Dear Preston:
I am an event designer. I also design all of the flowers and decor for weddings, like you do, if on a smaller scale. Currently, I am designing a wedding that will take place in a beautiful ballroom and be attended by 500 guests this fall. I held several meetings with the bride and her mother in order to gain a clear understanding of what they wanted. This past Friday, I designed a table that was exactly what they had asked for. I personally thought the table looked stunning, but to my great surprise, they both hated it. I’d like to know how you handle situations like this.
Sincerely,
Disappointed.
Dear Disappointed:
I am so sorry you are in this situation. I know it is not easy. You probably feel a little crazy being that you followed your clients direction, gave them exactly what they wanted only to find them unhappy with your work. If it is any consolation, I have an entire archive of designs that I have presented to my clients and had them give a big thumbs-down.
Like you, I thought I had given these clients exactly what they had asked for. However, if you were to ask them, they would tell you I missed the boat. You must understand some clients. There is often a big disconnect between what they have in their minds and what you, an artist, visualize their concept to be. After plenty of trial-and-error fiasco’s, I now do my best to circumvent this problem by presenting at least two or three concept designs to my clients, even if it is more costly. Most of the time they like at least one of them, or at least a few elements of one.
If I were you, I would encourage my client to voice exactly what they were not happy with and book another presentation where you show them a new table. This time around, make sure to send written copy of all of the new notes to serve as a reminder of your conversation.
Lastly, please do not be discouraged, this is all a part of being a designer. I wish you the best of luck with your clients.
Readers, if you show a table to your clients at no charge (lets assume this was a contractual clause) and the dislike it, should you charge the client to show them another table or pay for it out of your own pocket.
Florists, it is always good to show a sample table to your new clients. Should you pay for this sample or should the client pay for it?
I look forward to reading your responses.
Preston
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George Bernard Shaw once said: “You see things and say, ‘Why?’ But I dream things that never were and say, ‘Why not?’” That quote embodies how Preston Bailey approaches every event.
luis
September 18, 2012
buen dia mi admirable diseñador espero pueda entender el español
yo tengo un negocio de evento y me dedico junto a mi esposa a diseñar dichos eventos
yo pienso que una gran parte de los cliente que te dicen que no les gusto tu montaje es por lo mismo que les damos exactamente lo que ellos quieren sin poner aveces el toque que cada decorador tiene es por a mi forma de ver quedar bien con el cliente recordemos que si el cliente nos pide algo es por que el no lo puede hace en este caso si el pudiera lo aria pero quiere una visión de su idea mezclada con la de el diseñador y cuando damos lo que el cliente nos pide a exactitud suele pasar esto que el cliente no queda del todo satisfecho esa es mi humilde forma de ver a los clientes que me dicen que no les gusto mi montaje
Hemant
September 19, 2012
A wedding planner myself I would show clients another sample if need be from my own cost. Things can get lost in translation and its good to show the client too you are willing to work with them and not be too rigid. However I draw the line at 3 samples with no charge.
Navjot Kaur
September 19, 2012
I charge for all the floral samples and rest is the presentation. Many a time client just want to see the smaller version just to see the impact as it is hard to visualize. I share the fabrics that I will be using and answer any questions with “why”.
I agree that many a time connection is missing but that is all about winning the confidence and understanding there liking and disliking.