Ouch! How to Recover After Making a Mistake on a Client’s Interior Design Project
Your stomach drops. You realize you’ve made a mistake on a client’s interior design project. Maybe an order was placed incorrectly, a piece was misquoted, or something wasn’t communicated clearly. Now, you have to face the conversation you’ve been dreading.
If you’ve ever found yourself in this position, you’re not alone. Every interior designer—no matter how experienced—has had to navigate an awkward client mistake at some point.
Most designers panic, shift blame, or avoid the conversation altogether. But the right approach? It actually strengthens client relationships and sets you apart as a true professional.
In this article, I’m breaking down:
My 8-step framework for handling mistakes with confidence
How to prevent a small error from turning into a major issue
What to say (and what not to say) when owning up to a mistake
Mistakes don’t define your business—how you handle them does. Want to know the best way to recover from a client issue and prevent future problems? Let’s dive in!
01 | Acknowledge the mistake before the client notices OR as soon as you notice.
This inspires SO MUCH trust in your client and sets a high standard for how you proactively handle problems. Even if you don’t know how a problem happened, it’s best to let the client know you have it under control.
02 | Apologize for the mistake and do not place blame on anyone else.
PRO TIP: Do this over the phone or in person.
Don’t justify why the mistake happened or place blame on anyone else. A simple “I'm so sorry this happened” is sufficient.
03 | Empathize with your client about the pain they are experiencing/will experience as a result of this mistake.
For example, will this cause a delay in them enjoying their home, will this cost them more money, will this mean more time, etc.? People want to know you hear them and understand what they’re going through. This is key not just in business but in all conflict resolution and relationships. Repeat back to the client their frustrations. Let them know you understand how this will impact THEM.
04 | Involve the client in determining a solution.
If it’s a clear-cut fix or you can easily resolve the problem in one of two ways, offer them the solutions so they can feel involved.
And remember, never show up to a client with more problems; always show up with the solution.
If it’s not a clear-cut fix, ask the client how you can fix the problem. Something like, “How can we make this right?” goes a long way.
This goes back to number #3. People want to be heard. If you ask your client what you can do to make this right they are typically reasonable (assuming you are properly screening and onboarding your clients). Sometimes, clients are even surprised to be asked this because they are used to professionals shifting the blame or avoiding taking responsibility. Often, they won't even ask for much.
05 | Let the client know what you will do and how soon you will do it.
After you and your client determine a solution, reiterate the proposed resolution and what they can expect in regard to timing and impact on their life/home.
06 | After you do the thing from #5, check back in with the client to make sure they are happy with how you resolved the problem.
You can do this with an email, a phone call, or a handwritten card. Thank them for the opportunity to resolve the issue. Let them know how their feedback and honesty will help you to improve your services for your clients.
07 | Internally assess WHY the problem happened.
Can you pinpoint why you made this mistake? Can you put policies or processes in place so you never make that mistake again?
Do you need to have a conversation with your team or with trades you frequently work with? Do you need to adjust your vendor list?
Once you’ve determined WHY the problem went wrong, firm up (or create) a policy around that mistake.
08 | Share the mistake with your team and what you learned from it.
This reminds your team how you handle conflict head-on and reminds them of the new policy so this doesn’t happen again.
As a business owner, this is something you should be prepared to handle. You don’t want to be known for making mistakes and not owning up to them. Nothing makes a client lose trust more quickly.
If you’ve made a mistake on a client project or you’re too terrified to even think about having a tough conversation with a client, just remember this is all part of running a business, and you will likely run into an unhappy client every once in a while. I like to think of conflict resolution as a serving and learning opportunity.
We all know there is often more to learn from the mistakes than from the projects that go seamlessly.
Do you find yourself having tough conversations with clients? Are you so busy that mistakes are becoming more common? In my 1:1 work with interior designers, it always comes back to this one thing:
Your client experience process.
If it’s a mess, or non-existent, or is different for every client/project, you should definitely start there to prevent future mistakes and proactively support your clients so they are happy throughout the project. Check out my Client Experience Templates for interior designers here.
And, if you want more strategies for managing your interior design business, be sure to add your name to my email list below:
