You’ve already made the first tough decision; you’ve either decided to begin your journey in hospitality or expand your current hospitality portfolio. Either way, congratulations!
The next step is to build a strong team to help support you through this endeavour. While every hotel project is different and has many variables; for example, is this a new-build or remodel, franchise property or boutique, etc.
There is a core team that you will need to establish that will help bring your vision to life -- on time and on budget. Members of this team include (but are not limited to): a general contractor, a designer, a purchasing agent, a project manager, and a hospitality casegoods manufacturer. 
Choosing a New Hospitality Casegoods Manufacturer? Consider These 7 Things:
Here’s what to consider:
- Domestic or Import
- Communication
- Detailed Drawings
- Storage
- Warranty
- Lead Time
- Install
Selecting the right hospitality casegoods manufacturer for your next design project ensures that your products are delivered on time, on budget, and meet quality standards.
1. Reasons to Buy Domestic
As a domestic guestroom casegoods manufacturer we often hear from customers, “we love domestic manufacturers!” But, when push-comes-to-shove price always reigns supreme.
Keeping your manufacturing at home will not only win you major PR points, but it will also increase your overall ROI. Remember, your upfront costs might be cheaper with an international manufacturer, but they may end up costing you more in the long run.
*The rule of thumb when buying from overseas is to order 10% more to account for damage incurred during shipping. Buying domestic, you will not need to buy more and if you are considering buying Attic stock, those numbers can be reduced.
2. Responsive Communication
An experienced manufacturer will be with you for the entire life of the project and beyond. From our Sales team to our Project Managers, Engineers to Installation. The right manufacturer will work with you to answer any questions or requests you may have.
What if a piece of furniture is damaged? Can the vendor get you a replacement quickly?
In the case with many custom applications, it is important that your supplier has the ability to anticipate any unexpected obstacles you’ll encounter during the course of the project and are prepared to help and communicate with you in any way.
3. Detailed Drawings
It is so important it is to a project’s success to have detailed and accurate information. Your hospitality casegoods manufacturer should provide you with detailed product drawings - this will make sure there will be no surprises when the furniture arrives.
4. Factory Provided Storage
Unless you’re planning to shut down your entire hotel (which is not an option for many hoteliers), you will need your casegoods delivered in phases. Your suppliers ability to deliver only what you need, when you need it is something critical to consider early on in a projects planning stages.
Think about the savings in manpower & money.
This also removes the risk of damage caused by double-handling; unloading (risk damage), store (risk damage), and then handle again (risk damage) to bring into room.
5. Warranty
The standard warranty for most domestic, hospitality casegoods manufacturers is (5) years from the date of delivery - under normal use.
6. Lead Time
Understanding production lead times is important; especially when you’re ordering custom casegoods. Typical lead times range from 8 - 10 weeks from approved drawings and are driven primarily by the complexity of the product and material lead times.
To ensure on-time delivery, you'll need to interact with your hospitality casegoods manufacturer at certain points in the process. This timeline tells you when to expect to:
- Give input
- Review drawings/renderings
- Receive feedback on the progress of your order
- And more
Things to consider: Accidents can and do happen. Replacement parts need to be available; and shipping needs to take a few weeks, not a few months. Any reputable supplier will have all your engineered drawings/order details saved, so production can happen quickly.
7. Install
Does your hospitality casegoods manufacturer own their own installation company?
Owning an installation company extends a comprehensive service to you, past the manufacturing process.
If You Don’t Have Time To Do It Right, When Will You Have Time To Do It Over?
Building the right team of hospitality professionals to support you through this endeavour takes careful planning and consideration. Understanding each person’s strengths (and in some cases weaknesses) is important to your hotels success.
Take the necessary time to do your research, ask for references, and remember a this is an investment.
