Services Service and Logistics Summary When we offer Premier Furniture Solutions, we mean Service solutions too! With more than twenty years in the office furniture industry, we have a wealth of experience to call upon to assist you.  Internal Moves, Reconfigurations and New Installations Improved use of the workspace around your office can have an extremely positive effect on your employees’ efficiency, the interaction between them, and the general contentment of the workforce. Our team can advise on enhancing the use of available workspace, preparing new designs and layouts, and proposing new furniture products, carpets or blinds where required. Undertaking all aspects of the refurbishment, installation or reconfiguration, usually with minimal disruption to your business, we will leave you with a Premier furniture solution. Removals and Transport Call us for assistance with moving furniture and other items to new premises either on an individual basis or for complete re-locations. Removal Crates and Equipment can also be supplied as required. Crate and Equipment Hire We provide a wide range of removal crates for the protection and safe handling of items during office moves and relocations. Furniture Storage, Inventory Control and Archiving Our warehouse offers facilities for palletised and bulkier storage, enabling you to keep your spare furniture or archived files off-site and in safe hands. Items are protected and covered as required, and a movement / inventory control service can be provided as required. Special Services Prolong the life of tired furniture, or restore quality products to their former glory by having our team repair and re-polish desks and tables. Chairs can be serviced and re-upholstered. Our planned maintenance contracts help to protect your investment in high quality furniture and systems, by checking, adjusting and lubricating key components. Polishing can also be included. Office, Hotel and Contract Furniture Installations Office, Hotel and Contract Furniture Installations We provide a full installation service for all types of office, contract and hotel furniture, whether ready-built case-goods or self-assembly systems. Working throughout the UK and into Europe, our skilled personnel will unload and distribute furniture or components, unpack and clear all packaging, and assemble the product quickly, efficiently and professionally. They will clean the furniture, vacuum the surrounding area and check the product for faults, leaving the area ready for immediate occupation. Working with your personnel with a minimum of Client supervision, or independently on your behalf, we can provide full Supervisory and Management support both on and off site. Our support services, which includes full documentation and reporting systems can be tailored to suit, and are designed to minimise problems for our Clients. If you entrust us to carry out your installations, you can be assured of our total commitment and professionalism at all times. The very nature of our specialist activities in the office and hotel furniture industries often requires our teams to fit custom worktops, fillets around cupboards, and generally to make alterations to high quality veneered or laminated furniture, usually on site. Some of our senior personnel provide these services, and coupled with an ability to fit floor to ceiling office storage systems, domestic wall units and fitted bedroom furniture we can take our 'turnkey' package one step further. We have designed and constructed special custom-built joinery units for Customers, and have fitted out hundreds of rooms of hotel bedroom furniture for some of our Contract and Hospitality Clients. Internal Office Moves and Reconfigurations The office is a dynamic environment, with circumstances rarely remaining stable for long, and in some cases, changing weekly. Faced with the dilemma of improving the use of space to allow for the expansion or contraction of departments or whole operations, we invite you to discuss your problems with us.  Our Project Managers and Space Planners can assess your space requirements, monitor work patterns and communications and re-plan your environment to suit your current and expected requirements. We can provide crates and other protection, to reduce the likelihood of damage. Under the guidance of one of our Managers, our personnel will then move, dismantle and reassemble furniture as necessary to achieve new layouts with minimal disruption, completing the tasks in a professional manner. They will pack and move crates to new locations, and will assist with the unpacking as well if required. Computers, once powered down and disconnected, can be repositioned in their new locations ready for reconnection, and we can take care of this too, if planned in advance. Where necessary, complete reconfigurations can be performed overnight or at weekends, depending on size, hence reducing the disruption to the office and eliminating business downtime.  