Posted by David Cutler on Mon, Apr 16, 2012 @ 12:16 PM
Why It’s Important
At the Closet Works, we take our responsibility both to our customers and to the environment quite seriously. We make a concerted effort to work with partners who are as committed to the environment (and the well being of our customers) as we are. We appreciate the importance that our customers place on the environmental impact of products that they allow into their homes, and we continually strive to ensure that our efforts reflect our understanding of the need for environmentally friendly and sustainable products.
What We Do
Actions speak louder than words. In view of the less rigid standards that exist in many emerging countries, we make sure that the melamine laminated particle board (the major raw material in our products) is produced almost entirely in North America. Our suppliers adhere to the standards described below and in doing so (and by maintaining the certifications and associations that they do), we can rest comfortably knowing that our products are in conformance with the latest and most demanding standards to assure eco friendliness and sustainability.
FS
C - Solid chain-of-custody wood-fiber supply practices have enabled our suppliers to achieve Forest Stewardship Council® certification. This ensures products are comprised of materials harvested only from sustainable and responsibly managed forests.
CARB Phase 2 - The particleboard we utilize is currently compliant with the Phase 1 limit (0.18 ppm) of the California Air Resources Board (CARB). Our supplier has also received third party certification for CARB Phase 2 compliance (0.09 ppm, in effect 1 January 2011). This compliance covers all products produced including NAUF (no-added urea formaldehyde) particleboard.
Materials used by The Closet Works, Inc. can be part of LEED certification Materials and Resources (MR) credits. Our panels qualify for up to 6 credits in the Leadership in Energy and Environment Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System.
SCS – Our board supplier has received independent certification that its raw particleboard panels contain recycled and recovered wood fiber only.
EPP - Our panels have been granted Environmentally Preferable Product (EPP) Certification by the CPA. Environmentally preferable products, as defined by Federal Executive Order 13101, are “products and services (that) have a lesser or reduced effect on human health and the environment when compared to other products and services that serve the same purpose.” Our particleboard panels are compliant with both the CPA Certification Program specification for particleboard and HUD Formaldehyde Emission Standard 24 DFR Part. 3280.303.
ISO 14001 Certification - The Environmental Management System employed by our board supplier has been assessed and registered by SGS as meeting the requirements of ISO 14001: 2004. The scope of registration covers the significant environmental activities at the site of manufacturing of raw and overlaid particleboard. Our board partner is the first company member of the Composite Panel Association (CPA) and producer of particleboard and thermofused melamine panels whose environmental management system meets the requirements of ISO 14001.
ISO 9001 Certification - ISO 9001 certification ensures that our board supplier has implemented a quality control system and that the exacting procedures are used for continuous performance improvement.
And If You Want an Even GREENER Product – We can offer a Non-Added Urea-Formaldehyde (NAUF) Core that has all of the design and durability advantages of our standard board, with an added environmental bonus - it uses a no-added urea-formaldehyde (NAUF) binder system. This product Complies with CARB 2 - the worlds most stringent indoor air quality standard and also features 100% recycled wood residues and recovered post-consumer wood fibers. This board is manufactured in dedicated production runs and delivery times and costs exceed those of our standard products. Please contact the office for additional details.
Posted by David Cutler on Fri, Jan 06, 2012 @ 03:57 PM
The Closet Works, Inc Earns Coveted Angie’s List Super Service Award
Award reflects businesses’ consistently high level of customer service
The Closet Works, Inc has been awarded the prestigious 2011 Angie’s List Super Service Award, an honor bestowed annually on approximately 5 percent of all the businesses rated on the nation’s leading provider of consumer reviews on local service and health providers.
“Only a fraction of the businesses rated on Angie’s List can claim the sterling service record of being a Super Service Award winner because we set a high bar,” said Angie’s List Founder Angie Hicks. “The fact that The Closet Works, Inc can claim Super Service Award status speaks volumes about its dedication to consumers.”
