6 Things People Expect From a Designer

‘Oh! I had heard that you are an excellent designer, but you are a disappointment. Nothing like I expected’ a client almost screamed at me when I presented the designs I had made for him, making me question my own skills and expertise and I stood there, staring at the papers scattered on the table, his words echoing ‘Nothing like I expected’. After working as a designer for a couple of years, with tons of different clients, I have realized that the client’s perception of the designer plays a significant role in his attitude towards the designs and patterns and Oh Lord, the clients have a lot, a lot, of expectation from the designer, which need meticulous consideration for a successful relationship. You need to know their expectation and unconscious and unexpressed needs so you can give them the ultimate satisfaction they have been looking for. Wondering what your clients wish to see in you? Have a look and tick mark the ones you have and ponder on the ones that need some attention. Happy reading!

1. Pamper Me with Your Customer Service!

Have you heard your clients complain about your team and how they are so rude and uncooperative? Ha Ha. Don’t worry, there is nothing wrong with your team, it is just that the clients love a little extra sugar in their coffee, like we all do! Proper greetings and attention are not just important and help you build a long lasting relationship with clients, but are mandatory as a token of respect and appreciation for the client. Imagine that you go shopping and the salesperson greets you with a proper hello and gives you appropriate time. Wouldn’t you love it and would want to go again? Your clients want the same from you, time, attention and some love and boom!

2. Deliver it to Me Now!

I was only able to understand the impatience of clients when I started ordering stuff online and oh, I just couldn’t wait till they get to me, like please just come over! Clients too want you to complete the designs and patterns, very quickly. If you tell them you’d take months, be ready to lose them, because who on earth can wait for so long? Make sure that you only entertain as much clients as you can satisfy and try not to accept work that you wouldn’t be able to deliver on time. Know your capacity and limits and avoid going beyond then, because if you fail to develop designs when the client needs it, you would be in great trouble. The tip is not to give a too long or too short deadline so neither you miss the dates nor the client gets agitated.

3. Keep the Ideas Coming!

As a designer, you cannot be short of ideas because clients want more and more so they can choose from a wide range of options. Even if their heart and mind have replied in affirmative to a design, they still want you to give them more, in pursuit of the best. But alas, you are a human being and not a creativity machine and there might be times when you just cannot come up with another idea, but, but ‘It is your job’. Be patient and ask for some time from the client so you can get back to them but do not say that ‘this is it’ because the moment you do, they would believe that you are not good at your job since you don’t have any new ideas on the plate.

4. Show Me Your Work!

Just like you make sure the goods you purchase are original and new before buying, the clients also make sure you are a worthwhile designer before approaching you, but they still want to know more about you to feel confident about their choice and to able to trust you blindly. They want to know who you have previously worked with, your success stories, your working style, what people have to say about you and what you have to offer them. The more they know, the better they feel, but the dilemma is that they would rarely ask you for it. As a designer, you must know that clients want to see your excellence through your work, not your words, so display your best pieces and see the magic.

5. Know my Taste Already!

Some clients are adorable, they really expect you to know their preferences and needs as soon as they walk up to you and often say ‘Don’t you know what I like!’ and you wonder how you would know what they like. Ha Ha. There are times when the client himself doesn’t know what he wants and who his target market is, but somehow expects you to deliver exactly what he needs. The tip here is to ask as many questions as you can, so you are able to analyze the client’s business and develop design that complement his needs. It may not be easy, but it is only effective way.

6. Your Money isn’t going anywhere, be Patient!

And while you have made all your plans on how you would spend the money, they expect you to have patience and wait for them to make the payment. Although some clients are pretty quick in paying, but some just like to delay it and all you can do is remind yourself that ‘good things come to those who wait’! Clients want to make sure your designs are sophisticated enough and good for them and keep thinking about it to make sure and expect you to have some chill, after all they are not running away.

Hope by now you can understand a little psychology of your clients and would consider these expectations while dealing with them next time. Just make sure you give them immense respect and have a sympathetic attitude and I promise they would love every bit of you. Happy Designing!