How Upgrading Your Space Can Improve Customer and Employee Experience

Jeff Boyle

Vice President

Fidelity Bank

jeffb@fidelitybankmn.com

fidelitybankmn.com

Topic: Banking / Finance

Today’s workplaces are being updated to meet the changing nature of work, the influence of technology, and the need for efficiency and flexibility.  Today the workplace also aims to encourage teamwork and provide adaptability to help people do their jobs better.  Design and space can also speak about how the business is managed and the customers are served.  Here is an example of how one local company did it effectively.  

Embossing Plus is a premier, full-service print finishing company with over 24 years of experience.  They pride themselves on high quality craftsmanship with a strong emphasis on customer service.  However, the building space they occupied was no longer able to support the delivery of service at the level they expected.

“The old facility had some significant limitations,” says Vice President Jim Flannery.  “There was nowhere for customers to sit and no wireless.  Now people walk in and are amazed at how welcoming it is.  Customers can sit in our conference room and do their work while they’re waiting for a press check.  They enjoy coming by.”

Many companies get accustomed to the look and feel of their work space and don’t take the time to think through what the experience is like for clients, prospects and prospective employees who visit them.  In the midst of the economic downturn, Embossing was able to work with their landlord and with some creativity, move from a 24,000 sq. ft. Class D facility to a 43,000 sq. ft. Class A building without increasing their monthly rent. 

“Our die making area creates a lot of samples for clients,” Flannery explains.  “For example, if they’re making a product box, they want to see what it’s going to look like before they’re all printed.  Now with our walk-in service, clients can come in to our facility and create a CAD mockup of their job and see how it’s going to look.  They like working with us in this new facility.”

The new space has also increased productivity.  The old building was built to house six tenants, Embossing Plus chopped up the space into smaller offices for each business unit.  If a gluer had to approve a die cut, they had a long walk ahead of them.  Now, Embossing employees are enjoying shorter walks to approve changes, in addition to a cleaner, brighter work environment.

“It gives people energy,” says Flannery.  “It’s easier for them to do their work and that’s part of the efficiencies we’ve created.  We’ve saved money on wages because of the flow of the way people are working.  It’s a wide-open space; bright, easy to maneuver.  The lighting has been more efficient so the energy costs are down.  It comes down to time and money.  ”

Embossing Plus was able to take advantage of a favorable real estate market to improve customer and employee experience, save money on energy costs and improve work flow.  Take a moment to analyze your own business and work environment- perhaps those same opportunities exist for your company.