Angie’s List Super Service Award winners have met strict eligibility requirements including earning a minimum number of reports, an exemplary rating from their clients and abiding by Angie’s List operational guidelines.
Ratings are updated daily on Angie’s List, but members can find the 2011 Super Service Award logo next to business names in search results on AngiesList.com.
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Angie’s List collects consumer reviews on local contractors and doctors in more than 500 service categories. Currently, more than 2 million consumers across the U.S. rely on Angie’s List to help them make the best hiring decisions. Members get unlimited access to local ratings via Internet or phone, exclusive discounts, the Angie’s List magazine and help from the Angie’s List complaint resolution service. Take a quick tour of Angie’s List and view the latest Angie’s List news.
Posted by Teri Cutler on Tue, Dec 20, 2011 @ 12:01 PM
I have trouble with time management.
I like to plan a “very full” day. Unfortunately I don’t always get to everything-just where does the day go? “Time management is the act or process of planning and exercising conscious control over the amount of time spent on specific activities, especially to increase efficiency or productivity. I have no problem with organizing, scheduling or prioritizing what I need to get done, I just put too many “things” on my daily list.
I am a list maker. Even though I had one of the first Blackberries back in 1992, long before anyone was expected to be connected to the world at all times, I still kept the paper list. I don’t get satisfaction from crossing things off the list, I rarely feel that I accomplished a lot, I just need to see the list. Of course the list doesn’t help decipher what I was thinking was so terribly important this morning at 2am because I can’t read my scribble.
Now my lists are not entertaining like David Letterman’s Top 10…, nor are they as inclusive as Listverse where you can check out the top 10 most embarrassing moments in video game history or the top 10 underrated Disney songs. I make boring lists, like who I need to call back, what I need from the grocery store, errands that need to be done. My lists are not fancy, no tiers or records, just scraps held together with a paperclip.
Is it too late to change my ways? Am I just procrastinating?
How do you do it?
Posted by David Cutler on Tue, Dec 20, 2011 @ 12:01 PM
Chapter 5 Specifications
Specifications are tricky. They are tricky because the average consumer who is interested in buying almost any product is typically at the mercy of the sales person who is providing information about the product and the reasoning behind why their specifications are superior. If you missed our last Blog Entry about sales and sales strategies, this may be a good time to go back and catch up. My goal is not to make anyone a true closet expert here in the next five minutes, but rather to point out some specification considerations that are important and easy enough to discern so that you can evaluate the specs in a proposal that you are entertaining in a meaningful way. Here goes.
Board Type, Thickness and General Info
Closet organizing systems can be made from many different materials. The best choice is a thermofused, melamine laminated, industrial grade particle board. Unless you are planning on doing your job in either pre-finished or custom finished veneers, melamine laminated board is typically the best choice. Veneers are very costly, harder to work with and, because they are natural products, harder to match in terms of grain and color. I will not go on about veneers because they make up a much smaller segment of the market place, but I am available to discuss that type of product on an individual basis with anyone who has an interest.
Quite often the melamine laminate is thermofused to a particle board substrate. It is important that the laminate and board be thermofused rather than cold rolled or pressed in another fashion because otherwise the durability can be an issue. It is virtually unheard of for melamine that is thermofused to delaminate and the abrasion and impact resistance qualities are quite good for a closet system type of application.
While some companies use ½” or 5/8” thick board I strongly recommend ¾” thick board. Companies using thinner board will tell you that it doesn’t matter, but it does. I could use anything and I use ¾” because it is stronger, more rigid and shelves deflect less over any given span. Also, the extra 1/8” purchase available for screws and fasteners improves the integrity of the system significantly. I recommend a particle board substrate because it is both economical and stable.
I don’t recommend using a painted particle board or even plywood due to clean ability factors as well as the fact that in a painted wood product the grain can rise and snag fine fabrics potentially causing damage to your garments.
