03-05-2012

Sunshine is one of the best things about the Costa del Sol and our homes here are just not the same as our warm, carpetted North European homes. White Washed Villages with White Painted homes right through to bold new modern Villas on a Golf Course offer different challenges to a Furniture designer but there are some principles that do not change. 

Outdoor living is very important when living on the Costa del Sol and we are able to entertain outdoors for a large portion of the year.  For that reason outdoor furniture doesnt just stop at 2 sun loungers and a table for the Gin and Tonic! 

Outdoor Furniture looks fantastic, especially when some time and thought has been put into ensuring it matches and looks stylish and welcoming.  Mad About Furniture have several ranges of Furniture for Terraces and Patios but importantly, all of our collections cover everything you would need for living outdoors such as Terrace Sofa Sets, Dining Sets, Day Beds and, of course, the Sun Lounger.This means you can pick a style, be it White Rattan or All Weather Chocolate all the items you choose will match and look great. 

Inside the home, be it a small second home or a large Villa, the style and type of Furniture is again, often very different from the Furniture you might choose in your primary home.Gone are the warm carpets and rustic Furniture and in come the White clean lines of summer living.

Our White High Gloss Furniture is perfect for creating a fresh summer look for the Costa del Sol.

As well as beautiful White Italian Leather Sofas our Lounge Furniture includes High Gloss Dressers, stylish TV Units with Matching Coffee Tables.Its great to add a splash of colour to the room with Cushions, Ornaments or Throws, Our White theme extends into the Bedroom with Matching Sleigh beds or White Leather Headboards and High Gloss Nightstands. 

Living in the Sun allows you to be a little braver with your choices in Furniture with fresh brighter ranges.  It makes curling up in front of a fire in the cold a very distant memory!

For 3 weeks of my summer holiday, I took up a work placement in the retail store Mad about Furniture, with the main objective to gain people skills, and further increase my understanding of the functions of a real world work placement.

Although 3 weeks is not a great amount of time, I thought it sufficient to gain the experience I needed to use in my later life which will hopefully include University in the near future. Having little experience in the “real world of business” Mad about Furniture has thoroughly enhanced my awareness of how a modern business works. Starting at 10am until the hunger ridden hour of 2pm, there is always something to occupy your time.

Mad about Furniture is an international company, and working in the shop, I saw illustrated in real life the importance of languages, with the clientele being extremely diverse in terms of nationality and mother tongue. As a British company with British owners in Spain, my flexibility and knowledge of both the Spanish and English language became very useful. In fact, my first job within the company was to translate many of the phone calls we received from Spanish suppliers and subsequent transport personnel who enquired about some of the orders and deliveries we had made. Further to this, my translation skills became even more useful when it came to translating prices, stock availability and measurements, to Spanish clients who came into the store.

However, translating is only the beginning of this three week job placement adventure. On one of the many work filled days, Steve, Sarah, and I proceeded to check stock availability in the warehouse. Sounding like a simple task, Stock taking can be rather stressful and is an essential part of running the business and if not done properly can cause all kinds of problems.

While not picking up the phone, translating or stock checking; my job centred on updating the quotation packages we send to clients, trying to give them a modern touch, whilst making it as user friendly as possible. This job although simple, was time consuming, and if there is one thing I have learnt about the world of business is that “time is money”.

Having my mind set on Politics from a young age, I never thought skills such as GCSE ICT would become useful in my future job opportunities. However, working in Mad about Furniture proved my theory wrong, as my next job was to complete an online customer satisfaction survey. This was obviously aided by my knowledge gained in ICT which in turn opened my mind up to the importance of having a wide variety of skills available.

The overall experience at Mad about Furniture proved a great success! Not only did I complete the objectives I set out at the beginning of my job placement, but also enhanced some of the skills I had almost left behind.  It moreover, gave me a realistic view of what work is like outside the study environment and in the words of Donald Kendall “The only place where success comes before work is in the dictionary” – a sentence which encapsulates my experience of the world of work. Success is proportionate to the effort and hard work you put into it.

Lastly, I would like to thank all the colleagues at Mad about Furniture, for making me feel welcome at all times and always helping me in anything I needed throughout this whole experience. Moreover, I would like to especially thank Steve and David for the fantastic opportunity they have given me with this job placement which I’m certain will be a great asset to me in my future.

