The pursuit of quality is a never-ending journey, but its reward is never-ending value! Quality is a key consideration for any business or organisation that wants to succeed in today’s competitive marketplace. But quality is not just about producing a good product or service – it’s also about cultivating a culture of excellence that permeates every aspect of your organisation. It is about getting quality ingrained in the organisation’s DNA!

Here are some key principles to keep in mind to do precisely that. 

1. Start with a clear vision: This involves identifying your core values and setting clear goals for what you want to achieve. This vision should be communicated to all employees and stakeholders, so that everyone is on the same page.
2. Focus on continuous improvement: Quality is not a static concept – it’s something that must be continually improved upon. This means setting up systems and processes that allow you to measure and evaluate your performance, and then using that feedback to make improvements. It also means encouraging a mindset of learning and growth.
3. Build a culture of excellence: Setting high standards for performance and holding everyone accountable to those standards is the way to build quality culture. It also means recognizing and celebrating when people go above and beyond, so that excellence becomes a natural part of the organisation’s culture.
4. Empower your employees: Quality can’t be imposed from the top down – it must be embraced by everyone in your organisation. This means giving employees the tools and resources needed to take ownership of quality in their own areas of responsibility. It also means fostering a culture of collaboration and teamwork.
5. Communicate clearly and consistently: Providing regular feedback and updates on performance, as well as ensuring that everyone understands the vision and goals of the organisation are essential. It also means being transparent about any challenges or obstacles that arise, and working together to overcome them.

Also Read- In Quest of Client Retention

 For us at Autumnwood, quality is not a one-off act! We make quality a habit in our work, so that it becomes a part of who we are and what we stand for. Consistently delivering quality work not only benefits the company, but it also benefits every individual who is part of our team. High-quality work has set us apart from the rest, earned us respect and recognition, and helped us build a reputation for excellence. It is a reflection of our values, our standards, and our commitment to excellence.

Client retention(CR) is the fountain of youth for any business that keeps it vibrant! It is the holy grail that every business seeks to enhance its longevity, and Autumnwood is no different. Wondering why? Sit back on a comfy Autumnwood chair, take a deep breath and relax because here are some statistics that might take your breath away! 

Research shows that half of a company’s revenues come from 8% of the loyal customers! A 5% increase in customer retention leads to a whopping 25-30% increase in revenues and up to 25% increase in profitability!

 Autumnwood’s Formula For CR

Client retention is the act of retaining existing clients or customers of a business rather than losing them to competitors or neglecting them by focussing only on new customers. We at Autumnwood know for sure that CR is a direct consequence of client satisfaction. Satisfied clients are more likely to continue doing business with a company, whereas dissatisfied clients are more likely to leave and take their business elsewhere. Satisfied clients also become your biggest marketers and positive publicity agents!

 Advantages Of CR

1. Increased Customer Lifetime Value (CLV): When clients are retained, they tend to spend more money over time, which increases their lifetime value to the company. This is because loyal clients are more likely to purchase additional products or services and refer others to the company, leading to increased revenue and profits.
2. Cost Savings: Acquiring new clients can be expensive, with marketing and advertising costs, sales commissions, and other expenses involved. Retaining existing clients is generally less expensive, as the company has already built a relationship with them and doesn’t need to invest as much to maintain that relationship.
3. Improved Reputation: Companies that are known for their customer service and client retention tend to have a better reputation in the market. This can lead to increased referrals and a positive brand image, which can in turn attract new clients.
4. Customer Feedback: Retaining clients allows a company to receive valuable feedback on their products and services. This feedback can be used to improve the company’s offerings and provide a better experience for both current and future clients.

 A Satisfied Client Is Our Top Priority

Autumnwood always strives to delight its clients. For starters, we craft the highest quality products with materials and techniques that ensure longevity in our furniture and fixtures. From initial consultation to delivery and installation, we maintain clear communications and provide regular updates. Despite involving the client at every step and providing them with customization options, we deliver 100% on time. Since a sale is only the beginning of a relationship, we continue with excellent after-sales service and excellent customer care support.

Don’t take our words for it. Give us a chance to serve you with our actions just like 20+ of our clients have. You will be delighted for sure!

‘Customer is king’ is a cliche for a reason. Ensuring ultimate satisfaction of the client is so critical for any business to succeed in the long run and Autumnwood is no exception. 

We started off years ago with this lofty goal of delighting clients and it certainly has paid off today. Based on our experience, here are 9 reasons why client satisfaction is crucial for us (and anyone else who would like to succeed like us)!