As with new product installations, which we regularly undertake too, much of the success of a reconfiguration is down to the planning. If required, one of our Project Managers will assess, plan and then manage the project from the start and right through to conclusion, ensuring that every aspect of the move is taken care of. This allows you and your staff to concentrate on your business, secure in the knowledge that you have a professional team assisting you along the way. If you have some of these facilities in house, we would be happy to dovetail with your operation to our mutual benefit. Where the moves are external, we are happy to help with this too. Description of Labour Resources Overview Premier Furniture Solutions operates a continuous recruitment, development and training programme for all site personnel, whom are mostly employed on a full-time PAYE basis. Once employed, they are continually assessed and graded according to a number of factors, such as their approach to the job, their ability to solve problems, general installation experience and any specialist skills that they possess. With Appraisal interviews after just three months, and then subsequently at six monthly intervals, we ensure that those that excel are recognised and rewarded and that any deficiencies are addressed. Recruiting The Company recruits its’ personnel through a number of medium, one of the most efficient being recommendation from other Company personnel. We find that our employees usually know exactly what they, and the Management expect from their colleagues on site. Therefore they only recommend those that will reflect well on themselves, and assist them on site. We also recruit experienced personnel from the Trade, but we are very selective. We have found that not all Companies have our expectations and standards, and that this can lead to the acquisition of bad habits and negative attitudes. Those that we accept are chosen on a combination of practical ability, attitude and experience and an expectation that they will become excellent “team players”. All candidates have to complete a detailed employment questionnaire. Our Human Resources Manager assesses them and some candidates are selected to attend an interview. We expect a positive attitude, a presentable appearance and an aptitude and willingness to learn, and for these individuals, we offer serious and credible career possibilities within our Company. Those we deem to be of acceptable standard are offered suitable employment with the Company, subject to adequate references from previous employees, which we follow up rigorously. New personnel then attend an induction during which they first learn about our Company, its’ Clients, systems and procedures and the standards expected of them. The serious matter of Health and Safety is discussed and all personnel sign a declaration of acceptance of our Policies. Following the “class-room session” they will be taken through a series of practical exercises to ensure that they know the correct way of opening cartons, lifting heavy weights and assembling products. Of course, some of our new personnel have experience from the Trade or from aligned industries, but we never take it for granted that they are trained to our expected standards. Furniture Installers / Driver – Installers / Porters Our Furniture Installers form the core of our on-site personnel, working under the guidance of our Senior Furniture Installers, Site Supervisors or Managers, or perhaps directly with our Clients. They will unload and distribute furniture or components, unpack and clear all packaging, and assemble the product quickly, efficiently and professionally. They will clean the furniture, vacuum the surrounding area and check the product for faults, leaving the area ready for immediate occupation. The teams are experienced in handling and installing the most expensive and delicate furniture products, some of which are often supplied unwrapped, requiring the up-most care and attention. We consider that those responsible for completing the installation or reconfiguration of the product, should also carry out any unloading and distributing of the furniture, as we believe that this encourages greater pride and responsibility for the task in hand. All-too-often, we have seen the evidence of untrained removers or labourers having moved, unloaded or unpacked quality furniture without any care, with the consequence of crushed corners, dented panels and knife cuts in the desktops etc. We aim to prevent this. Our Furniture Installers are equipped with comprehensive tool kits, including cordless power screwdrivers, and are undergoing continuous practical training, concerned with both the necessary assembly techniques and the documentation relevant to the product installation and completion. Most are training for more senior positions within our Company, requiring a better understanding of our Clients' operation, systems, personnel and products, so that they can be excellent ambassadors on site, both for our Company, and yours! Driver-Installers have additional responsibility for the driving and care of our vehicles, their passengers and their loads. Often, they concentrate on the smaller multi-drop deliveries and installations, with special training ensuring an excellent knowledge of load-securing, dealing with customers and completing the necessary paperwork. The assembly of office furniture is not a complicated or difficult skill to acquire. However, the difference between product being installed well or poorly can make a major difference in customer satisfaction and hence, retention. It is how you deal with a difficult situation or problem that separates the good from the bad. To achieve and maintain the quality of our service, our Furniture Installers will normally be deployed to work under the supervision of one of our Senior Furniture Installers or on larger sites, a Site Supervisor. However, we will deploy the more experienced personnel of this grade to work under the guidance or responsibility of our Customer if this is requested in writing. Senior Furniture