Edgebanding
The majority of custom closet companies utilize a PVC edgebanding material that is .018”. That is eighteen thousandths of 1” thick. In my view, that is not a particularly good choice. It is commonly used because it is quite inexpensive and readily available but it does not provide sufficient protection for the edge of the board. It is far better to find a company that uses 2mm or 3mm edgebanding. This thicker material is much more robust and protects your investment from unsightly chips. It is also less likely to peel. Melamine laminated board is quite durable and wears quite well in applications where it’s use is intended, however the “chink in the armor” so to speak is the edge. When the edge is protected by a thin edgebanding it doesn’t take much to cause a chip and a thicker edgebanding will really help maintain the appearance of the product over its lifespan. Most closet companies that use the thinner .018” edgebanding material will never point this out so it is up to you to ask how thick the banding is and make sure you are getting the superior product.
Hardware
Most closet companies use European style 32mm hardware today to assemble their systems. Some still screw the product together. It is highly recommended that you only entertain proposal from companies that use 32mm hardware. It is a much more useful fastening system as the product can be modified after initial installation more easily, and with less potential damage to any of the parts. This is particularly significant when you want to make changes in the design of your system after the fact.
Drawer slides should be full extension, ball bearing type and should be rated a minimum of 70 pound capacity for typical drawers, and 100 pound capacity for drawers that will bear a heavy load, holding such items as photo albums or your coin collection. File drawer slides should be a minimum of 100 – 150 pound capacity depending on the size of the drawers.
Insist on concealed European style hinges for all doors (a soft close feature is a nice touch) ands metal door/drawer handles or pulls rather than plastic ones. Sometimes decorative hardware such as pulls can be glass or acrylic but for a simple installation metal is better than plastic.
It is a good idea that the closet system, if it’s floor mounted, be situated on adjustable leg levelers rather than furniture wedges. First, the adjustability factor is good to have and sometimes the wedges can move or slip and your closet will suddenly be out of level. Two screw in levelers on each vertical panel (not necessarily counting the one at the highest point on the floor) make for a better way to go.
Posted by David Cutler on Mon, Dec 19, 2011 @ 12:56 PM
Chapter 4 Pricing and Sales Strategies
This is often a touchy area with sales people. Pricing. There are different strategies to be sure. Some companies try to sell by proclaiming that they offer the lowest price. If this is their only reason for you to buy, is it in and of itself a good enough reason for you to award them your business? If such is the case, I think you may want to look at that again. Why is their price the lowest? Are they using inferior materials? Inexperienced installation crews? Is their price really the lowest? Some companies claim to have the lowest price and they don’t even come close! Hate to break this to you, but not everybody tells the truth all the time.
When I buy something of significance price is, and always should be, an important factor in my decision making process. Let’s face it, in today’s world it has to be! But it’s not the only criteria I consider. But since we are talking about prices, let’s stick to that. Prices can be misleading. Let’s say one price includes lots of drawers and accessories and another doesn’t. That will account for a significant price difference but the sales people don’t always share that info. It is incumbent upon the buyer to compare carefully and make sure they know what they are getting. What are the differences in the proposals? How thick is the board? ¾” or 5/8”? How deep are the panels and shelves in different sections? This is important because it impacts how thing store. 12” deep shelves are cheaper, but if you are folding bulky sweaters or fleece items and put them on 12” deep shelves there is a good chance they will hang out over the edge of the shelf and look really sloppy. Is the sales person telling you this or do you have to figure it out for yourself. How deep are the drawers? What material are they made from? What is the quality of the hardware? All these factors and many more impact price. Apples to apples people!