1.  Reputation: A business that consistently delivers high-quality products and exceptional customer service will have a positive reputation and attract new clients while retaining existing ones. 
2. Repeat Business: Satisfied clients are more likely to return for repeat business and make additional purchases. This leads to increased revenues and a more stable customer base. This can, in turn, increase the customer lifetime value (CLV) of a business, which is the total amount of revenue a business can expect to generate from a single customer over their lifetime.
3. Referrals: Word-of-mouth referrals from satisfied clients are a powerful form of marketing for a business. Happy clients are more likely to recommend the business to their friends, family, and colleagues, which can result in new business opportunities and increased revenue.
4. Competitive Advantage: In today’s competitive business environment, client satisfaction can be a key differentiator. A business that consistently delivers exceptional customer service with high-quality products will stand out from the competition.
5. Innovation: Client feedback and satisfaction can be a valuable source of information for a business looking to innovate and improve its products and services. Through feedback, a business can stay ahead of the competition and continue to grow and succeed in its industry.
6. Employee Satisfaction: Client satisfaction can also impact employee satisfaction and morale. When employees see that their hard work is making a positive impact on clients, they are more likely to feel motivated and engaged in their work.
7. Cost Savings: Satisfied clients are less likely to require refunds or exchanges, which can result in cost savings for a business. They also are less likely to complain or leave negative reviews, saving the business of its reputation management costs.
8. Brand Loyalty: Satisfied clients are more likely to become loyal to a brand, which can lead to increased brand recognition and advocacy. This can be particularly valuable in industries where brand recognition and customer loyalty are critical factors for success.
9. Continuous Improvement: By listening to its clients and continually improving its products and services, a business can stay relevant and competitive in its industry, and continue to grow and succeed over time.

 At Autumnwood, our goal is to create furniture and fixtures that not only meet but exceed our clients’ expectations. Our clients’ satisfaction is what gives us self-satisfaction and a sense of joy at the end of each day. Knowing that we have made a positive impact on someone’s life or business is what motivates us to wake up every morning and continue doing what we do best.

Do you know how many cervical vertebrae (neck bones) are there in a human being? The answer is 7. Now, estimate how many neck bones a giraffe has. If you weren’t previously aware, hold your breath. It is just 7 again! However, each cervical vertebra in a giraffe’s neck can be over 10 inches long. This is a unique innovation by Mother Nature where the same number of bones are redesigned to occupy and functionally support 6-feet necks! Thus, giraffes can reach high leaves and branches for food in the dry grasslands.

We Are Inspired by Nature’s Innovation

Autumnwood’s innovation in furniture and fixtures as part of its custom-designed, turnkey solutions for clients is inspired largely by nature’s innovation. Just as bones provide support and structure to a body, we believe that furniture and fixtures provide support and structure to a living space. Well-chosen and well-placed furniture and fixtures can transform a space into a comfortable, inviting, and functional area for living, working, and socialising. From providing seating and storage to defining areas and creating a certain ambiance, furniture and fixtures greatly impact the functionality, comfort, and aesthetic appeal of a space. That is why, like nature, we craft different ‘fixtures’ based on the desired ‘neck design’!

 Autumnwood’s focus on customising furniture based on the specific requirements of each client is what sets us apart as a leader in the furniture industry. It emphasises the importance of personalised design in creating functional and comfortable living spaces.

Formula and Process for Happy Clients

This innovative approach to designing furniture and fixtures is based on prioritising the size and proportions of a space, along with the specific functionalities and communication that the client envisions for that space. So, whether the client is Reebok, Dell, Style Up or Rare Rabbit the innovative approach is the same while the final results of the interior design with furniture and fixtures are dramatically different. It begins with consultation and needs assessment. Then comes space planning which creates a preliminary layout that maximises functionality and aesthetic appeal. Upon approval, the detailed drawings and renderings showcase the proposed design. This is implemented with perfect synchronicity by the Autumnwood artisans. Feedback is invited from the clients at every stage of the process.

Thus, Reebok gets a space that exudes its focus on performance and fitness while Style Up is built to communicate trendiness and affordability. The furniture and fixtures for Rare Rabbit complement its unique and high-quality products that are both stylish and functional while the interiors for Dell communicate customisation and affordable technology solutions.

Innovation has been a driving force behind the growth and success of many of the world’s most successful civilizations and businesses. From the earliest civilizations, people have always sought new and better ways of doing things, leading to the creation of countless technologies and products that have changed the course of history. Take, for example, the wheel. The invention of this simple device revolutionised transportation and commerce, enabling goods to be transported more efficiently and over greater distances. The printing press, the telephone, and the Internet are just a few more examples of the profound impact that innovation can have on the world.

