, or a hutch, or a ped.  What “hand” on a desk meant, right or left, I thought maybe it was the hand that was most dominant for the worker, little did I know back then that it refers to an L-shape desk and what side the return is on.  And even further learning that deciding on what hand to use in your office has a lot to do with your office door!  Who knows these things?  Fast forward and here I am, someone that knows these things!  I’ve learned a whole new set of terms specific to the industry of office moving.  And truth be told, I can still be seen referencing our own glossary to ensure I’m following along.  Not like Brent, he really does know all these terms, and maybe even better than the back of his hand!  He’s one of those naturals that has worked in the industry for long enough, that these terms become second nature to know and reference.  But that’s not the case for everyone.

At CSS Office Solutions we’re very much the provider of all sorts of solutions, so when it became clear that we could assist our clients a little more in the terminology we use, we happily sought out to solve a problem!  We’re natural problem solvers, in all aspects!

Industry terms are titled industry terms for the obvious reason that they’re specific to an industry.  If you’re not in the industry, or know someone in the industry, chances are there may be a lack of knowledge or understanding around the terms being used within that industry.  There are times when we get so wrapped up in our own knowledge, that we forget to slow down and ensure our clients are familiar with the terms we’re using.

We love educating our clients and providing them with the necessary tools to make them successful in their role.  And so, after seeing the gap ourselves in trying to conduct a general search for the common terms we at CSS use consistently, or the right definitions we would expect to see, and having an even harder time finding pictures of all the terms we use, we decided to use our internal expertise.  So, we did it!  We created a glossary of definitions ourselves!

Our glossary includes the common terms you would expect to find in a furniture database.  Plus, it covers everything from what variety of equipment you’d see CSS use, plus included pictures or diagrams and definitions that showcase the difference between a lateral file cabinet and a vertical filing cabinet.  Not too sure of the difference yourself?  Check it out on the glossary!

It also includes some terms and items that are not commonly known, or that have different terminology used depending on the provider.  For instance, what CSS refers to as a file cart, can also be known and used as an electronic cart – same, but different. 

There is a total (as at today) of 29 items listed in the glossary, which of course is nowhere near an exhaustive list we could create!  If there’s a term that is still unclear, or perhaps there’s a term that you would love to see included in this list that isn’t currently included – call us, email us, contact us and let us know!  After all, this list is for YOU, the customer (and, has also been a great tool for onboarding new staff to the industry!).

CSS is known as subject matter experts and trusted advisors in the office furniture industry.  This is one piece of the industry puzzle that we can help our clients and customers put together to grow their knowledge and understanding of the terms we’ve learned, and not just take for granted that we know!

Creating this glossary also helps with common language and dialogue.  When common dialogue prevails, we’re all winners!  Common language is a key component and necessary for efficient communications.  With our clients, with our co-workers, and even with our suppliers, having a common dialogue is really important to us, and we’re happy to be filling in the gaps so that our clients are showcased as the superstars that they are!

Do you have a question, or would like to see a particular phrase or term included in the glossary?  Reach out and let’s start a conversation!  At CSS, we’re always going the extra mile for our clients, and this is just one example of what that means.  Happy reading!

Cheers to closing the terminology gap!

Safety is IMPORTANT!

by Jaclyn Reid••0 Comments

At CSS Office Solutions, safety is part of our everyday practices and routines.  Literally!

When our workers are kept safe and hazards are identified and controlled, everyone goes home safely at the end of the day.

In fact, the cover page of our comprehensive safety manual reads:  When everyone makes it home safely at the end of the workday, this is always a good day!  We stand by this through and through as our work family’s safety is of the highest priority.

It is our responsibility as a company, to ensure that all of our workers are safe, performing their job duties safely and are aware of their rights as they relate to workers’ safety.

Do you know the rights of workers as per the CCOHS (Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety)?

As a worker you have three rights that are fundamental under the OHS law:

  • The right to know.
  • The right to participate.
  • The right to refuse dangerous work.