Do I want to do business with a company that is “giving it away”? Are they going to be able to stay in business if their pricing is too low? Don’t they have to make a profit to stay in business? If it seems too cheap it may be…or it may not be! Why do I say that? Because some companies price their initial offers so high that a fair and reasonable price may look to be too low by comparison and can scare off a consumer. I have seen this happen and I have seen customers pay too much for a lesser spec product because they thought the competition had a price that was too low. That’s why it’s important to compare and to know a bit about what you’re buying. In my experience, the higher price quotes that often come from “National” companies are inflated and may not really be a very good buy. This is not a “prejudice” on my part, but the result of over 20 years of experience in the business. National Franchise companies are obligated to pay franchise fees, advertising contribution fees and other costs that have to be passed on to the end user. That is one reason why the offerings from these companies are often higher for the same or even a lesser spec product.
The #1 Worst Pricing/Sales Strategy
This one slays me. Company A quotes a price of say $3,500. to a client for a job. The client replies, wow! That seems really high, company B says that they can do that exact same job for $2,200. Then the sales person for company A says, “well we can do it for that price as well”. That just drives me bonkers!!! If Company A can do it for that price, then why did they try to get an extra $1,300. out of the customer in the first place? I’ll tell you why…because they think they can! That’s right, some companies (some national companies too) have a sales strategy that involves “sizing up the customer”. They try to determine if the customer is capable of paying more and if they think that is the case, then they try to get more. Personally, I find this strategy to be both repugnant and immoral. And what blows my mind is why a customer who has experienced this approach would buy anything from company A! Sometimes its not a matter of “sizing up” the customer, but rather asking a very high price from every customer in the hopes that they may get the job because the customer is uneducated about the product and the process. It sort of speaks to the old Sy Sims theory, an educated consumer is my best customer. Well, be an educated consumer and don’t fall for such strategies.
One Last Repulsive Sales Strategy
Some sales people say awful things about their competition. Sometimes they might be true, but in my experience, more often than not, they are not true. But that’s not really the point. Any sales person who would say untrue or scurrilous things about his competitors is really saying more about himself and his company than he is about the competition. Don’t believe everything you hear and consider the source. For you Mozart fans out there (Amadeus) remember Salieri! If a sales person stoops to such tactics he or she is to be avoided.
Posted by David Cutler on Fri, Dec 16, 2011 @ 01:57 PM
Chapter 3 The Sales Experience
Typically the first face to face experience a person has with a company that he or she is considering to do work in their home occurs when the sales person comes a calling. Closet companies have different “titles” for their sales people: designers, sales designers, design specialists, closet designers, space planners…one company even refers to their representatives as “spacemen”. Well, pick a title that works for you, but these folks are essentially sales people and it is up to you to determine which of them actually know a lot about what they are doing and which are less experienced. This is actually quite important. A lot of “designers” are not really designers at all. They have little experience in designing anything and that lack of experience can work against you! Ask to see some examples of their work. Ask for references. Take a good look at the companies they represent. How long have they been in business? Do they have good records with the Better Business Bureau or perhaps a company like Angie’s List. Remember, you have to decide if what they are saying makes sense to you, so don’t be bashful about questioning their suggestions and find out if they have real answers or just canned sales presentations. Never forget, in the land of the blind the one eyed man is king! Logic never goes out of style.
Common Sense and Silly Stories
It is in your best interest to take certain things that sound implausible to you and qualify them as what I like to call “silly stories”. A lot of closet companies tell all kinds of silly stories. For example, do you really believe that installation is free? Of course not. The people who come to install your closets are getting paid and remember, you are paying them. I always find it kind of insulting when a company tries to get my order by telling me that installation is free this week only. It’s not. The cost of installation is included in the final price so why tell silly stories? The list price doesn’t matter, the “special price” doesn’t matter, the discount doesn’t matter, the only thing that matters in terms of price is the final net price. Period.
I like this one too…”This price is only good today, if you place your order right now”. Why? Do they need the business that badly? Are they afraid that if you talk with someone else you may find that the price or product or design they offered is not as good as they represent it to be? That kind of pressure tactic is offensive to me as a consumer because I see it only as a ploy to get a customer to do something precipitously that may not be in their best interest. Don’t fall for it, usually it’s not even close to being a good deal. After all, we’re not talking about Black Friday here, we’re talking about a project in your home and the awarding of an order for such a job should be measured and considered and not the result of a high pressure sales tactic.
