Maria Pilsner, customer service representative, is the first person you’ll see when you walk into Lakes Gas Co. in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. You could be walking in to pay your bill, get an invoice, or fill your cylinders. Next to Maria you’ll see a dog, Ms. Daisy Do, a bichon terrier mix, relaxing in her bed or standing up to greet you. Today, the front desk is organized, calm, and welcoming – but it wasn’t always this way.
Lakes Gas Co. is a family-owned company with 50+ locations, and each one brings a comfortable, familiar feeling to the people who regularly stop in. Some of the other offices also have resident dogs, some have office cats, and all allow customers to bring in their (well-behaved) pets. Maria even keeps a stash of dog treats on hand for any four-legged visitors. The front desk/Maria’s work station has always been a friendly space, but was in need of some updating and reworking.
In need of a change
Let’s rewind back to the days when the furniture was a little mismatched and the space felt a bit chaotic.
The biggest problem was that there wasn’t a clear distinction between the front desk and Maria’s personal workspace. Additionally, because of the positioning of her desk, Maria had to face the window and couldn’t greet approaching customers as readily. The setup wasn’t working for anyone, and it felt dated too.
“My desk was from the ‘60s or ‘70s. I had a really short corner and no storage. And customers were literally able to come and stand behind me, which is not safe.”
Lakes Gas Co., and certainly Maria, were ready for a remodel. That’s when they called in Quill.
All locations have depended on Quill as their key office supplier for years, for all day-to-day supplies including paper, pens, cleaning supplies, coffee, mints, and more. Now they had a special ask for Quill’s Furniture Team.
Creating a perfect plan with Quill’s Furniture Team
Furniture Specialist Geneva Savage embraced the challenge, ready to transform this space.
She and Maria had multiple phone calls about Maria’s needs and vision for the space. They went from broad strokes planning to measuring and drawing, and then started connecting with furniture companies.
Maria really appreciated Geneva’s help.
“Geneva was amazing,” Maria told us. “I don’t think I could have done it as well without her. Especially when it came to the measurements – it’s a pretty tight space.”
Geneva was able to visualize an efficient layout for this unique space that would best serve everyone.
It took a few tries. The first plan wasn’t quite right, but Geneva didn’t settle. She found another solution and the end-result was a plan that she believed would be just right.
Delivery day and beyond
When the furniture arrived and the team began arranging everything, they were so pleased to see that it all fit perfectly within the space – the desks, the cabinets, upper storage, everything.
There was one issue though. The filing cabinets had incurred some damage during the shipping process. However, Maria told us, “Quill made it right.”
Once the new cabinets were in and everything was set up, Maria was thrilled with the space.
“I have a ton more storage and it looks a lot nicer and up-to-date,” Maria said. “It has made a world of difference.”
Long-time customers took notice after the remodel, too, telling Maria how great the space looked. Even office dog Daisy Do seemed more comfortable.
Finally, we’re back in the calm scene where we began. Quill and Lakes Gas Co. worked together to turn a messy space into a welcoming oasis. Maria no longer has to worry about customers coming behind her desk, and they may even enjoy some candy or other sweets when they walk up. Gas Lakes Co. loves to redeem Quill Rewards for these items to delight employees and customers.
Reach out to the Quill Furniture Team
Need a workplace refresh of your own? Our Furniture Specialist team is standing by to offer complimentary consultations, space planning, and more. They can be reached by phone at 800-634-0321, option 1 or by email at furniturespecialists@quill.com.
Keep up with more stories and business solutions like this on the Quill Blog.