Designer Tips for Coping with Oops Moments (Or… How to deal with WTH problems)

“Uh Oh!” “Oops!” “Now what?” For an interior designer, nothing causes more sleepless nights and graying hair than hearing – or saying – these words while in the middle of a remodeling project. While the responsibility for fixing mistakes rests with you, there is help to be found when you're coping with oops moments of your own.

As described in a recent article on the Houzz Pro website, “So many details, processes and people need to align during a renovation that things are bound to be a little bumpy. There are tense moments, unhappy clients, measuring mistakes, delayed shipments, and sudden discoveries behind walls and under floors that inevitably end with ‘Uh-oh’ escaping from someone’s lips.”

“But quick thinking, confidence in one’s experience, and just good old-fashioned gut instinct can help turn these trials and tribulations into positive outcomes and learning experiences.”

Coping with Product Problems – “That’s not what I ordered!”

Color, texture, size, and fit are the most common mistakes when ordering furnishings. Quoting the article again, “Someone mistakenly orders the wrong product or material, or the supplier ships the wrong one. Someone miscalculates a measurement. Or something gets installed the wrong way.” (Yeah, as we all know, blaming that familiar “Someone” can be a real relief.)

The advice for coping that’s shared in the article is fine, as far as it goes: stay calm, double check orders and deliveries for accuracy, and roll with the punches (so to speak). Though good advice, these things are pretty much self-evident.

More important is the vital pre-project step of preparing your client, and yourself, for the possibility of something going wrong. As explained in a previous post, peace of mind will be yours if you expect the unexpected, and prepare your clients for the same early on, just in case.

Coping with Remodeling Surprises – “How did that get there – and why?”

Surprises are the last thing a designer wants to find in the middle of a remodel. Unfortunately, “All the planning in the world won’t always prepare you for what might await behind walls and below floors. Especially with older homes, those on the renovation team often hold a collected breath when they’re opening up a structure. Problems with broken plumbing or damaged structures can catapult a client’s budget into the stratosphere and put the renovation in jeopardy.”

First, remember that early conversation with your clients about the possibility of unexpected problems? Since issues like these could be a game-changer for the project, include this in that talk. In other words, if some demolition is going to be needed, surprises like wood rot, bad plumbing, or worn electric wiring could add significantly to costs. They need to be ready for this possibility (as do you).

Stay calm and keep them focused on the beautiful results while reminding them you mentioned things like this might come up. This will go a long way to getting over the almost inevitable hurdles of previously unknown structural problems.

Coping with Tough Choices – “Uh oh! Who’s gonna’ tell them about this?”

As outlined above, and as the saying by Robert Burns goes, “The best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry”. So, who tells the client you’ve found mice behind their walls? (Just kidding.) The point is, there will be times when things “go awry” that are simply no one’s fault. Sometimes, stuff happens.

“Nobody wants to be the one to delay a project, create more work, or increase costs. But sometimes you’ve got to make the hard decision so your client will be happy in the long run. Your client might view a mistake now as one that’s not worth fixing, but it’s important to emphasize that even a minor frustration with material, color, or product could compound over the years into something that’s a constant daily frustration.”

A sharp interior designer knows that even the smallest problem can become a major, nagging issue when lived with every day. That designer will step up and either make the choice to alter the plan or will honestly expose the issue and argue for resolving it immediately before it can become a long-term problem.

As “The Boss” the responsibility for making the tough choices rests with you alone. As does the obligation for conducting those potentially difficult conversations. Preparing your clients for the possibility of unforeseen problems will be helpful, as will taking steps like sharing daily updates, sticking with proven subs, and working with suppliers you know you can trust. In fact, we explain the importance of these things in our post on working smarter, not harder.

As always, Ted is available for individual business consulting support, with additional tips for coping with oops moments, and ways to work smarter, not harder in the face of uncertainty. Whether you're an interior designer or furnishing store owner, Ted has the experience and knowledge to help you adapt and reach your 2021 business goals. Get in touch with TD Fall today.