Pro to Pro: How to Deal With Clients Who Keep Asking for Changes
If you are an architect or an interior designer, find ways to professionally handle revision requests by the client
Designing a project for a new client is always exciting but it can transform into a frustrating experience if the client keeps asking for changes in the design. As a professional, you are responsible for delivering quality services and creating a conducive environment that shall enable smooth execution of work at site. You can accomplish this is by clearly specifying your scope of work, professional fees and the number of revision requests that can be accommodated. Here are some tips on how to go about it.
1. Understand the client’s requirements
- As a professional, it is important to ask the client the right questions and obtain maximum information. This will help you to understand the client’s vision right from the start of the project.
- Some clients are not quite sure what they want. In such a situation, emphasise on the function of the space and explain your design strategy to convince the client.
- Keep the client informed about each phase of design and get their feedback at each stage. Designs should be executed at site only after a go-ahead from the client.
2. Make a contract
- Make a contract before you start designing the project, which shall clearly specify your professional fee, stage-wise payment schedule and your scope of work.
- Design is subjective and clients have their own opinions, hence revisions and changes are a part of the design process. Make it a point to clearly mention the number of revisions within your scope of work with which you are comfortable. Revising a design is very time-consuming, something the client might not be aware of.
- You can opt to control the number of revisions by charging an additional fee after two or three revisions, which can be charged on a per-square-foot or lumpsum basis.
- Make the client read the contract carefully. In case any discrepancy arises as the project progresses, then the contract should be used as a positive client management tool.
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3. Communicate that major revisions take time
- Clearly explain to the client that major changes in the design involves a lot of your time, which can cause delay in the project and result in an inflation of costs.
- At the same time, you must be sensitive towards the requirements and vision of your client. How? Ask the client to share some images of some homes or individual spaces that match with their particular design request, from the photos section of Houzz India. This will help you to move a step further in understanding the client’s vision.
4. Maintain a calm, firm stand
- It is important to stay firm and work within the scope of your contract but you should also maintain a balance by catering to the exact needs of your client. This will help you to maintain a healthy relationship with the client throughout the project.
- In case the situation becomes very stressful or frustrating, try to make the situation positive by being calm and a little flexible towards understanding the client’s point of view.
5. Dos and don’ts
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Tell us:
As a professional, how have you dealt with clients who keep asking for changes in design? Share in Comments below.
- In case the client asks for major revisions in the design, do not revise the drawings immediately. It is advisable to give the client adequate time and space to think about your design before you start working on the changes.
- As the design progresses, continue to communicate to the client about the number of revisions left.
- You could always do some extra non-billed work as a goodwill gesture to reinforce a healthy client relationship.
Pro to Pro: Where to Find Your Next Client
6 Key Questions to Ask Before Hiring Your Architect
Tell us:
As a professional, how have you dealt with clients who keep asking for changes in design? Share in Comments below.
