Dear Dakota: How Should Interior Designers Handle Post Installation Furniture Damages?
Dear Dakota,
What’s the best practice for handling requests from clients about furniture that shows wear and tear or gets damaged after a period of time from regular use after they’ve moved in and the project is finished? Seems our clients expect that everything we source should be durable, and if it’s not, we should address the issues no matter how long it’s been.
On the one hand, I understand the frustration that some pieces aren’t as durable, but on the other hand, the less durable pieces are often the ones that were sourced with budget in mind (per client's request) - so they are not custom pieces, and not manufactured with high-quality finishes. So it is not surprising that these issues come up.
Our contract states we are not responsible for quality defects, but clients still view us as being on the hook since we chose these items for them. However, we want to preserve the relationship so we often submit the claims to our vendors. Some will gladly send replacements, but others won't. I want our clients to have a good experience and love everything we choose for them - so I try to make sure even the budget items last - but there has to be a better way to move forward - I can't be on the hook forever.
I don't know how to tell my clients they can't expect me to be there forever to help replace items without paying me for the time.
I'd love to hear your insights.
Thank you!
MY RESPONSE:
This is a great question and something I know most designers have had to (or will have to) address at some point.
Here’s my take:
If you sell products or collect payment for product management, you should clearly spell out in your contract what your policy is around handling claims for those items. Because your name is on the PO as the buyer, NOT the client’s, I believe you do have some responsibility. However, it’s all in how you set the expectation and structure your policy for handling claims.
Whether you bill hourly for placing orders, include order management in your flat fee, rely on markup only to manage product orders, or do some combination of these methods, if you are placing orders for clients and making markup or a fee on products, this is because you are providing a service to your clients to order, track, coordinate, manage claims and install the furnishings they place through you.
Typically, most designers require that furnishings presented in their design are to be ordered through their firm; this ensures the client’s space will have high quality pieces, a seamless installation day, and a beautiful cohesive design. Something the designer is happy to “put their stamp on”. However, clients need to have confidence when ordering custom furniture through you that you’ll stand behind the quality. They don’t get to sit in these pieces, you often aren’t sharing the source, and they don’t even get to see the actual item before they give you the money to buy it for them.
Trust is everything when it comes to clients placing orders with you.
With that trust means you have to stand behind your products…which means you have to purchase products you know will be of high quality. Which means, sometimes you have to say NOOOOO to projects that have a lower budget than you are comfortable designing within - because it will actually be more COSTLY for you in the long run.
Let’s jump into some ways you can protect yourself and establish some boundaries around furniture claims and damages after installation day.
SET EXPECTATIONS EARLY IN YOUR INTERIOR DESIGN PROCESS
These are plenty of opportunities for you to discuss your pricing and project minimums with potential and active interior design clients. Here are just a few:
On your website
In your initial inquiry email and investment guide
During your discovery call
In your proposal/LOA/design contract
At your onboarding meeting
In each of these instances, if someone wants to achieve a look similar to what they see in your portfolio, they should understand (based on information from you) that to that, they should have a budget starting at $X for furnishings. If they push back on your numbers, you’ll share with them that to-the-trade sources are typically of higher quality compared to furniture stores and online sources. This higher quality translates to more durability and longevity when exposed to daily wear and tear.
If a potential client communicates a desire to get a room like the ones they see in your portfolio but also expresses a lower target budget, you’ll need to have a tough conversation to let them know what is and isn’t possible (setting expectations is key in business!). Maybe you have a certain standard of quality you provide to your clients and based on the vendors you source from, you aren't able to design below a certain price/room or price/square foot. You’re essentially telling them, “I stand behind the rooms I design. In order to do that, I can only source quality products from vendors I know and trust, who also stand behind their products.”
It’s important to communicate that — when clients prioritize budget over quality — replacement may well be required sooner and regular wear and tear from kids, dogs, guests, etc. will show more quickly. Less costly typically equates to lower quality.
So, this might mean that you decline projects right out of the gate. If you can’t design with high quality products, you know that means your clients will be unhappy when their furnishings start falling apart and you’ll somehow be on the hook. Expensive and frustrating for everyone involved.
CURATE AND SOURCE FROM A HIGH QUALITY VENDOR LIST
Interior designers should source from vendors whose quality and products they can stand behind. This is why I'm such a firm believer in my "the price is the price" approach to product pricing (that is, never talk about discounts with clients, and never divulge your purchasing price. Instead, simply apply your markup and charge “the price”). PS: Your contract should protect you around this issue. Check out mine here.
If you find that products from certain vendors always come in damaged or don’t stand up well to daily use, I’d recommend dropping them from your list. Why would you want to source shoddy products for your clients and open yourself up to an unhappy client or post-project claims work?
No thanks.
If you source products from your trade vendors, it is your responsibility to stand behind the manufacturer's warranty for any manufacturer's defects. YOUR name is on the PO. You are the buyer. You are the reseller facilitating the sale between the manufacturer and the end user; you’ll need to handle warranty claims.