Installers Senior Furniture Installers (SFI), will normally be the first deployed to fulfill a job requirement and they are often our Client’s only senior representation on site. So many of our Customers are confident enough to leave them to complete installations, reconfigurations and relocations on their behalf, and that is testimony enough to their expertise and professionalism, and to our approach. They are responsible for the assigned product from unloading to completion, and this, coupled with the knowledge that our Management will still be monitoring their standard of work and customer satisfaction, helps to ensure that our jobs are completed professionally and efficiently. We have learned, through many years experience, that an ability to fit furniture well is just one qualification required to undertake this role, although of course this is important. In addition, we expect our SFI’s to present themselves well, to talk intelligently, confidently and knowledgeably and to know when to make decisions themselves and when to refer to a higher authority. Typically we would expect an Installer to have two year’s installation experience, at least half of which should have been with our Company, before they can be awarded Senior status, during which time we aim to assess and develop their other skills. It is not an automatic promotion. Once a job has been handed over from one of our Managers, or directly from our Client, our Senior Furniture Installer can oversee it right through until a satisfactory completion. All furniture will be professionally installed in accordance with the agreed furniture layout. It will be cleaned and then handed over to our Client, or to the Customer directly if required, together with a Customer Satisfaction Report. Details of any shortages, or other defects will be recorded on our Installation Fault Sheets, and action instigated to resolve them as soon as possible. Service Technician / Service Call-Outs Attending to faults with our Client's products, whether under Warranty or not, requires an in-depth knowledge of the products and their 'habits'. Rectification techniques are acquired through many years of installing and servicing furniture. Often small, subtle touches are all that is required, and this can save our Clients and Customers a great deal of money. The very nature of this role requires a great number of tools, parts and special equipment and thus a vehicle will usually be required. We have now introduced a Service Call-Out charge that will be applied within areas that we regularly cover, and where we have flexibility with timing. We will gradually extend this area as our network widens. This charge covers an element of travelling cost plus the first half an hour on site. Additional time will be charged at our usual rates. Emergency jobs, and those outside of our Call-Out coverage area, will normally be charged at the standard rates. Some of our Technicians have also undergone specialist furniture repair training and have access to our extensive range of repair products. They are sometimes able to repair minor chips and scratches on site, although more major repairs, polishing and surface refinishing is a service left to our Polishers/ Refinishers. An additional charge will be made for parts or repair materials, such as locks, fittings, lacquers, fillers, or strippers, used to complete a repair Site Supervisor (Installations, Reconfigurations and Relocations) Larger or more complicated jobs will be handled by one of our Supervisors. From handover by our Client, our Supervisor will oversee a job right through until satisfactory completion. The precise extent of the role depends on our Client’s requirements and the nature of the job, and we will tailor the service accordingly. Typically, once we have seen the plans or a list of ordered product, we can organise an initial site survey, check for any special requirements, meet with the Customer to confirm timings and liase with the Building Management, Police and Local Authorities to ensure deliveries can be made when practical. Our team’s transport arrangements, parking, accommodation, the removal and safe disposal of packaging, and any other special logistical requirements will be assessed and booked and planned as necessary. Our Site Supervisor will take a hands-on-role whilst on site, checking-off products upon receipt, organising, overseeing and coaching the Installers, spot-checking their work to maintain standards, and generally motivating and assisting the team, endeavouring to resolve any problems as they arise. Site Supervisors may have a permanent on-site role, especially with larger contracts, or may control and oversee the job through regular site visits whilst utilising the experience of our Senior Installers to control the daily site activities. This allows us to deploy Management resources in the most economical way for our Client, whilst ensuring that our quality and experience is maintained on site at all times. All furniture will be professionally installed in accordance with the agreed layout plan. It will be cleaned and then handed over to our Client, or the Customer directly if required, together with a Customer Satisfaction Report. Details of any shortages, or other defects will be recorded on our Installation Fault Sheets, and action instigated to resolve them as soon as possible. The wide experience of our Site Supervisors will occasionally be utilised on smaller jobs where problems are likely or difficulties are anticipated, and of course, the same