Innovation – Converting Ideas To Invoices

 In recent years, innovation has become increasingly important as businesses compete for advantage in a rapidly changing global marketplace. From the largest corporations to the smallest startups, companies are investing heavily in research and development, seeking new and better ways to meet the needs of their customers and stay ahead of the curve. According to a recent report by the World Intellectual Property Organization, global spending on research and development which was $1.7 trillion in 2018 had reached $2.5 trillion in 2022. This represents a significant increase from just a few years ago and is a testament to the importance that companies place on innovation.

Innovation – The Biggest USP Any Company Can Have

 One of the key benefits of innovation is that it allows companies to differentiate themselves from their competitors by offering unique products or services. Innovation also helps companies to stay ahead of the curve in terms of changing customer preferences and new technologies. For example, companies that were quick to embrace e-commerce and mobile technology are now enjoying significant advantages over those that are slower to adopt these trends. The success of Amazon shows the power of innovation in driving business growth and success. By continuously pushing the boundaries of what is possible and embracing new technologies, Amazon has become a leader in the e-commerce industry and a model for other companies looking to innovate and grow.

 Another important benefit of innovation is that it can lead to improved efficiency and cost savings. By streamlining processes and finding new and more efficient ways of doing things, companies can reduce costs and increase productivity, allowing them to remain competitive in a rapidly changing business landscape.

Embrace Innovation And Prosper

 Despite the many benefits of innovation, many companies struggle to cultivate a culture of innovation within their organisations. This can be due to a lack of resources, a lack of leadership support, or a lack of understanding about the value of innovation. To overcome these challenges, companies need to make a concerted effort to foster a culture of innovation. This can involve investing in training and development programs for employees, encouraging a spirit of experimentation and risk-taking, and creating an environment where new ideas are celebrated and embraced.

 At Autumnwood, it is no different. Innovation is the soul of our organization and our key to success, in this rapidly changing business landscape. We believe that the only way to stay ahead is to constantly create and recreate. It is innovation that distinguishes a market-leader and a market-follower.

If you want a formula for guaranteed success in business, it is to set realistic customer expectations and strive your best to exceed them. Underpromise and overdeliver are the keywords! But then, customer expectations are continually evolving as technology advances and societal norms change. Some of the trends in customer expectations that businesses face include:

1. Increased convenience: Customers expect to be able to shop and make purchases anytime, anywhere, and on any device. This includes the expectation of seamless, omnichannel experiences across online and offline channels.
2. Personalization: Customers expect personalised experiences and products that are tailored to their individual needs and preferences.
3. Speed: Customers expect fast delivery times and immediate responses to their inquiries and complaints.
4. Transparency: Customers expect honesty and transparency from businesses, including clear and accurate information about products, prices, and policies.
5. Social responsibility: Customers are increasingly considering a company’s impact on the environment and society when making purchasing decisions.
6. Quality: Customers expect high-quality products and services that meet their needs and expectations.

To meet these changing customer expectations, businesses must stay attuned to the evolving needs and preferences of their target markets and be willing to adapt and innovate in response. Overall, the key is to be adaptable and responsive to changing customer expectations. For instance, by regularly reassessing your store layout, product mix, and displays, you can stay ahead of trends and meet the needs of your customers. Here are a few ways that you can use your store’s furniture, shelves, and displays to keep up with changing customer expectations:

1. Use flexible and modular furniture: Furniture that can be easily rearranged or reconfigured can help you quickly adapt to changing customer preferences or trends. For example, if you sell clothing, you might consider using freestanding clothing racks or wall-mounted shelves that can be moved around to create different displays.
2. Utilise digital displays: Digital displays, such as screens or tablets, can be a great way to showcase products, provide information, or even entertain customers. They can also be easily updated to reflect changing preferences or new products.
3. Make use of strategic placement: Consider where you place different products in your store. You can use shelf placement and other visual merchandising techniques to guide customer attention and encourage them to browse certain areas or products.
4. Keep things organised and visually appealing: A clean, well-organised store can make a big difference in how customers perceive your business. Make sure that your shelves and displays are well-maintained and visually appealing, as this can help create a positive impression and encourage customers to browse and shop.

Autumnwood has decades of experience customising and personalising display and furniture solutions to enhance the retail experience and exceed customer expectations. Please leave your comments here if you liked the blog and learn more about opening up new vistas for your business’ retail growth.

“Everything at the click of a mouse or the tap of a finger” is the mantra these days. With ecommerce proliferating for years now and the Covid-19 pandemic giving virtual retail across the world a powerful boost, one actually wondered whether the death knell for physical retail was ringing. To add to it is the fact that in the United States alone, nearly 25000 stores closed in 2020-21.

