Planning and Specifying 101

For my first blog post I’m going to give you a little glimpse into my daily routine.  I am a member of the Integrated Design Solutions team where we plan and specify HON furniture for our dealers.  This is what a typical project might look like.

Plan and Specify:  You provide us with a rough sketch with the layout and size of the furniture you wish to place in the space and we provide you with a 2D and 3D drawing as well as a complete itemized parts list of HON products.  We verify product compatibility as well as accuracy.  Our work is always guaranteed for this free service.

With this service we do not show any architectural details (walls, windows and doors) but if an electronic AutoCAD or Giza file is provided for our use, we would be more than happy to place the furniture in the space.

Project sizes range from a basic L-shaped desk to several floors full of furniture.  We accept all project sizes!

Rendering:  This service most typically tags along with our specification service.  We will provide a photo realistic rendering to help you visualize your furniture typicals.  This is a limited service with 2-3 renderings per project.  You can either provide us with the finishes you wish to see or we can place finishes that we feel will really showcase your design.

Don’t forget this is a free service for our dealers, and we’re always here to help!

Print Isn’t Quite Dead – The Business Journals

I remember the days as an adolescent when I would read the newspaper in the morning before school.  Now, that being said, my involvement with the Minneapolis Star Tribune revolved around two sections, Sports and the back of the Metro Region (to see if it was going to warm enough to wear shorts.  60 degrees was the qualifier). 

Apart from my days living at home, I have never had a local newspaper subscription.  I do have a few magazine subscriptions, but these now come with an optional iPad app version. 

I have however, recently found a very useful, informative and applicable print offering in the St Louis Business Journal.  This publication and 41 others around the country make up The Business Journals and are a division of American City Business Journals.

This great resource not only comes with a weekly print version but also offers a great iPad or iPhone application.  Now, the best part of this subscription is the annual “Book of Lists” that comes with your subscription fee (around $50).  Within this holy grail of information lists anything and everything you would ever want to help find new business and new opportunities. 

Complete listings (just to name a few): 
–  Largest temporary staffing firms – who is hiring?
–  Largest privately held companies – who is growing?
–  Public Companies – “oh, they’re headquartered here?!”
–  Largest nonprofit companies – nonprofits buy furniture too…
–  Largest school districts – Smartlink anyone?
–  Largest banks – any new branches planned?

Within the weekly print and iPad application you will also find listings for upcoming networking events, chamber of commerce meetings, expansion plans, company and individual profiles, and leads in the form of new branch openings, new businesses started and construction under way.

A quick read of the Monday edition of the journal will give you numerous opportunities to follow-up on, as well as stay informed in your local area.  So, I may never subscribe to the St Louis Post Dispatch or the Minneapolis Star Tribune again, but I can say for certain that I will always renew my Business Journal, wherever I am.