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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! 

Our Company Values

by Jaclyn Reid••0 Comments

Ever wonder what values are of importance to CSS?

Craftsmanship – Integrity – Support – Collaboration

These words on their own stand for quite a bit, combined all together they represent everything that CSS Office Solutions Inc. is and fully represents.

As we reframe the mindset and understanding of the moving and office furniture industry, it is important to comprehend that there’s a difference in the professionalism and sense of care shown when a company truly lives up to the values they showcase.  Thinking about a company that not only talks the talk but walks the talk they speak of.

This is why a couple years ago, the owners, Brent and Jaclyn, did some hard work and brainstorming on what the company values should be and how they would represent what CSS is known for, recognized for, and how we’re different than our industry competitors!

The exercise of developing and capturing company values into a word is only one part of the equation.  It is equally important to define what the values mean and how they’re physically showcased in the workplace.  This is the part that helps everyone understand how we demonstrate these values vs. just saying them out loud or publishing them on our website.

When CSS rebranded from C.S.S. Office Furniture Systems Service Inc. to CSS Office Solutions Inc., we thought this was the perfect time to refine our company values and present them in a way for our staff, clients and suppliers to easily grasp.

We proceeded to create a chart that listed each company value in one column, the next column clarified how we express the identified value and the last column recognizes the outcome of living and showcasing this value in the workplace.  It is a brilliant chart and has certainly guided the conversations with our staff about what each quality or value is meant to be, and how they contribute to the company values every day they put the green CSS shirt on.

Craftsmanship, what’s the first thing that comes to your mind?  For us this is pretty clear: we do the right things right!  We’re all about the quality of work that’s produced, not the quantity.  At the end of the day, our employees, clients and suppliers know that we’re doing the right things right and that represents extreme pride in the work performed and the outcome of that work.

Integrity was at the top of the list during the value exercise that was completed.  If you’re not integral, what are you?  If you’re not going to do what you said you were going to do, what does that make you?  At CSS, we wholeheartedly appreciate what having an integral business and operating practices actually represents – so much more than just doing what we say we’re going to do.  Having integrity at the forefront of our values and represented in each day means that as a client, supplier or employee you have a feeling of confidence in having a business partner that’s entirely integral.

Collaboration is a word that we all hear so often but sometimes get swayed in the true meaning.  At CSS, we collaborate in all aspects and in all roles of our business.  This means going the extra mile to ensure everyone knows what’s going on, and being all on the same page.  When collaboration is represented in proper form, the benefit of that is effectiveness.  Effectiveness is the communication, the relationship between client and supplier plus everything that is in between that.

Another way that CSS represents collaboration in the workplace is through cross-functionally trained staff.  All of our staff take on many more roles than just one, not a single person at CSS has just one function.  At work, we collaborate as a team to be all effective members of the company.  We truly do what it takes to get the job done, so it is a win-win for everyone!

Last of the CSS corporate values to cover, but certainly not the least is: support.  If you’re not supported, you don’t feel very supported.  Yes, that is a lot of supports in one sentence, but seriously, how many times have you felt truly supported at work as an employee, as a client, or as a supplier? Providing support for all interactions we encounter is a wonderful thing, and it is sometimes neglected in our industry.  When you’re feeling supported from all sides, you feel as if you’re part of the trusted team, the trusted support of everyone around you.  Having the right support allows you as a client to make the right decisions, knowing you have the right information at your fingertips.

We know these values can read as just words on paper, but at CSS we’ve managed to improve our business practices and processes by using these values to guide our decisions, evaluate opportunities and choose better over the same old.

Choosing corporate values isn’t something to take lightly, and they’re surely not created overnight.  Identifying important values takes a deep look as how you want your company to be talked about ‘behind your back’ and what you want your staff to think of when they put on the company uniform.

Which by the way, in CSS’ case is a green company shirt, which is why you’ll hear us mention coming over to the green side – just a little tidbit I thought was relevant.

Each time our staff put on the green CSS uniform, they show up to represent collaboration, integrity, support and craftsmanship.

Values are important to share amongst your team, your client and any stakeholders in your company.  But don’t just share them, live them and represent them!