It is also good to know that as an employee, you are expected to work in ways that ensure your own health and safety, plus the health and safety of others.  At CSS, we always evaluate a workers’ awareness and how cognizant of the surrounding they are when it comes to safety protocols. Think of all those split-second decisions that are made, and then something catastrophic happens because someone didn’t take a moment to ask: is this safe, what should I be doing, or asking for, to make this safer for me and everyone else?

Awareness and openness are critical components of a safety program.  It is one thing for your workers to be aware, but it takes it one step further when a company can create an open, non-judgmental environment when it comes to safety practices.  As in life, and as in safety, there are never stupid questions!

Including safety practices and protocols as part of our business operations is crucial to keeping our workers safe.  In fact, there are a number of inclusions, practices and policies that are mandatory if operating a business in the province of Alberta.

At CSS, we have a couple of practices that have become second nature for our staff.

One of the first items we require before any worker can step foot on a CSS worksite (aside from all the on-boarding stuff in the background), is STEEL TOED FOOTWEAR.  This seems like a no-brainer, our staff are working with heavy items, are moving items that have multiple pieces and chances are high that something could drop and land on your foot.  We actually had a worker many years ago, while carrying a safe with other workers, have the safe drop on his foot…holding your breath?  You can breathe knowing that because this worker had steel toed footwear on, his foot was saved from intense damage!  The footwear had to be replaced as the steel was literally crushed inwards!  But his foot was safe, the worker had no lost time, and now we have a real-life story to share about the absolute importance of wearing the proper equipment.  For our workers that includes mandatory steel-toed footwear, no exceptions!  If a worker shows up to work, and isn’t properly outfitted with the necessities, we send them home to get what they should have arrived with.

You would think that workers in our industry wearing steel toed footwear would be a standard, right?  Well, think again.  Sadly, having workers in this industry wear steel toed footwear is not always the norm!  When we see other companies performing work like we perform, and their staff are wearing running shoes…we’re absolutely in shock and it should raise a red flag to have you ask, does that company really care about their workers’ safety?  What happens if…?

If a company can take little steps and create simple rules and regulations to maintain workers’ safety, then it should be undeniably implemented.

We have a policy at CSS, that if we’re working under a desk and are drilling into the underneath of the desk surface, we have a mandatory rule that eye protection of some kind must be worn!  Why all the time?  Why is this mandatory?  Because many years back we had a staff member that did not wear safety glasses while drilling a hole for an install on the under part of the desk surface, low and behold shavings from the desk landed in his eye – OUCH!  This equated to a time-lost claim as the employee had to be off for a couple of days to ensure his eye would heal properly from the scratched eyeball, not pleasant, right?  So, now we have a mandatory rule because we have learned that reviewing incidents and implementing steps to avoid potential hazards is paramount to our safety program.

We know some accidents cannot be avoided, but accidents can be analyzed and evaluated for proactive solutions that can prevent them from happening again.  Obviously, we know this isn’t always the case, but doing the analysis post-incident, is just as important as conducting the hazard assessment before beginning any work.

Safety matters to not only us, but to our clients as well.  It isn’t out of the realm to be asked to produce our safety stats and information about our internal safety program.  At CSS, we’ve always had an excellent safety rating with the Workers’ Compensation Board – Alberta.  For the 2022 reporting year (which includes the three years’ incidents/claims from 2020, 2019 and 2018) our Safety Experience Ratio was 86.66% lower than our industry average!  Breaking it down, that means that CSS experienced 86.66% lesser claims than our counterparts in the same industry.  That’s pretty darn incredible in our view and an indicator that we’re doing the right things in the awareness and training of our staff.

Safety needs to remain a priority, especially in our industry of office moving, furniture installation, warehouse storage, etc.  If you’re hiring a company, don’t be shy to ask them about their safety program and safety statistics.  And pay attention to how equipped the workers are.  Are they wearing steel toed footwear, and is their company educating them on the employee’s rights when it comes to safety?

Keeping safe and aware allows CSS to keep on doing what we’re doing in offering the very best in office services and moves.  We’re proud of our safety statistics and are always happy to educate and inform our staff working in this industry.

If you’re wanting to know more about what CSS offers, or learn more about our safety program, please don’t hesitate to call or email our office!

