How to Grow Your Business Without Compromising on Quality
Find out how to maintain a high standard of work while your design business develops
When you’re trying to scale your business, it can be tricky to keep the balance between taking on more clients and maintaining the quality of your work. Check out these tips to find ways of increasing your workload without decreasing the service you provide.
Professional advice from: Julianne Bull of The Den Interiors; Rebecca Naughtin of Rebecca Naughtin Architect and Kim Boulter of Boulter Built Homes.
Professional advice from: Julianne Bull of The Den Interiors; Rebecca Naughtin of Rebecca Naughtin Architect and Kim Boulter of Boulter Built Homes.
Pace yourself
When the number of jobs you take on starts to grow, it can be tempting to speed up your work in order to fit everything in. Of course, it’s important to get projects finished on time, but it’s counterproductive to rush a job and compromise on quality.
A much more effective strategy is to be realistic about how long a job will take and to communicate this to your client. “The last thing you want is a relationship to turn sour due to unmet expectations,” says Kim Boulter. Work at a pace at which you know you can deliver quality and don’t be pressured to cut corners.
6 Ways to Achieve a Work-Life Balance
When the number of jobs you take on starts to grow, it can be tempting to speed up your work in order to fit everything in. Of course, it’s important to get projects finished on time, but it’s counterproductive to rush a job and compromise on quality.
A much more effective strategy is to be realistic about how long a job will take and to communicate this to your client. “The last thing you want is a relationship to turn sour due to unmet expectations,” says Kim Boulter. Work at a pace at which you know you can deliver quality and don’t be pressured to cut corners.
6 Ways to Achieve a Work-Life Balance
Focus on service
While the quality of your workmanship will be important to clients, it’s equally vital to focus on a high standard of customer service. Naughtin, for example, stresses that although designing a beautiful home is essential, it’s equally important for her to help guide her clients through the journey.
This includes actively listening to them during the design phase, supporting them through the building process, and keeping up an excellent level of communication throughout.
During a project, difficulties and tensions can arise and the professional can play a vital role in keeping things on track for all parties. “Builders cannot afford to give bad service. We have to work twice as hard at educating our clients and improving tradesmen’s attitudes,” says Boulter.
Bull recommends delegating work that’s not directly related to the design, so you can spend more time creating a relationship with your client.
While the quality of your workmanship will be important to clients, it’s equally vital to focus on a high standard of customer service. Naughtin, for example, stresses that although designing a beautiful home is essential, it’s equally important for her to help guide her clients through the journey.
This includes actively listening to them during the design phase, supporting them through the building process, and keeping up an excellent level of communication throughout.
During a project, difficulties and tensions can arise and the professional can play a vital role in keeping things on track for all parties. “Builders cannot afford to give bad service. We have to work twice as hard at educating our clients and improving tradesmen’s attitudes,” says Boulter.
Bull recommends delegating work that’s not directly related to the design, so you can spend more time creating a relationship with your client.
Get your team on board
Growing your business often involves taking on staff, which means trusting others to carry out work you’d usually do yourself. It’s key, therefore, to hire people you feel will work to your own high standards.
However, it’s also important to create the right environment for your employees to thrive. Positive feedback, good staff training and a respectful environment will all create a culture that should motivate staff to produce high-quality work.
Boulter suggests you surround yourself with positive people who share your values and focus on building trust. Bull also highlights the value of working with the best-quality contractors and suppliers.
How to Secure a Higher Quality of Clients
Growing your business often involves taking on staff, which means trusting others to carry out work you’d usually do yourself. It’s key, therefore, to hire people you feel will work to your own high standards.
However, it’s also important to create the right environment for your employees to thrive. Positive feedback, good staff training and a respectful environment will all create a culture that should motivate staff to produce high-quality work.
Boulter suggests you surround yourself with positive people who share your values and focus on building trust. Bull also highlights the value of working with the best-quality contractors and suppliers.
How to Secure a Higher Quality of Clients
Manage your time
When you’re juggling projects, it’s vital to organise your schedule effectively, so you can focus your energies efficiently. Bull recommends you work according to your own natural rhythms – identifying the time of day when you’re most creative and productive and blocking out this time to be deliberate and deliver.
It’s also important to decide which tasks need immediate attention and which can be left until later. “I like to time-block my diary to ensure that critical tasks are completed,” says Bull.
Boulter recommends devising a way to easily repeat those jobs you do often by creating templates for recurring tasks, client communication and other details.
When you’re juggling projects, it’s vital to organise your schedule effectively, so you can focus your energies efficiently. Bull recommends you work according to your own natural rhythms – identifying the time of day when you’re most creative and productive and blocking out this time to be deliberate and deliver.
It’s also important to decide which tasks need immediate attention and which can be left until later. “I like to time-block my diary to ensure that critical tasks are completed,” says Bull.
Boulter recommends devising a way to easily repeat those jobs you do often by creating templates for recurring tasks, client communication and other details.
Be up-front about budget
A vital ingredient for high-quality work is ensuring you have ample resources. Be realistic about how much the work will cost and communicate this honestly to the customer.
“Let’s be realistic, we all have a budget. Communicating the budget upfront helps the designer understand how to design the space, which materials to use, where to source and if the scope is manageable,” says Bull.
“If the budget is too low, the designer can help the client reduce the scope of the project or substitute items with more cost-effective solutions.”
Your turn
Are you trying to grow your business or have you managed to maintain a balance between quantity and quality? Share your thoughts in the Comments below, like this story and join the conversation.
More
Need more advice about running a business? Read stories with tips for professionals here
A vital ingredient for high-quality work is ensuring you have ample resources. Be realistic about how much the work will cost and communicate this honestly to the customer.
“Let’s be realistic, we all have a budget. Communicating the budget upfront helps the designer understand how to design the space, which materials to use, where to source and if the scope is manageable,” says Bull.
“If the budget is too low, the designer can help the client reduce the scope of the project or substitute items with more cost-effective solutions.”
Your turn
Are you trying to grow your business or have you managed to maintain a balance between quantity and quality? Share your thoughts in the Comments below, like this story and join the conversation.
More
Need more advice about running a business? Read stories with tips for professionals here
Don’t feel under pressure to take on every job that comes your way – it’s much better in the long-term to focus on projects where you know you can do a good job. “Developing a portfolio of projects that represent your unique style and working with clients who you enjoy is important to your business and personal wellbeing,” says Julianne Bull.
Bull recommends being selective in terms of the work you take on, as quality versus quantity is key. Her advice is to stay focused on your target market and don’t be afraid to graciously turn down work that doesn’t suit or that you have a bad feeling about.
“Being honest is very important,” says Rebecca Naughtin. “We always start a project on a feasibility study to ascertain how realistic a project is, which sets the tone of our transparency from day one.”
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