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The Refinishing Touch

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REFRESH CAMPUS HOUSING AND SAVE UP TO 80% TODAY!

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What happens when you put a bunch of teenagers in a space to live together for several months? Well, they have a great time, of course! But in university dorms coast to coast, furnishings are paying the price for students’ youthful exuberance.

In many cases, the damage goes beyond typical wear and tear. Over the years, we have seen it all: charred doors that had been set ablaze, head boards that doubled as targets for ax throwing practice. And the reality is that an ineffective FF&E management system will leave a university unable to determine the life and valuation of furniture assets after such damage.

We understand that it’s simply not practical, or affordable, to keep buying all new furniture every time a piece is damaged. Sometimes it can be a huge challenge restoring pieces that have been subject to long term abuse, but at The Refinishing Touch we always find a way to return those expensive FF&E pieces to like new condition.

Every summer, The Refinishing Touch heads to campuses across the country repairing and reinventing furniture that has been at the mercy of students all year long. Past clients include Georgetown, Xavier University, University of San Diego, Colorado State and many more.

University owned property in the student housing setting rarely last the length of time originally intended, or was promised by the manufacturer. It leaves those tasked with managing student housing to find new ways to ensure furniture lasts as long as was budgeted for when originally purchased.

There’s another challenge to consider here too– one affecting universities in ways campus executives may not realize. Worn and tattered furniture may hinder the university’s ability to register the best students when they’re turned off by less than standard living conditions. Do you think mom and dad will send junior to a school with dorm rooms that look like the front lines of a warzone?

It doesn’t have to be that way, and the solution needn’t be difficult. With the help of The Refinishing Touch’s master artisans, refinishing and/or reupholstering furniture can yield a campus big savings when compared to buying new furniture. You can save as much as 80%, in many instances.

The Refinishing Touch comes with a large team, tackling one building at a time to get the job done quickly, in a way that’s environmentally friendly. We’re able to do all the work in the actual dorm room because our finishes and products are waterborne and low-VOC. Additionally, by repurposing existing units, the university keeps furniture out of landfills—making our process sustainable and environmentally friendly.

Whether pieces need to be reconfigured or reinvented, The Refinishing Touch has myriad solutions. Rather than blow up a housing budget on new furniture, you can spend a fraction the cost to create pieces that look factory fresh by refinishing and/or reupholstering what already exists.

The Refinishing Touch is here to help you keep student housing in tiptop condition. Let us help you save money, so more can be spent where it most matters; educating our next generation of leaders.

CONTACT US TODAY TO LEARN MORE

Sarah Schullstrom

[email protected]

1.800.523.9448

We’re the Innovator. We’re the Disruptor.

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We’re the Innovator. We’re the Disruptor.

Anyone who has followed our 40 years of consistently taking giant leaps to create forward progress within our industry understands our philosophy of breaking free of the status quo, disrupting things, and never ever uttering the phrase, “We’ve always done it this way.”

Here at The Refinishing Touch, we attend myriad conferences and trade show throughout the United States. But it’s not very often we have the time to attend events on the side of the ocean. Last week, we took some time to attend the Business Travel Show to see how other industry disruptors are shaking things up.

To stay experts at knowing what our hotel owner and operator customers want, it’s critical for us to keep abreast of the latest industry trends. Simply put, it inspires us with new ways we can serve our loyal customer base. In fact, over our 40-year history we’ve added many different specialties, such as decorative hardware, decorative fabric, and solid surfaces.

Here are some of the key takeaways from last week’s Business travel Show, which attracted thousands of people to London.

 

Technology Disruption

One major issue up for discussion during the entire event was the notion of disruption; how new technologies are upending everything previously understood about the travel industry.

Johnny Thorsen, senior director of SAP Mobile Services, said: “It’s hard to keep up with new technology. It’s important for buyers to think about, [because] it doesn’t work just to say ‘let’s look at it in two years’ time’ because you will miss out on so many opportunities,” he said.

