Boosting Client Satisfaction Through Design Services Upgrades: Balancing Value Proposition and Client Relationships
April 9, 2025 | Business | Design | Interiors
When done ethically, upselling can transform a design project, rather than making clients feel cornered. Laura Umansky, Founder and CEO of Laura U Design Collective, discusses how to tactfully upsell, ensuring the design aligns with project needs, not just profit margins.
Reflection questions based on Umansky's insights include:
- Where in the process do clients often opt out of support, finding themselves needing it later?
- What service consistently promotes smoother builds, fewer errors, and alignment for completed projects?
- When was the last time you offered an enhancement that felt generous, not sales-focused?
In a project where the designer had limited visibility past the drawing phase, Umansky ponders what parts of the vision never reached the finish line and what would have changed with extended involvement.
Umansky explains that upselling is not about retail marketing tactics. Rather, it's about acknowledging and meeting clients' evolving needs, whether during construction, contractor communication, or ongoing site visits to resolve issues in real-time.
While upselling might feel tricky due to concerns about client perception, Laura U Design Collective addresses it delicately. The team does not automatically include additional services, but they are open to facilitating phases like bidding with builders or construction administration if the need arises.
To clients, Umansky expresses that these additional services maintain visual appeal, functionality, and value. She discusses real-life examples of how a closer collaboration benefits projects, transforming a dream space from good to great.
Umansky emphasizes the importance of language when offering upsells. Instead of saying "add more" or asking if the client wants to "take on," she suggests phrasing it as an opportunity, such as "this integral aspect can improve your project."
For those hesitant about incorporating upselling, Umansky advises starting small with just one recommended enhancement per proposal. This thoughtful approach allows clients the freedom to say yes or no, while keeping their vision and needs at the forefront.
Finally, with an emphasis on maintaining long-term client relationships, Umansky encourages designers to view upselling as a commitment to high-quality, well-rounded service, rather than a push to inflate budgets.
- In the realm of interior design, upselling can be artfully executed to enhance a project, ensuring that it meets client needs for a higher quality outcome, as discussed by Laura Umansky, CEO of Laura U Design Collective.
- In the finance sector of a design project, upselling can present an opportunity to improve visual appeal, functionality, and value, as per Umansky's insights, rather than being perceived as a sales-focused strategy.
