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Digitally Moving Forward with SiteDocs

by Jaclyn Reid••0 Comments

Safety is a key component in our work environment, and especially in the industry of office moving.

How many site hazard assessment forms are you required to complete in a day? For CSS Office Solutions, depending on the sites our crew may visit in a day, it could be well up into the double digits. And with that it used to equal lots of paperwork and loads of physical pieces of paper that had to be handed in, tracked, recorded, and translated for safety stats. Plus, we all know that sometimes the physical paper disappears, or gets dropped in the snow or rain, and the information completed is lost and gone forever.

Better Managing our Safety Program

A number of years ago we sought to make a change in how we were managing our safety program. We came upon a program called SiteDocs that was introduced to CSS from a leading concrete company in Calgary. When it checked all our boxes and more, we decided to dive it and get it immediately intertwined into our safety program – and we’re sure happy we did! Now, this (and much more) safety information will forever be with our company, and all those juicy stats we all want to know are automatically calculated! Yes, yes, yes! It’s all true!

Customized Forms

This software has allowed us to create and customize our own forms and fields where required based on the type of work we do, and its all electronically completed! No matter where our staff are working, they have access to complete the necessary safety documents, and track hazards including uploading pictures. The software stores an incredible amount of other data such as being able to upload our safety policies and other pertinent policy documents to have right at our employee’s fingertips. With the added feature of adding certifications and trainings, such as forklift or fall protection, it has helped have this information handy when we’ve had to work at heights on a jobsite or operate a forklift at a different location. Our employees can open their app and present their certification right from the SiteDocs system to show to the general contractor or compliance manager!

Vehicles in Your Fleet?

Have company vehicles? We sure do! This program aids in the necessary safety checks and maintenance tracking we do for all our vehicles, service units and our 5-ton trucks! Checklists make it easy to instruct our drivers on what to look for, what needs to be checked each time, and what items can be checked less often. Again, the ability to upload pictures right into the form is an incredible handy piece for our procedures. How easy is it to have a vehicle concern flagged by an employee, pictures taken on the spot to upload and the report is instantly sent to the HR & Safety Manager to get the ball rolling on next steps. Just like that, and all the driver did was complete their check and made note of something that wasn’t regular. Want to know how many kilometers each unit has been driven, that’s an easy report and now supports creating the exact stats we need.

Supporting Toolbox Meetings

Toolbox meetings occur before any work is started and are conducted at the same time as the hazard assessments. One handy piece of added information in SiteDocs, is the feature of included toolbox topics. They are not all applicable to each industry, but it certainly helps when your teams are feeling as if they’re running out of content. They can simply login to the system and within seconds, you have a full toolbox meeting topic and information to share with your co-workers. What a brilliant addition, as it can sometimes seem like our crew is running on repeat as it was normally the same topics that would be brought up time and time again. Now, we’re able to mix it up quite a bit and include topics that are of importance, but never crossed their minds. At CSS, we’ve found this to be a practical part for our crew.

Why We Made the Switch – True and Transparent Compliance!

Transitioning our safety program management and tracking to SiteDocs has entirely transformed our in-house safety requirements! No more of our ‘safety IN’ basket being flooded with paperwork to review, check off from each job site or work location from each day, and no more lost paperwork! With the click of a few buttons, our team is able to view, verify, and communicate with the on-site crew about their safety documents.

At CSS Office Solutions we look back at how we were previously managing our safety program and couldn’t imagine operating our program, forms, employee access, etc. any other way! When we say that we now have true and transparent compliance, it isn’t a joke! We’re extremely proud of our exemplary safety record in our workplace, especially as compared with similar businesses. As our safety manual says on the front:

When everyone makes it home safely at the end of the workday, this is always a good day!

 Interested in learning more about SiteDocs or how CSS is managing our safety program?

Contact our office to have a conversation – we’re always willing to talk safety in the workplace!

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

by Jaclyn Reid••3 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 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! 

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.

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!

The CSS People that Make it Happen – Jen!

by Jaclyn Reid••0 Comments

Meet Jen, our amazing 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 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!

 

The CSS People that Make it Happen – Alicia!

by Jen Harding••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!

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!