FALLEN IN THE NET(WORK).
by Elisabetta Boldrini - Project Manager
«It takes two to tango... sometimes three, four...»
Here we are again, or rather, I came back to tell you another part of us. Yes, I know, the title seems familiar to you, and indeed it’s. I’ve already used it in another article. I hope you’ll forgive me, but I liked to start where we left off and delve into the subject.
I have already told you that to dance the tango well, you have to be at least two, but empty dance halls do not like anyone, so to make a good show you need a multitude of people.
Well, that also applies in our work. It’s unthinkable to even think of being able to realise a successful project without having a team behind that knows “dance well” to stay in the theme.
Today I want to talk about this, our dancers, or rather, those people who work for us and with us and who contribute to the realisation of your project: our network.
Is it important that you know? I think you do. If I were you I would like to know that part of the work that very often risks to remain in the shadows, but fundamental, because it affects the success and quality of the project itself and therefore your project.
Let’s get this over with. What is our network? Of course, it’s all our suppliers. For us, however, it is much more than that. It’s the set of collaborators we interact with and confront to try to find together the best possible solutions for you.
We are linked to many, almost all, by a consolidated relationship, which has lasted for years and years and which allows us to work well and with confidence, together.
Our supplier network is really vast. It’s, in fact, made up of both national and international brands that sell buying products, such as Pedrali, Flos, to name a few, and those who sell raw materials or semi-finished products, such as Abet that provides laminates, but also by those who provide and work or only work raw materials such as our carpenters, marble workers etc..
We could, almost, divide it into a perfect half; artisans and national brands. Both allow us to distinguish each project with two important characteristics and values, the craftsmanship and the Made in Italy, two of our strengths.
Each project is in fact the result of a mix of these features and therefore incorporates both fashionable elements, design, in vogue, both handmade elements, unique, custom made for that precise customer.
Although there is no precise logic to this, we carefully choose who to turn to based on the elements of the project, for example we opt for well-known brands and known for elements such as seats, lamps, while we use local artisans and suppliers to make made-to-measure items.
Given our long and persistent experience in the sector and given our continuing desire to update, offer new solutions, keep up with the times, our network is solid, but at the same time, constantly expanding.
But how do we work with it? Alas, you’ll have to continue reading to find out.
«Here I answer what I asked above»
Yeah, I know, it’s not the best headline, but at least I’m honest. When a customer, an architect, a construction company like you, entrusts us with a project, as already mentioned, we invest it in every element of it in order to find the best solutions.
The way we work and interact with our network depends on the nature and type of the project.
In fact, for more specific projects, more complex technically speaking, we prefer to rely entirely on them to identify the best way to achieve certain elements. This is because we are sure that that specific supplier, specialised in that sector, can have a more in-depth knowledge and therefore allow us to offer you the best.
Let me give you an example. We recently happened to make a bakery, where they served refrigerated counters that had certain characteristics able to satisfy the customer’s requests and the intended use. That’s why we turned to our supplier Ciam, who specialises widely in these elements, as we say is “their daily bread” and we were able to offer the customer the most performing solution both from the aesthetic and functional point of view.
In other projects, instead, it’s our technical department that supplies the drawings in detail to the supplier chosen to realise that specific element, carrying out then a direct control, in the case in which we turn to local suppliers, on the production. Obviously, different suppliers are chosen for each project also to create a single element if the latter incorporates more solutions.
This is to ensure that every “piece” is highly performing.
Also for the choice of materials to use we compare a lot with our network. We usually transfer customer requests for materials to them, and we always receive feedback or advice if there are better solutions. This allows to increase the quality of the project and therefore the functionality, while preserving the aesthetics.
We can therefore combine functionality, aesthetics and durability in a better way.
You will see that you will thank us when your maintenance costs are reduced or when these choices affect the well-being and emotions of your guests.
«What is your advantage?»
I want to be very direct, very clear-cut, because I know you’re wondering “where I’m going with this”.
Having an established and constantly updated network allows us to have, and therefore to offer you, a series of advantages.
First of all, our network is a key point for us because they are actually the ones who shape what we put on paper and contribute to its realisation. I would call them the heart of the production process, they are “production” and “purchasing” in our approach, even if we confront them since “engineering”. And you know, different minds think better than one, and something much better comes out of it, I might add.
In addition, the long-lasting relationship, the differentiation and the breadth of our network allow us to realise any request and any type of project, whether it be this of a hotel, bar, restaurant, shop, office or home.
This is because we can draw on a different know-how and specialisation.
If that’s not enough, I’ll tell you more. In addition to accepting all our and therefore your request, the consolidated relationship and direct dialogue and being now “at home” allow us to take precedence over others and not to have to wait long before receiving an answer from our suppliers.
This, of course, you will see for yourself that it allows us to reduce time and expectations considerably.
Even the well-established relationship with internationally recognized brands allows this, ensuring your project to have that touch of glam and be “fashionable” and therefore focus on aesthetics as well as functionality and technicalities.
The choice that sometimes falls on local suppliers and artisans, some of which are within walking distance, also ensures, especially for custom furniture, greater control and monitoring on all stages of production. In this way we can assure you the optimization of quality and timing.
Ah, you can check the progress and status yourself, thanks to the photos or reports we can send you periodically (having them near we can do it). So you won’t worry.
You will have understood then, that in addition to allowing us to meet your every request, reduce expectations, timing, increase quality, being able to count on a wide network and specialising each in their own profession allows us to ensure a better value for money.
I just add, that we rarely choose the same supplier to create different elements of a project, in order to make each element unique, and to assign it to those who are most suitable to realise that specific aspect. Obviously everything is tied by a wire and leads to a final result perfectly integrated.
We succeed in doing so thanks to the differentiation and the breadth of our network, made up of suppliers particularly specialised in different sectors.
«The union makes the strength»
Well, now that you have no more doubts about it, even if the subject is vast and impossible to deal with everything in this article (we’ll think about it later), I want to give you some examples of when the union really made the strength.
Where do we start? Ah yes, from this that I really like and I’m very proud of; the bottle holder we made for the Crowne Plaza Zurich.
For this element of the project we coordinated and coordinated with several suppliers to find solutions “to creativity” of the customer and the architect.
In fact, in order to realise the different elements of this element we have turned to several suppliers, each one highly specialised in a component. Just think, the same element has been treated by different suppliers to be able to ensure the desired result.
Starting from the supplied concept we take care of prototyping, sampling, industrialization up to the final assembly. Every little aspect is followed and monitored, coordinating everything within the deadlines and budget.
And that’s just the result.
Always to satisfy the requests of the client and the architect of the Crowne Plaza, this time in Geneva, however, who wanted a fabric in jeans for the lining of the seats of the restaurant, we tried “for seas and mountains” a supplier that was able to make a fabric in jeans stain and water repellent (essential characteristics).
Being fashionable (it’s a joke) and not having found a supplier of furniture for Hotels that had a similar material, we turned to a manufacturer of jeans, able to replicate a fabric with these characteristics.
Also for the Crowne Plaza Geneva, we have created a breakfast room counter that incorporates materials and solutions from different suppliers, such as Laminam or Silestone. You can find it in our Newspaper.
I have already told you about the bathroom washbasins in the rooms of the Hotel Ginevra City of M3 Hospitality.
But if you missed the article about it, I’ll mention it here.
In order to produce the “prince” shaped corian wash basins, the classic top hat emblem of the 18th century that dates back to the building, perfectly in line with the philosophy of the M3 group, an intense collaboration was required with our supplier of corian, of which we accepted all the advice, to give the element the desired appearance.
It was not easy to model a resistant material like corian. To do this our supplier has made a multitude of different samples in shape and colour to be submitted to us for approval, only so we could locate the appropriate portion.
I just want to go back and tell you that locating the material to do this was a difficult task. We succeeded thanks to a direct dialogue with our different suppliers of materials, which, thanks to their know-how, have allowed us to identify the corian as the best material to use.
Even for the Hotel N’Vy, every solution has been studied by our designers and technicians together with various suppliers of our network. I could talk to you about many, too many elements, but there is one in particular that you will surely like; ; the partition wall of the perforated metal restaurant.
So behind this idea was a deep study of metal carpentry that made it possible to make the round tunnels in the wall. I can tell you that we are good and have extensive knowledge in many things (yes, I dare say it alone), but we would never have been able to achieve this without the help of our suppliers specialised in this industry.
I could go on indefinitely, but the last example I give you, you can also find this in many other articles is the Oste table that we have created for Le Domaine Du Mas De Pierre Hotel Resort & Spa – Relay Châteaux.
Unique element of its kind, 6 metres long, has been designed by us in every single detail, and our suppliers have been able to provide us with wooden boards of the length needed to make it.
And now? I hope that at this point, you have understood how important our network is for us, but not only for us, but also for you, for your project, to be able to realise your idea by optimising quality, aesthetics, functionality, timing and of course the economic component: your budget.
