What business are you in? Sounds like the professor’s question in a business strategy class when the students are formulating and configuring their SWOT analysis. But yes, the same question should be asked when deciding what type or sort of office furniture should you chose.
The image of your office is very important.
I once visited an office of a lawyer who requested a quotation for some office cubicles. After some measurements of his office space and rooms, I suggested that he also get some file cabinets since I noticed stacks and stacks of papers mounted on each of his associate’s tables.
He thankfully declined and said: “Oh, those mountains of papers have a purpose. They’re there for the clients to see and appreciate that we are a busy law firm.”
Are you into the creative business?
Is your business into advertising, marketing, publishing, or production? If so, show it by your taste in office furniture. It must exude creativity and would ignite your employees to work with intense vigor and attract clients to do business with you.
I’ve done business with advertising agencies and yes most of their fixtures, from office chairs, conference tables and partitions are a bit colorful. It need not be expensive; it just has to be innovative.
Some of your clients may notice your inventiveness by the way you arrange your cubicles and the colors you chose. You just don’t know, it could be a deciding factor for the client in choosing your firm.
Are you into the finance business?
If your business is related to finance and banking, the overall image must be formal. Money matters and you mean business. Show it. Stability, firmness must be manifested in your office furniture.
Look at the office cubicles of the banks, the big big banks in particular. They are not the two-dollar suitcase type. Expensive? Most likely. But who gives a heck when you are dealing with millions with your clients.