No Nightmare Office Moves Here!

by Jaclyn Reid••0 Comments

You found out your office is moving, exciting news!


At least those were your initial thoughts until your agenda and checklists keep filling up and you haven’t even hired a mover yet!  Never fear!  Not only because I’m here to help you look like the professional, but because using these introductory straightforward tips when orchestrating an office move will aid in making your office move as smooth and efficient as possible!

My suggestion is simple: find a moving company that offers comprehensive move management services!  You’ll be laughing with joy throughout the entire move process, and well beyond move-in day!

Moving forward using these tips as a starting point will help alleviate undue stress and potential wasted energy when hunting for a competent mover.

  • Let’s Talk Insurance – Your mover should be able to meet, if not exceed, your building(s)’s minimum requirements; make sure of this even before asking for an estimate!  RUN, far and fast, if your mover cannot produce a current Certificate of Insurance listing required coverage amounts.  Also make sure your moving company has the ability to add, not only your company, but the building ownership entities as additional insured on the certificate.
  • Safety #1 – Obtaining a Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB) Clearance Letter from your mover will identify if the company (a) has a valid WCB account, (b) whether it is in good standing with the WCB, which includes (c) having their premiums paid to-date.

WOWZER FACT: did you know that if you hire a company, moving or otherwise operating within your workplace, and their premiums are not paid up-to-date, the possibility exists to hold YOUR company liable for not only the owed premiums, but also the associated claim costs should an injury occur on your site!  The WCB even suggests requesting another Clearance Letter prior to releasing final payment!

Thoroughly check your vendors’ references and credentials.

  • Full-service moving company or just the movers?  Hiring a company that performs more than just the physical moving of your office furnishings is crucial!  For instance, levelling the file cabinets, bookcases and desks when moved, more often than not is completely overlooked by “just movers”.  Any uneven furnishing can be a safety hazard!  And omitting this step can actually cause permanent damage to your furnishings!  It will also lead to reduced drawer functionality over time, lock mechanism wear, etc.

Also consider this, does the moving company provide after-move services, such as hanging artwork, adjusting keyboard trays and work surface heights to each worker’s preference?  Do they move file rooms including the shelving too?

  • Furnished?  Move with Furniture?  Do you move with your office furniture, get new furniture, or are you moving into a space already furnished?  Your moving company should be able to provide you with pricing options for all scenarios to help give you a realistic perspective on the decision at hand.
  • Got supplies?  Plastic moving bins/lids with security ties, labels, computer or map bags, packing materials, bubble wrap covers for monitors, various sized cardboard boxes, Masonite to protect the flooring, walls and door trim – your moving company should be able to supply all of these materials and so much more!  What about the moving company’s equipment they’re going to be using – are they stocked well enough for your move and is it maintained in a respectable, safe condition?  Are their trucks up to date with the annual inspections as part of Alberta’s CVIP (Commercial Vehicle Inspection Program)?

Plan ahead whenever and wherever possible!  For instance, booking of the elevators and loading docks can get very sparse depending on what else is happening in your office building.  As soon as you know anticipated dates, lock of the elevators and book the
loading dock at all required buildings (or if you have an awesome full-service moving company like CSS, we’ll take care of this entirely for you).

Bottom line is this: ensure you’re hiring a full-service moving company offering comprehensive move services, a company that know what they’re doing with your office furniture, files and assets.  These are important to you and your company and should be even more of a priority when being relocated by your movers!

These tips are merely tiny specks of sand out of the entire desert on guidelines to coordinate a streamlined office move.  I could write a book on tips on how to properly choose an office mover, so please feel free to contact CSS Office Solutions by phone or email to speak with one of our Account Managers directly if you have any questions regarding your office move.

The CSS People that Make it Happen – Brent

by Jaclyn Reid••1 Comments

Meet Brent – our extraordinary owner and President!

