As spring starts to make an appearance, we have no doubt that you’re starting to think about your outdoor seating areas; reflecting on last summer and how well your venue coped (or didn’t cope) with the amount of customers you had through.
You might be wondering if you should ‘make do and mend’, or invest in new commercial indoor or outdoor furniture for the start of the season. It can feel like a tough decision to make. But, you’re not alone. Woodberry are here to help you make an informed decision, and support you whichever route you chose to take.
This is why our experts have put together a list of things to consider when trying to decide whether you update, or upgrade.
1. Conduct an Assessment
Current State
Evaluate the current condition of all existing furniture – outdoor and indoor. Could it be refreshed and used again, or is it falling apart or looking tired?
Durability
Consider the durability and lifespan of your current furniture – how long have you had it for? At Woodberry, we guarantee that our budget picnic tables will last for around 1-2 years; our commercial grade furniture lasts for around 3-5 years, and our heavy duty and recycled plastic furniture should last for between 5-25 years. Obviously this is all dependent on how it’s used, the location and environmental circumstances. You can find out more information on our FAQs page – https://www.woodberry.co.uk/faq/
Safety
It’s important to look at the safety of your furniture – will it withstand another season of heavy use and possible moving around? Have a think about what type of customer you’re likely to have – older customers are more likely to be more careful, but will require more stable furniture; whereas younger families and larger groups may cause more wear and tear to already well-used furniture.
Our Experts have put together a checklist to help you conduct an assessment on your current furniture – download this by clicking on the button below.
2. Brand Alignment
Brand Image
Does your current outdoor furniture align with your overall brand image? Is it looking tired and unsafe, and possibly casting an unattractive light on your brand and venue? Or does it live up to the standard you’re happy for your customers expect from you?
Theme and Atmosphere
Check if your seating and dining areas compliment the atmosphere you seek to create. Would your customers be comfortable and happy to spend their time at your venue?
Consistency
Consistency is key to a great indoor or outdoor seating area. You want your furniture to contribute towards an aesthetically pleasing atmosphere as your customers enter your venue. There is an art to mixing and matching ranges, but it takes skill to make sure it doesn’t look a mess, and links in with your overall desired brand image. Consider grouping similar furniture types or sticking to colour schemes to create zones and areas for specific customer types.
3. Comfort and Functionality
Functionality
Consider whether your current range of commercial furniture meets the needs of the type of customers you want to attract.
For example, if you seek to attract date night dinner diners, do you have comfortable tables and chairs in smaller groups? If your ideal customer is the after work beer drinker and their friends, then do you have the right stand up bar arrangements with bar stools that can be easily moved around?
Versatility
Do you have versatile furniture that can accommodate for last minute change – this could be changes in weather, or maybe a larger group that forgot to book in advance?
Indoor-outdoor furniture, or stackable tables and chairs are ideal for this as they are often light weight and can be easily moved without disturbing other customers.
4. Weather Resistance
Material Quality
What is your furniture made from? How resilient will it be to another potentially hot or wet summer?
Your location plays a big part in assessing whether your furniture will withstand another year. If you’re on the coastline you’ll want to think about potential corrosion from salt water; if you’re more in land, maybe on a flood plain, you’ll want to think about how your furniture will look if we have a wet spring or summer.
Seasonal Adaptability
We all know that the British weather is mostly unpredictable and ever changeable! You may wish to consider how adaptable your seating areas are.
Providing cover from parasols or jumbrellas is ideal because your customers can both seek shade from the warm afternoon sun, and take shelter from the rain. Gazebos are also a great option to look at – something like the Woodberry Commercial Metal Gazebo can be a great addition as it has slatted roof which can be opened and closed to control weather protection.
Security
How secure is your furniture? Not just in terms of it being moved by the public, but if you’re located in flood prone areas or windy locations, you’ll want to consider securing your outdoor furniture to the ground to give you peace of mind. Whether your furniture is on decking, paving or grass, Woodberry have got a ground fixing kit that will work for you. View the range here – Ground Fixings Kits
5. Budget and Return on Investment
Whether you’re thinking about updating or upgrading, it’ll involve an investment. But it’s important not just to look at the initial cost, but also the return on investment – how much more revenue could you generate by having a welcoming, attractive, and comfortable outdoor seating area?
Cost of Updating
Estimate the cost of updating, repairing and maintaining your existing furniture.
It might also be helpful to look at the how much work it will take to get your furniture looking fresh and new again. Do you have the staff capacity to do this yourselves, or will you need to get someone else in to do it for you? Will it need maintaining throughout the summer, or will once be enough?
Cost of New Investment
Compare the cost of new furniture with potential long-term benefits – will it improve your footfall, and therefore increase your turnover?
It is also helpful to research the support of your chosen supplier. What is the lead time? Will you get help to install your furniture? Is there flexibility around install dates and times, helping you to avoid disrupting normal business hours?
Return on Investment (ROI)
Whether you’re looking to update your current furniture or upgrade to new furniture, you’ll want to evaluate the payback time and the lifespan of the furniture. Are you getting the best value for money?
Looking For Indoor Inspiration?
Quite often, customers have to walk through the indoor seating areas to get to the outdoor seating. Therefore, it’s just as important to think about how your indoor furniture is looking, and what it may be doing to your brand image.
It’s important to remember that customers are often willing to pay more for the menu items if they’re in an environment which portrays luxury and comfort. This is why it’s well worth reviewing your indoor seating areas now, ahead of the busy seasons, to see if you need to update or upgrade any of your ranges in order to attract higher footfall and increase turnover.
Woodberry have a full range of commercial indoor furniture available – it’s eye-catching, unique, hard-wearing, and there’s something to suit every style.
Click on the button below to view the ranges.
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