I remember as a Kitchen and Bath Designer that I would occasionally have a prospect walk up to me who had a very Type “A” personality. This prospect would come in with specific demands about their entire project including the look, specific cabinet configurations, including where each piece should be placed.
If you have been designing even for a short period of time, you have most likely encountered someone just like this. Sometimes this sort of client can be the most challenging to work with if you are relatively new to this profession, especially if the client knows you are new. It is possible that this client will act as though you can serve them best by giving them exactly what they want, and they will frequently walk all over you.
In many of my talks with designers over the years, I sometimes ask them how they determine which brands they recommend for their clients. I have on occasion gotten a response something along the lines of “I just sell the brand that my clients say they want.” My response was to congratulate them on being such a good order taker. I actually went so far as to explain to them that as part of their job, they should educate their client on the differences between the different brands and help fit them to the one that will best suit their needs.
It was on one occasion that the designer I was speaking with must have thought about this for quite some time because a couple of months after having this discussion, she told me that she was bored with being an order taker and wanted to learn more about how to present and sell the brand of cabinetry that I worked with. I spent some time with her then, guiding her on the finer points of determining the best fit for a client and more importantly, explaining why.
If any of us were to go into a doctor’s office, requesting a specific prescription for our ailment, we would be given a full work-up by the doctor, including a litany of questions prior to them being able to determine if we need a prescription and if so, the proper one based on our specific medical needs. The doctor would be doing her or his due diligence because that is the nature of their job, to diagnose prior to recommending a possible remedy or solution.
Prescription without diagnosis is malpractice.
-James Muir
As the well-known author and sales coach James Muir has said many times, “Prescription without diagnosis is malpractice.” I cannot even begin to state how true this statement is, regardless of what sales industry you are in.
As a designer, you must take the time to discover what you believe to be the best solution for your client. It is entirely possible that the best choice for your prospect is a product that you don’t have the ability to sell. If you have to guide this prospect elsewhere they will undoubtedly be grateful. This practice could even earn you multiple referrals in the future if you handle it properly.
Another scenario could be that at some point, your client has decided to buy elsewhere simply because another designer took the time to educate them on some alternatives and choices that you may also offer, but that you did not take the time to fully explore together only because you were lazy and only talked about what the prospect “said” they wanted.
Even if you have only designed one space for a client, you have gained at least a little insight into the products that you offer and what needs to be taken into consideration when remodeling a space. If you have done dozens, hundreds, or thousands of spaces, think about the amount of experience and insight that you have that your client does not. This is what makes you the expert in your field and much of what your client is paying for.
It is your job as a designer to present choices and options to your client even though, sometimes, the easier path is to be an order taker.
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