Some days I am proud of it; I am a resourceful person and can develop brilliant design solutions on a small budget . But in most cases the real success in commercial design comes from a more holistic level of thinking.
Client: Things are totally desperate, we have no money, but we need a lot of changes to create more sales and improved customer service….what have ya got?
Designer: Hold on, let me find a hat, a rabbit and a magic wand. Can you give me a couple days to whip up a potion?
Client: Sure. Do you think you can help us?
Designer: Yes, here , hold this paint deck and chain of laminates. I will be right back.
Returning to the client in a few days, typically I am prepared to tell them a variation of one of the following:
1. You don’t need a new (building, interior, furniture plan) to increase sales, you need to create a better customer experience which means a whole lot more than a paint scheme. Solution: Team training & goal setting.
2. You have a really great (building, interior, furniture plan) but you don’t know how to use it, maintain it. Solution: Company wide clean up, purge, reorganization with heart.
3. After investigation, we discovered that no matter what you do with your physical space, your employees are going to start a mutiny and destroy your customer experience. Solution: Separate HR issues from sales issues and strategically target solutions for both.
4. Your physical space is so out of synch with your brand and message, you better go find a pot of money and close the gap. Solution: Customer driven design empowered from top management.
5. Oh, and by the way, brown was the new black, but blue is now the new brown.
- Nothing Up My Sleeve
After the “you got to be kidding” look the client gives me, there is usually a recovery comment.
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All I wanted was paint colors selected, or,
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Won’t new task chairs fix the issue, or,
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We just wanted to look more upscale and informed, we really didn’t want to figure out how to be more informed.
Good environmental design is only 1/5 of the total solution. Without alignment with team performance, sales & marketing focus, technology and tools, and commitments to sustainability, design is hollow.