Looking for ways to add value to your service offer?
I have a guest post for you this time from Natasha Bozic, an interior designer in my network group. Builders in particular should consider adding in an interior design service to what they offer to clients in order to help differentiate themselves from competitors and also deepen the relationship with the potential client. Being married to a builder, Natasha knows the process and how best to fit in. Here’s her story.
How many times it has happened that instead of following your daily schedule and focusing on your construction work, you got caught in long discussions and questions from clients about what paint colour to choose, what is the best floor plan for a bathroom renovation, where to buy certain products for the renovation projects, what colour vanity to choose, what do you think about their tile selection etc?
I’ve seen it so many times with my builder husband when he, in addition to his normal day to day management of his team and subcontractors and putting out fires, got caught in finding solutions for his clients that were not even part of the package or and certainly not his expertise.
Not all clients are great at making decisions, especially when it comes to projects like a renovation or new build. I’m sure this sounds familiar to you. There are so many things to consider and so many products available in the market, it can get really overwhelming for clients. For some seeing the big picture and visualizing the end result can be a whole new challenge. When a homeowner does become involved in the building process and has entered it with some questions still unanswered and unclear, it can cause a whole lot of problems for everyone involved in the project. Changes to the original plans or making decision too late in the process can delay the project and increase the cost.
Now more than ever in this unpredictable times it will be important to offer your clients added value that doesn’t necessary come as a free additional service or time, but showing your clients that you can make the process easy and stress free for them.
An interior designer’s role is not just to make a room pretty once the architects and builders have finished the job. It’s a collaboration of experts when the designer and building team collaborate on the front end, that’s when magic and great results truly happen. Not just for a client, but also for all other parties involved in the process.
Why you should include an interior designer in the early stages of the planning / quoting process:
- An interior designer will work on all the details and guide your clients through the process of making decisions, so you can focus on your part of the project.
- An interior designer will provide all the details required for a project to run smoothly, saving you time and making the process easier and streamlined for all parties (i.e. provide specifications and detailed plans for fixtures and fittings placements, the layout etc).
- An interior designer will be your point of contact when any questions or additional information, decisions needed in the process, so you don’t need to deal directly with clients, which will save you time and money. Your clients will also appreciate the smooth, stress- and interruption in their daily routine- free process.
- Introducing an interior designer as part of your team and service will give you a point of difference when quoting projects. You are offering an additional service and making it easy for them.
I have worked on projects when clients had not considered working with an interior designer as they had thought they can’t afford it, or interior designers are just for projects with big budgets. None of this is true. It’s all about helping clients making the right decisions saving them a lot of time and money, so they can focus on their day to day life and their family.
“Having never worked with an Interior Designer before, choosing Natasha from Designns/Interior Design was the best decision we ever made.
From the initial consultation Natasha took the time to find our style and colour schemes, she has a great eye for detail and provided us with different ideas and inspiration.
She has sourced all of the fabrics, furniture and accessories that we needed, designed and oversaw the installation of our new kitchen. Natasha made this project so stress-free for us, she went above and beyond and we are delighted with the result.
We would highly recommend Natasha to anyone renovating or redecorating their home.”
– M. and A. Watson
If you are ready to extend your services, stand out from the crowd and help your clients even more, I would love to connect with you and discuss how we can work together.
Natasha Bozic
Interior Designer
Email: natasha@designns.co.nz
website: Designns Interior Design