5 Secrets for Interior Designers Improve Their Renovation Businesses

The renovation industry in Singapore has grown over the years. Especially since the start of the pandemic, more people are spending time at home and want a comfortable space that they can enjoy. Read more to learn about five things you can do to improve your renovation business and take it to the next level!

1. Level up your team’s skills

The baseline of course is that you and your team should be dependable, knowledgeable and skilled. However, there is always something new to learn in the renovation industry, whether it is new materials and techniques, equipment and technology or even changing design trends. Or you might have a great eye for design but lack technical knowledge to execute it properly. To be successful, you and your team also have to be able to work well with the workers on a job site, meaning everyone needs to know the role they play. Prioritise levelling up your skills to impress your clients and make sure your business stands out from everyone else.

2. Have Systems Set in Place

Customers are becoming more discerning and can tell if you have some structure to the way you run your operations or if you are just doing things manually and have no system in place. That is why it is crucial to establish effective systems in place before you expand your client base. Some things you might want to consider having some sort of structure or system for are things like accounting (including invoicing, receipts etc), project management (ways to keep track of schedules, materials etc) and quotations (consistent pricing, variation orders etc). When you have systems in place, not only does it look more professional to your clients, but it could also potentially save you lots of time!

3. Branding

If you want to earn more business, you have to invest in your branding. Having excellent work and benefiting from positive word-of-mouth can be highly advantageous for your business. However, taking advantage of a well-planned digital marketing strategy can propel your business to the next level. Communicate clearly what your brand is about with your online presence by giving potential clients access to your services, work portfolio, and even online customer service. This helps clients know what level of service they can expect from you and helps build trust and increase their probability of them wanting to work with you. Make sure that you and your team are accessible and easy to communicate with, which means they know they're not going to have to chase you down throughout the building process. The more user-friendly your interaction processes are and the more attractive your brand appears, the smoother it will be to convert potential leads into customers.

4. Respond instead of Reacting

When faced with challenges like negative customer reviews or employee dissatisfaction, it is crucial to respond rather than react. Similarly, you cannot passively wait for opportunities to come your way, whether they involve providing exceptional employee and customer experiences or acquiring new business. Instead, you must actively devise effective strategies to address negative situations and proactively seek out potential business prospects. This entails consistently seeking feedback from employees to enhance your processes and reaching out to potential clients to determine if they require your services.

5. Empathy

Many renovation companies tend to overlook this, and is one major cause for many less than ideal client - renovator relationships. Undertaking a home renovation can be a demanding experience for homeowners, and the more mindful you are of this fact, the more trust they will place in you and your business. It is important to recognize that clients are granting you access to their homes and relying on you to make specific changes. Frequently, clients will continue to reside in the space being renovated, and surprisingly, there are numerous ways to carry out your work without causing significant disruptions to their daily lives. Of course, this does not imply that you should not establish boundaries and communicate your requirements to clients during the project. However, approaching your work with empathy will ultimately facilitate the process for all parties involved.