Comments on: What Does It Mean to Run a Transparent Business? http://blog.prestonbailey.com/2012/01/05/what-does-it-mean-to-run-a-transparent-business/ Preston Bailey is an award winning event designer. He is renowned for his breathtaking weddings, unique floral designs, centerpieces, floral artistry, and inspired table settings. Sat, 25 May 2013 14:54:43 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: Navjot Kaur http://blog.prestonbailey.com/2012/01/05/what-does-it-mean-to-run-a-transparent-business/#comment-10425 Navjot Kaur Wed, 11 Jan 2012 01:02:24 +0000 http://blog.prestonbailey.com/?p=5513#comment-10425 Being Transparent is the best practice in business. Especially in these hard times when client's are looking for a bargains over everything, being open only helps to create a understanding to deliver the best. I always share options with variation in pricing. Being Transparent is the best practice in business. Especially in these hard times when client’s are looking for a bargains over everything, being open only helps to create a understanding to deliver the best. I always share options with variation in pricing.

]]> By: Eve http://blog.prestonbailey.com/2012/01/05/what-does-it-mean-to-run-a-transparent-business/#comment-10340 Eve Thu, 05 Jan 2012 20:40:45 +0000 http://blog.prestonbailey.com/?p=5513#comment-10340 Great post! Preston, I also struggle with this. In a sense that I know the quality I will be bringing to the table, as well as value services on top of the paid price. I read a great phrase yesterday which pretty much summarized the paradox of creative business - How do you figure out what customers need when you’re delivering an experience they’ve never seen before? We know that to account for every detail is simply impossible. Often things get added on by us during the set, when we see this can be fixed here and adjusted there. What clients often do not understand that if they hire us without playing hard ball is that they will get more out of us as designers, and in fact get more of actual 'stuff' at their wedding. Be it extra candle holders I think are fitting for that event, or a diamante encrasted bouquet pin I bought awhile back and now found the perfect bouquet to use it on. Whilst honesty is the best policy, but so is education. I do believe if a customer understands where the costs are coming from they will be able to make an informed decision. However, do my clients need to know how many plastic tubes I will need to make sure that a mass arrangement looks fresh - do they?Is it not more important to know that I will make sure their arrangement will look spectacular? Like Christine said do they ask how much leather, nails and glue was used in a pair of designer shoes? We all hear "weddings are so expensive", or "wedding flowers are expensive". Yes they are. I started asking my clients if they have a garden. Do they have a rose bush... is it beautiful and are they proud of it? How long did it take for a single rose to bloom? What I try and make them understand that a single flower travels a long way to make its way into a wedding centerpiece. From a seed on a farm, cared for by farm workers, transported, often airfreighted... I marvel at how cheap flowers are considering their journey. And labor is another issue. We work hard, every single designer/florist needs to look at their hand to remember just how hard our hands work(I am sure we all have scars from wires, clippers, glue guns, pins, hammers, splinters). We have a talent of 'knowing' and 'seeing' and then 'making' it all happen. How can you explain that? It's our soul, and soul is transparent. We can only make it visible with our work, with trust from a client that we will create beauty for them. Great post! Preston, I also struggle with this. In a sense that I know the quality I will be bringing to the table, as well as value services on top of the paid price. I read a great phrase yesterday which pretty much summarized the paradox of creative business – How do you figure out what customers need when you’re delivering an experience they’ve never seen before? We know that to account for every detail is simply impossible. Often things get added on by us during the set, when we see this can be fixed here and adjusted there. What clients often do not understand that if they hire us without playing hard ball is that they will get more out of us as designers, and in fact get more of actual ‘stuff’ at their wedding. Be it extra candle holders I think are fitting for that event, or a diamante encrasted bouquet pin I bought awhile back and now found the perfect bouquet to use it on.
Whilst honesty is the best policy, but so is education. I do believe if a customer understands where the costs are coming from they will be able to make an informed decision. However, do my clients need to know how many plastic tubes I will need to make sure that a mass arrangement looks fresh – do they?Is it not more important to know that I will make sure their arrangement will look spectacular? Like Christine said do they ask how much leather, nails and glue was used in a pair of designer shoes?

We all hear “weddings are so expensive”, or “wedding flowers are expensive”. Yes they are. I started asking my clients if they have a garden. Do they have a rose bush… is it beautiful and are they proud of it? How long did it take for a single rose to bloom? What I try and make them understand that a single flower travels a long way to make its way into a wedding centerpiece. From a seed on a farm, cared for by farm workers, transported, often airfreighted… I marvel at how cheap flowers are considering their journey.

And labor is another issue. We work hard, every single designer/florist needs to look at their hand to remember just how hard our hands work(I am sure we all have scars from wires, clippers, glue guns, pins, hammers, splinters). We have a talent of ‘knowing’ and ‘seeing’ and then ‘making’ it all happen. How can you explain that? It’s our soul, and soul is transparent. We can only make it visible with our work, with trust from a client that we will create beauty for them.

