Be it a commercial space or an office, or even a cafe, fitouts are essential for brand visibility. It is the biggest expense a new owner would have to face in the initial stages. Get it right, and you have a thriving business, successful in the competitive market.
Unfortunately, many businesses fail to get it right and have a good chance of failing before they break even.
So, before you start, here are the 7 deadly mistakes you may want to avoid at all costs during a commercial fitout.
Starting Without a Fitout Plan
Proper planning is the key to a successful shop fitout. Skipping this stage wouldn’t do any good for your businessn nor will rushing through the process.
You may end up walking into unforeseen circumstances that are hard to overcome and sets you back in terms of budget and timeline.
A fitout plan helps you design a clean layout to optimise the customer’s shopping experience.
Not Using In-House Tradies
Fitouts tend to drag and take longer than expected when you employ tradies/subcontractors separately.
For a quick and clean job, you need a fitout specialist with in-house tradies for every project.
With in-house trades, the fitout company will be far more able to get the work done on time.
When many subcontractors are used, the fitouts tend to drag out because they will be busy with other projects.
No Onsite Project Manager
With any shop fitout, it is essential that you appoint an onsite project manager to supervise it every step of the way.
While you may be tempted to skip this step to try and save money, it is a big mistake.
You may end up spending money in the wrong areas ending in expensive mistakes.
Ensure that the fitout company you hire has a project manager right from the planning stage to handle all the fitout aspects.
The manager acts as a single point of contact handling all the processes such as subcontractors, timelines, final installation, and handover.
Moreover, a project manager on the job site helps to increase speed and also reduce mistakes.
Not Planning for Customer Behaviour
Most business owners prioritise products over customers, and that’s where they make the biggest fitout mistakes. For a successful fitout, you need to take customer behaviour into account and make them feel comfortable.
“A good fitout can influence the customer’s behaviour more than the product itself.”
First impressions can make or break a business.
Additionally, it should showcase the products, avoid clutter, and bring about a sense of calm as the customers enter, browse and exit the store.
No Room for Expansion
Consider your long term plans and expansions before planning your fitout design.
A few years from now, your business may not be the same as it is now.
It might be extensive, having had good growth.
Considering this, your fitout should be able to adjust to your growth and developments.
So, set in for the long haul and plan a flexible space that grows with your business ambitions.
Instead of a fixed set-up with a permanent fixture, go for adaptive team-oriented zones with partitioning or moveable spaces.
Cutting Corners on Fittings
If there’s any necessity to cut corners, do so in things that you can go without instead of the fixtures.
Having a low-quality fitout may turn out to be a headache later on and can cost you more than it is worth.
Furthermore, the subpar materials can also affect the ambience and the mood of your space.
Not Considering Customer Comfort
Most stores are more concerned about their products than they are about their customers.
Yet customer comfort is the key to a successful fitout!
Customers should be able to relax and spend their time and money in your business. If you achieve this, you’ll have a returning customer.
Contact us today if you are looking to avoid expensive fitout mistakes.
Our experience in successful fitouts will help you achieve the desired results on time and on budget!