Another disruption occurring for travel buyers is the need to deliver more personalized travel experiences for it employee customers. It’s a way to keep employees engaged and happy, said former Astra Zeneca travel buyer Caroline Strachan, which is now a managing partner with Festive Road, a consultancy.

“Those that step up and realize the opportunity will be the initial winners, the travel manager has to make that happen,” said Strachan.

 

Hotel Industry Disruption

 

Meanwhile, the serviced apartment industry is starting to galvanize in new ways. And it could lead to more pressure on traditional hotel product.

Looking to be the Expedia of the serviced apartment industry, BridgeStreet Global Hospitality (www.bridgestreet.com) launched a new online travel agency uniting more than 65,000 professionally managed serviced apartments and homes available in more than 60 countries. Suddenly, this segment, which was bubbling just below the surface of recognition, is now poised to burst into mainstream consciousness.

As the sharing economy continues to take hold in the traveler mindset, people are looking for options beyond Airbnb. Ones that offer timely delivery of keys, clean and comfortable rooms and reliable wireless internet on check-in.

“Our mission was to solve one of the industry’s most persistent problems; ‘simply offer wider choices—across a range of price points and hospitality accommodation experiences—with ease,'” Sean Worker, said president and CEO of BridgeStreet Global Hospitality. “We’ve not only succeeded, here, we are uplifting the extended-stay industry—and for the first time, giving travel managers—and business—exactly what they need: transparency, immediacy and unparalleled customization.”

Now is the time to ensure your hotel is in perfect condition. One way to do that is to refinish all your furnishings. It’ll make a great impression on the guest and give them the cues to return to your property, rather than seek an alternative accommodation.

 

Airline Disruption

 

On the offense for the first time in years, United Airlines had its new United Polaris business class on display. Crafted as individual, forward-facing, suite-like pods, each customer’s personal suite features a “Do Not Disturb” sign, mood lighting, one-touch lumbar support, several storage areas, multiple surfaces for simultaneous working and dining, a 16-inch high-definition entertainment screen and, for seats in the center of the cabin, electronic privacy dividers.

The goal was to totally rethink the international business class experience. United conducted more than 12,000 hours of research, and sleep emerged as the single most important priority for international business class travelers. United Polaris’ path-breaking design and sleep-enhancing focus was inspired and informed by insights from hundreds of customers and employees, inflight product simulations and more than 100 product evaluations.

Call Today for more information.

770-642-4169

[email protected]

 

 

 

Glenn Haussman I President, Rouse Media & No Vacancy podcast host

[email protected] I 917-604-2900 I www.rouse.media

Twitter and Instagram: @TravelingGlenn

 

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*When inquiring about possible KEYNOTE SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS, please include dates and location of your event.*

 

 

Escape the Sameness of Design Trends

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Escape the Sameness of Design Trends

 

Designers love trying new things. But there are so many instances these days where being different is simply creating a whole bunch of new, but similar ideas.

As an industry, we’ve unwittingly and collectively decided widespread imitation is called a “trend,” which is essentially true. But one thing we aren’t considering is how so-called trends affects overall creative influence and individual hotel earning potential.

 

When all hotels look the same, even if it is the “new same”, they’re, well, the same. And that can lead to the commoditization of your product where you can only fight to win a customer on rate alone.

Here at The Refinishing touch we want to help you set the stage for new trends, not rehash ones already being used by your competition.

Here’s one great idea that saves money while also creating a different look; refinishing or re-engineering furniture is a smart solution that keeps you on budget while giving you extra design dollars to dedicate to other aspects of your vision.

Yup, you heard it here first; older furniture can be reinvented and re-purposed to like-new condition in a way complimenting the wholly original design you’re setting out to achieve.

Whether a piece needs to be reconfigured or reinvented, The Refinishing Touch has myriad solutions. Rather than blow up to half your budget or more on new furniture, you can spend a fraction the cost to create factory fresh looking pieces by changing color, adding stone, laminate or glass elements. But that’s not all.

