HOW TO HANDLE A CLIENT?
Do you face difficulty while talking to clients?
Don’t know how to give a proper presentation?
Don’t know how to manage the client?
Don’t know what are the questions does client ask in your first meeting?
Here is the truth: If you are an interior designer, or you are wish to become an interior designer, you have to be a people’s person. You don’t necessarily have to be an extrovert, but the reality is that the majority of your work as an interior designer is effectively communicating with clients, contractors, manufacturers, etc. And it isn’t always easy.
Managing client expectations is one of the most crucial aspects of running an interior design business. Establishing a mutual understanding of the end-to-end design process lays down the foundation for a trustworthy and rewarding designer-client relationship. As an interior designer, your reputation is everything in this business, therefore, consistently maintaining positive relationships with clients will lead you to more successful and productive projects.
Things To Know About Working With Clients!
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Establish Your Trust:
The key to managing any client relationship is trust. Part of this trust can be forged by simply doing what you say you’ll do. Such as meeting your deadlines and producing quality work. Following through on what you’ve promised to accomplish can go a long way towards establishing the foundation of a strong client relationship, which is good for both you and your company.
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Make Your Communication Strong:
Communication is one of the easiest ways that you can establish trust with your client. Good communication means not only responding to emails promptly, but also keeping the client updated on the status of all projects that are in progress. This could be in the form of a weekly status call, followed by a list of next steps you plan to accomplish in the following weeks.
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Anticipate Their Needs:
In any client relationship, it’s important that you understand what motivates your clients, what challenges they may be facing, and how you can help them reach their goals. If you can consistently prove yourself to be a strategic problem-solver and a reliable partner, your clients will grow to trust you even more. They might even come to you with more work or projects down the line. This is often how long-lasting client relationships are forged.
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Be A Problem Solver:
Try not to put yourself or your team in a position where you won’t be able to make a deadline, but also make it clear to clients that you’re prioritizing their highest needs and adjusting your focus accordingly. You might often have to manage expectations on both the client side and with your internal team members, and this requires a certain degree of diplomacy. If you can remain calm and professional throughout this process, you’re more likely to find a solution that works for everybody.
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Collaborate Your Relation:
In more creative professions, collaboration is also an important part of the client relationship. Here, it’s essential that you understand your client’s needs and business goals, and how you can help them accomplish those goals. If clients have a lot of trust in you and you’ve built a strong, collaborative relationship, they might look for your expertise on strategy or creative direction. You might have valuable insight or experience that you can offer to help elevate the project or increase its chances of success.
What Tricky Questions Does Client Ask?
“What Is Your Design Style?”
When in doubt, read the question again. The question your client is really asking is: Will you be able to design my home in a style that I love? As a designer, all of your designs should reflect you, but as an interior design business, your goal should create something your client loves. But highlight unique aspects of your designs that ONLY YOU can bring to the drawing board. Finally, make the question about them. We cannot stress this enough. Explain what your design style will look like and feel like in their space. Relate your design style to their home. And always, always be honest with your client and with yourself. If you’re a designer who loves a layered, curated look, maybe you aren’t the person to put together a monochromatic, minimalist living room, that’s okay. Stick to what is truly you or the project will turn out uninspired.
“How Much Is Going To Cost Me?”
First, come to a very resolute decision on how much your client is willing to spend on their home. Then, you have to design a fee structure. How to charge for your services could be another whole article, but the average amount a designer will charge an initial design fee along with a retainer and/or a percentage of the project costs. Explain big costs first: any big furniture, structural changes, or electrical work being done. Offer advice on where your client can save money, usually through accessory items or by buying product through you. If you take a commission on product, be transparent about this and offer to split the savings with your client. While it’s great and generous for you to pass savings along to your client, do not feel guilty for earning a commission on product. You are helping your clients obtain cheaper pricing, and you’re curating their product selection for them, that is a service in itself. Lastly, pad your pricing so you don’t go over budget. If your client gives you a maximum 40K budget, don’t spend 40K on product and your design fees. Allow for something to go wrong so the financials are there for any surprises. If everything goes super smoothly, you’ll be saving money for your client either way.
“How Long Is This Going To Take?”
Luckily, people tend to be more forgiving with time than with cost. If a project needs more time, it is generally out of the designer’s hands, so the best way to answer this question is to give a thoughtful estimate with padded time. Then, make sure to CONSTANTLY follow up with vendors and contractors to make sure your client is always updated on the timeline. Most clients will be very understanding of an extended timeline as long as they’re in the know and it doesn’t come as a surprise to them. It is the concept of being unaware and out of control that makes for an unhappy client.
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