London is one of the most expensive cities in the world. However, despite the inflated costs of setting up an office in this beautiful city, many companies have their headquarters right in London. That’s simply because the amount of money that they can generate is much higher than anywhere else. London is the hub of trade and commerce in the United Kingdom. It is not only a popular place for tourists, but it is also one of the most attractive destinations for businessmen from all over the globe.
If you are thinking of setting up an office in this beautiful city, you need to take several things in to account. The first thing that you need to consider is how you want your office to look. Companies spend a significant chunk of their relocation costs on designing the office just the way they want. You want your employees to be happy and you want them to be productive. As a businessman, you don’t want to dabble in how interior design affects employee performance.
However, you do want your office to look good. In a sprawling city such as London, there are many interior designers who specialize in setting up workspaces. What most people don’t understand is that there’s more to designing the interior of an office than just reshuffling a couple of tables and chairs. Popular research and studies indicate that employee performance is directly affected by the environment that they work in. If you give your employees a good-looking workspace, you can expect them to perform better. If you have decided to hire a professional interior design company for designing your office workspace, here are some of the things that you must consider beforehand:
Create a Shortlist
As mentioned above, there are many different interior design companies in London. How do you decide which is the best for you? That’s why you need to create a shortlist. Consider companies that only specialise in designing office workspaces. Most companies that offer residential interior design services usually offer office interior design services just to increase their profits. They are unlikely to invest in research on how the placement of office furniture impacts employee performance. You need a company that can help you design everything from scratch.
You need a company that has had plenty of experience in designing office workspaces. The best place to start your research is the internet. Check out the websites of different companies that offer office interior design services in London. The website will tell you a lot of what you need to know before setting up an interview.
Most interior design companies usually maintain excellent websites. They understand that many clients approach them via the internet, which is why they regularly update their websites with any new work they may have done. However, the internet shouldn’t be your only option. Ask around from friends or executives in other companies for referrals. Your friends in the corporate world may be able to refer you to an excellent interior design company as well. Consider all your options and then create a shortlist.
Interviews
The next step is to conduct interviews. Once you have created a shortlist, you will need to narrow it down. The best way to do that is to see what each company has to offer. Interviews are an excellent way to assess whether the interior design company is competent enough to take on the job.
Begin by asking standard questions such as their past projects and experience. Then start explaining your vision for your office. You need to highlight every important detail that you may want. For instance, do you want a colourful atmosphere, or do you want a sober, working attitude? Remember, you’re not making requests right now. You are simply telling them what you are looking for.
The company representatives will likely show you their past portfolio, so do take a look at that. This will give you an idea of their past work. The work of an interior design company speaks volumes in the corporate world, so make sure you take a good look at that too. Ranging from the furniture in your office to the lighting, everything will need to be designed from scratch. So do take a look at minor details as well. It will tell you a lot about the company itself.
Hiring an interior design company is a sizable investment, so you will want to make sure that it’s the right one. Be very thorough during the interview process. Tell them what you want, and then give them freedom to create a model that combines artistry with practicality. The company representatives will offer to create an interior design model based on the work space. Obviously, no company wants to share their design philosophies before you actually hire them. So simply focus on their ideas. Show them the work space and ask them about how they would design it.
Finalizing Your Decision
Once you have conducted the interviews, you should have a pretty good idea of what you need. Hire the company that offers you a bold, unique design. You want your office to look as different and as beautiful as possible. Finalize the contract details and then ask the company to show you a 3D model of the designed workspace.
Most interior design companies in London such as SaracenInteriors use sophisticated technology in order to show you a 3D model beforehand. They use software programs and computer aided design in order to superimpose furniture on the workspace. Some companies also use augmented reality in order to give their clients a walk through of the office in order to show how it will look after the work is complete. It is important for you to know how the office will look once it’s done.
It’s not easy to hire an interior design company. The future of the company is likely to depend on this decision. Many studies say that the right interior design can boost productivity by up to 50%. That is why you should take your time while making such a big decision.