care and attention will be applied during reconfigurations or relocations, with the resources tailored to suit. Project Manager Our Project Management role is one that we believe has especially helped to earn us our excellent reputation over the years. Taking the service one step further, we consider this role a form of “headache management”, as we aim to manage and control every aspect of a project, releasing our Clients to concentrate on running their own businesses and other projects, and for them to have one point of contact with whom to liase with. We aim to utilise all of the resources at our disposal as efficiently as possible to ensure that all parties are left satisfied with the end result. Working with closely with our Client, our Project Manager’s task is to oversee every aspect of a project or multiple-project from start to finish. From taking an initial brief and undertaking a site survey, we will analyse the programme, resources and logistical requirements before presenting to you our proposals for completing the task in hand. Managers may have a permanent on-site role, especially with larger contracts, or may control and oversee the job through regular site visits whilst utilising the experience of our Senior Furniture Installers or Site Supervisors to control the daily site activities. This allows us to deploy Management resources in the most economical way for our Client, whilst ensuring that our quality and experience is maintained on site at all times. Typically, once we have seen the plans or a list of product ordered, we can organise an initial site survey, check for any special requirements, meet with the Customer to confirm timings and liaise with the Building Management, Police and Local Authorities to ensure deliveries can be made when practical. Our team’s transport arrangements, parking, accommodation, the removal and safe disposal of packaging, and any other special logistical requirements will be assessed and booked and planned as necessary. We can organise and co-ordinate the international movement of furniture consignments, including shipping and customs-clearance, can source component parts and progress chase orders from your suppliers. Using the latest Information Technology, we can provide documentary and graphical information at conception, and regularly throughout the project to ensure that you are kept well informed of progress, and of any problems. The option of a thorough check of the product orders against the layout plans, helps to identify potential problems or product shortages, prior to starting on site and ensures a complete understanding of the task in hand. We can produce a critical path schedule, and ensure that all orders are placed on suppliers together with the required delivery dates, and follow this with regular progress-chasing of orders to ensure they meet the programme. Liasing with the End Customer, or acting on their behalf, our Project Manager will attend regular site meetings and liase with any relevant trade contractors, architects, and surveyors etc., to keep track of progress. We will also liase with manufacturing plants, furniture dealers, sales personnel, customs agents and freight forwarders, transport companies, main contractors, and all other parties concerned with the furniture installation cycle, to ensure that the job is delivered to site in accordance with the agreed schedule. We will work closely with our installation team to bring the project to practical completion. We will provide a detailed Installation Fault Report / Schedule of Defects for all parties to use and will ensure that these are rectified by ordering the necessary components and organising the workforce as required. Tradesman/ Storage-wall /Fitter /Carpenter During our activities in the quality office furniture and hotel industries we have been asked to scribe in fitted worktops, fillets around cupboards, and generally to make on site alterations to high quality veneered or laminated furniture. Our Carpenters provide these services, and with an ability to fit floor to ceiling office storage systems, domestic wall units and fitted bedroom furniture we can take our 'turnkey' package one step further. We have designed and constructed special custom-built joinery units for selected Customers, and have fitted out hundreds of rooms of hotel bedroom furniture for some of our Contract and Hospitality Clients. Office Removals and Relocation Management Our teams are constantly moving offices around for our customers, to enable them to achieve the best space solutions within their existing buildings.  However, where existing premises are no longer suitable, or leases have expired, companies will usually look for new premises in which to operate from. Planning the actual relocation and the removal of the office furniture and contents requires careful consideration and often, a great deal of time. We can assist from the early stages by assisting in the planning of new premises, furniture and partitioning layouts, and by creating relocation schedules. We can then execute an agreed plan on your behalf, managing every stage of the relocation, ensuring that your operation is ready to operate from it’s new facility on the agreed date. In handling the actual removal, our personnel will carefully dismantle, wrap and label components and furnishings as required, before carefully loading, transporting and then re-installing all product according to the new layouts. Once in position, we can arrange re-polishing of veneer tables and worksurfaces and cleaning of the general furniture.  