In this posting, it is my absolute pleasure to be able to introduce you to our incredibly talented leader and company owner, Brent Reid.  His official title is President, but if you’ve ever been lucky enough to know him, you know that he really does do everything imaginable in this business!  Brent is the true definition of an integral person, with a definite problem solving, get-it-done mentality.  He’s the driver of this business, and I can positively say the company wouldn’t be here without Brent.  He learned a lot from his Dad, but at his young age he already knows so much more than his Dad did at this age – that’s a great progression of success for any family-owned business.

Brent is definitely known as the office furniture expert, in all ways imaginable (yes, of course I’m biased – I married him!).

When Brent answered the question about all the best parts of being a member (and leader) of the CSS work family naturally it is the nature of teamwork and the staff comradery.  Brent has witnessed firsthand what great teamwork is and what it can accomplish.  Working hard to build a culture of teamwork and integrity has been an important part of Brent’s development of CSS throughout his years as an owner.

No two days are the same, for anyone at CSS.  You’ll hear this a LOT from us, our staff, and our clients!  This is what Brent finds interesting about the industry – the variety of what your day can hold!  Brent could be seen on-site doing a walk-through with a client to quote for an RFP (request for proposal), or be in the back shop completing a customer repair to a chair or desk, or driving and loading a truck – without a lie, we really do mean that no two days will ever be the same working at CSS or in our industry.

Spoken like a natural woodsman, Brent would spend his lottery winnings on an incredible hunting trip and a fly-in fishing trip – should I mention he loves any backwoods adventures, or did you get that already?

Which brings us perfectly onto the question he was asked about his favourite meal: a nice rare moose steak…I can also add he enjoys anything BBQ’d as Brent certainly masters this skill well too!  He’s the one who handles the best of cooking for our company camping trips, and our employee social nights.

Brent enjoys a good ol’ IPA beer, which of course goes along well with everything that can cook on a BBQ.  His go-to easy-to-find brand is Keith’s if you’re ever wondering what to surprise him with, that’ll be the winner-winner!

When Brent isn’t hustling and wearing all the hats possible for CSS, you will find him escaping to the forested woods west of Calgary, or anywhere that there’s mountains to be enjoyed.  With lots of travelling on the backroads and forestry trunk roads, Brent is always a person who’s up for family time in the mountains, especially when it is outside of cell service!

As our staff spend lots of time in buildings, we like to ask the question: what’s your favourite building in downtown Calgary?  Brent personally enjoys Jamieson Place, why?  For obvious reasons that any office furniture company desires and longs for in all buildings: the best loading dock and direct access to the freight elevator!  Always a solutions seeker, I’m not surprised that Brent’s building favourite is one that helps make CSS’ jobs and tasks easier.  Something as simple as having indirect access from the loading dock to the buildings’ freight elevator can cause significant upset in a project.

Brent has been around to witness the company overcome many challenges, satisfy a whole lot of clients, supersede expectations, move thousands of people and manage office services for clients well beyond the Calgary area.  Brent is in amazement when he steps back and takes a moment to realize the sheer volume of work that our talented crew has achieved.  Not just in CSS’ 35+ years of business, but on any one project or service call.

Brent leads our team with distinction and courage, making sure our clients’ best interests are always taken care of.  The volume of work that CSS can achieve as a crew is a direct reflection of Brent, the devoted leader of CSS.

The CSS Office Solutions Inc. Staff Spotlight series of introducing the world to the people behind the CSS scenes has been rewarding.  Without our people, we aren’t a service company.  Especially this time, writing the spotlight has been absolutely wonderful for me to showcase a little bit of who Brent Reid is, as a leader, as a company owner, and as a member of the CSS work family.

Want to connect with Brent on LinkedIn? Click here

If you’re interested in learning more about Brent’s expertise as it relates to his client relationships and services, furniture repairs or usefulness of such, don’t hesitate to contact our office to get in touch with him directly. 

 

 

Digitally Moving Forward with Jobber

by Jaclyn Reid••0 Comments

Advancing and innovating is what we’re striving for!

One thing I have noticed in my years of business, either in the position I’m in now or when I worked in retail customer service many moons ago, innovation stops for no one!  Not one single person can stop innovation and the incredibleness that can come from it!  And that means WE can’t stop innovating.  At CSS, we cannot stop looking for ways to be better, how to do the work better and smarter while still delivering the same level of customer service we’re known for.