By:  Sergio I Triay.

Getting noticed abroad!
Advertising what we do in Spain while geared towards a totally different audience, usually, an audience based in the UK can be a challenge for companies based on the Costa del Sol but marketing to an expat client base.
These days Internet based marketing is very important for all companies but particularly relevant to those clients researching their visit to Spain.
SEO marketing is now a big spend for companies promoting their services on the costa del Sol and it's not an easy science to get right and the balance between financial outlay and lead generation is often unclear. Many companies invest in Google Adwords and many in different web addresses including .Coms and .co.uks to get better exposure to their target markets.
Many companies like Mad About Furniture strive to write interesting blogs to help their clients and anticipate their needs!
Of course, the Internet is only one marketing tool and the oldest methods are still the best and that medium of word of mouth is still Mad About Furnitures best asset. If clients have received great service they are always going to be your best advert.
Other ways of getting noticed is obviously to have a physical presence or, a shop, marketstall, or office, and if you deliver, a logo and message on your transport is essentially free!
There is an abundance of local advertising mediums available on the costa del sol, from radio stations catering to different nationals in their own language to newspapers, again, in different languages to lifestyle magazines. All are funded by advertising allowing a further opportunity to get your message to your client.  Mad about Furniture also can regularly be seen on the popular airlines in their inflight magazines so you can plan your visit to us while still in the air!
Combine all this with flyers and other written publicity it seems hard to see how you could not fail to reach your special client, but, as in every business, it's all about being seen in the right place and at the right moment and this is never easy and usually very expensive.
Running and promoting a business is never easy but to do it abroad, to a client based in a different country is even harder and getting noticed abroad takes money, initiative and, lastly but (unfortunately) some degree of luck!
David Gibson

Professional services abroad

Buying your home abroad will bring you into contact with a number of professional services and it's always a good idea to get to know what and who are providing the services you need and at what price.
Initially your contact will start with a real estate agent who will probably have a partnership with a local lawyer to assist in your legal matters.
Rates can be negotiable and its worth asking for alternatives to save money.

If you are not living in Spain it's a great idea to tie up with a professional property management company who can ensure your home is checked regularly and kept in good condition.
We recommend passion4property who can also assist with bill payments, repairs and small projects as well as everything from full property management to key holding services.
Mad about Furniture work with only tried, tested and trusted partners and we can make recommendations for you on a whole range of professionals including accountants and even where you can park your car at the airport!

Medical services are of good quality in Spain but regular visitors and home owners may want to invest in a company such as helicopters sanitarios for emergencies and general peace of mind although for residents professional services such as Sanitas, part of Bupa provide more comprehensive private healthcare.
Similarly, dentists are of a good quality and generally cheaper than in the UK and many people opt for major dental work to be carried out in Spain saving a lot of money against the private dentists in great Britain.
Cosmetic surgery is also prominent on the Costa del Sol.
Other professionals services include Banks, Financial Advisors and money changers which are important in avoiding excessive charges when moving money to Spain, receiving money and obtaining the best exchange rate

One of the surprising things about where we are based in the costa del is how much rain we seem to get. It doesn't rain in the same way as the uk which is frequent and regular with regards to quantity etc but it is also almost always steady rain/ showers etc etc.
Well, last week down here in the sunny costa del sol the heavens opened and we had the downpour of the year. It wasn't so much rain as a torrential torrent that lasted hours, the noise kept us awake most of the night with a fantastic thunderstorm( if you like watching thunderstorms) wrecked havoc on the roads and flooded villas and apartments alike. The roads on our journey to the airport on the morning after resembled a war zone littered with debris from the power of the water.
I have already had a phone call from a previous customer who's apartment we furnished last year informing us that their lovely apartment has been divested by 20 cm of water and needs completely re furnishing and re decorating

So this brings me to my two points.

Firstly, Beware if you are planning an outdoor event before the middle of June.  You may need a contingency for your wedding should the rain decide to fall. Any wedding last weekend would certainly turned out a little different than would have been planned.

Secondly if you have a home here and it's empty, get it checked even if you have had no problems before.  This is where a management company could help. Arriving Over the summer to find your home under 6 inches of water is guaranteed to spoil your holiday.

