Tips for Drama-Free Hotel FF&E: Pricing & Product

Undertaking a hotel construction or renovation project can naturally have its fair share of drama with all of the moving parts. However, much of the pain and disappointment within the FF&E procurement process is avoidable. With a focus on pricing and product, we’ll discuss how to avoid the disruption in hotel FF&E because we think you’ll agree: drama’s best left on TV.

So what, exactly, does it take to have a drama-free hotel FF&E project from a pricing and product standpoint?

There are three things that help quash any drama before it begins:

1. Top-Notch Communication
2. Clear Expectations
3. On-Site Support

Top-Notch Communication

Consistent and thorough communication between the stakeholders on a project is the number one key to a successful and drama-free hotel construction or renovation. Your FF&E procurement team needs to be in-sync with your General Contractor early on to establish a supportive environment and a good working relationship from the start. Your GC and procurement specialists should be resources for each other, collaborating on questions and issues that arise throughout the project. Without that stakeholder partnership, much can fall through the cracks.

As an example, a GC might have a question about the elevation of a wall sconce installation. The GC’s being able to ask the question and the procurement team’s providing a quick response could eliminate the potential need for the rewiring of lighting, patching walls, and replacing wall covering down the road. The more all stakeholders are on the same page, the less drama there will be.

It is also important that, when it comes to product and pricing, hoteliers not make assumptions, but instead ask every question that comes up, no matter how insignificant it may seem. Extended FF&E production lead times, reduced inventory levels, and price increases from the manufacturer can happen, but with proper two-way communication, a good procurement firm can create solutions that disrupt progress as little as possible. In contrast, a lack of communication between hotel owners, vendors, and the procurement provider because of erroneous assumptions can lead to mistakes, headaches, and drama. Nobody wants those!

Here are our top communication tips:

• Don’t rush the quoting process
• Avoid assumptions about products or pricing
• Provide complete, up-to-date, and accurate drawings
• Allow open communication between the FF&E and construction teams
• Double (and triple!) check order quantities
• Keep clear and reasonable product lead times
• Understand that changes and the unexpected can (and will!) occur

Clear Expectations

Although you have separate teams for FF&E and construction, they need and depend on each other to make your project a success. Your FF&E team needs to know your expectations when it comes to pricing, and revisions to construction plans along the way may impact your overall budget and thus the pricing set for certain products. The hotel owner or developer must set clear expectations from the start with the procurement team and be sure to immediately communicate any changes as soon as possible so necessary modifications can occur before it’s too late.

Another thing to remember when it comes to hotel construction and renovation is that there will likely be delays and damages at some point during your project. With so many moving pieces, it’s almost bound to happen. What matters is how all stakeholders anticipate the unexpected and handle it in stride.

A high-quality procurement provider is quick on its feet with solutions in order to minimize delays and disruption. When every party within a hotel construction or renovation sets clear expectations from the start, it’s so much easier to work towards the common goal of making your project a drama-free success.

Here are our top tips on setting expectations:

• Communicate your expectations around pricing and products
• Allow your FF&E and construction teams to voice their expectations
• Inform your teams of expectation changes immediately
• Keep reasonable expectations around delays and damages, as they will happen
• Do expect a good procurement firm to handle the unexpected with creative solutions

On-Site Support

It is always preferable to have an experienced and knowledgeable FF&E specialist from your procurement provider on-site to verify that the product and pricing they are proposing will work with your site conditions. A walk-through of the property at the right time can be invaluable, sometimes revealing deviations from a building’s architectural plans that will impact the FF&E selections or quantities. For example, if your procurement provider notices that electrical outlets are located too high for the specified nightstands before placing purchase orders, that “catch” can save a lot of heartburn. At that point, there is still time to make a change that will solve the problem.

At Innvison, we see ourselves as your General Contractor’s FF&E partner, which is why we stand at-the-ready for questions GCs may have at any point during a project. Our procurement specialists are responsive, cooperative, and always have our construction team’s back. We value open lines of communication with hotel owners and developers, paying close attention to the expectations they have within a project. Finally, Innvision has a nationwide team of field-based design and procurement consultants who travel to hotels and meet with hoteliers across the country to better understand the conditions at each project site before finalizing orders. Our on-site support and attention to detail ensure stress-free FF&E when it comes to pricing and products.

Your procurement provider should be a trusted partner who makes your life and that of your GC easier. At Innvision, we take the drama out of the pricing and product aspects of the hotel FF&E process so your project flows smoothly. If you’re ready to see how Innvision can make your hotel renovation or new construction drama-free, contact us today! We’d be happy to help.