Office Business Centers Realize Financial, Operational Benefits of Outsourcing Furniture Management

Alliance Business Center Network and Abby Office Center Benefit from CORT’s Furniture Solutions

The ALLIANCE Business Centers Network (ABCN) was founded in 1991 to meet the needs of independent business center operators wishing to improve their competitive advantage in the market. Member locations enjoy worldwide benefits and client referrals. The network has hundreds of locations in nearly all major countries.

Made up of businesses in more than 40 countries worldwide, ABCN provides members with a variety of benefits and services, including office space worldwide and group purchasing benefits. ABCN and CORT enjoy a longstanding relationship through which CORT provides rental furniture services to many ABCN members. Members such as Abby Office Center, headquartered in Houston, benefit from affordable CORT furniture packages and can pass these benefits along to their customers.

ABCN provides three key benefits to its members. The network provides a wealth of industry information and competitive data, provides a strong marketing organization and structure that helps members sells their space and services as if the organization was a single company, and aggregates purchasing power of the group to negotiate contracts with competitive pricing and offering that most likely would not be available to individual business centers.

For the past 15 years, ABCN has worked with CORT to offer furniture rental packages to members. ABCN members and their customers have access to the entire CORT inventory with discounts for rental packages and retail furniture purchases.

ABCN employs subject matter experts on various member programs, including the network’s relationship with CORT. These experts are available as a resource to new members to help them understand the benefits of furniture rental and how it will help their business and review CORT inventory.

ABCN members also receive advance notifications from CORT about especially large installations of furniture that will be available. For example, members got a chance to shop early for used office furniture that had been rented by the U.S. Census Bureau to outfit offices for the 2010 Census. This product was in a very high-quality condition but in limited quantity, so early notification was a great benefit to members.

CORT’s high-quality inventory, consistently excellent customer service and global reach prompted ABCN to continue increasing their business with CORT.

“By sharing services, our members increase their efficiency; a simple concept that is exemplified by our relationship with CORT,” said Frank Cottle, ABCN chairman. “Our industry has benefitted as companies ranging from startups to the Fortune 1000 realize the benefits of flexible office space for a mobile workforce. As the office business center industry, ABCN and our members continue to grow CORT will play a critical role in supporting our needs.”

Abby Office Centers, headquartered in Houston with additional facilities in Dallas, San Antonio, Tucson and New Orleans, offers office space and virtual offices for business professionals. Abby provides their diverse customer base with tailored office solutions, including a variety of options for furnishing their space. While one customer may house a single person in an office, another customer may use the same square footage for three people. CORT helps Abby meet their customers’ varying needs with flexible furnishing solutions.

ABCN member Abby turns to CORT to provide their customers with office furniture such as desks, chairs and conference tables. CORT assumes the furniture management burden from Abby by managing, delivering and maintaining furniture for Abby and their customers.

“Our customers rely on us to provide dependable service and prices,” said William Edmunds, chief executive officer for Abby Office Centers. “As a member of our extended team, we expect and have enjoyed the same focus and dedication from CORT that we give our customers, as the company consistently delivers excellent service, maintains a wide range of high-quality inventory and delivers and removes furniture on time.”

By outsourcing furniture management to CORT, Abby staff can focus on customer service and growing their business. Abby is working to migrate 100 percent of their Houston business to CORT and uses CORT as a furniture resource at many of their 20 locations. Abby anticipates annual growth of 10 to15 percent, and CORT provides a reliable furniture option that can grow with the company.

“One of the benefits of working with a partner like CORT is that our staff do not have to track down drivers, insurance, trucks or warehouses to store furniture,” said Edmunds. “When we work with CORT, we know the process will work seamlessly, and that is how we want partners to work for our clients.”

Renting furniture through CORT also allows Abby to serve more customers and provide these customers with a great value in service and product. Furniture rental allows Abby managers to offer customers exactly the furniture they need, when they need it. This allows Abby to maximize their space to support greater customer density, higher customer retention and higher revenues for the company.

“The relationship we have built with CORT is a true example of how outsourcing certain functions to a partner can really benefit all parties involved, and we look forward to many future years working with CORT,” said Cottle.