By Pat Blank
Furniture Answers, National Training & Support Director

A few simple steps and the right tools can reduce your repair costs dramatically.

When it comes to controlling refurbishment costs, an ounce of prevention is the key. Proper training can avoid injured furniture, appliances, floors and backs.

Most damage to rental furniture does not come from customers, it comes from employees. Every time a unit is handled, the risk of damage increases. This is where an ounce of prevention really is worth a pound of cure. A few simple steps and the right tools can reduce your repair costs dramatically:

- All pieces should be wrapped in blankets - all the time! Many tears and dings happen despite really taking care.

· Anything with drawers should have bands around them so that the drawers can't slide open and shift the weight of the piece. We've all probably experienced the dresser tipping over in the back of the truck.

· Doorways should have padded guards installed. They are like packing blanket strips that clip to a doorway.  It takes two seconds to put them on, and you remove the chance of a problem in the single most damage-causing area.

One of our most requested training sessions involves proper lifting and delivery techniques. Many stores send a single person to make deliveries,  using the proper dolly and straps for the job can save in really big ways:

· We just refinished a hardwood floor that was scratched from the kitchen to the front door because a delivery person scooted a refrigerator across it without a dolly.  It cost thousands, and the store paid. Using an appliance dolly would have saved a lot of money and aggravation.

· Many worker's comp claims are for back problems. Proper lifting and carrying techniques can avoid loss of work time and expensive claims.  Simple lessons such as "lift with your legs, not your back" go a long way. 

To learn how to do simple repairs on upholstery items and wood case good furniture, visit Furniture Answers website - www.furnitureanswers.com. All the tools and supplies your company needs in a simple to use shopping cart and On-line Video Library.