![\"Smith](\"https:\/\/smithsystem.com\/smithfiles\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/02\/warehouse_truckload-1024x659.jpg\" "\\"warehouse_truckload\\"")
\r\n\t\tSmith System Warehouse\r\n\t\r\n\u2022 District Business Manager<\/strong> – budget and procurement
\r\n\u2022 District Facilities Manager<\/strong> – quality assessment
\r\n\u2022 Principal<\/strong> – articulates school’s goals, manages teacher representative group activities\r\n\r\n
<\/p>\r\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/smithsystem.com\/smithfiles\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/02\/smithsystem_Design.jpg\")
<\/h2>\r\n
\r\nSTEP TWO: Team Visioning.<\/strong><\/h4>\r\n1. The team creates a vision for key areas of the new school with staff from each area. (You’ll want to share this with your eventual furniture partner at the outset of the project.) Answer essential questions:<\/p>\r\n\u2022 Group sizes and teaching strategies used?
\r\n\u2022 How do teachers want to re-imagine their classrooms?
\r\n\u2022 The role of technology?
\r\n\u2022 Storage needed?
\r\n\u2022 Budget?\r\n
2. The team creates a list of current furniture challenges and needs\/wants by area:<\/p>\r\n\u2022 Classrooms<\/a>
\r\n\u2022 Library\/media center<\/a>
\r\n\u2022 STEM<\/a>\/makerspace<\/a>
\r\n\u2022 Commons<\/a>
\r\n\u2022 Specialized areas (intervention, special education, etc.)\r\n\r\n\r\nSTEP THREE: Vendor Selection.<\/strong><\/h4>\r\nThe superintendent drives this process. It’s influenced by whether you’re already working with a specific manufacturer, a local furniture dealer, and\/or your architectural firm’s interior designer. Keep the evaluation period short (30 days start\/finish), so that you can use your chosen vendor to guide you the rest of the way. Consider:<\/p>\r\n\u2022 What qualities are you looking for in a vendor partner? For example, the ability to meet summer delivery and installation timelines, types of services offered, services provided (free vs. paid), specific vendor reps involved?
\r\n\u2022 What projects have they successfully completed that are similar in scope to yours?
\r\n\u2022 How will you find and invite vendors to participate?
\r\n\u2022 What contract vehicles are available through each vendor vs. bidding out the furniture purchase?\r\n\r\n
STEP FOUR: Begin implementation.<\/strong><\/h4>\r\nOnce you’ve chosen a vendor, let your vendor representative conduct a few initial meetings (one with leadership only; separate meetings to interview staff) to understand your needs in greater detail. Give the vendor your:<\/p>\r\n\u2022 Vision
\r\n\u2022 Budget
\r\n\u2022 Spaces to be furnished – prioritized in case of budget changes
\r\n\u2022 Building layout with dimensions
\r\n\u2022 Specific furniture items to be evaluated, based on your needs\r\n\r\n
STEP FIVE: School Tours.<\/strong><\/h4>\r\nBased on your goals, along with some initial education about furniture, your vendor can help arrange tours of a few schools, depending on geography and staff availability. These field trips (yup, adults get them, too) will show real-world use of furniture that may align with your vision and goals.<\/p>\r\n
\r\n\r\n
\r\nSTEP SIX: Sit, Touch & Try, Furniture Visit.
\r\n<\/strong><\/h4>\r\nEveryone on the project team should attend this to hear the same message at the same time. Based on your stated needs, your vendor will:<\/p>\r\n\u2022 Show furniture samples – brought to your school or you’ll go to the vendor’s showroom
\r\n\u2022 Conduct a large group presentation on features and benefits of different styles
\r\n\u2022 Allow your team to get hands-on with the product – sit, touch, try
\r\n\u2022 Conduct one-on-one or small group Q&A to address specific needs\r\n\r\n
STEP SEVEN: Plan and prepare for a trial classroom.<\/strong><\/h4>\r\nBased on outcomes from Step Six –<\/em> “Sit, Touch, Try”<\/em>, the team should narrow down a list of furniture items to test in a trial classroom or two. Try several shapes, seating styles and heights (grade dependent). Be sure to allow for manufacturing lead time, delivery and installation.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\nSTEP EIGHT: The trial classroom experience.
\r\n<\/strong><\/h4>\r\nAfter the test furniture arrives, have your vendor conduct a quick refresher with the teacher(s) to review how each piece functions. Allow teachers (and students) about a month to experience the furniture, then have the vendor return to answer questions. This is a great time to fine tune selections, like shapes, sizes, accessories and options.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n
\r\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/smithsystem.com\/smithfiles\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/02\/smithsystem_install.jpg\")
<\/h2>\r\n
\r\nSTEP NINE: Design, budgeting, and lead time planning.
\r\n<\/strong><\/h4>\r\nNarrow your team to the superintendent, business manager and principal. You’re now ready to compile furniture specifications, quantities and a line item budget for each room. Lay out each room (or a representative room if all classrooms are the same size and you have a common furniture “kit of parts”) to ensure the furniture will fit and function right.<\/p>\r\n
Allow enough time to make revisions (construction costs may have dented your original budget.) Your dealers and manufacturers will coordinate lead times and advise your choices, based on your deadline. Most manufacturers require a P.O. by a certain date to allocate inventory and commit to a delivery date.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n
STEP TEN: Finalize P.O. Homestretch!<\/h4>\r\n
The final step is to finalize and receive board approval (if required) on your furniture list, finishes and cost. Then place your P.O., and congratulate your team on a furniture-buying mission accomplished.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Welcome to our first blog in a series meant to simplify the furniture buying process. As a leading pre-K-12 school furniture manufacturer, Smith System has decades of experience with new builds.
