For love or money?

[Stonehenge]

You're pitching a client with a design for their landscape. You've spent hours putting it together. You've organized it around a theme, a feel, a feng shui attitude, and every plant, every brick coordinates with that theme.

The customer says they like it, but wonder if instead of the handmade clay paver bed edge, how would it look if we put those concrete half-moons in for edging?

You know you're close to making the sale. That edging destroys the look. It'll go from looking avante garde to DIY.

Do you sell them on what a great idea they have, or do you politely tell them it's a bad idea?

(Translation - is it for love, or money?)

[Paul]

Your in business to provide the customer a service and something THEY want...... So after you refigure the price for them and explaine that its not the cost of the material but the labor that goes into installing it, you put in what ever they want...

[PSUscaper]

I'm kind of with paul on this one.

Maybe someday it will be, but for now, business is not so incredible that I can afford to lose a job because of some little personal dispute with a client. I like to strongly suggest otherwise, but if a client feels they want to do something than I suggest, well, I agree.

There's one guy in my area, been around for a long time, who seems to feel differently though. I've done a few jobs for clients who have used him in the past, and its funny to hear what they say.

They first start off by saying how he has some really great ideas........but, then they always end up with 'he gets very hard to work with' and 'we'll never hire him again'.

I think he loses the overall fact that Paul touched on. We're here to serve the client, and whether or not we agree, its their house........so let them have what they want.

I've heard horror stories where people almost have to physically stop him from doing stuff. It's almost unbelievable, but it really does happen. I think one client almost had the police come and remove him from their property!

I know its frustrating when you are creating a master piece and the people suggest something totally rediculous (like some gaudy item placed in the middle of the planting bed), but I dont' think there's any way to avoid it.

steve

[Lanelle]

If the client wants to use some DIY material, I'll embark on a discussion of which Home Depot/Lowes carries that material. Maybe followed by a comment that I know its been on the market for a long time. Usually the wife will pick up on the clue and suggest that maybe there is a newer, better solution. If that doesn't work, then work with what they are committed to using. Sometimes the foreman will even tell the client, "I don' know if this is going to look good". By then the client is seeing how nice their project is looking and so their trust level is rising. Now they are ready to listen. That is not the ideal scenario, but it can be better than losing the job or giving up the standard you were trying to maintain. Of course, you continue to emphasize the importance of their satisfaction.

[Stonehenge]

I like the perspectives...Always interesting to hear. And I have to say that I fall in line with what I've heard so far. I try to steer, influence, educate as best I can, but if they've gotta have that gazing ball in the yard, then I guess I'll give it to them.

I have two follow-up questions. At what point, after beginning to compromise the integrity if the design, do you then just become a yes man (or woman), exerting very little influence on any design changes, knowing this is no longer the masterpiece you wanted to create?

The other Q is what steps as designers can we take, earlier in the process, so that complete faith can be placed in our abilities (to understand a client's needs and create gorgeous designs to fill those needs), so that design compromises are less frequent, and have less of an impact on the total design?

[Lanelle]

Some clients are eager to hear your ideas and trust is a fairly easy matter. There are others that believe that they know best/more than anybody else and those are tougher to win over. I think it is highly individual to the client relationship when determining what will win them over. Sometimes seeing your pictures and talking about hydrostatic pressure and surcharges on walls will do the trick. For others, its demonstrating your understanding of their viewpoint and taste that instills their trust or looking at your certifications and licensing. So I think there are lots of parts that go into establishing trust.

[site]

The designers dilemma- stuck between lofty ideals and the harsh reality of real life. My customers have to live in the landscape, so they have the final say. Of course I use steering techniques like everyone else here to attempt to pursuade them to think like me. I really prefer to install landscapes designed by others. It keeps some of the pressure off.

[Stonehenge]

I haven't done much of that, but you're right... ;)

[dan deutekom]

Our job as a designer is to provide the customer with a pleasing design that they like in accordance to the customers tastes. If that includes pink flamingos on the lawn the so be it. We as professionals should find a way to incorporate this feature. It may not be what we want but then when all it is all said and done it is the client we have to please. After all there is no accounting for taste

[mdvaden]

We are in business to provide customers with what they NEED first, and what they WANT second.

We listen to their wants, or find out their wants, and determine if their ideas have any unknown problems or financial hazards.

If their want is credible, then it fulfills their need.

If their want has downfalls, we present their idea in a fashion that makes it seem inferior to the better solution we develop that best meets their NEED and WANT.

For example, someone may really want a full blown Japanese landscape, pruned in the traditional way. Most people are unaware that the pruning cost can escalate from $300 per year, to $3000 per year in less than a decade.

Some people can afford that. Most people that would like a Japaness garden can't. So we break down their initial want in detail, then we present a better alternative. Unless they have the funds for all their want.