Interior design is one of the most exciting industries to work in. The creativity involved and the knowledge that you have the ability to change people’s lives cannot be compared with anything else. As with any job, however, there are aspects that remain hidden until you begin working in the industry. I have managed many different interior design projects in my career, from high-end commercial to down-to-earth residential. In this blog, I want to share my experience so you can achieve great results, make your clients happy and keep your portfolio in top-quality condition.
The design process begins with your client
The most important relationship you will have is with your client. Taking the time to get to know their likes and dislikes is the foundation of your success. The following tips have helped me throughout my career:
1. Meet your client often
Focus on building your client relationship by meeting your client as often as required. Initially, you should try to get information about both the project and your client’s design preferences. While you might tend to concentrate more on the requirements of the project, I strongly suggest spending time trying to understand your client’s personality.
2. Always use a question sheet
I recommend creating a list of questions which you can take to every meeting. These questions will help you form an identity of your client and will serve you throughout your working relationship together. The questions can be very basic - for example, touching on favourite colours or style. A suggested approach is to email the list to your client before a meeting and then discussing them when you are together.
3. Meet your client on-site
A great idea is to make sure you meet your client at the actual site. If this is their home, make sure you take notes of any details that might help you to understand how they operate within the space. For example, if they have left their coat on the back of a chair near the main entrance, you could use this information to implement an entry closet for your client to store coats when they enter their home. Identifying small details like this will develop you into a great designer.
Your relationship with your client is the key to success
Having a good relationship with your client can be imperative to many aspects of the entire design process. Take the time to establish this relationship, because if you have a harmonious working partnership, you will save time and money. This will then make your client even happier, as you will be sticking to budgets and time frames.
Have you any tips on how to develop your relationship with your client? Please let us know below.