One clever solution is taking that existing furniture and adapting it to house custom minibars or refrigerators that make your client’s money. There’s no longer an excuse for not turning your case goods into a major profit center.

Also, swap out the hardware for a contemporary look. And reupholstering seating is now a viable alternative in helping you reach your design goals.

If you’ve never thought of this solution before, it’s sure to make you a design hero to the people hiring you. Plus, you’ll be helping the hotel be more sustainable, which appeals to today’s ethical traveler.  And get more jobs from them in the future because you know how to stretch a dollar. Oh yeah; all that work is done by American craftspeople too.

So, before you design your next hotel project, think about this: Just because you think that furniture is outdated or outmoded, it’s probably not. The Refinishing Touch can help you figure out how to maximize your design budget by eliminating a good chunk of your furniture costs.

Now go design and be happy! Call Today for more information.

770-642-4169

[email protected]

 

Cutting Carbon & Cost

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Throughout 40 years of partnering with University Housing, The Refinishing Touch has led ongoing discussions of how to best reuse and optimize existing furniture assets in place of buying new. This spans the breadth of our University Housing clients and projects.

Furniture asset management comprises refinishing, reupholstering, and remanufacturing. Universities have a substantial investment in furniture assets: furniture asset management best practices ensure that this existing investment is protected while delivering pieces that are high quality, aesthetically pleasing, and in line with University Housing standards. This benefits the individuals and communities living on campus. It also is time- and cost-efficient because it does not require furniture to be removed, transported, or stored offsite – a key consideration in busy University Housing facilities. This onsite, zero-transport approach also has the lowest environmental impact.

From Tree to Furniture

The environmental impact of furniture creation is about carbon dioxide and energy consumption, coupled with the avoidable waste of existing resources and the unnecessary use of natural resources.

It is challenging to manufacture anything without creating surplus carbon dioxide created during the steps of manufacturing new furniture. Even before furniture gets to a supplier or storage warehouse, carbon dioxide is created. Just cutting down the trees to create 100 rooms of furniture creates 58.3 tons of carbon dioxide. Those trees then need to be transported to a factory to be made into desks, tables, and chairs (2.7 tons of carbon dioxide); sectioned (4.758 tons); and cut to specification (4.758 tons). Assembling and finishing; packaging furniture into boxes; transporting it to a warehouse; and delivering it to a client only add to the detrimental effect.

Thus, the total amount of carbon dioxide created to manufacture new furniture for 100 rooms is estimated to be in excess of 125 tons. In comparison, refinishing, reupholstering, or remanufacturing existing pieces creates only about 1.24 tons of the gas – a reduction of more than 124 tons, or 99 percent.

However, it’s not just the environmental impact. There’s a fiscal responsibility involved, to the department, to the university, and to the student. Furniture asset management consistently demonstrates a savings of 70 to 80 percent of estimated budget spent when compared to the cost of replacement. For example, one project The Refinishing Touch completed at Georgetown University, saved $973,876, or 83 percent of its budget, by utilizing furniture asset management strategies in place of buying new for just one furniture project.

Onsite furniture asset management also brings compounded savings. You can easily scale a project planned to refinish, reupholster, or remanufacture the furniture in one building to cover several buildings. And refurbishing in three buildings will come at the same price as replacing furniture in one.

We all know that landfills cannot hold all the waste we create. We know that carbon dioxide overload has detrimental effects to the planet. We also recognize that the best practice furniture asset management produces high-quality, cost-efficient, eco-friendly, and beautiful results.

To Universities not yet utilizing logical, practical, and sustainable furniture asset management best practices: What are you waiting for?

