Know the brand names. Get to know the major brands in the office furniture systems industry. Names to start with include Haworth, Herman Miller, HON, Knoll, Steelcase, and Teknion, but there are others worth investigating, as well. Do some research to see which best fit your office furniture systems needs.

Don't rush into things. Time spent researching office furniture systems is well spent. Look at it as an investment in your business: ask questions, consider multiple options, and make the right choice the first time.

Plan for the future. When purchasing and designing your office furniture systems layout, consider your plans for growth over the next year or two. Buying extra office cubes now and leaving space for the next set can reduce disruption and costs later.

Get to know your vendor. Building up a relationship with your office furniture systems vendor can pay off - if they know you'll be coming back to them every time you need more cubes, you may be able to get better prices on smaller orders.

Start with CAD. Providing your supplier with a CAD (computer assisted drawing) file of your office will greatly speed the design process. Often you can get one from your building management or landlord and simply email it to your vendor.