One of the biggest challenges for most designers is keeping up with all of the moving parts of the business, and often, client service is an afterthought.

This is extremely challenging if you work alone because you are responsible for every single detail in your business, including sales, marketing, designing, coordinating, accounting, filing, communicating, opening the mail, managing your time, expediting, meeting with clients, subs and vendors, researching, shopping, drawing, etc. Are you tired just thinking about it?

What happens for most of us is that we either work ridiculous hours, or we let some things fall through the cracks. What does that do for your brand and your reputation? It can easily destroy all of the hard work you’ve invested into your business if your clients or vendors know that you don’t follow up on details.

One of the most important parts of client service is finding out what your clients want, how they want it and then giving it to them. How would your clients rate you? Have you asked them?

If you haven’t asked your clients, this could be one of the best ways to get back in touch with clients that are taking a break or haven’t done anything with you for awhile, and it could actually help you build your relationship and lead to more business. If you’re not that busy right now, this could be the most important thing you can do to get your clients working with you again.

Here are a few questions to think about and ask your clients (don’t forget to ask your subs and vendors, too. They are really clients, too.)

•  How would you rate my client service?

•  How well do I communicate with you?

•  How would you like to see either one improve?

•  How would you rate my dependability?

•  How would you rate my integrity?

•  How would you rate my communication skills?

•  What do you like best about my services?

•  What do you like least about my services?

•  On a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being the highest, how likely would you be to recommend me to your friends?

The last question is from an interview with Shep Hyken, author of The Amazement Revolution—Seven Customer Service Strategies to Create an Amazing Customer and Employee Experience. Shep says that if your rating is 8 or below, the next question should be, “How can I get that to a 9 or 10?” If you are in the middle of the range, something needs to change immediately.

If you have the courage to call your clients and schedule one-on-one appointments to review this, you will be amazed at what it will do for your business.

Think about adding one client call to your list every single day to schedule a conversation.

—Gail Doby, ASID is co-founder of Design Success University, your shortcut to a more profitable and passion-filled design business. We’d love to hear your thoughts.  If you like this post, please share it with your friends.  Click here to download your free copy of the 2010 – 2011 Interior Design Fee & Salary Survey eBook.

There’s some interesting information in the Joint Center for Housing Studies Harvard University’s report on “Housing Turnover by Older Owners: Implications for Home Improvement Spending as Baby Boomers Age into Retirement,” released in March.

According to the report, older homeowners (age 55+) accounted for about one third of housing turnover in the U.S. between 1997 and 2007, with the numbers only expected to increase as the Baby Boomer generation grows older.

“The older sellers are not likely to undertake major high-ticket projects like kitchen or bath remodels just to sell a house,” the report states. “Those projects are more likely to be undertaken by younger sellers who had planned to live in the home.”

The ever-increasing age of the housing stock (the median age of owner-occupied homes was 29 years in 1997 and increased to 32 years by 2007) and the sales of the homes to the next generation of young homeowners are poised to create a growing demand for home improvement in the coming years.

Certainly, I’m seeing it here, in 30-year-old subdivisions where my 30- and 40-something clients are completely revamping and upgrading the entire home before they even move in. The difference in the amount of the remodeling investment is directly related to the number of years the new homeowners are planning to live in the home.

The report adds, “In addition to spending more on remodeling, buyers are more likely to spend a greater share of their remodeling dollars on kitchens and baths and on other interior additions/replacements.”

We’ve all heard that the Baby Boomer generation was the “do-it-for-me” generation and that the next homeowners are the “do-it-yourself” generation. Should you be concerned that the next generation won’t be coming to designers for advice?

I believe it’s the opposite. Given that kitchens and baths have become so custom, this next wave of homeowners are discovering that designing isn’t as easy as it looks. As a DIY homeowner in the showroom last week told me, “Kitchen design is hard! No one told me it would be this hard!”
Indeed.

You can find the online copy of the report at JCHSHU: Masnick, G., Abbe, W., & Baker, K. “Housing Turnover by Older Owners: Implications for Home Improvement Spending as Baby Boomers Age into Retirement.” © 2011

Until next time,

—Kelly

Did you read Kevin Henry’s blog post today? It seems that signs of recovery—however modest—are everywhere. In fact, just today, I received a press release from BuildFax reporting a year-over-year increase in remodeling activity this past February.