Steven Dixon
Director

My name is Sorin Constantin and I joined Mad About Furniture in May 2006.  I start work at 9am in the morning at the warehouse the first job of the day is to load all the deliveries for the mornings installs. Loading a delivery is a big responsibility because we need to be very careful with all the furniture and double check all is packed correctly and we have all the correct items and colours. My job is to deliver furniture, install the furniture, and layout each room making sure all looks great and positioned correctly for the room. I install all the electrics, putting up all ceiling lights, terrace lights and sunken halogen spots where required.  I also do all the finishes including curtain poles, hanging curtains, pictures and bathroom mirrors even making the beds!!. Our working hours are between 9am and 7pm and when I have finished the deliveries I will then go and check the shops, changing lights, painting, and changing round stock. Then last job of the day (if I have any time left!) is to organize and tidy up the warehouse which helps a lot when we have to load a delivery or take delivery of a container. I make sure all the furniture is on lines, each line is stocked in collections and stacked on racking or pallets ready for easy selection and loading.

That is a typical work day for me in Mad About Furniture

A day in the life of.....David Gibson, Director

 

When we first opened Mad about Furniture almost 10 years ago the coast was a very different place and that means a very different working environment.

We started with just two staff, us the owners and quickly expanded. While we used to have our own clients and own specialties we soon naturally fell into different and sometimes alien roles such as Financial control where I spend most of my days now.

I say alien as maths was never my initial forte as I have always worked in marketing and indeed have a degree in the subject.

So it seems strange that my business life has progressed this way but, any business is about having a handle on the whole entity and it’s crucial that one person has responsibility for sales and marketing and another financial while communicating with each other at all times to form a team.

Once accepted, this more alien world for a marketer becomes quite structured and unseasonal, unlike the more volatile and (exciting?) world of sales.

The beginning and the end of the months are my busiest.  Working closely with a good accountant is vital and again, preparing the company's financial situation is heavily centred around the month and quarter ends.

As well as preparing and understanding documentation from basic invoices to paying bills and forecasting and budgeting which is vital in any business worldwide we have also gained unusual and, we think, valuable experience of running the business in a foreign country and, largely, in a foreign language.  These skills can be transferred to a whole host of businesses and again can be a valuable skill base for anyone wanting to start a new business as an expat in Spain.

To illustrate this, my quieter mid month period is spent working with a sister company, Passion 4 Property. Despite being a totally different business, the skills used behind the scenes at Mad about Furniture are directly transferrable.

Working outside of the front line in any small business often means getting at least a basic understanding of legal and personnel systems which in turn requires an understanding how staff contracts should be handled according to the current legislation and at the same time matching the employees and the businesses needs, especially, for example, if the enterprise is seasonal.  While most businesses in the world see seasonality in sales, life in Spain can be affected by seasonality more than most as our key clients, second home owners, tend to give us business at the same time at key points of the year.

 

Despite the structured month I do work inside our main store which in itself produces variation and being retail, clients arriving all day so although most of my work could be done from home, working in a furniture store allows me to see the bigger picture.

As well as having a good relationship with a good accountant it's important to have a close relationship with your bank, again, like in any business in any country we also work hard to forge relationships with trusted and professional services with anything from shipping agents to sofa manufacturers in China.

Over 10 years we have seen a lot of day to day changes on how we fill our day but it remains that we all work as a close team so as owners we feel confident that we are driving the business forward during, sometimes difficult times including a worldwide recession. This type of business day isn't too much different to any other enterprise, anywhere in the world.

 

 

A day in the life of....... Ebony. Head of Security

 

My name is ebony.  I'm am a 5 year old black Labrador.

My day starts at around 8.20 when my owners Steve and David wake up.

My first job after they put my diamante collar on is to get to the back door before the horrible cat I live with gets there.  It's always fun to terrorise her.  She always seems to get her breakfast first and this is something that I have had to get used to.  I particularly hate it when she drinks water from my bowl but if I try and stop her she just spits at me.

Being a dog I am constantly surprised and never know what or where I am going next. At about 9.20 I leave the house in the back of a car and we head off to the beach I get to run up and down and sniff out other dogs. I am very well behaved and so don't need to go on the lead very often.

