Lessons From the UK: How to Hit the Ground Running After Lockdown
Discover how six UK design professionals are putting their companies on a firm footing post-coronavirus
While things are slowly opening up for some states and regions, it’s to a ‘new normal’, rather than back to business as usual. So how can companies adapt? Here, six UK architects and design professionals on Houzz talk about how they’re rebuilding demand, planning their finances and boosting staff morale.
Read on for valuable advice from Nimi Attanayake of Nimtim Architects; Yoko Kloeden of Yoko Kloeden Design; Laura Simpson and Diana Greenhalgh, co-founders of My Bespoke Room; Fiona Duke of Fiona Duke Interiors; and Emilie Mauran of EMR Architecture.
Read on for valuable advice from Nimi Attanayake of Nimtim Architects; Yoko Kloeden of Yoko Kloeden Design; Laura Simpson and Diana Greenhalgh, co-founders of My Bespoke Room; Fiona Duke of Fiona Duke Interiors; and Emilie Mauran of EMR Architecture.
“We produce long articles on our blog then put out snippets on our [online] channels,” says Kloeden. “We started our newsletters during lockdown and this has been a success. It’s a big time commitment to produce good content consistently, but it’s been worth it. We sent newsletters to our old leads who’d contacted us in the past year (and made it clear that we don’t spam and they can always opt out). One of them came back and it turned into a project.”
My Bespoke Room is also sending regular newsletters with interiors inspiration. “Our homes have all had to ‘step up’ in this pandemic, so we’re writing great content to help our community and customers,” says Simpson. Greenhalgh adds, “We’re also using this period to make sure our Houzz portfolio is up-to-date, so our profile is looking strong”.
“We’re only a small studio, but staying visible feels key,” says Duke. “We’ve made a conscious effort to maintain an element of regular marketing and provide content on [online].”
My Bespoke Room is also sending regular newsletters with interiors inspiration. “Our homes have all had to ‘step up’ in this pandemic, so we’re writing great content to help our community and customers,” says Simpson. Greenhalgh adds, “We’re also using this period to make sure our Houzz portfolio is up-to-date, so our profile is looking strong”.
“We’re only a small studio, but staying visible feels key,” says Duke. “We’ve made a conscious effort to maintain an element of regular marketing and provide content on [online].”
Rebuild demand
As well as writing blog posts, our professionals suggest actively letting potential clients know you’re operating.
“We’ve followed up on Houzz messages and with potential clients who made contact pre-Covid-19,” says Mauran. “We’re also following the market in our working area, so when a potential client calls, we already know the house they’re talking about.”
“We’re signalling on our website, Houzz,” says Greenhalgh, “that we’re working remotely but still serving clients.
“We’re also reaching out to customers for reviews to be able to share with readers and followers.”
Learn how Houzz Pro software helps you communicate with clients and keep projects on track
As well as writing blog posts, our professionals suggest actively letting potential clients know you’re operating.
“We’ve followed up on Houzz messages and with potential clients who made contact pre-Covid-19,” says Mauran. “We’re also following the market in our working area, so when a potential client calls, we already know the house they’re talking about.”
“We’re signalling on our website, Houzz,” says Greenhalgh, “that we’re working remotely but still serving clients.
“We’re also reaching out to customers for reviews to be able to share with readers and followers.”
Learn how Houzz Pro software helps you communicate with clients and keep projects on track
Boost staff morale
As the backbone of a company, it’s crucial to keep staff motivated and feeling involved, especially as many might be working from home, at least part of the time, for the foreseeable future.
“It’s been a tough time for our staff, with a lot of them living on their own or in flatshares away from their families,” says Attanayake. “We’ve had to be a lot more aware and sensitive to their mental wellbeing.
“We’ve tried to create a more structured way of working and check in with them as much as possible,” she says, “from having daily briefing sessions, design reviews and catch-ups, to virtual Friday afternoon drinks after work.”
Simpson and Greenhalgh also stay in frequent contact with staff. “We’re making sure our team feel safe and supported, and are comfortable working from home,” says Simpson. “We’re engaging with all our designers to give them additional training and tips,” adds Greenhalgh.
As the backbone of a company, it’s crucial to keep staff motivated and feeling involved, especially as many might be working from home, at least part of the time, for the foreseeable future.
“It’s been a tough time for our staff, with a lot of them living on their own or in flatshares away from their families,” says Attanayake. “We’ve had to be a lot more aware and sensitive to their mental wellbeing.
“We’ve tried to create a more structured way of working and check in with them as much as possible,” she says, “from having daily briefing sessions, design reviews and catch-ups, to virtual Friday afternoon drinks after work.”
Simpson and Greenhalgh also stay in frequent contact with staff. “We’re making sure our team feel safe and supported, and are comfortable working from home,” says Simpson. “We’re engaging with all our designers to give them additional training and tips,” adds Greenhalgh.
Plan your finances
Assessing outgoings and streamlining finances is key to surviving the months ahead.
“We’re keeping an eye on cash flow,” says Attanayake. “The challenge has been to manage the uncertainty. Many of our paused projects restarted once the restrictions were eased, but there’s still a lot of uncertainty for the rest of the year and beyond.
“[To help us] find the right balance between securing future income for the practice while not over-stretching our outgoings, we’re considering more freelance input to meet the potential future demand,” she says.
“I do a 12-month cashflow projection and update it every month,” says Kloeden, “so I keep a close eye on whether the projects are being completed as planned. It helps me to plan when I need to hire new staff and at what experience level.”
