Learn to Equip Your Business

Feb 12, 2010 Posted by Admin in Business News | | No Comments »

Equipping an Office

Nether your office is at home, incommercial premises, or at the back of a shop, one of your first requirements will be furniture. You probably need a large table or desk (tables are generally considerably cheaper), a comfortable, adjustable chair, some shelving or cupboards, and possibly a filing cabinet. Note that filing cabinets when full are very heavy, so ensure your floor is strong enough to support the extra weight.

If you are planning to have a computer in your office, and particularly if you are employing others to use computers, ensure that the set-up of each workstation is adjustable, and allows for good posture and distance from the computer keyboard and screen. This will affect the size and height of the desk, in particular. You need to comply with relevant safety regulations.

COMPUTERS

When buying a computer, do plenty of research first. Ask for advice from computer users you know, and shop around to compare the advice given about the specification you need for your business. For general use, the choice of software is usually more important than the choice of hardware. Think carefully about the functions you need the software to perform (word processing or accounting, for example), then compare the applications available in terms of features, ease of use, and price. There are some “office” sets of software available that combine all the basic office functions in a bundle. If there are programs that are standard in the field in which you work, this will probably dictate your choice.

For internet access, you will need a modem; some computers come with an internal modem, or you can buy an external one. Computers fitted with internal modems also allow you to send faxes directly

Printers vary hugely in cost and quality. If you need to print highly visual material, a good-quality laser printer may be a worthwhile investment. Otherwise an inkjet printer should be more than adequate for your needs.

You may need to consider networking either between machines within your office, or between suppliers and customers. Take advice about the most flexible and reliable systems. Finally, if you are very reliant on your computer system, look into the question of computer support. Much software and some systems come with free technical support for a set period of time. It is often worth paying an additional fee to be able to phone up or call out a specialist at short notice.

TELECOMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT

Telephone systems range from basic phones with an answering facility to complex switchboards, and prices vary accordingly. Many systems can be adapted to your precise requirements. Make enquiries with several firms to compare the deals on offer, and compare installation costs, standing charges, and call charges; this is a very competitive market. You should also consider how many lines you will need — if you use a fax or modem a lot, it may be worth getting a separate line for one or both — and whether you need a highspeed data link, such as an ISDN line.

SECURITY

Do not forget about the physical security of your office, since computers and other expensive office equipment attract thieves. You need to make arrangements to keep back-up copies of critical computer files at a separate location, and if you have to keep critical documents, you might consider storing them in a fireproof security box. If you are looking after valuable items in transit, you may need to obtain specialist, flexible insurance that covers them while they are in your care. Talk to your insurers about their requirements, and obtain quotations for any new security systems.

Equipping a Shop

Equipping a shop requires specialist retail and shopfitting knowledge. If you are new to retailing, this is the stage at which to seek and employ professional help. Retailing is a highly competitive business, and customers expect high standards of design and layout. You may be setting up a modest enterprise, but

Your customers will not wish to experience an amateur effort. Key factors to consider are:

shop layout interior display salespoint window display exterior signage security

LAYOUT AND DISPLAY

The shop layout is the starting point. The design needs to allow for a natural flow of people around the shop so that they can enter, move around easily to see everything on display, make a purchase, and leave, all without any difficulty Access should be good to all parts of the store. Note that customers can be reluctant to go to upper or lower floors, even if there are lifts or escalators (unless it is a large department store). The layout also needs to take into account the security of particularly valuable stock, which should not be exposed near the door or in areas of the shop hidden from staff. Not only will there be pilferage of stock from the main retail area, but the storage area may also be vulnerable.

The interior display needs to show off the goods to their best advantage and yet be quickly changeable to meet alterations in stock. The need for security must once again be considered. Often quite a simple procedure can thwart thieves; for instance, in clothing shops garments can be hung up with alternate coat hangers facing in opposite directions, thus preventing a thief from grabbing a whole rail in one go. High-value stock needs electronic tagging, an alarmed wire, or — even better still — a wire and small padlock.

One question to resolve is where to put spare stock. It may be that you resupply daily, or have a storeroom at the back of the shop, or perhaps use high-level shelving above the normal retail displays.

A key part of the interior layout is the salespoint, where the cash till is located. This needs to integrate with the rest of the layout. There are many schools of thought about the best location: having the till by the door allows staff to monitor customers; on the other hand, by the rear of the shop is more secure, and ensures that customers walk through the shop. The exact positioning needs careful thought and will depend on the shop space available, the planned layout, and the sort of business you are in. The choice of cash till needs to reflect your method of keeping your accounts, the sales information you want, and the requirements of the tax authorities.

EXTERIOR ASPECTS

The overall image that the shop projects sends an important signal to a potential customer and, as a result of that image, they may or may not choose to enter. Seeking professional advice is not simply about getting the shop “to look good”, but making it actually work and be a viable business. Get the design wrong and the business will suffer badly or fail. Have a closer look at shops similar to the one you propose _sothat you can get an idea of what may be involved. In particular, look at branches of successful retail chains to see what their professional designers and shopfitters have done, and weigh up the task that confronts yo_u

Together with the shopfront and signage, window displays are critical in attracting customers. Professionally arranged window displays require props, which can be made or purchased from specialist suppliers. Sometimes sales representatives will provide sales material to promote their goods that you can use in your window displays. A good rule of thumb is to change the window display every week. This is not only a simple discipline to keep the shop’s appearance interesting, but is based on the assumption that many people shop on a weekly basis. Note that any external signage may be subject to restrictions by landlords, mall operators, or local bylaws.

Equipping a Workshop or Small Industrial Unit

When you are buying equipment for an industrial unit, the key factors you must first consider are:

storage of raw materials workflow storage of completed goods regulations security.

Storage can be a bigger problem than many anticipate, and the need here is to have ease of delivery coupled with ease of access for production. Most goods travel around the country loaded on pallets, though small quantities are usually packed in cartons. Your goods inwards area may require some form of pallet handling, though the alternative is to break a pallet down. There are plenty of solutions to handling goods, the snag being that the equipment, such as pallet trucks, fork^?lifts, racking, and possibly conveyor systems,can be quite expensive. However, if you need them, they should more than repay their cost in terms of efficiency Another potential problem is protecting the goods from the weather and from damage due to poor handling, either while in storage or in transit.

In terms of workflow, the choice of equipment and its precise placement in the unit should be to facilitate efficient production and to establish a safe working environment. Compliance with the many safety regulations is essential and, unless you have experience in this field, it is vital to get professional advice. Experiment on paper with different layouts drawn to scale before finalizing your purchases. Industrial units are often the targets of thieves or vandals; this needs careful consideration and professional advice from security experts.

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