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Working Together : The Inside Scoop on Our Partnerships

by Jaclyn Reid••0 Comments

CSS Office Solutions Inc. works with many different industries, sizes of companies, and partners who hire us for their projects! Being B2B (business-to-business) means that our company mainly supports corporations and commercial clients with their office furniture and service needs. In addition to supporting the B2B market, CSS also offers retail sales, or B2C (business-to-consumer) sales, for individuals who are interested in purchasing office furniture for themselves.

Durable, high-quality office furniture certainly isn’t a luxury only offices and commercial clients can enjoy – we’ve supported the setup of a few incredible home offices, and we most certainly acknowledge that everyone deserves great office furniture!!

CSS has grown into the company it is today because it has been built on relationships that exist beyond the transactional component of the sale. Our company values: integrity, craftsmanship, collaboration, and support – combined lead to great things! When we work with our clients, our general contractors or design/furniture partners, the interactions and projects include collaborating together, supporting one another, showcasing exemplary craftmanship with the utmost integral of relations. All together this creates trust; it creates a professional relationship that can be counted on time and time again as this is what clients of CSS have come to know and appreciate. When our company and our clients, or the partners who hire CSS for their projects, work together with the intention of reaching the same goal, incredible things happen!

Therefore, is it important for CSS to recognize the partners that we work alongside with, and who we work for.

Not only are we engaged directly by corporate clients, but we’re also hired by, what we refer to as, partners. These partners are comprised of general contractors, office designers or office stagers, carpet or shelving distributors, etc. where CSS’ services are needed to support furniture components or office related items pertaining to completing a project.

CSS is directly contracted by a few furniture manufacturers to perform warranty or other service work on their products. We also work closely with and support building operators, owners, and management companies as these businesses require furniture services and moving more often than most realize, or they require an office move or furniture service for their own head office in Calgary. Commercial realtors are another example of partners that have leveraged the services and offerings of CSS as we’re fortunate to have a couple of great relationships within this industry. CSS Office Solutions has previously been hired to support home builders with showhome furniture setups and storage, plus assisting with moves within their head office. When someone thinks about office furniture, at CSS we know it extends well beyond the office limits, as developing or upkeeping an office isn’t in just one vendor’s wheelhouse, but a combined level of expertise to deliver the desired outcome of each unique project.

Think about an office renovation and all the types of companies and trades that are involved from start to finish. CSS Office Solutions has been contracted to manage several parts of a project so that the other trades and contractors can manage what’s in their domain or specialty, and we can manage what’s within our capabilities and expertise. Having CSS as not only a trusted advisor for all things office furniture related, but also as a trusted partner goes well beyond just hiring a service provider.

General contractors and designers are often an integral part of a successful office furniture service company. CSS Office Solutions’ team provides the expertise and experience to ensure that the furniture being provided is of the highest quality and meets the desired specifications. Designers work with the contractor to create a functional and aesthetically pleasing design for the office space. Designers can also support valuable advice on the best type of furniture to meet the needs of the office, and the best way to incorporate it into the existing space – this is a specialty of CSS, so when we work with a designer, real magic happens!

Working together, CSS and the contractor and designer can create a space that meets the client’s needs and budget, while creating an aesthetically pleasing space. Along with CSS Office Solutions, the contractor and designer are also valuable parts of the team in providing office design and setups.

In addition to corporate and commercial clients, the partners that engage CSS to support their projects as they relate to office furniture services and/or moving requirements are:

  • General Contractors
  • Designers (Office or Home, but primarily Office)
  • Building Managers
  • Building Operators
  • Building Owners
  • Furniture Stagers
  • Carpet Manufacturers or Suppliers
  • Mobile Shelving Manufacturers or Suppliers

Partnerships in our industry are key to success. Having been in business for well over 35 years, we can say without a doubt that if a company builds and maintains the proper partnerships you’re always going to operate with integrity, deliver craftmanship, enhance true collaboration and feel supported.

CSS is beyond delighted to have created amazingly strong and dependable partnerships over the years, where CSS is relied upon and where CSS can rely on our partners 100%.

If you’re a partner that’s interested in learning more about what it means to collaborate with CSS Office Solutions, feel free to reach out! We’re always looking to grow our trusted partnerships and deliver the highest level of office furniture services to the Calgary area. Exemplary office furniture support shouldn’t be hard to find. If you’re working on a commercial, corporate, or office project that requires maneuvering of office furniture in any capacity, call an expert to ensure the items are moved, managed and handled correctly for the best care of the items; make sure your call is to CSS Office Solutions for the right support! 

Lastly, if you’re in need of renovating or constructing your office space – reach out! We’d be happy to connect with you from the start of your project through to its completion, and are able to recommend incredible designers, and general contractors that we’ve worked with prior that have a proven history of amazing projects!

Interested in learning more about the partnerships we leverage?! You should be, cause they’re amazing! Call or email the office, it would be great to hear from you!

The Office Furniture Glossary

by Jaclyn Reid••2 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!

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.