Being a Good Office Park Neighbor

We take quality control very seriously at Blue Summit Supplies — so seriously that we usually test our products ourselves. We cut up cardboard with scissor samples, smell packing tape samples, and give our kids rulers to take to school with explicit instructions to ‘try to destroy them.’

But sometimes our focus on great customer service blinds us to other important things – things like being a good office park neighbor.

Once again, this gaffe revolves around whiteboards.

Learning from our mistakes

We had already experienced one shipping disaster thanks to oversight, and we were eager to prevent another. So, when our whiteboards came in with several options for ‘new and improved’ packaging, we wanted to make sure we chose the right packaging. We needed packaging that would do its job and ensure our whiteboards were virtually indestructible.

 We ensured this by dropping them.

… A lot.

Over and over again we stood in our second-floor office and dropped packaged whiteboards onto the ground from every angle, from varying heights. We even dropped other boxes onto the boxed whiteboards to see if this would puncture the packaging. At one point, our CEO Owen flung a boxed whiteboard down the stairwell.

It was a fun, productive experiment – for everyone but the assembly of professionals meeting in the auditorium below us.

We realized our mistake when someone from the congregation downstairs came up to kindly inform us we were disrupting the NASA meeting below. We’d been shaking their projector and causing loud, distracting noises. In our haste to provide the best value and experience to our customers, we’d neglected another major element of our sphere of influence: our neighbors.

Thankfully the NASA group forgave us after we explained and apologized, and most importantly, we (once again) learned from our mistake. This was a hard but important lesson to learn, and now we take painstaking efforts to be great office park neighbors.

Read on to find out how you can be a good office park neighbor, too.

Noise Control

We learned this lesson the hard way so you don’t have to. Even if you think your walls (or floors) are thick, be mindful of those beside, above, and below you when doing active office work. Noise interruptions are incredibly distracting for anyone trying to focus and are one of the top complaints for close-space neighbors.

Curb Appeal

It’s important to keep your workspace neat, both inside and outside.  If you’re in a shared office park, the outside of your business reflects on your neighbors’ businesses. Make sure you’re representing everyone as best as possible by keeping a neat, clean exterior.

Communicate

No one expects you to be overly chatty on a workday, but keeping your office park neighbors informed with relevant information is an appreciated kindness. Share office park news with your neighbors. If you hear the hallways are getting waxed tomorrow, let your neighbors know! Avoid gossip – personal news about individuals – and keep things relevant.

Follow the Rules

This may seem simple but adhering to the rules can go a long way in establishing good standing with your office park neighbors. Rules are a good measuring stick for expectations. Ensuring you’re meeting basic expectations of cleanliness, safety, and parking can help build positive relationships with your peers and shows you respect them.

What other ways do you keep things positive with your office park neighbors? We’d love to hear about them. Leave a comment or find us on social media to let us know!