If you’re interested in learning more about CSS’ values, how they came to be, or what it feels like to be a client that experiences these components of our business, feel free to contact our office anytime via phone or email!

We’re always happy to help and provide a valuable working relationship that’s built on so much more than just getting the work done.

Providing Office Furniture Solutions

by Jaclyn Reid••0 Comments

Furniture solutions, for your office, the CSS way!

At CSS Office Solutions, we literally have the word ‘solutions’ incorporated into our name for a very good, directly implied reason.  Without a doubt, we downright consider ourselves a solutions provider that solves your office furniture difficulties, tasks, projects, etc. Some difficulties or problems you know you have (i.e.: office is moving, file room changes, etc.), and some problems you may not even know you have (i.e.: ergonomics, unlevel cabinets causing drawer issues, etc.).

Could we be considered the superheroes of the office furniture service world?  We just might be – in my biased eyes, we’re the total heroes (and at least I know for sure our staff are the real heroes!).

CSS is a solution provider that doesn’t ‘just’ provide moving services, or ‘just’ offers warehouse storage, or ‘just’ furniture repairs, or ‘just’ furniture sales.  CSS offers all of these services, and so many more to represent what a true solutions provider is.  We’ve created our business model around being able to offer office service and have multiple other offerings that are complementary.  This makes our job easier and aims to makes your job a whole lot easier too!

CSS provides all different types of solutions for office furniture and office services.  Before we’re able to understand what it means to provide different types of solutions, one must first appreciate exactly what a ‘solutions provider’ really is, and what it truly means for the customer’s overall experience.

As we’re referencing a solutions provider in this context, it would simply mean that you as a client of CSS’ are doing less to achieve more.  In most cases, the service provider steps up to handle most, if not all aspects of your needs, essentially taking the task or project off of your plate entirely!  A solutions provider is also a company that doesn’t just offer one piece of the transaction.  So, think about a company that sells just the furniture product, and has another company install or deliver the item(s), and then another company that you have to go through for the warranty.  Providing solutions to a customer base is all encompassing and brings everything together, all under one roof as much as possible.

This is obviously where I would make a reference to CSS being a true one-stop-shop office furniture solution provider.

Isn’t that what we all hope and wish for when we hire a service company?  We want it all with a cherry on top.  It’s all good to want the world when choosing a service provider, and that’s exactly what we try to deliver at CSS throughout all of our interactions and engagements.  There’s lots of truth that as consumers we want a great price, great service for the price paid and to have less responsibilities and stress completing this task or project.

What else is there truth behind?  The reason as to why we refer to CSS as being the only call you need to make: a true one-stop-shop, the dedicated solutions provider for all things office furniture related.  For our clients to be able to contact one business and have all their questions, projects, general inquiries and tasks taken care of with incredible levels of service, is a true rare find.  We’re happy to be that rare find.

We know what we know, and we’re truthful to admit to not know what we don’t know – or what lands outside of our own internal teams’ expertise or wheelhouse!  Examples of this would be if your project, move or task required electrical wire work, or your office/renovations needed a general contractor for infrastructure changes, or design assistance, etc.  You know, the stuff we/you shouldn’t touch unless you’re THAT kind of expert!  In CSS’ case, these would be the times when we’re not able to complete the work ourselves but are able to rely on our trusted partners to assist.  CSS still coordinates and manages with all contractors and designers on your behalf, ensuring project success for what our clients needs are.

At CSS, we thoroughly enjoy being a part of the team, and when we’re all working towards solving the same solution, that’s a project or task well on its way to being successfully achieved!  Win-win for everyone!

The amazingness of this offering is that CSS’ clients receive the full depth of removing tasks off their plate while eliminating coordination on their part – leave it to us, we love this stuff!

A solutions provider will try to take as many to-do’s off your list and put it on theirs, all done to alleviate you from having to coordinate or manage them on your own.  Our Account Managers and everyone on our team is available to guide you in making the right decisions, for the right reasons.  We hope to welcome you into our long list of overjoyed clients who have been lucky enough to feel what it’s like for the real CSS client experience.

At CSS, we know your time is tremendously valuable and there’s only so much of it in one workday.  Let our team of experts allow you to take some of that back into your day.  Think of this as the time freed up that can be used for your expertise or genius, while you leave CSS to take care of all things that’s our expertise and in our wheelhouse.

Contact our office today to take time back in your day by having CSS manage all your furniture projects, coordinate office moves and handle your service needs.

Community Supporting Community SALE

by Jen Harding••0 Comments

ALL of our in-stock used FURNITURE 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).

A Clients’ Magical Experience with Office Moves

by Jennifer Eriksson••0 Comments

Does your office furniture magically appear or set itself up?  The short answer, no!

Picture it: you walk into your place of work – it could be an office/bank/school etc.  You sit down at your desk and begin your day: answering e-mails at your desk, working on projects, whatever your day entails.  After about an hour or so, you raise your standing desk so you can stretch your legs while you continue working.  You return to sitting in your comfy chair.  You collaborate with team members on the white board or around the boardroom table.

Do you ever wonder how those items got there?  Did they magically appear?  It seems like they do.  Like the fairy tale – the Shoemaker and the Elves.  These elves though, are the members of the office furniture moving industry.  These hardworking people of all genders make your office space as comfortable, clean and appealing as possible.  Paying attention to the smallest details.

While it seems these office transformations happen overnight, there are many days, weeks or even months that go into the planning and execution of an office move or set up.  The first contact comes through to CSS via a Google search, a referral, or by someone clicking the “contact us” area on our website www.cssoffice.com.  Our diligent Account Mangers ask all the questions to understand what you require.  They ask the details of where you are moving, what’s moving and gather all the details in between!  They measure, then measure again, to be sure they know the fit and space requirements.  They assist you in the design of your new or rearranged space.  They help plan out what your space will look like, including assisting with individual office layouts.  They plan out the route and finally, they help you plan the day or days of the move (and the days leading up to the move and days after your move too!).  Your team will have filled, labeled, sturdy, and strong moving bins with their personal items, and their specific office chair – because we are all very particular about our chairs and of course that’s important to us, because it is important to you!

Then the real magic happens.  This is where CSS shines and brings life to your office space!

The CSS team of installers and movers arrive on scene.  The installers begin to disassemble the desks for easier transport, because you likely know the famous “PIVOT” scene from Friends, the smaller the surface to move, the better (but CSS could have moved that couch, no problem).  They take down whiteboards, artwork, wall-hung overheads and anything else on the walls that’s moving with you.

Meanwhile the movers are organizing the bins by person, moving the chairs out of the space, manoeuvring the filing cabinets onto dollies for easier transport, wrapping computers and monitors with all the cables and cords in special computer bags with your name.  They load all the other effects of the office – bulletin boards, artwork, white boards, fridges, coffee makers, you name it! – onto dollies, panel carts, tubs or file carts, taking care to wrap items with moving blankets when needed to prevent damage.  On to the trucks we go!  In, one, two, ten trips, your office is off to the new location.  Then the reverse happens.  All the items that came out, go back in.  When you and your team come back to the office on your next workday, it will be like you’ve always been at that location.  

Keeping in mind that the above is a simplified high-level overview of what steps could take place to get your office space set up properly and entail only a few of the moving pieces as seen by our clients and/or their staff.

We pride ourselves on making our clients’ moving requirements, service needs or furniture purchases as simplified as possible.  We know first-hand that what the client sees is not always the whole picture.  If you’re every wondering all the steps that are taken care of by CSS, don’t be shy to ask one of our Account Managers or qualified staff about all the coordinated steps necessary to ensure a seamless and uninterrupted moving/service/furniture experience.

Moving an entire office is one of the more intricate services we provide, but it is just one of the many services offered by our company.  To see the full list of the services CSS offers, check out this link to our services page!

Rome wasn’t built in a day, but your office sure could be!

At the end of the day, if you arrive at your new office space without skipping a beat in your workday, we call that a success and a move gone well!  If you’re interested in knowing what that feels like, call or email our office today!

Movers vs. Installers

by Jen Harding••1 Comments

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

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!