And yet, in 2022, 87% of all the sales happen at physical stores and more than 94% customers have returned to the act of physical shopping. Though ecommerce has prospered, physical retail continues to rule the roost. As a retailer, you should definitely invest in physical stores and here are reasons why. 

1. According to KPMG, consumers prefer physical stores as they get to see, experience as well as test the products in person before making the purchase decision. The physical location, by offering hands-on experience with the product increases the probability of a sale.
2. Research indicates that salespeople influence at least 60% of the prospective customers into making a purchase. It also shows that more than 75% of customers tend to purchase more under the influence of excellent service.
3. Attractive displays of complementary and supplementary products in the store ensures increased sales volume as customers indulge in buying additional items. Getting a world-class professional like Autumnwood to plan and craft your display units also bolsters sales.
4. The retail landscape has gotten very competitive and the best way to stand out is to create a brand. The physical store is still the best possible method to create the brand experience for the consumers.
5. It has been proven that consumers return anywhere between 20%-40% of the products purchased online. When it comes to physical stores however, the range is between 5%-10%. Even in the case of an exchange, it costs less at the physical store since shipping and packaging costs are eliminated.
6. Logistics, packaging and transportation costs can increase exponentially and erode your margins when it comes to ecommerce. Physical stores can help out here by acting as warehouses or fulfilment centres to reduce inventory costs on one hand and enhance your geographical reach on the other.
7. Your physical store is a fertile ground to obtain critical customer data to study and understand trends based on actual observation of customers’ interactions with the space and products in the store.
8. The ICSC (International Council of Shopping Centers) found that the website traffic got enhanced by 37% in the quarter after a physical store was opened. This isn’t surprising because with the presence of a store, there is an automatic increase in the number of online mentions and web searches. All of these result in increased profitability.

 When you decide to take the plunge to open your first store or branch stores in different geographies, make your displays stand out and call out to your potential customers. Contact Autumnwood for quality-driven and custom-manufactured end-to-end interior solutions and turnkey projects. And we will do it as easy as a click of a mouse or tap of a finger for you!

It would stun anyone to know that more than 25% of a child’s life is spent in the school’s furniture! Considering a 7-8 hour day at school and a 5-6 day week, the maths easily works itself. While we spend hours and days debating and discussing chairs, tables and beds for our children at home, we possibly do not consider the furniture even in the slightest when we enrol them into school! 

This is an important point for school principals, administrators, management and purchasing boards to consider while furnishing the classrooms and school premises. In fact, in this day and age of heightened awareness, many schools have utilised their furniture as a strong marketing point.

Read More-  The Perfect Furniture

 Basics Of Classroom Furniture

​​The furniture used in any classroom must not occupy more than 50% of the space to allow for free movement without accidents or injuries. It is very important that it encourages the perfect sitting posture – with the children’s backs against the chairs and the feet on the floor. The desk/table should be at a comfortable height to make the student focus well without distractions. When all this is done right, there is a much higher probability of the student delivering his/her best performance academically. Classroom furniture thus becomes the teacher’s best aide!

Best Wood For Best Furniture

 Here are three concepts from the Autumnwood designers to theme your classrooms depending on the students’ needs. 

1. Flexi-Furniture – This concept is based on the fact that an active student scientifically has a greater probability of better grades than the less active ones. And to keep the student active, it would be great to have adjustable tables and chairs made of pliable wood or softer wood. One could make use of multi-tasking furniture like table-chair pairs that fit into each other to form cubes/boxes. Foldable tables that open up from the wall when necessary also offer flexibility and space.
2. Collab-Furniture – Education is no longer about a teacher writing stuff on the blackboard and the students sincerely noting it in their books! Even from the primary school level, students are being encouraged to work collaboratively, in groups to build their EQ along with the IQ. Now, if the students have to spend time and energy rearranging the furniture for collaborative activities, the teacher/mentor might choose to skip such activities. Lightweight benches/desks, furniture with built-in power outlets, modular tables, and chairs with wheels or casters are some ideas to build on.
3. Tech-Furniture – Another global trend in education is that it has become very visual and multimedia oriented. Today’s job market has a workforce that uses advanced technology. Thus, making students tech-savvy should be a priority for educational institutions. Multimedia tables, display units/holders and furniture with scope to accommodate smart-screens, power outlets and cables should be the favourites of any futuristic school.

Whatever be the concepts we choose while building the classroom, the furniture should inspire students while keeping them alert and attentive. It should motivate and stimulate on one hand and nurture and relax on the other. Do get in touch with our in-house experts to give the much-needed furniture-boost to your school classrooms.