 

I was one of 6 puppies and when I was picked I went home with my brother Bailey. The problem was we never really got on very well and we were very naughty, my owners had a terrible time trying to train us as we used to cause trouble together and finally we had to be separated.  It caused them a big problem because they really thought it would be nice to have 2 dogs and didn't want to give one of us up but Luckily my owners friend took my brother and now he has a great life, he is very spoilt like me and we still see each other and enjoy playing together when we can.

 

Unfortunately I am a working dog, I am head of security at Mad about Furniture. It's actually a great place to work and I don't have many responsibilities, mainly it's just sleeping and keeping quiet. When people come in I have to give a little friendly growl to let them know I am there.  I can quickly gage if they like me and if I think I may get a little cuddle I wag my tail and wiggle over to them for a quick hi.  They sell lots of great furniture and always seem to have customers in the shop, I do wish though sometimes I could work in a pet shop where they would be more food and different animals to annoy.

 

If I'm lucky my favourite people will come in and take me out for a very long walk and wear me out. I don't have lunch but when the owners go out I normally go too.

 

I’m on the beach again by 7pm for more fun.  Often we go to an Indian restaurant where I have learnt that if I am well behaved and wag my tail the very nice Indian chef will give me a big bowl of chicken tikka with rice.  If we go straight home I get dinner about 8pm and then I just laze about on the floor staring at the cat or sneaking up on to the sofa, in the summer I love swimming in the pool and if it's hot I just walk in the pool and have a swim about.

 

Sometimes David makes me do silly tricks but I am usually allowed to go to bed at 11pm. My dreams are mainly about the cat or food or playing in the garden with my favourite people.

 

Ebony, black lab, head of security

 

 

 

I am Jason and I have been with Mad About Furniture for 5 years.

My day starts at 7.30am because my son starts school at 8.15am. At 9 o´ clock I am at the warehouse and begin to load the van for the days deliveries, a delivery can involve many things including installation of lighting, blinds, curtains, bathroom and kitchen accessories.

From a full package or just a terrace table and chairs, every delivery is so different, so it keeps the job exciting and interesting and it is always nice to see the smile on a face of the customer as they look forward to using their new furniture and relaxing in their holiday home.

Another part of my job is to keep stock of new items going into the warehouse, these arrive from all over Spain as well as the Far East by container. I take pride in keeping the warehouse tidy and well organized with all the ranges stocked together with bar coded labels. The upkeep and cleanliness of the van is also an important job in between deliveries.

I ensure new items are taken to the shop to be put on display and help arrange the shop´s layout with the sales staff. Keeping the shop looking nice can involve hanging mirrors or pictures, changing lighting or even painting.

My day runs straight through until 7pm. as the company doesn´t close for siesta to be more convenient for the clients. It is a pleasure to work with a very friendly team for what I consider to be the best shop on the coast to buy your furniture from.

I am the newest member of the “Mad About Furniture “ team, I joined the company nearly one year ago in April 2010 and I am very pleased I did!

My typical working day starts with the horrible ringing of my alarm clock at 9.00am!! I know that’s not particularly early but I am not a good early morning person, so after the quickest shower, getting dressed , make –up on  and I am out of  the door at 9.45am ready for work 10.am. The shop is open 10am through to 7pm and doesn’t close for siesta, so if you can only pop in your lunch hours then it’s not a problem as we are open.

My role is sales and helping clients with their needs and requirements. I love helping with coordinating colours and design. I have 22 years of experience in different careers from window dressing, fashion stylist and interior design so all incorporate a  flair and eye for matching shades and colours and designs of fabrics, furniture and accessories.

I like meeting our clients in the shop and asking if I can assist in what they are looking for. As well as all the items we stock we have a large collection of suppliers whom we work with so if our client can’t see what they are looking I will sit down with them and go through some brochures to ensure they have the perfect item they need.

As well as individual items of furniture sales I also get involved in complete furniture packages and interior design.

I visit the client’s new apartments and evaluate and measure for their requirements. I check for how many light fittings are required, what size and how many curtains they would needed etc. I advise and take note of the space available for items in all rooms including size of dining tables, sofas and beds etc.  Taking into account all the wood finishes, floor colouring and wall coverings I then put together a full inventory for the client to include photographs and individual prices.

Steve and David have built up a fantastic company with excellent quality furniture at affordable and not silly prices

so it’s a pleasure to sell and advise clients on products that I would happily purchase myself .