There are many benefits to creating and maintaining a virtual workforce. There is also one big drawback. You have no one in your office to help you carry and assemble office furniture.

We finally moved into our new home (use moved with a grain of salt.) We sold everything in Illinois, and we have been shopping almost daily for everything from pillows, to furniture, to my office soundproofing, and furniture. It's been 22 years since we built and moved into our last home. It's been almost that long since I had to move boxes, open them, and spread out pieces all over the place looking for part “F” and screw “DD” with washer “QQ”. Then you have to read a book with pretty pictures and try to understand, what part faces up and/or forward.

No matter how small the piece of furniture, accessory, or even wall hanging, you have to follow the directions and allocate the time to do it right, and/or correct the mistakes along the way.

What I've learned is that sometimes saving money may cost you time, skin, sleep, and lost business.

The Pre-Planning

Moving, itself is a stressful situation. Moving a business can be double stressful. Not only do you have to plan the technology, ergonomics, and layout of the space, but you have to coordinate delivery. (And in my case moving again) set up for unforeseen challenges. You have to try to keep the business active, viable, and flowing.

We closed on our house on a Wednesday, and I planned to have the office up and running by Monday. Although five days sounds like a lot of time, I only had, Saturday & Sunday to fully concentrate on my office. The rest was needed to organize getting my family and home in order as well. We lived in an apartment for a few months while the house was being completed and ready for occupancy (and all the stuff to be delivered).

The Deliveries

When we moved down from Illinois to North Carolina, I packed most of my office equipment in a POD (with the few family possessions we took with us). I had to pack my wife, dog, clothes, and office equipment into my small SUV. Since the POD would not arrive for weeks after we first moved, I needed to bring enough gear to keep my business running from the spare bedroom in our small apartment. The first thing I did when we arrived, was run around to stores looking for a desk small enough to fit in that space.

The Staples (right near our apartment) does in fact sell staples but did not sell desks (or any office furniture). My son and I ran around to everything from furniture stores, to big chains like Target and Walmart, looking for anything we could buy and carry up the 3 flights of stairs to the apartment. We found only one option at a Walmart. I actually bought two pieces, but only one would fit. So I had to lug it down myself to return the 2nd piece.

After I got my bearings, I started to find more stores that would have furniture for my new home office that could be delivered in days (not months). Finding the right size for a room less than 1/2 the size I was used to was a challenge. Finding anything in the color scheme and size that would offer me enough space for all my supplies, and technology, while also being deliverable was almost impossible.

I also had to consider that a small room is not very conducive for doing webinars, podcasts, virtual meetings, and videos. Since the room is square with echoes that would ruin the sound. I had to put on my acoustic design thinking cap to deal with the sound issues while considering design and function. Keep in mind that the last time I designed an audio studio was in 1990. And the last office in my house was built in 2001. Back then, there were few podcasts and YouTube didn't exist. Webinars were being done in TV studios that had all the tech and soundproofing.

I used the Google Machine to find a desk and wall acoustic panels and foam, and get everything delivered to the apartment so I could be ready once we closed on the house. I ordered my main desk online and could not schedule a delivery so I had it sent to the apartment. And, I also ordered all the acoustic wall coverings from Amazon. Finally, I had to find a friend with a pickup truck to help me move things from the apartment to the house. The new furniture would not fit in my SUV!

The Office

Once I got everything to the house that I needed to make the office functional, I still had deliveries scheduled with additional furniture to augment my main desk. The first thing I had to do was get the walls done with the acoustic treatments to help with the echoes. I had to do that before I built the furniture, moved against the walls, and piled on the gear and wires.

Keep in mind I gave myself two days to get at least the basics up and running. We had to get the internet installed before I could do anything. Next, we had all the home furniture delivered for the living room, bedrooms, and kitchen. I was trying to just get the pieces of office furniture out of the box and organized. We got our fridge, washer, and dryer first. Next, the mattresses for the master and guest bedroom were delivered and set up. Then, I was very excited when they delivered the couch and TV stand. It was beautiful and fully assembled and put in place by a delivery crew. I set up the TV and stereo so we had entertainment as we unpacked.

But alas, I was back in my office trying to get the furniture assembled and then getting the wall treatments up. I literally rubbed the skin off my hand just getting the screws in while assembling the furniture (the ones I could not use my drill to install). It took two days to get that assembled and two more days to get the wall covered up before I could bring the gear in and connect to the internet.

The Main Point

I have to admit I was jealous that the home furniture was delivered whole, assembled, and moved into place by a crew. My office furniture had to be assembled. Granted, the TV stand cost as much as all the desks and additional storage (four pieces). But it took 10 minutes to install and another hour to get the tech working. The office took over 20 hours just to get ready to start getting the technology in place and working.

Sometimes, it makes more sense to have the fully assembled and delivered version, versus the cheaper, do-it-yourself version. Especially when you don't have employees to help you move and assemble the whole system.

It made me appreciate even more that while I was dealing with the move, I have a staff that was keeping my business rolling along. Clients were kept happy and projects were getting done. I could take the time to get all of the above done because I planned in advance for this day.

Final Thoughts

I am happy to report, that at the time of this writing, I have three of the four pieces of furniture assembled, and only a few more wall covering projects to finish (when the furniture is not blocking the walls.

In your business, are you doing it all yourself to save money, or because that is all you can get delivered? Sometimes, it is worth more to have the done-for-you service. This will give you more time to focus on yourself and your business. Too often we look for a cost-effective solution, but the cheap comes out expensive (especially with time). PLUS… just put one nail or screw in wrong, and that low-cost option shows it's just pressed board, with fake wood laminate.

Personally, I prefer the real wood, fully assembled kind of furniture.

I would love to hear about your challenges or successes in overcoming your, low-cost, do-it-yourself versus hiring help and fully assembled situation (if you have ever had one).

Comment below and share your thoughts, ideas, or questions about getting what you pay for.

To learn more about this and other topics on B2b Sales & Marketing, visit our podcast website at The Bacon Podcast.