1. The team creates a vision for key areas of the new school with staff from each area. (You’ll want to share this with your eventual furniture partner at the outset of the project.) Answer essential questions:<\/p>\r\n\u2022 Group sizes and teaching strategies used?
\r\n\u2022 How do teachers want to re-imagine their classrooms?
\r\n\u2022 The role of technology?
\r\n\u2022 Storage needed?
\r\n\u2022 Budget?\r\n
2. The team creates a list of current furniture challenges and needs\/wants by area:<\/p>\r\n\u2022 Classrooms<\/a> The superintendent drives this process. It’s influenced by whether you’re already working with a specific manufacturer, a local furniture dealer, and\/or your architectural firm’s interior designer. Keep the evaluation period short (30 days start\/finish), so that you can use your chosen vendor to guide you the rest of the way. Consider:<\/p>\r\n\u2022 What qualities are you looking for in a vendor partner? For example, the ability to meet summer delivery and installation timelines, types of services offered, services provided (free vs. paid), specific vendor reps involved? Once you’ve chosen a vendor, let your vendor representative conduct a few initial meetings (one with leadership only; separate meetings to interview staff) to understand your needs in greater detail. Give the vendor your:<\/p>\r\n\u2022 Vision Based on your goals, along with some initial education about furniture, your vendor can help arrange tours of a few schools, depending on geography and staff availability. These field trips (yup, adults get them, too) will show real-world use of furniture that may align with your vision and goals.<\/p>\r\n Everyone on the project team should attend this to hear the same message at the same time. Based on your stated needs, your vendor will:<\/p>\r\n\u2022 Show furniture samples – brought to your school or you’ll go to the vendor’s showroom Based on outcomes from Step Six –<\/em> “Sit, Touch, Try”<\/em>, the team should narrow down a list of furniture items to test in a trial classroom or two. Try several shapes, seating styles and heights (grade dependent). Be sure to allow for manufacturing lead time, delivery and installation.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n After the test furniture arrives, have your vendor conduct a quick refresher with the teacher(s) to review how each piece functions. Allow teachers (and students) about a month to experience the furniture, then have the vendor return to answer questions. This is a great time to fine tune selections, like shapes, sizes, accessories and options.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n Narrow your team to the superintendent, business manager and principal. You’re now ready to compile furniture specifications, quantities and a line item budget for each room. Lay out each room (or a representative room if all classrooms are the same size and you have a common furniture “kit of parts”) to ensure the furniture will fit and function right.<\/p>\r\n Allow enough time to make revisions (construction costs may have dented your original budget.) Your dealers and manufacturers will coordinate lead times and advise your choices, based on your deadline. Most manufacturers require a P.O. by a certain date to allocate inventory and commit to a delivery date.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n The final step is to finalize and receive board approval (if required) on your furniture list, finishes and cost. Then place your P.O., and congratulate your team on a furniture-buying mission accomplished.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Welcome to our first blog in a series meant to simplify the furniture buying process. As a leading pre-K-12 school furniture manufacturer, Smith System has decades of experience with new builds.
\r\n\u2022 Library\/media center<\/a>
\r\n\u2022 STEM<\/a>\/makerspace<\/a>
\r\n\u2022 Commons<\/a>
\r\n\u2022 Specialized areas (intervention, special education, etc.)\r\n\r\n\r\nSTEP THREE: Vendor Selection.<\/strong><\/h4>\r\n
\r\n\u2022 What projects have they successfully completed that are similar in scope to yours?
\r\n\u2022 How will you find and invite vendors to participate?
\r\n\u2022 What contract vehicles are available through each vendor vs. bidding out the furniture purchase?\r\n\r\nSTEP FOUR: Begin implementation.<\/strong><\/h4>\r\n
\r\n\u2022 Budget
\r\n\u2022 Spaces to be furnished – prioritized in case of budget changes
\r\n\u2022 Building layout with dimensions
\r\n\u2022 Specific furniture items to be evaluated, based on your needs\r\n\r\nSTEP FIVE: School Tours.<\/strong><\/h4>\r\n
\r\n\r\n
\r\nSTEP SIX: Sit, Touch & Try, Furniture Visit.
\r\n<\/strong><\/h4>\r\n
\r\n\u2022 Conduct a large group presentation on features and benefits of different styles
\r\n\u2022 Allow your team to get hands-on with the product – sit, touch, try
\r\n\u2022 Conduct one-on-one or small group Q&A to address specific needs\r\n\r\nSTEP SEVEN: Plan and prepare for a trial classroom.<\/strong><\/h4>\r\n
STEP EIGHT: The trial classroom experience.
\r\n<\/strong><\/h4>\r\n
\r\n<\/h2>\r\n
\r\nSTEP NINE: Design, budgeting, and lead time planning.
\r\n<\/strong><\/h4>\r\nSTEP TEN: Finalize P.O. Homestretch!<\/h4>\r\n