Is $575 chair too expensive for civil servants?

Health @ AsiaOne
Is $575 chair too expensive for civil servants?
MOM paying $575 for Herman Miller chair that retails for $1,200. -TNP
Mon, Mar 28, 2011
The New Paper, By Ng Wan Ching
A CHAIR is not as simple as it looks. Take the Herman Miller chairs, renowned for their ergonomic design.
Photos: A $1,200 ergonomic chair for $575

Click on thumbnails below to view more photos. Story continues after photos.
(Photos: TNP, CrossCom, Ergoworks Duorest)
Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan ordered these chairs as well as office systems when he was chief executive officer at the National University Hospital (NUH) some 25 years ago.
Replying to The New Paper's questions on the Ministry of Manpower's (MOM) decision to buy 472 Herman Miller Celle chairs for its staff, Mr Khaw said that one has to look at the lifetime cost of the chairs to see if they are worth it or not.
Quality
Each of the chairs cost MOM $575.
Mr Khaw said you can buy cheaper chairs, but if you have to replace the chairs every eight years or so, then the cheaper chair's lifetime cost would not be as cost-effective as the more expensive one.
Mr Khaw was speaking to The New Paper at a specially arranged lunchtime interview touching on broad-ranging subjects.
The subject of the chairs came up incidentally and he said: "I used to sit in a Herman Miller chair when I was at NUH."
He said he was impressed by the chairs as he was given a very old Herman Miller chair to judge its quality instead of a brand new one.
"They shipped in a chair that had been in use for more than 20 years to show us that after so long, it is still in very good condition," he said.
He added that, like MOM, he also managed to get a very good deal from the supplier.
"I believe Neptune Orient Lines was their first customer here and we were either their second or third customer," he said.
He said he ordered about 150 office sets and chairs back then.
"I think the chairs might still be there (NUH)," he said.
Meanwhile, Xtra Designs, which won the tender to supply the chairs to MOM, and is the sole authorised dealer for Herman Miller here, received several enquiries yesterday.
Its managing director, Mr Lim Choon Hong, said a number of people had called or e-mailed to ask if they could order one or two or even 10 chairs at the same price of $575 each.
The Celle chairs retail at $1,200 each.
"I am having difficulty trying to manage people's perception of the chair and their expectations," he told The New Paper.
He said that the price quoted for MOM is a special one as it is a bulk purchase.
"For bulk purchases, we are prepared to sell it at a lower margin. It's possible that for a project like this, the discount can be even higher because it is shipped here in bulk and we can save on shipping costs," said Mr Lim.
For those in the know, $575 for a Celle chair is a steal.
But it is not possible to retail these chairs for that price, said Mr Lim. However, some people feel the Herman Miller chairs are too extravagant for civil servants.
A Facebook page had been set up to discuss MOM's purchase of the chairs.


Criticisms and cheer
Comments range from "signs of extravagance" to "Any vacancies? hahaha!" to "Not right lah this. How can they spend money this way?"
Another netizen, Mr Matthew Ler, commented: "Have they considered Made in China alternatives which are just as ergonomic?"
But there were also those who were not critical.
Ms Patricia Lau wrote: "Buy in bulk and you can negotiate a better price. I know because we just ordered these same chairs for our colleagues here when we moved to new offices.
"And while some of you may be unhappy because it is a government purchase and ask why the folks there should sit on 'fancy' chairs, there's another group who believe that investing in ergonomic chairs help with posture and reduce back pain which ultimately improve the work life quality of their staff."
In evaluating the tender submitted, an MOM spokesman said, various factors were considered, such as the ergonomic design, durability and value for money.
"Taking all these factors into account, the successful tenderer met our requirements and offered the best value for money over the lifespan of the chairs," the spokesman said.
Mr Lim said the price MOM is paying is "value for money". The chairs have a 12-year warranty which covers all parts, including on-site support and the option to repair or replace.
He said the chairs can be seen as an ergonomic product and also as a designer chair.
"When it becomes a designer icon, its worth goes beyond its function. It then has a parallel emotional value as well," he said.
At one listed company, the cost of a chair used for general staff, with mid-back and arm-rest, is about $200. For senior management, the chairs can cost up to $500.
What about the user's health?
Said Dr Liew Yow Ming, an orthopaedic surgeon in Mount Alvernia Hospital: "There are many causes for back problems. You don't need an expensive chair to prevent back problems. You need a chair that is wide enough, and it is set for your eyes to be around the height of the computer."
But he added that an ergonomic chair that helps the user to have better posture can help those with back problems caused by poor sitting posture.
This article was first published in The New Paper.
http://health.asiaone.com/Health/News/Story/A1Story20110328-270471/2.html
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