Think of sipping a coffee in Starbucks or Cafe Coffee Day!!! Is it the best coffee in the world? The answer to that question will definitely vary because tastes differ. However, a vast majority will agree that sipping a coffee in Starbucks or Cafe Coffee Day is among the best coffee-drinking experiences in the world! It is not about the coffee alone but the experience of drinking it which builds the perception. That is where the ambiance and the furniture of your cafe gain importance in determining what customers think of you! In other words, you might be selling the best coffee but if the furniture is not right for your Cafe, then it will be pretty tough going.

 Make Your Brand Stand Out

Every café has its own unique menu which it builds on to increase its popularity. The same principle applies for its furniture as well. Fun and unique furniture is a definite way to establish a brand or enhance its popularity. Having been in the furniture business for decades at Autumnwood, we can authoritatively state that many cafés and restaurants have even started updating their interior every four to five years in order to be competitive and build excitement in their customers. It is evident that through differentiation, the interiors contribute to the success of the café more now than ever before. 

Rising Incomes And Rising Expectations

Unique furniture in cafés is not a novel concept in the developed world. It is almost a necessity. For instance, the Ampersand Café in Poland invested in bentwood stools and chairs to complement its indoor dining areas. The natural timber blended beautifully amidst the antique sofas, tables and fireplaces. The resulting ambiance from the renovation increased sales by 30%!

 India is surging on its way to become the 4th largest economy in the world and nobody dare call it a ‘developing country’ any more. Within rising incomes come increased standards of living and with that comes increased expectations. It is little wonder then that quaint coffee shops and unique coffee-houses have become the favourite haunt of the new generation.

Furniture ‘Tailormade’ For Cafe Themes

The kind of furniture that you will finally settle on for your cafe depends on your vision of the kind of customer you want to frequent it. If it is meant for the office-goers and the working populace looking for a quick morning or evening fix, functional tables and chairs with neat lines would be the choice. However, if it is meant to serve as a hangout space, then the furniture needs to cater to practicality and comfort. If your café is an outdoor one, you may pick bistro furniture made from rattan or wicker materials but if it is an upscale café in the elegant indoors, bentwood furniture is a good pick.

 Do get in touch with us and our expert craftspeople will craft the furniture that best suits your café. And we assure you ofthe most attractive prices across India.

Did you know that if you were a woman travelling in a car, there is a 47% greater chance of severe injury in case of a crash because the safety features of the car are designed for men? Did you know that everyday 33000 girls become child-brides? Did you know that only 6 countries in the world give women equal legal rights as men? We could go on with more such shocking gender-disparity statistics. But we will stop because we know we have got your attention.

The Need For International Day Of The Girl Child

“All men are created equal” is a popular and famous statement that emphasises universal equality among all human beings. The irony however, lies in the very wording of the statement because it uses the term ‘man’ to denote humans! What about women and girls? For centuries now, women have been restricted to varying degrees in exercising their human rights and enjoying fundamental freedoms. This silent and accepted discrimination based on gender begins from the womb and extends till the tomb. So deeply ingrained is this inequity and apathy towards the girl child that we need an International Day to recognize the rights of girls and the unique challenges that they face around the world!

Breaking The Glass Ceiling

Times are changing though. It started with one-off cases of girls breaking barriers and boundaries created by stereotypes and exclusion. As awareness and efforts grew, the number of girls and women breaking the glass ceiling across fields also grew. Today, when girls  with disabilities and those who are living in marginalised communities shine forth, it represents a definite paradigm shift. Girls are today creating a new world that is relevant in the present and for the future. They are rising as professionals, stepping forward as innovators, entrepreneurs and initiators of movements globally.

It has become increasingly clear that empowering girls and ensuring gender equality is critical to accelerate the sustainable and all-round development of society. Ending all kinds of discrimination against women and girls is not only about upholding human rights, but it is also about correcting historical human wrongs!

Yet So Far…

Despite all the progress so far, girls across the globe continue to face multiple challenges in securing education, physical health, mental wellness and protections for a life without violence. It is worse for girls with disabilities and the COVID-19 pandemic has worsened things even more for girls. Important gains they had made over the last decade have been eroded in just 2 years.  The World Economic Forum’s Gender Gap Report of 2018 clearly stated that it would take at least 108 more years to achieve gender parity at the current progress rate!

The UNICEF (United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund) has proclaimed the 2022 theme for the International Day of the Girl Child as “Our time is now – our rights, our future”. Well, whatever be your gender, the time to act is definitely now and there is no time to waste. We are running quite late already!