Want to reduce problems on an interior design project? Talk about them in the beginning.

All interior designers know that something is bound to go awry on an interior design project. No matter how much we plan and predict and try to get ahead of everything - there are just too many moving parts for all things to go perfectly.

So why don’t we talk about this to our prospects and new clients?

In this ongoing series “Setting Client Expectations”, I encourage designers to talk early about the realities of working with an interior designer and doing home design projects.

Read Setting Expectations: The Roller Coaster

The beautiful thing about setting expectations is letting your clients know what to expect, which naturally puts them at ease. The unknown is a terrible thing for many people and for most when dealing with a personal space as well as a substantial amount of money.

Clients want to know. So the best that you can set them up with what they should know, what to anticipate, and what can happen the more at ease they’ll be.

There are always going to be problems on a project.

The idea is not to prepare a client for every single thing that could happen on an interior design project.

You don’t want to provide them with a list of things that could happen - let’s face it, it would be pages long and probably scare them away.

The point is to let them know that something will go wrong.

It may be out of your control. It may be caused from another professional. It may be something unknown about the house. It may be small. It could be huge. Maybe Mother Nature will come into play.

You want to share that no project goes perfectly and that you will be there to help solve the problem when (not if) that problem or problems come up.

So when it does happen, your clients are prepared. They are more at ease, thinking that you told them this was coming and now you’ll work on the solution.

Because clients can quickly dwell on the why and how of the problem if you don’t redirect their attention to the solution. And letting them know that problems occur - from the very beginning (not while it’s happening) can aid in solution-focused clients.

They’re more likely to not get wrapped up in the problem because you set their expectations that it would happen.

A Problem, Two Potential Paths

Imagine a problem with the electrical box placement arises during a bathroom remodel project. It throws off your plans and ultimately additional costs are added to the budget because of it. You never mentioned that problems could happen. The client isn’t happy. Why did this happen? Who’s responsible? Could this be avoided? So now are you not only dealing with the unhappy client, but you’re also managing the solution.

In this case, it was something that was unknown about the home and couldn’t be avoided, but the client will be more at ease if you prepared them for the unknown issues that come up. They’ll think, hey, Designer told me that something would happen and this is it. She was right! This is unfortunate, but at least I was a little prepared for something going wrong.

So set client expectations early that problems will happen on their project. It’s better you prepare clients and problems never happen (lucky you!) than you don’t prepare them and they do happen (reality).

About The Author

Hi! I’m Capella and I’m an interior designer who helps fellow designers build their businesses. Forget secrecy and competition, I believe designers should support and uplift each other. By helping and boosting one another, we can elevate the business of interior design together! Hang around a bit and I’ll share all the business “secrets” no one else wants to talk about.