It can also help to reach out to your landlord. “We’ve renegotiated our office rent,” says Mauran.
Browse more brilliant home office designs
Assessing outgoings and streamlining finances is key to surviving the months ahead.
“We’re keeping an eye on cash flow,” says Attanayake. “The challenge has been to manage the uncertainty. Many of our paused projects restarted once the restrictions were eased, but there’s still a lot of uncertainty for the rest of the year and beyond.
“[To help us] find the right balance between securing future income for the practice while not over-stretching our outgoings, we’re considering more freelance input to meet the potential future demand,” she says.
“I do a 12-month cashflow projection and update it every month,” says Kloeden, “so I keep a close eye on whether the projects are being completed as planned. It helps me to plan when I need to hire new staff and at what experience level.”
It can also help to reach out to your landlord. “We’ve renegotiated our office rent,” says Mauran.
Browse more brilliant home office designs
Reassure clients
Businesses are reopening, but obviously not in the same way. As Simpson says, “Designers will have to think about offering an online service for quite some time”. As such, it’s important to find ways to help clients feel confident about hiring.
As well as scheduling video calls to view properties, Duke and her team talk about all aspects of the new arrangements with homeowners.
“We discuss with the client the best ways of working to guide them through the new process and make sure they understand how it will work,” she says. “We’ve also made small changes to ensure the client will still feel very much part of the design process and informed at each stage, and reassure them that the same high standards will be maintained, but adapted to a more remote way of working if necessary.”
“We found that doing site meetings remotely was difficult,” says Attanayake. “So we made the decision to do them in person where possible, either at the beginning or end of the day to maintain social distancing. We didn’t want to ask our staff to do anything they weren’t comfortable with, such as taking public transport, so this meant Tim [O’Callaghan, co-founder and co-director] or I would attend the site and get the project architect on a video call.”
Businesses are reopening, but obviously not in the same way. As Simpson says, “Designers will have to think about offering an online service for quite some time”. As such, it’s important to find ways to help clients feel confident about hiring.
As well as scheduling video calls to view properties, Duke and her team talk about all aspects of the new arrangements with homeowners.
“We discuss with the client the best ways of working to guide them through the new process and make sure they understand how it will work,” she says. “We’ve also made small changes to ensure the client will still feel very much part of the design process and informed at each stage, and reassure them that the same high standards will be maintained, but adapted to a more remote way of working if necessary.”
“We found that doing site meetings remotely was difficult,” says Attanayake. “So we made the decision to do them in person where possible, either at the beginning or end of the day to maintain social distancing. We didn’t want to ask our staff to do anything they weren’t comfortable with, such as taking public transport, so this meant Tim [O’Callaghan, co-founder and co-director] or I would attend the site and get the project architect on a video call.”
Connect with similar businesses
Our professionals are also creating support links with similar companies and suppliers.
“We’re networking in our industry to form partnerships coming out of Covid, so we’re stronger together,” says Greenhalgh. “We’re also working closely with our suppliers to understand opportunities to grow our customers and sales together,” says Simpson.
“We used lockdown to refocus our message and reach out to lots of other people and businesses that were in similar situations,” says Attanayake. “We tried to pivot our expertise into new areas of work, such as offering free consultations for businesses trying to open post-Covid.”
“We’re making regular contact with trades and suppliers, with a particular focus on smaller independents we’ve worked with over the years,” says Duke. “It’s helped us to maintain a level of service and awareness for rebuilding demand, keeping a level of normality within the business, and ensuring everything’s in place for a return to some sense of normality.”
Your turn
What is your company doing to get back on track and manage the ‘new normal’? Share your tips in the Comments below, like this story, and save the images.
More
Are you up-to-date on the new directions of design? Find out here with Design After Covid-19: What Are Our New Needs?
Our professionals are also creating support links with similar companies and suppliers.
“We’re networking in our industry to form partnerships coming out of Covid, so we’re stronger together,” says Greenhalgh. “We’re also working closely with our suppliers to understand opportunities to grow our customers and sales together,” says Simpson.
“We used lockdown to refocus our message and reach out to lots of other people and businesses that were in similar situations,” says Attanayake. “We tried to pivot our expertise into new areas of work, such as offering free consultations for businesses trying to open post-Covid.”
“We’re making regular contact with trades and suppliers, with a particular focus on smaller independents we’ve worked with over the years,” says Duke. “It’s helped us to maintain a level of service and awareness for rebuilding demand, keeping a level of normality within the business, and ensuring everything’s in place for a return to some sense of normality.”
Your turn
What is your company doing to get back on track and manage the ‘new normal’? Share your tips in the Comments below, like this story, and save the images.
More
Are you up-to-date on the new directions of design? Find out here with Design After Covid-19: What Are Our New Needs?
Regardless of if you’re still in or emerging from lockdown, continuing to get your message out there is important to ensure your company isn’t forgotten while homeowners consider whether to go ahead with their projects. All our professionals agree it’s good to maintain visibility on platforms such as Houzz that potential customers might visit.
“We’ve been spending a lot of time [online] engaging with our users, which has led to further conversations and new connections,” says Attanayake. “One of the problems, though, is that we’ve been unable to photograph completed projects, which means we haven’t had new content to share.
“Instead,” she continues, “we’ve returned to previous projects and reframed [the images] to highlight issues people may be facing in the current climate, such as working from home, having flexible spaces, and creating a connection with the outdoors.”
Connect and network with other designers and building professionals on Houzz