We can also provide the necessary crates for the removal, boxes for archiving files, security IT crates and cages, labels, personnel to assist with packing and unpacking crates and all of the necessary Management and Logistics expertise to enable relocations to be executed as smoothly and efficiently as possible. However, if you have planned the move yourself, we would be delighted to carry out just the removal aspects of the job, leaving our Manager to liaise with your Office or Facilities Manager to obtain their instructions. Space Planning and 3D Computer Aided Design Our ability to visualise what can be achieved with the available office space is something that has been gained from over two decades of experience.  Often prospective customers will approach us for the price of a few desks, for example, without really being aware of what was possible. Generally we like to turn this situation around by discovering what it is a customer is trying to achieve, what equipment and resources are available now, and what budget is available to spend. This analysis can be simple and straight forward or can result in an in-depth survey and more consultation. However, we would always aim to make suggestions in terms of the use of space, the overall office design, furniture aesthetics and possible furniture solutions. We endeavour to offer customers a selection of products so that they can then make an informed decision. For some, visualising what we have in our mind for their office can be difficult, and this is where CAD, or Computer Aided Design comes in. Using the latest technology, we can create a floor plan of the proposed office layout together with 3D views from different angles. It is even possible to "walk" the customer through their proposed office. For ease, these plans and images can be presented to our customer via email, saving time and energy for all concerned. Below is a simple example of what can be achieved. Click on the image for an enhanced view. Furniture Storage, Inventory Control and Archiving Our Operations Centre, and primary warehousing facility, is situated within half a mile of the M2 and six miles from the M20 Motorways, near Rochester in Kent. From this ideal location, it is possible to reach London in half an hour and all of the South East within ninety minutes via the M25, which is less than ten minutes away. In fact, our proximity to Dover and the Channel Tunnel allows us to have a team on French soil in under two hours, opening up many European possibilities. Our investment in mechanical handling facilities and pallet racking, enables furniture to be received, stored and despatched on pallets, where practical, reducing excessive handling, and with it, the likelihood of damage. Storage is available in sectioned floor areas, where this is more suitable for bulkier items and we have additional containerised storage facilities available at other locations.  For End User Customers Furniture Storage We offer you our facilities to store items of your own furniture, ready for recall as required. Clear old store rooms and corridors and enable valuable, and often expensive space to be freed up in your offices, returning it to use for the accommodation of staff, break-out areas etc. We work closely with our customers to manage their furniture assets, utilising our storage facilities to hold excess product until required, then redelivering and installing it as necessary. Working in conjunction with our Space Planning team, we can also assist you with the redesign of your office areas as an additional service. Additionally, we can also provide you with full monthly inventories using the latest Information Technology. A full furniture management and "headache removal" service. All items are protected with our blankets, bubble wrap, bags or cling film and are labelled and identified accordingly. Our Warehouse Supervisor is responsible for the warehouse and the movement of goods in and out of it, working closely with our team to ensure accurate documentation, and the careful handling of furniture in storage. Space can be utilised for a short, medium or long term, with charges decreasing for longer periods and larger volumes. It is charged on a weekly basis, per cubic metre. We are happy to consider Contract arrangements. Please call to discuss your requirements.  Archiving We also offer a File Archive facility, enabling your dead filing to be stored safely off-site. This can release valuable space for you within your facility whilst ensuring that you can gain access to the files when required. All boxes are clearly marked, listed and quickly retrievable. We can deliver boxes, or even individual files, according to the priority with which you need them. Boxes are charged per week, with prices reducing for larger quantities and higher volumes. For Trade Customers A great deal of our warehouse activity is furniture Trade orientated. We receive, store and redeliver hundreds of items of furniture each week, for Manufacturers, Wholesalers and Retailers from several Countries, as well as from the UK. Products including office furniture and seating, contract and hospitality products and domestic furniture and seating. We can receive customer orders from suppliers on your our client's behalf , check it against purchase orders and advise of receipt, before consolidating with other products if necessary, to complete the orders. Products can then be redelivered throughout the UK, using our own team of furniture logistics personnel