Design principles highlighted in the DASL Handbook 5 sets the foundation to what dormitory living could and should look like spatially for Singapore’s migrant workers. Meet&Co, a furniture manufacturer, seeks to draw inspiration from the insights found within DASL Handbook 5 and develop a furniture line, starting with the redesign of dormitory beds.
Brief was tasked with formulating effective marketing strategies that aligns Meet&Co’s dormitory bed offerings with the priorities and objectives of dormitory stakeholders and the management overseeing dormitory operations as businesses.
Deep diving with dormitory stakeholders to understand their priorities, preferences, and decision-making process during the procurement of furniture for their dormitories — both qualitatively and quantitatively.
"If I buy the bed just for a certain feature, it's a no-go… Some enlightened employers might say "yes, why not, it’s a good idea," but generally they don’t want to spend a dollar more."
—Owner of one of Singapore’s largest migrant worker dormitory
At the heart of our project lies a simple yet complex aspiration: elevating the standard of dormitory living for Singapore’s migrant workers.
However, while the insights and principles found in DASL Handbook 5 highlights the significant value that spatial redesign would play in enhancing migrant workers’ well-being, getting dormitories to adopt these aspirational living standards, realistically, is a challenge.
For dormitory owners, the decision to invest in upgraded living environments is more complex than it appears. Despite the clear benefits to residents, the financial implications of such improvements—like purchasing premium furniture—means increasing the dormitory’s operational costs.
Consider the dilemma of acquiring a thousand new beds: the expense would not only strain budgets but also raise questions about the need for change, especially when existing beds work just as fine.
“It’s up to dormitory owners like us to strike the balance. We owe it to our foreign workers.”
—Owner of one of Singapore’s oldest migrant worker dormitory
Improving dormitory living can be tricky. It’s not just about economical viability, it is also about revolutionising the sector.
For example, currently when it comes to furniture, most dormitories stick to the basics as it is seen as the status quo with no one willing to kickstart a better example. Apart from this, there are also currently not enough people in positions of power willing to champion for workers’ welfare.
This ‘basic’ living standard is, in reality, far from meeting the actual needs of the dormitory residents. This gap means that residents would resort to personal modifications — such as adding, attaching, and changing certain elements within their living spaces — which often result in fines and penalties during regulatory inspections.
“Zhng*” existing beds
*Zhng: (Singapore colloquial) To embellish or redecorate.
While stakeholders may be more resistant towards purchasing entirely new beds, we found that people are more receptive to buying new beds & its accessories when they are sold as modular parts.
This means that Meet&Co could modularise the design of their dormitory beds and its components into accessories and add-ons that customers could buy separately. This way, dormitories who may not be ready to make drastic changes can start implementing smaller ones, allowing customisation that caters to each dormitory’s furniture needs and readiness before committing to a more comprehensive purchase.
Emphasising compliance as a unique selling proposition
For dormitories, we understand that it is important for furniture to not only be functional, but also compliant to regulatory requirements.
As compliance is a major selling point that could strengthen Meet&Co’s market presence, obtaining endorsements from key authorities such as the Dormitory Association Singapore Limited (DASL) would offer an extra layer of credibility and assurance to potential buyers.
Make quality furniture accessible to all, at reasonable prices
While purchasing decisions are usually done on the management level within dormitories, these stakeholders are naturally more mindful of additional expenses. On the other hand, the workers, directly affected by their living environment, often take it upon themselves to buy personal items that enhance their living spaces, addressing any deficiencies they experience firsthand.
With this understanding, we include our sales & marketing strategy to not only target dormitory management, but also employers and migrant workers themselves, who are more likely to take proactive steps for a more comfortable personal living.
Meet&Co could achieve this by maintaining reasonable furniture accessory prices and employing direct-to-customer sales strategies.
Rolling things out, incrementally.
Sparking a change is not easy, we get it. Alongside these recommendations, we ironed out the details and incremental steps needed to ensure a successful market entry for Meet&Co.
Project Seahorse is more than just a redesign of dormitory furniture, it is a step towards transforming dormitory living into a space that supports the development of its residents, all while maintaining business viability.