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Feature
Fairfi eld’s shop front design for Wye residential
Part Two
Grand designs
The second of three articles examining the intricacies of shopfi tting. This month we look at how to make your offi ce portray a fi ve star image without having to break the bank.
F
itting out an estate agency offi ce on a tight budget calls upon skill, accuracy, fl air innovation and many other talents; what it does not require
– if performed properly – is compromise. For a professional designer, working within the constraints of a budget is par for the course because even the most elaborate and extravagant fi t out will have to come in within a set price band. What counts is how the designer uses that budget, fulfi lling the agent’s priorities while presenting an exciting design. If costs are a concern then it should be
considered that working in an outmoded environment will portray the wrong image and could ultimately cost far more than a budget redesign. Mike Simons of MPL says, “A tired image
usually portrays a tired business that’s lost its lustre and energy. We always say that without change there’s decay – but in fairness it’s gradual, it creeps up and is often overlooked. A redesign can change the perception of a business completely and reposition an agency
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“A redesign can totally change the perception of a business and reposition it to increase average
values and fees.” Mike Simons MPL Interiors
to increase average values and fees. A refurb instantly marks you out as a fresh, dynamic presence on the High street – making competitors look tired and sluggish. All businesses should reinvest in their premises on a regular basis but few do.” Janice Fairfi eld of Fairfi eld Displays points
out, “A window display should be looked on as an investment and not a cost as it will pay
for itself extremely quickly.” A tight budget does mean you have to
prioritise and consider wisely where you invest your money in the fi rst instance. Gary Gosney of Kremer Signs says, “The fi rst impression is exceptionally important to bring customers to your shop window. The signage can turn your offi ce into a 24 hour advert with the right illumination and your branding follows through on the hard work and expense that has been done, right from the For Sale board, through the newspaper adverts, to your website.” It is pretty much agreed that if you do not
get it right at the front it may not matter what you have at the back as no one will go through to see it. Mike Simons says, “Everyone sees the shop front, signage and displays, and forms a subliminal judgement of the business whether they are in the market at the time and make the agent more ‘front of mind’ when they are. After all once customers come through the door the job is half done.”
TheNegotiator ● September 2012 ● 37
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