When you look at a great piece of furniture, you’re only seeing half the story. Chances are that piece looks wonderful to the eye, but what about what is under the covers?
Your eyes can sure tell a lot, but they cannot tell you how that sofa was built. Was it assembled from quality materials? Did the company that constructed it, build it to last for years, or was it just a poor assembly job that will fall apart in a couple of years?
It is an issue FF&E buyers are becoming increasingly concerned about. Buyers must be sure the furniture they buy does not just look great, but lives up to the massive wear and tear each piece experiences in the rugged hotel environment.
It is why, at Samuelson Furniture, we partnered up with the tech-forward design communication agency SONNY+ASH. They specialize in 3D computer graphics for design industry story telling. In a first of its kind initiative, we partnered with them in a game changing way. Now, we are able to tell the Samuelson story more effectively than ever before.
At HD Expo, earlier this month, we used this amazing new technology to show attendees what is happening below the surface of the great products we produce. Using 3D imaging, we virtually peeled back the myriad of layers in our sofa, in real time, via an iPad, revealing the incredible craftsmanship and high end materials that go into every piece of furniture coming out of our factories.
CLICK HERE FOR A VIRTUAL EXPERIENCE UNDER OUR COVERS
It was a unique way to give customers the opportunity to have a revealing look at what they’re really buying. Thanks to our technology partner, Sonny+Ash, HD attendees experienced our quality furniture in ways they have never gotten to before.
The best part, the technology was a big hit on the HD trade show floor. Folks crowded around the booth from show open to close every day in the hopes of seeing this revolutionary new technology in action. According to our executive VP, Michael Chalfin, this is the next logical step in Samuelson’s commitment in using technology to best serve customers.
“We love integrating technology into furniture. We have already transformed furniture by adding such elements as LED lights, power strips and USB connectivity, as well as full automation of product. Until now, we did not have a way for purchasing pros to understand just how significantly different the quality of our furniture is, when compared to other suppliers in the market. We do now,” said Chalfin. “Plus, it adds an interactive experience, which not only drives customer curiosity, but engages them more than ever, in the high-quality products our Samuelson craftspeople create every day."
On the show floor at HD, attendees were wowed by the new technology, marveling at this perfect merger between product and innovation. They lined up to see how the technology worked, and were awed by its capabilities.
For Mike Gajdorus, Director of Client Experience for Sonny + Ash, this represented the start of a great new partnership. “This is great exposure, both for us and Samuelson,” he said at the bustling trade show booth. “There are so many people exploring the booth and learning from this augmented reality experience. This has been a great way to show their products in a customer pleasing way.”
Chalfin and Gajdorus promise this is just the start. At Samuelson we will continue incorporating new technology into our furniture, in new and exciting ways to further enhance customer experience. Stay tuned at BDNY, this fall, to see how we expand upon this technology in jaw dropping ways.