Q&A with Steve Sampson, Operations Manager

27 Sep Q&A with Steve Sampson, Operations Manager

Describe your day-to-day as Operations Manager of Contract Furnishings.
My days are never the same because my job is so varied. In addition to running our facilities, I take care of inventory, shipping and receiving, and manage most of the installations, onsite reconfigures and basic handyman work for our clients.

What do you like about working with clients?
I see a large portion of our clients face-to-face when I go to their office to set up their space. Although I am more of an introvert, I love to engage with clients, see what drives them and learn why they ordered the product they did.

What do clients like most about working with you?
I strive to make things perfect. Most of my client recognize that I’m a perfectionist.

If I know that something isn’t right at an install, I work to fix it until our clients are happy. I always tell my team that I want our work to be good enough that it could be in my house or in our showroom. If it’s not, we make it right.

What’s interesting about your job?
The diversity of my job is what drives me and keeps me rolling. I never get bored. And with office furniture, you see trends changing all of the time. This week, mahogany is in style; in six months, it could be maple or white laminate. Also, I have worn a lot of hats in my career. I have worked in retail, mortgages, and nonprofits, but I love working with my hands the most. It’s what keeps me interested.

Why Contract Furnishings?
I have worked at Contract Furnishings for almost 14 years. I was one of the first, and am the longest-standing employee. I stay because of the work environment that Christopher has built here and the people he has attracted to his company. Christopher is flexible, understanding and mindful and he acknowledges that people have lives outside of work. That attitude sets the tone and makes Contract Furnishings a place where people feel welcomed and appreciated.

Tell us more about you…
As I mentioned, I enjoy the satisfaction of working with my hands. It runs in my family. My grandfather and uncle enjoyed building and worked with their hands. What I like about it most is knowing that I produced or built something by myself. It feels pretty amazing. When I am finished building out an entire floor of offices and cubicles, I feel a real sense of accomplishment that I made it happen.

On a personal level, I have a husband of four years. I love sports, gardening, playing tennis. We often travel to Minnesota and Massachusetts to visit family, but my favorite vacation spot is Hawaii.