An Interior Designer Checklist
December 12, 2010Five Best Business Practices to Look for in a Certified Interior Designer
Professional interior designers everywhere are taking copious notes on how to gain an edge on their competition in the ever-increasing and competitive design industry. Any savvy businessperson knows that it takes more than a college degree and good design sense to guarantee client satisfaction and repeat business. Most importantly, the most successful designers comprehend the true meaning of customer service. Not the kind that you hear everyone proclaim, but the real, altruistic type of attentive service that guarantees the best sales tool ever – the referral!
Should you be considering hiring an interior designer for your next project, take a look at what I regard to be the five most important business practices of any distinguished professional, no matter what their industry of trade.
1. Diversified Services: Designers offer a wide variety of services, with an eye toward catering to as many consumers as possible. Providing both commercial and residential interior and exterior design for new construction and remodels while specializing in a custom niche, such as kitchen and bathroom design, makes a designer valuable on a multitude of projects. Many interior designers also offer consulting, organizing, real estate staging and event design services to further benefit their clients.
2. Listening Skills: Interior designers expertly guide clients through projects by genuinely listening to objectives and intended end results, ensuring that any undertaking will be pragmatically and methodically thought through in an aesthetic as well as functional sense.
3. Availability: Professional interior designers are well aware that in many cases, a homeowner is working full-time to be able to finance a project and to have the funds to hire a professional. We offer the flexibility of being available before or after the average work day, as well as on weekends and holidays, to accommodate even the most demanding schedules.
4. Commitment: Designers understand the time sensitivity of every project at hand. By collaborating effectively with all industry trades, they can deliver successful results – getting the project completed on time and on budget.
5. Customer Service: Interior designers who are dedicated and passionate business professionals in their trade will show levels of unparalleled customer service that will immediately set them apart from their competition. Customer service is the highest level of respect.
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