Project Success Is A Two-Way Street
We can all agree that it is the responsibility of the contractor or design firm to deliver quality work and meet expectations of clients.
However, in the interior design and build industry, the disparity between what customers expectation and reality may vastly different.
In this article, we discuss some common factors that we faced in the design and build sector.
Shedding some light to helps determine and better create a conducive environment.
Minimizing the difference between customer’s expectation and reality, with examples to illustrate. The article will highlight 2 common factors:
- Communication
- Under-Cutting Suppliers/ Design and Build Firms
1. Communication
Sometimes the simplest tasks can be missed. Such as basic communication. This may come in the form of not conveying what one wants explicitly.
For example, a client with specific needs for a black roller chair of high back for an executive only stating to the vendor that they want a black roller chair for an executive.
Seems detailed enough? Read again!
With the detail of being ‘high back’ being a critical factor being left out, it leaves room for the supplier to deliver a regular back chair.
Thus, leaving a dissatisfied client and a supplier who now has to deal with the excess stock that may (not) be refunded to the warehouse.
In this simple scenario, the consequence could at least be reversible. However, in worst cases, a partition wall may be hacked down, leaving a distraught client blaming the contractor.
Thus, going back to the rule 1. Communication is key to success. With proper communication, it leaves little room for variance as to what can happen. Simultaneously, establishing a better working relationship where both parties engages in meaningful conversation for the long term.
2. Under-Cutting Suppliers/ Design and Build Firms
As the adage goes, when you pay peanuts, you get monkeys. Similarly, when suppliers are squeezed for margins. Clients end up with a product that is of less than satisfactory quality.
To put things in perspective, most firms (like us) would order their products from a reputable manufacturer or at least, a trusted source. This would directly cause the price to be slightly higher. However, when pressured to lower prices, firms may wind up passing on their reduced margins to their manufacturers.
This cost-saving cycle would then inadvertently come back to gnaw at the clients should they intend to use it for a long period. However, if the client is interested for short-term usage, let it be known! (Back to point 1)
With project success being a two-way street, mitigating these 2 factors can distinguish between expectation and reality.
With that said, see you in the next article! We hope this issue of our design and build Singapore series has been informative. Till next time!
For more of our past works, do visit Portfolio. Should you have any queries for us, do contact us at +65 6481 8434. Alternatively, reach us at admin@pna-int.com