Tips for Managing Extended Project Timelines
The post-pandemic (if we can even say that, yet) economy has created a unique set of challenges to the world of interior design: there are so many people wanting design services, but the limited availability of products and personnel to deliver those services makes for extremely lengthy project timelines. Straightforward decorating projects that we used to budget twelve weeks for now run upwards of ten months. At AGI, it has made us reassess our pricing model, and has made it very difficult to plan our availability, because we never really know when we’ll be at a place in a project where we can begin the next one on deck. We’re continually evaluating our processes, and have taken a more fluid approach to our timelines, which, if I’m being honest, feels chaotic to my Type A personality, but adjust we must! I know we are not alone in facing these circumstances, so here’s a few things we’ve adopted to help educate potential and current clients about the state of the industry, and to help manage expectations.
Communication is HUGE, especially now, when everyone’s patience and pocketbooks may get tested. We’ve found it’s best to be as up-front as possible with potential clients during the screening stage.
We let them know that their project is likely to extend beyond what they anticipate at the beginning - it could be for many months to years (for new construction), and requires resources from our team throughout that entire time. We have learned a lot over the last year, in that estimating our flat fees based on a an older timeline model no longer covers our current time input. Our fee structure now takes into account the very likely possibility of project delays, and accounts for “bandwidth” on our calendar that may be hard to predict.
We say in the most diplomatic way that they will be waiting for some furnishings, appliances, and other materials for a very. long. time. We’re now having clients sign a separate document that states that we’ve communicated these expectations, and that they understand them.
We communicate that price changes and surcharges are being implemented daily by our vendors, and that it is an added cost to most products we must pass along.
We’ve also added flexibility to our process to help ease some of the pain points:
We’re allowing delivery of furniture from the receiver as it arrives, so clients aren’t paying for months of storage on some pieces, while waiting for the remainders. There’s often not a big, complete install, but rather several “mini installs.”
We’re more likely to consider re-upholstering an existing piece so that clients can have furniture in place quicker. A full-service, talented, and open-minded upholsterer is key!
More than anything, we do our best to keep everything in perspective. Interior design is a luxury service, and although we and our clients may be inconvenienced, everything will in time come together. Lastly, when in doubt, we ask for a lot of grace!