 

NEWH Leadership Conference 2017: Key Highlights

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Incredible Insight at NEWH Leadership Conference

The hotel industry design community came together last week to attend the bi-annual NEWH Leadership Conference. The event, which was held in Denver, CO, was a chance for industry suppliers and the design community to learn, swap ideas, network, and pay it forward through the awarding of scholarships to the next generation of hospitality design professionals. In all, about 600 people attended the event.

The NEWH was originally started to advance the role of women in our industry and now a major networking resource for the hospitality industry providing scholarships, education, leadership development, recognition of excellence, and business development opportunities. In fact, last year the organization provided about $500,000 in scholarships.

What we like about the event is the supportive and collaborative nature of the community attending the event. With a clubbier feel than other events, it’s one of those conferences that truly make you feel like an insider. Today, we want to make you feel like you’re an insider, so here’s a rundown of the most interesting elements of the event.

Designers are crazy busy

This is really good news, but it comes with a shade of negativity. Right now, the hotel industry is seeing massive new hotel development and it’s sucking up the resources of the hotel design community. Most of the folks we spoke with are thankful for the flood of business, but are simultaneously stressed regarding the ability to meet constant deadlines.

The pressure is also mounting as there is increased emphasis on custom products, which lengthens the design period and makes every project more complex. Though it’s great for creating potentially memorable room and public space designs, it does make it harder to get as many projects done at the same time. Plus, design firms are sometimes reluctant to hire on new staff as they worry the good times will end and they’ll have to lay people off.

Manufacturing Issues

Another side effect we’re seeing lately is significant stress placed on manufacturing facilities. As product demand rises, the factories in which products are built are not always expanding their production ability in direct correlation to demand. This has the potential to create delivery delays for new and existing hotels. New hotels must order FF&E products further in advance than typical to ensure the property can service guests on opening day.

Existing hotels have a shortcut option. Executives at these hotels can refinish their existing furniture to make it like-new without any meaningful delay. Plus, it saves up to 80% compared to buying new. In fact, hotels that refinish their furniture through The Refinishing Touch, for example, have rooms back in service the very same day their furniture was refurbished.

Furniture getting technology

Another massive trend discussed on stage and in the hallways during the NEWH Leadership Conference is the electrification of furnishings. Not only has LED become a great way to set mood through lighting, it’s also being used to heighten the guestroom experience. Headboards, for example, are seeing increased usage of lighting as well as pieces utilized within the bathroom. But the biggest change is the inclusion of traditional outlets and USBs in many other pieces within the room. From the desk to end tables, and in most public spaces, furniture is now being designed to meet the needs of power hungry guests that need to charge multiple devices.

The Refinishing Touch can reengineer furniture to include the latest technology, rescuing older pieces that were purchased before the mobile technology revolution. Plus, pieces can be redesigned to better meet today’s design aesthetic.

 

In all, the event was a wonderful experience for all who attended. People laughed and learned and celebrated a very healthy hotel industry. The NEWH will hold its next Leadership Conf in Miami during the winter of 2019. We’ll see you there!

7 Reasons Why You Should Never Refinish Your Furniture If You Own A Hotel

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Yeah, we get it. Some of you simply don’t want to refinish your furniture. At first, we didn’t understand why. But we thought about it and we came up with this; our list of seven reasons why we think you simply aren’t getting this project done now:

 

  1. Money’s overrated. It’s fun to buy unneeded stuff

We all know the phrase you can’t take it with you. So why bother using saved cash from refinishing to do crazy things like improve your business? Or take that much needed vacation.

 

  1. You’re aiming to be featured on the next season of ‘Hotel Hell’

This one’s obvious. There’s something heartwarming about having an angry British man come to your business screaming horrible obscenities in your direction.

 

  1. You’re unaware the right company can re-engineer your furniture, making it trend forward

No need to buy all new pieces when aging pieces can be reinvented. Develop an entirely new look, even add new space to house a minibar, creating a new profit center.

 

  1. You want your furniture to age quickly so you can call your property historic

We all love smart marketing strategy. Maybe we can also start calling ‘used’ cars, pre-owned and hope no one notices it’s the same thing.