Posted by David Cutler on Thu, Dec 15, 2011 @ 12:07 PM
Chapter 2 - Design & Installation Capability
A lot of “free lance” closet providers tend to downplay the experience factor when discussing design and installation. Big mistake! Anybody can throw up a couple of rods and a few shelves and claim to have created a custom closet design, but au contraire! It takes an experienced designer to make the most of your space and create a custom solution that is efficient, maximizes the available space, is esthetically pleasing while creating a truly personal solution for your individual wants and needs. For example, it is important to know how to size sections for various items, how much clearance is required, how to deal with impediments such as access panels, attic stairs, utility boxes and the like. Equally important is the knowledge that only comes with experience about how to specify for various types of construction - are your walls plaster or drywall and why does it make a difference? – What kinds of studs are supporting your walls and on what centers? The list goes on, and there are lots of significant variables.
The same can be said for installation experience. How do you deal with walls that toe in or out? How about floors that are not level? Just because someone has a screw gun does not mean he is an seasoned and qualified closet system installer who can make your job look and function perfectly. It takes experience, patience, technology and an appreciation for the intent of the design and the desires of the client. And please hear me, there is a real difference between 20 years of experience and 1 year of experience 20 times!
Think About It
Any type of project that involves people traipsing in and out of your house is a big deal. Any time you are making an investment in your home it’s a big deal. You don’t want just anybody to undertake such a project. You don’t go to a med student for advice or surgery, you go to a Doctor…and the more experienced and better “credentialed” that Doctor the more secure you feel and the higher the likelihood of a really positive outcome. OK, this isn’t exactly the same, but why take a chance with your home? Why not choose a vendor that can provide a high level of comfort and confidence and who will deliver the project you are looking for with competence and excellent performance. At the end of the day you will be more satisfied, experience less stress and have completed a project that has exceeded your expectations
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Posted by David Cutler on Wed, Dec 14, 2011 @ 02:29 PM
How To Choose the Right Company to Organize Your Closets
Chapter 1 - The Experience Factor
What should I look for when choosing a closet organizing company? This is a really good question. After all, regardless of the size and scope of your project you want to make sure that you get a truly high quality installation at a fair price from a company that will stand behind it’s work. There are a lot of choices out there and it is clearly in your best interest to know how to best evaluate potential contractors. Over our next several blog entries we will address various items that you should consider when choosing a company to provide your custom closets.
Experience
When contemplating a project such as this, very little is more valuable than experience. It behooves you to choose a company that has been in business for a significant period of time; a company that has a really good track record and a meaningful body of work. It may seem like a good idea at the time to go with the guy working out of his garage or the back of his truck, After all, you want to give somebody a hand if you can and you are looking to get the best possible price. But remember, what seems like the best deal today may not be such a bargain when you need service or want to make a change. Many small closet companies come and go. They may seem like a reasonable choice initially, but down the road you may wish you had chosen a more established firm that will be there when you need them. And the truth be told, oft times the smaller company has less buying power and the prices they offer are not necessarily more competitive.
Service
What happens when you need service? Let’s say a drawer slide fails. Or perhaps a highly energetic child decides that your brand new custom closet looks like a great substitute for a jungle gym. A hinge needs adjustment…you want to rearrange some sections to suit changes in your wardrobe or new needs arise…lots of things can happen that warrant a service call. But if your closet company is a one man band it may not be so easy to get him to come back to take care of an issue when he is busy making sales calls and doing installations for new customers. A more substantial company that puts a high priority on customer service is usually a better choice. Let’s face it, when you need something done, you want it done when its convenient for you and in a timely manner. Two weeks from Tuesday is usually not a satisfactory time frame. Make sure the closet company you choose has the capabilities to take care of your needs before, during and after the sales and installation process.
