Getting Into the Hearts & Heads of the Client
How to get into the Hearts and Heads of the Client
Entering into the field of interior design, I realized quickly that I had an opportunity to leverage my counseling skills when working with our clients. Whether buying, selling, building or remodeling a home, clients are in transition which is an emotional roller coaster for them. I have heard many folks talk about how to prospect clients, and how to stay in touch with them after project completion, however how we take care of our clients “in the moment” has an invaluable and long-lasting impact.
We all want to provide a level of service that exceeds our client’s expectations, one that they tell their friends about and come back to us for many years to come. Read on for some information regarding the psychological experience the client goes through as well as some tools to help you navigate the emotional process and best serve your clients.
What is the Client Psychologically Experiencing?
Clients are in TRANSITION! They have not closed the chapter on the old, and are not yet settled into the new. William Bridges would call this the “Neutral Zone.” Haven’t we all been in that space not knowing how things will turn out? It’s uncomfortable and some feelings that arise being in the neutral zone are fear, stress, anxiety, powerlessness, frustration, and every other emotion that life brings which will at some point be projected onto the process, project, or you. We know that clients specifically experience 3 fears: the fear of making the wrong choice, guilt over extravagance (and I would add shame, some clients internally feel that they DO NOT DESERVE this new home), and fear they are being sold something that is not in their best interest. Other things to consider are that mood plays a role in how clients experience and perceive what you are presenting to them, color plays a role in regards to emotion, and psychologically it is easier for clients to make multiple payments where the total amount is higher than one lump sum payment. We also know that when in transition clients become indecisive due to all these feelings and the analyzation that kicks in.
So what can we do to help?
Knowing that our clients might be experiencing some or all of these things, how can we best “show up” for our clients throughout the process to help them manage all these stressors, to ultimately build trust and long-lasting relationships? It starts with building more than just rapport – the goal is to build an alliance. Similar to how I begin counseling with a client, creating a safe environment that is built on trust and support is essential to the process – the same efforts apply here. Get to know them personally. At Studio 10 we have created a client questionnaire that asks everything from favorite adult beverage to most important room in the house and why. We set the first meeting at their home which makes them feel important, personalized and tended to. For the 2nd meeting we invite them to our beautiful showroom and tend to all their senses. It will smell good, we’ll have eye candy for them to look at, and we’ll display their favorite drinks and snacks. This helps the client feel special and catered to.
Find out about their kids, pets, hobbies and associations and show an authentic interest in who they are. Being honest and transparent, even regarding the not-so-fun stuff, such as what you can expect in construction, helps to build the alliance.
Knowing the feelings that come up for folks who are in transition – something important to remember is that they might be moody and not trust you right away – don’t take it personal. That can be a very normal initial response. Being defensive will only create a barrior between you. To find out what feelings or moods they are experiencing…it sounds simple…but just ask. How has their day been thus far? You’ll want to know if they couldn’t find a parking spot or had a rough parent-teacher conference prior to your appointment. Taking that into consideration, you could alter your agenda for the meeting and revisit the missed topics on a day where they can be more present and engaged, therefore leading to effective and productive decision making. If and when the client shares with you their emotional state “We are WAY behind schedule!!” Normalize it. “I understand your concerns, the stress at this phase is common, and yet I have seen this scenario before and here it how it comes together.” Just feeling heard and validating will calm them down and reassure of them of the alliance. There is power in stories. Share other client’s success stories with them.
In addressing indecisiveness, empowering them to make the final calls will be helpful in avoiding the 3 fears mentioned earlier. Angela Artenies provides 5 ways to overcome indecisiveness that you can share with your clients:
1. Keep notes for a week on your feelings. Don’t analyze – just write down. After a week – where are you leaning?
2. Identify where you have the most resistance – this is usually due to an underlying fear or belief. Naming the real fear is invaluable – normalize it and empower them.
3. Recognize you have the right to change your mind (control). Encourage them to have what’s best for THEM, not what society, their friends, family, partner or ego thinks.
4. Stop taking life so seriously and allow self to go with the flow. Have fun, laugh, humor has healing powers. Having a playful attitude is attractive and approachable (which also builds the relationship)
5. Go within and do a visualization – I use this technique for everything.
Retention for the long haul Requires more than Satisfaction
According to the Keller Center research (Guo, Xiao, and Tang) we have to go an extra few steps further than providing client satisfaction. Creating an experience where clients feel smart and in control can seal the deal for them to come back for many years to come (and to refer you to others!) Some ways that we can do that are to balance being the expert with empowering them to tune into their knowledge and intuition. Ask them often what they know, what they think, and what their gut is telling them.
Gretchen Rubin put together 7 tips for helping other people feel smart and insightful.
1. Take notes
2. Refer to a comment the client made earlier
3. If the person doesn’t finish their thought, ask them to pick it up again
4. Use the person’s name judiciously
5. Take note of evidence of their admirable qualities
6. Ask their advice
7. Take someone’s advice (you already know what their favorite restaurant is from the questionnaire – try it out – and have a discussion about it)
Hopefully there is some information here that provides insight into how to best serve your clients who are in transition.