 

  1. You didn’t realize refinishing furniture could be so effortless

The Refinishing Touch does everything for you right in the room. No mess, no fuss, and rooms are back in service the same day.

 

  1. You love Chinese furniture ages so quickly, because you’re a fan of aged patina

Yes, you’ll spend hours staring at how old that furniture looks. But, by comparison, you haven’t aged a bit!

 

  1. You never understood how much waste you could save from landfills

It’s the right thing to do for the environment. Refinishing furniture, rather than tossing it in the trash, literally saves tons of material from the trash heap.

 

See, there’s no legitimate reason to avoid refinishing your furniture. Contact The Refinishing Touch and see how easy and inexpensive refinishing can be.

Critical Tips to Combat Negative Hotel Reviews

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Critical Tips to Combat Negative Hotel Reviews

There’s nothing worse than an upset guest. OK, there is one thing; ignoring all complaints that guest makes online. That’s the fastest way to ensure your hotel will quickly wind up at the bottom of every traveler’s list of places to stay.

It’s funny in a sad way some hoteliers still willfully ignore hotel guest complaints. Truth is, much of the negative results created by upset customers voicing opinions can be avoided altogether; if the property’s management has put the right procedures in place.

According to hotelmarketing.com, the average guest reads between six and 12 reviews before selecting a hotel. Remember, you MUST control your hotel’s narrative, or a negative guest driven narrative will control you.

It doesn’t have to be a complicated process either.

Acknowledge, and thank the guest no matter what

Online we’re seeing guests have very specific opinions regarding a hotel. It’s critical to acknowledge them, no matter the criticism sent your way. The first way to connect with upset guests is by acknowledging the guest’s issue, and the time and effort they put into writing the review. This goes a long way to breaking the ice so you can turn the negative into a positive.

Apologize and mean it

You must be honest with yourself too. What role have you played in setting the stage for the creation of a negative review? It’s essential to see the stay through the guest’s eyes. If you acknowledge the review with an actual apology, it’ll immediately deflate the reviewer’s anger. And it’ll open their heart up to meaningful conversation about their stay.  Let them know you feel terrible about their experience being less than they expected. Do not say something like “I am sorry you feel that way.” That is not an apology, it is an excuse.

Advance the dialogue

This is where you take the criticism and turn it into action.  If the critique isn’t valid, you must explain why. Be passionate, but don’t be defensive. If the guest was off-base, write your response in a way that’s convincing, but doesn’t make the customer feel attacked.

If the critique is legitimate, then you must take action. Explain in detail how you appreciate the problem was brought to your attention. Others have recommended taking the conversation off line, but we also think a strong alternative if you are giving a mea culpa is to do it online. This shows everyone you take guest concerns seriously, and are constantly refining hotel staff habits to consistently improve.

Explain the change

Be sure to share exactly how you plan make changes based on the negative critique they have given your hotel. By sharing a distinct policy or procedural change, it ameliorates any negative feelings that guest has while ensuring future guests that problem will never be an issue in the future.  In fact, we believe it empowers them and makes them more likely to return. They feel like they have made a difference.

Thank them again

Thank the negative reviewer a second time to acknowledge their feedback resulted in actual change. And if you plan to compensate them in any way let them, and everyone on the review site, know you are making proactive change.

 

All these tips will show you care, and are serious about delivering superior hospitality. Remember, hotel guests want you to succeed, and people are extremely forgiving. If you act with integrity, honesty, and show you take feedback seriously, people will love you even more for it. We all make mistakes, but how we handle them is ultimately how we are judged.

