Social distancing is a vital measure, helping you make your office or business safe for employees and visitors alike. A social distancing solutions company can make the whole process easier by designing and installing physical barriers. However, the quality of the work is only as good as the company you choose to work with. What should you look for in a social distancing solutions company, and how do you know you’re picking the right team to work with?
Why Work with a Company at All?
You might be thinking, “It’s just a sheet of plastic attached to the desks in my office space. Can’t I do that myself?” A company experienced in designing and manufacturing social distancing solutions can ensure that the materials used and the installation process create solutions that will last. You won’t have to spend money on replacement parts in a couple months. Overall, working with an experienced company cuts down on the stress of adding social distancing measures to your space on top of everything else you have going on.
Consider: A Company with the Right Kind of Experience
Social distancing feels like it’s been around a long time, but, in reality, they are still pretty new. There aren’t many companies providing social distancing solutions. There are still fewer with experience in making physical barriers.
ProExhibits has been fabricating custom exhibits for a long time—more than 30 years. We have exactly the right kind of experience to produce high-quality, reliable social distancing solutions. We’re familiar with the materials, the design process, and the installation. This was a natural transition for us, putting our expertise in building custom solutions into building custom social distancing solutions.
Consider: A Company That Offers a Collaborative Design Process
Do you want to partner with a social distancing solutions company, rather than taking a back seat while they make all the decisions? Make sure you choose a team that will allow you to take a collaborative role in the design process. Speak up about any unique business practices and processes you use—it may result in a better design outcome!
Avoid: Making a Financial Commitment Without Getting a Quote First
In any industry, any company worth its salt will give you a quote before asking you to commit to a contract. Even in a relatively new industry such as social distancing solutions, there’s no reason a business should ask you for money before giving you a quote on the work. Always get a quote before making a financial commitment. And make sure your quote includes:
- Materials
- Delivery
- Installation
This will help you avoid hidden costs that might give you an unpleasant surprise after the job is finished.
Avoid: Going with a Low-Ball Quote
If you’ve contacted several companies to get quotes, it may be tempting to go with the lowest offer. Pandemic-related expenses have come as a shock to business owners, many of whom have been unprepared for the extra spending.
This is exactly why now isn’t the time to go for the low-ball offer. When health and safety are on the line, you need quality work that you can rely on. And it’s better to pay once for a job well done than to pay over and over again for work that doesn’t last.
Consider: A Company That Uses Quality Materials (And Is Happy to Provide Samples!)
Safety barriers are only as good as the materials they’re made from. If your safety and social distancing barriers are made from cheap materials, they won’t have much longevity. In the worst-case scenario, they may not even provide the level of safety you need.
When you’re looking for a social distancing solutions company, choose one that uses good-quality materials. And if you ask to see samples, they should be willing to provide them.
At ProExhibits, for instance, we use 3/8” acrylic for all reception desks and front-facing desks. This provides a much sturdier barrier than the flimsy 1/4″ or even 1/8” thickness acrylic that some companies use. And we secure all acrylic partitions with inline or corner connectors, for sturdy physical barriers that stay where they’re supposed to.
Our hardware is top-quality too. We use 1.5” round stainless-steel posts for most reception and front-facing desks. These attach securely to countertops using VHB tape but can be removed without damaging most surfaces. For a long-term solution, we can drill into countertop surfaces for permanent attachment, though we don’t often find this to be necessary.
We know the materials we use are high-quality, and we’re happy to provide samples if you need them. You can request a prototype to see the sturdiness of our acrylic and hardware, so you can be sure you’re getting quality.
Consider: A Company That Provides Detailed Renderings
Social distancing barriers might be a practical necessity, but that doesn’t mean they have to look unsightly. If you’re unsure about how safety barriers will affect the look, feel, or flow of your premises, find a company that can help you visualize the end result.
ProExhibits does this by providing clients with detailed drawings of our acrylic partitions and hardware, as it looks when mounted. We also provide detailed measurements and other details to ensure you’re happy with partition height and length. When necessary, we color-match additions to the existing décor, so the new partitions don’t look out-of-place.
Avoid: A Company That Outsources Manufacturing Work
It’s not just materials that can influence how effective barriers are. Manufacturing processes are important too. That’s why it’s better to opt for a company that does all their manufacturing work in-house. In-house manufacturing means the company has control over the quality of the work. When the work is outsourced, it’s harder to maintain quality-control. ProExhibits uses in-house manufacturing processes, where we cut, fix, and finish all the acrylic we use. We do the work ourselves, so we know it’s good.
Consider: A Company That Stands by Its Work
When it comes to safety against illness, every action counts. That’s why you need a company with integrity, that’s willing to stand by the work it does.
ProExhibits offers a one-year warranty on materials and installation of all hardware. While we don’t offer a warranty on the acrylic itself (as acrylic needs special care to ensure its longevity), we do provide all our clients with an acrylic care guide. We recommend following the instructions closely to get the best results from acrylic partitions.
Virus Safety Is Now a Vital Business Practice
Making sure your business premises are protected against illness is an important measure for the safety of employees and visitors. When you need social distancing solutions in your workplace, make sure to choose a company with integrity as well as experience. The health and safety of everyone on-site depends on the quality of the work, so it needs to be exceptional.