]]> By: Melody http://blog.prestonbailey.com/2012/01/05/what-does-it-mean-to-run-a-transparent-business/#comment-10339 Melody Thu, 05 Jan 2012 20:10:39 +0000 http://blog.prestonbailey.com/?p=5513#comment-10339 Ditto to what Christine said. Up front is the best policy. That is very different from giving them an itemized list of all the elements of the Centerpiece and the cost for each element vs telling them the cost for the completed centerpiece. We know we are not being dishonest we just need to hold price integrity after we have provided a competive and fair price Ditto to what Christine said. Up front is the best policy. That is very different from giving them an itemized list of all the elements of the Centerpiece and the cost for each element vs telling them the cost for the completed centerpiece. We know we are not being dishonest we just need to hold price integrity after we have provided a competive and fair price

]]> By: Sileola http://blog.prestonbailey.com/2012/01/05/what-does-it-mean-to-run-a-transparent-business/#comment-10331 Sileola Thu, 05 Jan 2012 17:26:00 +0000 http://blog.prestonbailey.com/?p=5513#comment-10331 As an event planner and a someone who is also getting married this year, transparency is always the best policy like you said Preston. The first step I take towards transparency is to always meet personally with every client and give them a list of my services and explain it in detail to them so they know what they are getting into and we are all on the same page. Ultimately I want them to feel comfortable going into it and for that reason either it is a bargaining client or a client who is ready to spend money I always start off by laying all the chips down. If they decide to shop elsewhere because of cost, I am fine with that knowing fully well that they got the full picture before they made their decision. I think even with vendors, when I take a client to a decorator for instance most of they time they feel more comfortable with the vendor that explains all they will be getting and the cost implications of their desire then when the designer quotes them a figure and they feel they don't fully all the details of what they are getting for their money. Although I also agree with Christine that sometimes it's not just about the cost of every singe item, but also selling the customers on the total experience that they will be getting, because some services can't be quantified in dollars. I am always for telling the client everything and allowing the client make an informed decision from there. Most of the time though, when a client sees the detail and passion that goes into the work (designing, planning or ...... ) they gain more appreciation for the talent and professionalism. Now if they have the funds to move forward is always the question.......Always work with the client to ensure they fully understand the relationship they are about to enter into, that is my interpretation of transparency As an event planner and a someone who is also getting married this year, transparency is always the best policy like you said Preston. The first step I take towards transparency is to always meet personally with every client and give them a list of my services and explain it in detail to them so they know what they are getting into and we are all on the same page. Ultimately I want them to feel comfortable going into it and for that reason either it is a bargaining client or a client who is ready to spend money I always start off by laying all the chips down. If they decide to shop elsewhere because of cost, I am fine with that knowing fully well that they got the full picture before they made their decision.

I think even with vendors, when I take a client to a decorator for instance most of they time they feel more comfortable with the vendor that explains all they will be getting and the cost implications of their desire then when the designer quotes them a figure and they feel they don’t fully all the details of what they are getting for their money. Although I also agree with Christine that sometimes it’s not just about the cost of every singe item, but also selling the customers on the total experience that they will be getting, because some services can’t be quantified in dollars.

I am always for telling the client everything and allowing the client make an informed decision from there. Most of the time though, when a client sees the detail and passion that goes into the work (designing, planning or …… ) they gain more appreciation for the talent and professionalism. Now if they have the funds to move forward is always the question…….Always work with the client to ensure they fully understand the relationship they are about to enter into, that is my interpretation of transparency

]]> By: Teri http://blog.prestonbailey.com/2012/01/05/what-does-it-mean-to-run-a-transparent-business/#comment-10328 Teri Thu, 05 Jan 2012 16:57:28 +0000 http://blog.prestonbailey.com/?p=5513#comment-10328 Hello Preston! Happy New Year! I’m always honest with my clients. I build my business on integrity! I expect the same from those I do business with. Sometimes I loose the client, and other times they want to cut back. But as long as the project is a win win I’m happy. Now there have been times that I have not accept the client because they want a WOW affect for a penny budget [all money is not always good money] so it was my choice not to accept the project. Hello Preston! Happy New Year! I’m always honest with my clients. I build my business on integrity! I expect the same from those I do business with. Sometimes I loose the client, and other times they want to cut back. But as long as the project is a win win I’m happy.
Now there have been times that I have not accept the client because they want a WOW affect for a penny budget [all money is not always good money] so it was my choice not to accept the project.

]]> By: Christine http://blog.prestonbailey.com/2012/01/05/what-does-it-mean-to-run-a-transparent-business/#comment-10327 Christine Thu, 05 Jan 2012 16:36:24 +0000 http://blog.prestonbailey.com/?p=5513#comment-10327 To me, being transparent means being up front and sincere about what services/goods I will provide, not necessarily itemizing everything that goes into creating those goods. Clients may want to know exactly where their dollars are going, but do not ask the same questions when they buy a designer bag or shoes. They're not concerned then with how much goes to labor or materials. I think that is because they do not see a real live person in those instances. We are in the business of custom experiences; that is why customers come to us, yet they devalue our work and creativity by expecting a "bargain". Leaving some level of opacity, protects me as a business owner, and allows me to make a profit without leaving me vulnerable to customers' "nickle and dime-ing". To me, being transparent means being up front and sincere about what services/goods I will provide, not necessarily itemizing everything that goes into creating those goods. Clients may want to know exactly where their dollars are going, but do not ask the same questions when they buy a designer bag or shoes. They’re not concerned then with how much goes to labor or materials. I think that is because they do not see a real live person in those instances. We are in the business of custom experiences; that is why customers come to us, yet they devalue our work and creativity by expecting a “bargain”. Leaving some level of opacity, protects me as a business owner, and allows me to make a profit without leaving me vulnerable to customers’ “nickle and dime-ing”.

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