I can’t imagine a single situation where an interior designer would give their client their sales rep’s phone number or email so they could sort through the claim directly. That is proprietary information, and surely, you would risk your account if you gave your sales rep’s info to your clients to handle claims!
EEK.
So, if you know that Vendor A always ships items that need repairs or replacement, OR that Vendor B makes you jump through hoops just to get a $100 furniture repair credit when a replacement is absolutely necessary, drop them from your sourcing list.
UNDERSTAND THE FURNITURE WARRANTIES PROVIDED BY YOUR VENDORS
When asking your clients to spend $10,000 on a sofa they can’t see or sit in, they’re going to need to trust you. How can you enable that trust?
Well, i) you’ve installed pieces from this line before and you and your clients can attest to their comfort, quality, and durability, ii) the vendor offers a [insert type of warranty here] on the frame/fabric/finish/etc., and iii) you stand behind the manufacturer’s warranties for any manufacturer’s defects.
Some designers will share warranty information on the product proposal itself so the client can approve the furniture item knowing the frame has a lifetime limited warranty and the cushions have a one year warranty (for example). This is an extra step, but it’s something you could store internally in a file that lists your key vendors and their warranties on general items. Or, when you’re clipping the item into your product management software, you can add one extra step to clip the warranty info into the product description so everything is there for the client to review at presentation.
Internally, you’ll also need to be aware of the extent and limitations on those vendors' warranties so you can share within your contract how YOUR COMPANY will handle warranty claims. For instance, with upholstered furniture, tears, stains, and damage to fabric from daily use will not be covered. But something like unraveling or seams coming apart might be.
You’ll want to stipulate a clear window of time for when issues must be reported to you, that you give no additional warranty beyond the manufacturer’s warranty, and, obviously, be very clear that neither normal wear and tear, nor defects due to negligence or accidents are covered by manufacturer's warranties.
YOUR PRODUCT PRICING SHOULD PROTECT YOU (AND THE CLIENT’S INVESTMENT)
I’ve seen this a million gazillion times. Incredibly low product pricing that doesn’t cover the designer if a single thing goes awry.
If you are selling products, you have to price them high enough to cover you and your time in the event of a warranty claim or any issue (we all know more can go wrong with a product sale than just a warranty claim). There is a liability and risk for you to place orders for clients - it is your job to minimize these risks. You do that through proper pricing.
Do you think Crate and Barrel “passes along their discount” (cry cry cry) to consumers and then is still able to provide a 24/7 customer support line, replacement items, and white glove returns?
^^^^ Ummmmmmm NO.
Do you get better customer service from Serena & Lily than you do from Karen’sFurnitureMart.com? Sure you can save $500 if you go through the furniture mart website but which company do you feel more confident spending your money with?
Ding ding ding: Serena & Lily!
You know they will handle any issues and stand behind their products. And they can do that because they source from high quality sources (mostly) and charge appropriately to cover their overhead.
This goes back to my “the price is the price” approach. Your pricing should allow you to provide your ideal clients with the service level they will expect from an interior designer.
Any time you spend communicating with a vendor or showroom about a warranty claim — well after the project completion — is obviously not billable. If you consistently markup your net purchasing price, this revenue will cover you in the event of additional effort down the road.
PROVIDE A FURNITURE CARE GUIDE TO INTERIOR DESIGN CLIENTS
You just sourced all this beautiful furniture and gorgeous lighting for your client - it may actually be the first time they’ve had this level of quality products in their home. Don’t leave them high and dry!
Provide them with a post-project furniture and product care guide (or Closing Guide) when the project wraps to let your client know i) how to care for their items (you can include tips for caring for and maintaining the most common types of finishes/products you source) and ii) provides them with local resources to further protect their items, like a carpet cleaning company, upholstery sealant company, handyman, etc. You’ll also want to remind them of the timeframe for submitting any issues to your company and how your company will handle them - just don’t forget to remind them daily wear and tear is not covered by your company or the manufacturer warranties.
You should provide this Closing Guide as part of your offboarding process. Your clients will regard this as a quality service, and it provides you one additional opportunity to communicate the extent of your guarantees (precisely what the manufacturer offers), and that wear-and-tear must be expected.
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These concerns are some of the downsides of selling to-the-trade items, making product sales, or placing retail orders for a client. Just as you would expect Crate and Barrel or Pottery Barn to stand behind a sofa you bought from them if the springs broke randomly, a client should have that same faith in you and the products you sell to them. There needs to be some peace of mind accompanying a furniture purchasing decision, and your interior design service contract should document your policies so YOU are protected if the client expects you to handle claims from wear and tear two years down the line.
So be very cognizant of the vendors and manufacturers you choose to work with. If warranties are slim, or quality and durability has been an issue, or if a particular vendor has made you jump through hoops with warranty and replacement issues, you may want to stop sourcing through them. At the same time, this issue provides a strong motivation to have strict budget requirements and pricing and selling parameters for your business. Chances are, many designers will have to deal with client complaints regarding durability and damage issues at some point. You need to protect yourself well from the stress and time these issues can cause.
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