The Secret Ingredient to an Elevated Client Experience?
Nora Belal
Oh, look, a cute little blog banner I made too.
You fell in love with interior design.
You learned everything you could about the design process. You're creative, passionate, and talented. You're getting clients! Everything is perfect! Except... it's not.
If you feel like your interior design business drains the life out of you instead of feeding your creative fire, you’re not alone.
Most interior designers make the mistake of thinking they are in the design business.
This is understandable. You get paid to curate the aesthetic wishes of a client with the
practical needs of their home. You choose fabrics and create flow in rooms.
You, well… design.
But, if you’re a designer working with clients, you’re in the business of customer service.
This isn’t, the “the customer is always right and I must answer all their calls at any time and throw in those extra hours of work for free” type of customer service.
It’s the “I serve my clients with elegance and confidence and set boundaries that make their experience feel serene, luxury, and joyful” type.
An excellent experience for you and your clients starts with boundaries.
Boundaries with clients are necessary for the health of your business and your sanity. And those sanity-saving boundaries start with you.
First, decide how, when, and what you’re available for.
Second, tell your clients in as many ways as possible.
Third, stick to your decisions.
Let’s dive into the details.
To begin building healthy client boundaries, define what those boundaries are.
The boundaries you set with clients are personal.
But, most designers have:
● Set working hours when clients can contact them
● Office hours so they can draw a line between personal and professional time
● Clearly stated wait and response times
● Preferred methods of contact
● Scheduled meetings: they don’t answer every little client question in a
stream-of-thought series of emails at 11 pm on a Friday.
Setting boundaries your clients will respect shouldn't feel aggressive or cold.
Well-executed boundaries will make clients fall in love with your process.
● Have a professional welcome guide sharing your process. Include directions for communication, what the scope of the project is, and scheduling links.
● Make a clear and easy-to-navigate FAQ on your website.
● Use email signatures with your work hours/response times
● Schedule emails to go out at certain times to maintain consistency in the hours you
respond.
● Kind redirection. Did you receive a text at 10 pm? Respond with a polite email at 9
am the next day. Acknowledge that you saw their message but were with family / out of the office / enjoying your life, etc.
Building boundaries into the client experience is important. But if you want to avoid burnout and build a business that nurtures you creatively and financially–learn to say no.
To yourself.
Your Boundaries start with you!
No matter how many times you say it on your website, in your email signatures, or through your welcome packet, if you don’t stick to the boundaries you set for yourself, nobody else will.
Create a work ritual to train yourself to check in and out of work mode.
As a designer, you know how important environment is. Take it a step further and create an environment that only exists when you are working.
Try specific scents, a beautiful scarf under your laptop, or a certain soundtrack. Physical cues in your environment will make it easier for your brain to get in, or out of, work mode.
Beware of making exceptions.
Answering a text –just this once– not charging for that extra hour. They may feel like little exceptions.
But little exceptions lead to massive burnout and resentment. Decide where you stand and guard your boundaries with conviction. This is your business and your creative passion, treat it with some love and respect!
Setting boundaries with your clients makes the experience feel more luxurious.
Let's say you’re planning a summer getaway for you and your best friend. You know the area you want to stay in, the restaurants you want to visit, and the number of days you have to enjoy.
All you need is a place to stay.
Your top choices are The Pink Pelican or The Blue Heron Hotel. They look pretty similar online. So, you call up the two hotels to get a feel for what your stay might be like.
Which of these scenarios do you prefer?
Scene One:
You call The Pink Pelican.
After the third ring, somebody, a little out of breath, answers and immediately says–
“Yes! We have rooms—any room you like. And you know what? I’ll give you a discount on the room and throw in free pool towels and a baguette… (sounds of rummaging through papers). You can come in right now. I was about to take my break, but that's okay! I work best when I’m exhausted! I’ll go make the bed!”
Hangs up phone.
Technically, they have what you’re looking for—a hotel room. But The Pink Pelican isn’t doing much to make you feel confident about your stay.
Scene Two:
You call The Blue Heron Hotel.
A moment after the first ring, a smooth, collected voice answers.
“Thank you for calling. Yes, we would love to arrange your stay. Are you looking for a king room? We would happily have you in the double queen suite if that's a better fit. Our first available is at the end of this month. I can send an email if you need a few hours to explore the options. Perfect. I’ll send that over. Don’t forget to select sustainable cotton or organic bamboo for your robe! We look forward to seeing you!”
The Blue Heron Hotel? Booked immediately.
This example is a bit extreme, even silly, but be honest. Are you more Pink Pelican than Blue Heron?
Do you give up your boundaries before they are even crossed?
What makes The Blue Heron better? Clear directions and options. It was all so smooth that you didn’t feel like you were being told what to do.
You felt like you were being taken care of.
As an interior designer, you’re attuned to detail and how things feel.
You design because you care. You care about the spaces people live in, how they feel in their homes, and what a thoughtful design can do for the mental and emotional well-being of your clients.
But it is all too easy to lose sight of your own well-being when you're so invested in others. Passion, creativity, and care are what got you into interior design.
Just don’t forget to extend that care to yourself.
If the job that once brought you joy is starting to feel like a burden, it's time to check your boundaries.
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Posted Mar 9, 2024
Short-form SEO blog post exploring boundaries, client relationships, and being a solo business owner in the interior design world.
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