What is the key factor to successfully working with a client?
There are many different clients out there and finding the right one is the key to success. A relationship based on trust and integrity is a sure fire way for a project to turn out well and meet the expectation of both the client and myself. Establishing realistic expectation and discussing all aspects of the design and build process (good and bad) in the initial stages is more important than just getting caught up in all the glamour of design. Interior design is a business like any other and working with your client as a partner is the key factor.
How do you handle clients getting involved in the design process?
As I always tell my team…. We are creating and design for a client and not ourselves. Bringing in their vision, allowing them the opportunity to bring out the interior designer in them brings more energy to the project. The key factors here are: 1. Do they have style and taste? 2. Are they thinking about the bigger picture? Most people think they have good taste, but from my years of experience, they don’t. It is vital to provide alternatives to their suggestions that keep the main focus and aesthetics. All too often, clients see things they like elsewhere and want to incorporate them into the design, so it’s necessary to teach them to see how the items or feature will be presented within the overall big picture and not just bits and pieces. It is surprisingly difficult to teach this.
What is client’s role within the design process?
Their main roles are that of paymaster. In any project big or small, there are hundreds if not thousands of questions that need my immediate attention to solve in order to make sure the process is smooth and productive. As a professional interior designer, it is my responsibility to take on this role actively. It is really the client’s only role to make sure payments are provided within agreed upon timelines and to ensure that the quality standards have been met.
How do you handle complicated clients?
That is a good question. From my experience, it is not generally the client but the client’s friends and family that feel the need to get involved during the design and build process. Example – a client’s mother-in-law gave them a gift of kitchen towels. The client called me late at night in a panic that they didn’t match the tiling in the kitchen, so, the decision was made to change the entire kitchen tiling. In this business, nothing surprises me anymore. I am always ready for the unexpected. Sometimes, I need to play the roles of matchmaker, therapist and overall counsellor. In the end however, I am always able to stand proud next to my design and say it’s mine.
What is the key to satisfying a client?
Before venturing into any business arrangement, communication, clear understanding and establishing realistic expectations at the beginning is a must. It is not only a must, but also a key component to a successful project. Interior design is a glamorous business and clients tend to get wrapped up in the excitement losing perspective that every decision made costs money. To truly satisfy a client, there must be a mutual fondness at the start. This fondness aids in weathering the tough times. When you truly like the people you work with, things always turn out for the better.
How was your client for this project?
Marvellous! They had very clear ideas from the beginning and a lot of energy behind them. At times, I would just sit back and watch their excitement and smile. They knew what they wanted yet were open to suggestions that best represented the big picture. They were very active in the process yet open to alternatives that best suited the aesthetic. Their home is now a place for them to live in a beautiful environment. It is now up to them to just go live it!
Can you tell us a little about this project?
For this project, it was about creating a new and up-to-date lifestyle for a family who has worked very hard and wants to enter the next chapter of their lives in a way they have only dreamed about throughout their careers. This is always one of the nicest projects to do – helping a family that has toiled through the good and bad in raising their children, the ups and downs in their careers and the other surprises life throws at them along the way. But, they’ve made it and the future of further ups and downs is now in an environment that should help smooth the way.
Finally, in a dream world your ideal client would be…
Positive, motivated and enthusiastic with a budget that met their wish list. This project was pretty close to that. I am very lucky and grateful in what I do. Many people ask me why I am so lucky, my answer is because I deserve it!
Blaine Robert Design Sdn BhdL
Level 28-08, Binjai 8, Premium Soho.
No 2, Lorong Binjai, Off Jalan Binjai,
50450 Kuala Lumpur.
T: +603 2181 1828
E: info@blainerobertdesign.com
W: www.blainerobertdesign.com