I’m sure you’ve all heard the saying: if you stop innovating, you die (from a company perspective anyways, don’t get all morbid on me).  If you know me, then you know I’m a think-tank of ideas and my hamster wheel is constantly spinning and thinking of betterment and the “what if’s”.

CSS as a business has overcome challenges of change and adaptation as we’ve seen our industry evolve and holding on to what the Calgary economy has thrown us in the last 10+ years.  Some of our competitors have updated their ways from past outdated practices, while others haven’t, plus the everchanging compliance and regulatory requirements we need to meet.  Considering all this, and knowing innovation doesn’t slow, at CSS we’re constantly looking at ways to make doing business with us easier, better and more efficient for everyone!

In the last year, we’ve changed drastically internally even though it may look the same on the outside.  All the changes have been for the good, and all targeted around ensuring we’re delivering the best customer service experience.  CSS is known for the amazing customer experience we already deliver, so as we constantly innovate and change for the better, it can only improve from here!

One of the biggest improvements our clients will interact with and experience firsthand is our transition to an online scheduling and booking software!  After much research and deliberation, we were happy to choose a company based out of Edmonton: Jobber; that meets the majority of our business operating needs within one software platform.  Our official debut for accessing the online platform and having it connect with our website, etc. is January 2022.

Utilizing Jobber allows CSS the opportunity to receive scheduling requests or jobs to book from new or existing clients, all through an enticingly accessible web link.  We’re managing our employees’ timesheets, daily schedules and receiving real-time updates from our sites, all within one platform.  We’re also able to send quotes directly through Jobber, have clients request changes if needed and send the approval all with the click of a button!  This, plus so much more is happening within this platform behind the scenes – we’re so thrilled to be able to advance CSS in this direction!  We’re happy for our clients who are along for the exhilarating ride and especially the ones who’ve provided feedback during our experimental stage to direct us appropriately to meet their needs more effectively.  We’re also able to use this software to keep detailed, digitally accessible records of site visits, pictures taken specific to each project, and organize notes made by all staff while they’re on-site.  If you’re a client, you may have already received a copy of a customized report we created, aptly named an Action Report.  With being able to customize and add forms to different areas of the platform, we can truly create a superior customer service experience all while observing any possible touchpoints and data gathered.

Have we mentioned how many buildings may have to access on any one day?  Or how many of our clients have multiple properties?  Another bonus of using Jobber is the ability to add as much detail as needed for each property and connect it with the specific client.  Items such as security check-in procedures, or where to obtain access cards if not obvious, etc.  This has been a helpful for our staff from an efficiency standpoint and created peace of mind for our clients to know we always have up-to-date building protocol information immediately accessible.

That’s likely enough about me geeking out on the coolness of this platform, let’s get down to the real fun, right?!  How do you access this incredible platform?  It is super-duper easy!

If you’re an existing client of CSS, you can use your email address to login to the Client Portal, using this link: EXISTING CLIENT LOGIN

If you’re a new client, and don’t yet have an associated email address with CSS, then you get to use this amazing link that will bring you right to our NEW CLIENT REQUEST FORM – just take a few moment to complete the details and you’re automatically entered into our queue.  We receive an instant notification and assign your request to the appropriate staff member who will get in contact with you shortly using your preferred method of contact.  Once your email address is registered, you now also have access to the CSS Client Portal.

It is just that simple for you, as a client or new potential customer to submit a move request, enter information about furniture needed or a repair you’re looking to schedule.  It can all be done online using either of the above links.

You’ll also find these handy links that connect to our online service request system on our website and our social media platforms. 

Always know, if you’re interested to learn more about the Jobber platform, the transition we experienced and our overall innovation in this department, don’t be shy to reach out.  I’m always happy to talk about reinventing and revolutionizing the world of office furniture services!

Let CSS show you the way of making doing business with us easier and transform the way you request work with us!  Contact us today to experience the real CSS customer difference!

The CSS People that Make it Happen – Jim

by Jen Harding••0 Comments

Meet Jim – one of our extraordinary warehouse coordinators!


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!