Every company founder has a story. We thought we’d ask Chris LeCalsey to share his story and some of the insights he’d gained over the past two decades.
We started Office Innovations back in 1997 because we realized that there was a need for a furniture installation provider that held themselves to a higher standard. We began working on our business plan in 1996 and slowly developed our business model and approach. We were adamant, right from the start, that we wanted a company where every employee was invested in the process and would act as an ambassador for the company. That ideology is a crucial part of Office Innovations and our employees embrace that from day-one so that when we perform the work, the intent is always that every client will be a repeat customer. We are very happy to say that we’ve realized that dream since more than 90% of our clients are repeat clients and our employees stay with us for years.
Weathering two major economic downturns was really our biggest challenge. In our industry, like most others, we prosper when the economy is doing well but when the economy slows down, people make-do with what they have. They rein in their spending and office furniture becomes a very low priority. We insulated ourselves by cutting back and running lean. We reinvested our resources in our employees for better retention and in our logistical infrastructure so that we ran everything more efficiently without diminishing any of our capabilities. We are very fortunate to not only have weathered the downturns but to have emerged from them stronger than ever before.
Hard work and long hours are a prerequisite. Rapid response times and a sincere willingness to listen are critical. We look for the proper solution, not the quickest or easiest, to any problem and we don’t avoid handling our shortfalls. We endeavor to do it right the first time BUT we make it right regardless. We always consider the interest of the customer whenever we embark on a project large or small. Our relationships with our customers are reflective of our commitment to them and that is why we have maintained so many going back to the beginning.
Upwards and onwards. We don’t want to be the biggest or the newest. We only want to be the best in our industry and we approach every project with that solitary goal. We are developing new strategic business partnerships and streamlining our internal processes. We are constantly improving and building on our momentum. We look forward to a new period of economic growth and the growth of our business. But regardless of the economy and industry trends we will maintain an unwavering commitment to professionalism and excellence for our customers.