 

 

5 Reasons Why Furniture Asset Management is Key to the Ultimate Interior

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Top 5 Reasons

 

Why Furniture Asset Management is Key to the Ultimate Interior

 

1) Fiscally Responsible

Cost containment opportunities relating to furniture may, at first, seem limited for military housing and lodging budget-holders; but let us consider the substantial investment in existing furniture. In a recent study, we found that the United States government owns or manages an estimated 900,000 buildings. Each of these buildings has a substantial inventory of furniture, and each of these pieces must be updated regularly to meet purpose, occupant comfort and satisfaction. Case in point, in 2013, we completed two Army lodging projects for Intercontinental Hotel Group, refurbishing 130 armoires for Transient Lodge, in Dugway, Utah and Staybridge in Fort Jackson, South Carolina.  Based on the median cost of new armoires, these lodging facilities saved over 80% in project costs. We consistently see savings upwards of 80% on an individual project basis. On a larger scale, the estimated annual cost of furniture replacement within the federal government is $714 million. If, rather than replacing new, each of these assets were repurposed through furniture asset management, the estimated annual cost would be $214 million which results in an estimated $500 million of budget saved.

 

2) Recognized Best practice

Our services won the prestigious General Service Administration (GSA) 2000 Evergreen Award for innovative, environmentally friendly practices and were chosen, again by the GSA, to submit the process as a best practice for government edifices. Furniture asset management as a best practice ensures that existing investment is protected while delivering pieces that are high quality, aesthetically pleasing and in line with military standards. This benefits the individuals and communities using the facilities, budget holders, taxpayers, and the environment.

When it comes to managing furniture assets across government bodies, facilities and constituents, it is imperative to keep a well-updated inventory and explore all cost, environmental, and time-efficient options when those assets are no longer in acceptable condition.  Buying new is rarely the best answer.

 

3) Practical and Efficient

The process of refinishing, reupholstering and remanufacturing is efficient, as well as cost effective. Projects are completed on-site, resulting in little to no downtime for facilities. This eliminates the need for furniture delivery and removal, reducing logistical effort, time, and cost. Specialized production teams work quickly and effectively, so remodeled furniture is available within one business day.

 

4) Environmentally Responsible

Each step in the procurement of new furniture comes at a cost to the environment, from the creation of a new asset through to shipping, installation, and disposal of ‘unwanted’ furniture assets.  In fact, a recent study calculated a total of 125.32 tons of carbon dioxide is emitted in the process. With furniture asset management, this can be reduced by up to 124.08 tons; leaving cumulative project emissions at just 1.24 tons. (2)   At The Refinishing Touch, all the finishes used are clean, non-toxic and non-flammable, allowing for clean, safe and green on-site furniture refinishing.

 

5) Compliant

In addition to being financially and fiscally responsible, repurposing existing furniture also adheres to various requirements set forth by the federal government; requirements that are constantly building momentum. According to the U.S. General Services Administration, as dictated by regulations in Executive Order 13242 and USC Title 40, government agencies and establishments are required to implement sustainable environmental practices across renewable energy initiatives, waste management programs, construction projects, and more. Other legislation, such as the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 23.204, requires agencies to purchase products and services dedicated to environmental preservation.

 

 

 

  1. Touch, The Refinishing. The Refinishing Touch Blog. The Refinishing Touch. [Online] June 17, 2014. [Cited: November 25, 2014.]
    https://www.therefinishingtouch.com/blog/green-grading-system-infographic/
  2. —. Cut the Carbon Cost: Furniture Asset Management. The Refinishing Touch Website. [Online] August 27, 2014. [Cited: November 25, 2014.]
    https://www.therefinishingtouch.com/blog/green-grading-system-infographic/

 

By Mario Insenga, President and Founder of The Refinishing Touch.  For additional information, please go to  www.therefinishingtouch.com

 

ALIS 2017: Key Insights and Hotel Business Trends for the Upcoming Year

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Hotel industry celebrities, influencers and the financial elite were in Los Angeles this past week for the for the first major hotel conference of the year, the Americas Lodging Investment Summit (ALIS). For those unfamiliar with the event, it’s one of the major tent-pole financial industry conferences for the hotel industry. And this years was […]