“It makes people happier when they have a say in designing their workspace in terms of function and creativity.” —Christina Pratt
Christina Pratt and Charlie Nicholls of Trope Group Inc., have nearly 50 years of furniture industry experience between them. Pratt, president, and Nicholls, principal, work with a team of 18 professionals who provide workplacesolutions and services to businesses and organizations in Sonoma, Marin, Napa, Solano, Mendocino and Lake counties. Trope Group is the sole authorized Herman Miller dealer in the North Bay, and it also represents many other innovative manufacturers of open-plan and conventional furniture.“We’re always experimenting with our own space. We use it as the laboratory for ideas. We’re always making upgrades in the showroom, then starting all over again,” says Pratt.Voted Best Office Equipment for the fifth year in a row, Trope Group attributes its success to the great customers it serves. Pratt and Nicholls are happy to see a lot of companies in an upswing. These customers are returning to them for help with expansion, adding employees and often wanting to change up the current workspace. That can be as simple as refreshing the work environment, condensing the height of cubicle panels—or deciding to not use panels at all. “These days, we’re seeing a desire for open floor plans with a lot more collaborative space,” says Nicholls. That space often includes lounge areas and integration of technology into conference rooms and meeting spaces.
Trope Group has also had some requests for workstations at standing heights, and sit-to-stand workstations that provide users with equipment that’s ergonomic and comfortable.
“A lot more corporate folks are letting their employees influence the space in ways we haven’t seen in the past,” says Nicholls. “The employees are part of the conversation about what they need, and it makes people happier when they have a say in designing their workspace in terms of function and creativity,” says Pratt.
For North Bay employers, attracting and retaining talent in fields such as high tech and software engineering means they’re often competing with San Francisco and Silicon Valley employers, many of which have long offered employees a hip work scene. These days, North Bay employers are creating their own “cool spaces” that include town hall and cafeteria spaces that rival those of their more urban counterparts.
Troupe Group is growing its own staff this year so it can continue to provide the same great quality of service its clients have come to expect in an expanding business economy. “Trope Group wouldn’t be doing this well without return customers and new customers, who we hope will return. Our team works hard to understand our clients’ needs, and we’re always looking out for their best interests,” says Nicholls who wants to thank customers for the company’s continued success.
Pratt says, “It’s really about a partnership with our clients. We care about their professional objectives and value their return business. We don’t look at our relationships like a transactional sale. We think long-term for our customers, helping them make their workspace designs good investments.”
