The most talented people working in the ergonomic community today know what to look for—and look out for—when selecting a furnishings partner.
That can be a tough spot, especially since not all seating manufacturers level up in the conversation.
In the preceding blog, we heard some of the reasons why from an independent certified ergonomist and business owner headquartered in the Bay Area of San Francisco. Free from any direct ties to BioFit, he spoke openly and candidly about what earns a company a spot as an “all-pro” in the industry.
Game for another go-around, he takes old-school to task.
Testing from the center out
“I’ll often start by looking at the cylinder. That’s probably one of the most common pieces of a chair that becomes defective. Why? Because it’s got moving parts and rings that hold air and things like that, and they just leak over time,” he explained. “And also in regard to accommodating BIFMA sizes—the range say from a tall individual at 6’ 7” as opposed short folks—representing a spread of something like 26-inch seat height to around 17-inches or less. So it’s the diversity, the engineering that all factors into a winning product.”
Correspondingly, he’ll ask a string of simple questions: Is the chair comfortable? What’s the wearability on it? Are we talking quality fabrics or durable plastics? How long is the warranty? And so on.
“If you’ve got a good chair, you’re going to stand behind it for at least a decade. [Learn more about BioFit’s 13-year warranty HERE] And I can tell by looking at BioFit’s product line, they have engineers building their chairs, doing things the right way.”
Thinking ahead to the next stage of safety
Talk turned to the how the choice of chair could potentially have an impact in terms of reduced insurance premiums or workers compensation claims. “Not as yet,” he responded. “Although it really makes all the sense in the world to put somebody in proper position, naturally; a safer, fitted chair should do just that.
“Widening that lens a bit, when you think about seating being part of a robust ergonomic program that has a chair wellness program built in it, that’s logically going to lend itself to fewer work-related injuries and better results overall.”
An assessment methodology in motion
“Say I’ve already looked at your organization. I’ve determined your male and female ratio, and the sizes of people that comprise the workforce. The right chairs are going promote safety across the board, as well as increase morale and productivity as well,” he reasoned. “Everything I do in ergonomics I look at from an injury prevention perspective because that’s what’s been ingrained in me for the last 20-plus years.”
People-driven customer service from actual people
When there’s a problem with a chair or a part that’s gone bad, the last thing anyone wants to hear is an ingratiating AI-generated voice on the line. That’s not a high-touch approach to resolving issues. Rather, prompt response no matter the concern, whether it’s replacing an armrest or something else, is the first priority.
“In general, you can expect the top-end manufacturers to stand behind their products; but specifically, BioFit understands their reputation is everything, right? It’s one thing to build a quality engineered ergonomic chair, but you also have to provide the service to support that chair.”
The GOATs in ergonomic seating share a lot in common.
BioFit makes good company.
BioFit thanks you for your time today. Any feedback? Let us know how we can be of greater service to you or simply reach out to begin the conversation by dropping a note HERE.
