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So far we've been referring to the "clients" as though they are of one mind. In reality, many of your clients will be twosomes - couples - and you will often find that they have conflicting tastes. What do you do?
The first step is to try to bring them closer together in their objectives. Try to bring them to a "meeting of the minds" if at all possible. Often, this merging of their desires will occur as a natural part of the education and interview process that we've just covered. At the start of the process, you had Mr. and Mrs. Redford look through a group of design magazines, to give each of them a chance to explore his or her likes and dislikes. At the same time, they also started to discuss these feelings together. Often, this process alone will solve the conflict as they find that they really are not so far apart as they originally thought when neither of them could verbalize their preferences.
Where the couple has not been able to resolve their disagreements by looking at the magazines, you can act as a valuable catalyst by understanding the needs of both parties, helping them identify their personal differences, and finding a way to resolve their differences without prejudicing either party.
Does this sound like a balancing act on a tightrope? Sometimes you may feel that it's that difficult, but you have the tools at hand to solve all the problems that come your way.
First, you've looked at their early preferences that were identified when they looked through a series of design magazines. But you've gathered a lot more information that will help you bring them to the right decisions when you conducted the client interview. You've learned the reality of their lifestyle, their family needs and their interests.
- Tip: Do you agree with the position of one member of the couple? Perhaps you do. If you do, you need to gently shift the decisions toward the outlook of that individual without "siding" with that person. Point out to both of them why you think it would make more sense to have an informal feel to the living room rather than a more traditional one, and remind them that their three Golden Retrievers will be much better adapted to that approach.
On the other hand, perhaps you see merit in the positions of both individuals. In this case, you may want to undertake a more Solomonic approach. Can you find elements in each of their tastes that can be reconciled within the scope of the job? Perhaps you're doing several rooms or the entire house for Bruce and Joan Redford. Can Mr. Redford's desire for a more traditional look be accommodated by the plans for a library where dark oak paneling and heavy club chairs will meet his needs? With that refuge, can he accept a slightly more informal living room that will be used by all the family including the four-legged members?
Through your interview, you've armed yourself with the tools to help the Redfords make the right decisions. If you proceed with understanding and tact, you will often find that one or both of them will generously bend their views toward those of their partner, and they will find that the differences are not so great after all. At bottom, most people are reasonable if you take time to listen to their ideas, talk over those ideas and acknowledge them, and don't push them too hard.
Over the next few installments, we're going to discuss a subject that most beginners find daunting - how to discuss and resolve budgetary issues with clients.
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