and vehicles, and installed on site if required. The nature of this work dictates that rarely are two customer's requirements the same. Therefore, we endeavour to tailor the service package to your requirements. Office Furniture Service Work Service Calls and Lock and Key Replacement Service Office and Contract furniture, by its’ very nature, is exposed to exceptional everyday wear and tear. Furniture that when purchased, gave the office a smart and efficient corporate look can quickly become worn and jaded, and defeat much of the object of purchasing it in the first place. Correct care is important. We would be delighted to offer you some free advice on caring for your furniture, and in many cases, we can provide you with literature pointing out many useful tips. Use of the correct cleaning materials and techniques, together with improved staff awareness helps. Dealing with problems quickly can improve matters enormously. Occasionally, faults will develop. If they are dealt with quickly, then often the problem can be resolved cheaply and permanently, but leave it too long and catches and runners, for example, can become distorted and broken due to having been forced. These problems render the furniture inefficient, doors may not shut or even fall off, perhaps drawers won’t lock or even close and the office quickly looks jaded, detracting from the quality image of the Company. The eventual cost of repairs or even replacements can increase dramatically with time. Attending to faults with furniture products, whether under Warranty or not, requires an in - depth knowledge of the products and their 'habits'. Rectification techniques are acquired through many years of installing and servicing furniture. Often small, subtle touches are all that is required, and this can save our Clients a great deal of money. Our Service Technicians have gained this experience, working with many different furniture manufacturers and different ranges of furniture everyday, they consistently build on this knowledge through installing and repairing furniture for our Clients. Additionally, some of our Service Technicians have undergone specialist surface repair training and have access to our extensive range of repair products. They are often able to repair minor chips and scratches on site, although more major repairs, polishing and surface refinishing is a service left to our Polishers. We would be happy to assist you with your furniture servicing and repairs, whether it is a one-off problem requiring emergency attention or a more methodical planned maintenance programme. (This service option is described elsewhere.) Sticking locks, faulty drawers, broken keys etc. we will be happy to assist. Lock and Key Replacements We hold replacement locks for some manufacturer’s product ranges and can usually obtain others from one of our sources. Replacement keys are usually cut to order. Most locks and keys can be with you within 2/3 days of receipt of order, although some special locks may take longer. All locks can be fitted if required, by one of our Service Technicians, at extra cost. Crate and Equipment Hire Whether moving departments around within your existing buildings, or packing ready for a relocation, having the right packing and moving equipment is critical for a smooth move.  Crates Strong plastic crates, often with lids, enable your files and belongings to be safely packed, whilst ensuring that the removers are able to move them without injury to themselves. They are also easier to transport around, and to load onto removal trucks. Usually, they should be labeled with the destination details, making it easier for the removal personnel to ensure your crate ends up at the correct destination. they can also be sealed with a unique plastic strip, reducing the chance of tampering with the contents and clearly showing if this has occurred. Each crate will hold contents of a drawer of a filing cabinet, or 7/8 Lever Arch Files and take maximum weight of 50kg. They can be handled by one person and are very practical. A1 crate has an interlocking lid and is stackable. Internal Measurements Length 610mm, Width 405mm, Depth 315mm. Weight 4.5 kg. A3 crate does not have a lid but they have a metal bar on each side which can be folded in and therefore allows them to be stacked. Internal Measurements Length 610mm, Width 405mm, Depth 315mm. Weight 4.5 kg. Metre long crates are available upon request. These are especially useful when unloading cabinets with 1000mm shelves, whereby the contents of the shelf can be fitted into one crate, making it easier to keep records in order. Larger computer crates enable a computer screen (monitor) to be safely packed and transported, complete with its' CPU, keyboard and mouse. This reduces the risk of damage and ensures that all items arrive together at the correct location. Crates can be safely stacked four high and can be loaded onto a skate to move them across a room. When crates are empty they can be stacked up to 20 high. Premier Furniture Solutions can provide crates for hire for any period, and to suit varying requirements. They are also available to buy. Please call us for details. Roll Cages We are also able to provide secure roll cages for moving IT and office equipment. Wrapping and Protection We can also supply bubble wrap, cling wrap, packing tape and identification labels to assist with the protection of any items during a move. Archive Boxes For customers whom use our archiving service, we can supply archiving boxes suitable for this purpose.