Selection
If you just want a simple, white melamine closet system any closet company should be able to provide that. But if your plans are a bit more involved, a larger, more established company may be better able to provide exactly what you want. Some companies stock just one or two colors. Others have 15 or 20 solid colors, wood grains and patterns on the shelf from which you can choose. You may want just a tie rack and a belt rack or your wish list might include all kinds of sophisticated accessories to make your installation truly custom. Make sure the vendor you select can provide all of the bits and pieces that make a custom closet system work up to its full potential.
Additionally, maybe you need more than a closet. What if you want a Murphy bed or a garage system or a home office? Chances are that plain white melamine won’t be your first for these types of projects. A smaller company may not lack just the selection of colors, but may not have the product design knowledge to create the home office or sleeping system, garage organizer or media center that you really want. Find a company that can diagnose the problem, create appropriate and exciting solutions and execute the plans to perfection. After all, we’re talking about your home here!
Posted by Teri Cutler on Fri, Nov 18, 2011 @ 12:19 PM
How many "deals of the day" do you really need? I thought Groupon was a great idea back when it started in Chicago, 2008. One million dollars was raised to launch the business, now 3 years later the company is estimated to be worth 1.35 Billion dollars and employs over 7,000. Similar story behind the four friends who started "Hungry Machine" in 2007, now known as LivingSocial. They book one million dollars a day. Not bad for companies barely 4 years old.
But hey- what about me. I get these enticing deals, daily, not only from these two sites, but also from Daily Candy, Rue LaLa, EverSave, Deal Catcher, to name a few. How do you keep up? How do you have time to save? And more important-do I really need any of these "deals"? I have a file of neatly organized deals on facials, manicures, yoga classes, car detailing, even free dessert. You name it, I have a soon to expire coupon to cover it. The problem is the coupon isn't usually for anything remotely close to where I live or work, the hours rarely work with my schedule, and they all seem to expire at the same time. Yet I hate to miss out on a deal-sound familiar? Is this really the deal I have been looking? I might be better off supporting my local shops, making it my deal of the day to save time and gas.
Posted by Teri Cutler on Tue, Nov 08, 2011 @ 01:06 PM
Halloween. As a kid, I was always into clothes, so the day to me was one full of pressure to come up with a great, original costume. One year my mother thought it would be great fun if she let me wear her braids from her first haircut. What an honor my mother thought but I could only think of the scalping I would get if anything happened to her beautiful, perfectly kept, 20 year old braids. I prayed I could get back home without losing or damaging them. Lucky for me, she never offered again. My first hair extensions, they would be worth a lot today.
My favorite costume was a 5 foot M&M bag that I made as an art student. My friend and I spent two weeks working to get the wire forms to look like crinkled bags of M&M's. Then we wrapped them with canvas and painstakingly painted every detail; letters, shadows, bar codes...it was perfect-one bag plain, one bag with peanuts. Dressed in black with white gloves and an ample supply of M&M candy to hand out, we donned our "bags" and went out to our first party. Weaving our way down the streets of NYC, we had a lot of fun until the 80 degree "freaky" weather took its toll on us. We couldn't keep "melts in your mouth not in your hands" motto any longer. So "for the sake of art" we transformed into mimes and gave away the melting candy.
Fast forward many years, no one ever asks me what I am going to be for Halloween. But- What is my dog going to be, is another story. She is expected to show up on Halloween decked out in a smart, creative outfit that only she could get away with. The problem is that my dog is a living Princess, (note the capital P) with some serious attitude. As I display her choices, she jumps off the bed, turns briefly to make eye contact with me - "you can't be serious" and "are you crazy" are what my thoughts turn to as she turns and slowly swaggers out of the room. Lucky for me, my friends have dogs that are more willing to please their owners and their owners friends. I guess there is always next year.