According to the company’s Residential BuildFax Remodeling Index, which is based on its database of historical building permit data, although February represented a month-over-month decline of 3.9 points (4 percent) from January’s 99.0, its gain of 16.0 points from the same time last year, which checked in at 79.1, is much more significant. “February 2011 was a strong month for the industry, despite the fact that remodeling activity traditionally dips during the winter months,” noted Joe Emison, VP of research and development at BuildFax. “February 2011 was better than or equal to February 2010 in every region of the country.”

Leading the pack was the West, which was up 21 percent year-over-year, followed by the South (up 11 percent) and the Northeast (up 7 percent); the Midwest saw an uptick of 1 percent over February of last year. As reported by BuildFax, remodeling is “accelerating” in the South and improving in the Northeast, which had previously been lagging behind the other regions.

In addition, February represented the 16th straight month of year-over-year gains, which is a good thing, no? BuildFax’ findings come on the heels of other reports of modest increases in remodeling activity. For more information on Buildfax and its remodeling index, click here.

And check back tomorrow for Kelly Morisseau’s take on business and what’s next…

Have a great evening!

—Alice Liao

Is it me or has this been the longest and coldest winter in memory? And when you add the effects of a collapsed economy, out-of-control unemployment and rising oil prices, I am not sure why anyone would want to get out of bed in the morning to face a new day of doom.

This morning as the alarm went off, my first thought was: ”Damn…I’m still alive,” Then I heard it, a “chirping” from outside. I pulled back the blanket, just far enough for one eye to peer out, and there was the perpetrator of that delightful noise, hopping around in the morning sun on the small table outside my window. What did she know to be so happy and full of life? Hadn’t she been watching the news and listening to the experts opine that all was lost and the worst has yet to come? As I stood looking out at a most wonderous morning, I realized she wasn’t listening to anyone. She was watching and looking for the signs of winter’s end and the dawning of a new spring and a time for birth, rebirth and growth.

As a kitchen designer, my business has suffered greatly over the past couple of years. With the near-collapse of the global economy, we in the residential design community were hit the hardest—especially the architects, interior designers, contractors as well as kitchen designers and appliance suppliers. We quickly learned that “few people remodel during the apocalypse,” and the dark and endless night created by economic fallout just seemed to go on and on. Was there no hope, no rescue? The talking heads on TV just seemed to heap more doom upon doom.

Finally, I decided to take a page from my little bird friend and stop listening and start watching for signs of change, recovery and hope. And to my surprise, signs were all around, but I could not see them, being so tightly wrapped in my own shroud of doom. As I walked my son to school—for the first time in months without heavy coat, gloves and muffler—I noticed there were fewer homes for sale in the neighborhood and it seemed that every other car dropping kids off was brand new. The parents standing in small groups were talking about their travel plans for spring break or the remodel or add-on to their house that they had put off for so long…the signs were everywhere.

Like a man possessed, I was suddenly besieged by signs from all directions. Porsche had just sold out its entire production run of a $235,000 model, while at the same time announcing the launch of a $600,000 Spyder 918. An electric Swiss bike was flying out the door for $80,000 a pop and Steinway launched a new John Lennon Collection starting at a mere $90,000. It was clear to me the wealthy and the affluent, who had spent the last few years living quiet and reserved lives behind gated driveways in a state of economic hibernation, were about to awaken from a self-imposed slumber.

But the clock has run out and the time for waiting for the other shoe to drop has passed. The wealthy want and need to spend and believe it or not, this is a good thing. This simple act of self-indulgence is what’s needed to kickstart our lifeless economy and get the everyday “Joe” back in the game.

Consumer spending is the backbone of the American economy and if the rich are spending, it is the first step to economic recovery. And everyone benefits…everyone! During the Reagan Administration, it was called trickle-down economics. When luxury cars, private jets and high-end homes are all in demand, that means people are getting back to work. When you have a steady income and a secure job, the middle-class begins to spend. The economy hasn’t completely “righted” itself, but its coming and as I learned from my little bird friend…”watch the signs.”

—Kevin Henry