| Setting up a new hotel is a big project in every way. | | | | good shape. But by finding hotel auctions, you can |
| And the financing and purchase of the furniture to | | | | many times get great deals. The internet and |
| completely supply every possible need of the guests | | | | alternative suppliers also are out there who can find |
| who will stay in your hotel is a huge part of the | | | | you the very chair made by the manufacturer you |
| planning process. | | | | like but find those chairs at a vasty reduced cost to |
| So it might help to know some tricks of the trade | | | | you. So be a savvy customer and shop around. |
| about how to buy great hotel chairs so you not only | | | | Tip #3 - You Call the Shots |
| get chairs you will be happy with but chairs that will | | | | The negotiation process that we spoke of is tricky |
| serve your customers well. After all, of all the | | | | business. Salesmen are very good at helping you |
| different furniture types, chairs will probably be the | | | | define what you want. The problem is if you let the |
| largest single furniture expense you will have in | | | | chair supplier set your standards, they are going to |
| setting up your hotel. You need chairs for the lobby, | | | | influence you to buy what they want you to buy. |
| for the bar, for the continental breakfast room, for | | | | That may be a fine choice but it's best if it is you |
| the multi-purpose rooms, for the guest rooms and | | | | who sets the standards and it is you that calls the |
| even for the offices for management and staff. So | | | | shots on what kind of hotel chairs you buy. |
| to get hotel chairs you are confident in and get a | | | | Before you contact any suppliers at all, take the time |
| good deal as well, here are a few guidelines. | | | | to think through exactly what you want. That means |
| Tip #1 - Don't Cut Quality for Economy. | | | | laying out the floor plan of your new hotel and |
| Because of the large number of hotel chairs you are | | | | getting an exact count of each kind of chair that will |
| going to have to buy to get every aspect of your | | | | make up your order. You have several chair types to |
| hotel up and running, you or your accountant may | | | | buy including room chairs, dining room chairs, bar |
| suggest that you consider cutting costs by | | | | stools and chairs and more elegant chairs for formal |
| purchasing chairs of a lesser quality than you are | | | | rooms and the lobby. Get a firm count on what you |
| inclined to get. But this is a cost cutting decision that | | | | need. |
| is worth reconsidering. | | | | Then do your shopping to understand the |
| The chairs you provide your customers to use in | | | | characteristics of a good hotel chair and where to |
| your hotel are the silent work horses of your | | | | look for quality. The internet is a great way to look |
| business. A hotel chair is the type of thing that the | | | | closely at the various hotel furniture suppliers to get |
| guests rarely notice or comment about except when | | | | an orientation for who you want to talk to about |
| there is a problem. But in every room in the hotel, | | | | your order. By doing all of this preliminary thinking and |
| chairs are there to provide comfort for your guests. | | | | research, by the time you sit down with a hotel chair |
| This is especially true in the hotel rooms where the | | | | supplier, you know what you are taking about and |
| lounge chairs may serve for a granddad to tell a | | | | you know what you want. That keeps you in charge |
| story to his granddaughter or where a businessman | | | | so you call the shots during the entire negotiating |
| may pass hours in working on a proposal for his big | | | | process. |
| presentation the next day. | | | | Tip #4 - Think Multi Use |
| These chairs are the most highly used items in the | | | | You may be able to reduce your order of chairs if |
| hotel room next to the bed. They need to be sturdy, | | | | you identify some chairs that can serve more than |
| look great and stay in continuous service week after | | | | one use. Chairs for setting up a lecture or meeting |
| week without interruption. You depend on those | | | | are often stackable armless chairs that require |
| chairs so its best to buy quality up front so you can | | | | storage when not in use. Those chairs are not being |
| feel confident every day that the chairs in your hotel | | | | utilized well while they are stacked in storage so you |
| are top notch. You might be able to save a little on | | | | may be able to use those chairs for your continental |
| the pictures on the wall or on other lesser used items | | | | breakfast room or for other purposes where you |
| in you hotel. But chairs should be taken out of that | | | | need a lot of chairs for short duration. |
| category. | | | | You may also be able to rent out those chairs to |
| Tip #2 - You Better Shop Around. | | | | church or civic groups who need to hold an event |
| With the quality issue taken off the table as an area | | | | but don't need a large quantity of chairs every day |
| of cost savings, that doesn't mean that you don't | | | | like you do. By networking and finding ways to get |
| have ways of economizing while keeping your high | | | | more mileage out of the chair inventory you keep, |
| standards for high quality hotel chairs. Once you have | | | | you save money and maybe even generate a little |
| done your homework and know what hotel chairs | | | | revenue from chairs that serve your customers well |
| are the ones that will provide you with the highest | | | | every day. |
| performance and which manufacturers to look to for | | | | Tip #5 - Try Before you Buy |
| buying your high quality chairs, there are options for | | | | Whatever method you use to find the perfect hotel |
| cutting that total cost down and giving your budget a | | | | chairs for your hotel, its really best that you do not |
| break without compromising quality. | | | | make this big purchase sight unseen. It would be |
| One option is just good old fashioned negotiating. By | | | | easy to do that when buying over the internet or |
| identifying perhaps two or three hotel furniture | | | | from a suppler who you found through a source like |
| suppliers that could provide good solid quality chairs, | | | | ebay or Craig's List because they may be able to |
| you can open discussions with their representatives | | | | offer you a great deal on a lot of chairs. But go back |
| and let them know that price could make a big | | | | to tip #1. Never sacrifice quality for economy. |
| difference in who you buy from. If your initial order | | | | Even if you are buying chairs from the manufacturer |
| for hotel chairs is a substantial one, they should be | | | | you like and in the models and colors you want, you |
| able to offer you a discount if one supplier can fill the | | | | don't have absolute assurance of quality until you |
| whole order. But by letting them know that you are | | | | inspect the lot. So be fussy, be stubborn but be |
| entertaining bids, you can let the law of competition | | | | flexible and smart as you shop for great hotel chairs. |
| drive the price down. | | | | In that way you let the marketplace work for you |
| The after market or alterative suppliers of that same | | | | to get a great deal. But you do so without giving up |
| high quality chair may be another option. Many times | | | | the one thing that is not negotiable and that is the |
| hotels go out of business and the owners are looking | | | | comfort and great service you will give to the |
| to sell a lot of just the chair you want. Be careful | | | | customers of your hotel. |
| that you inspect the chairs to make sure they are in | | | | |