As an interior design business owner, staying organized and effectively managing projects is essential for success. The ability to streamline workflows, track time, and maintain clear communication with clients and team members can make all the difference in the profitability of your business.
The Benefits of Staying Organized
Sometimes, you don’t know what you are missing until you have it. Being and staying organized is one of those things. Putting systems in place to get and keep you organized, can enhance your productivity, help you manage your time better, and improve client communication. Being organized starts small with things like your desk and your office. Then moves to your calendar and your systems.
Project Management Tools to Streamline Business
I meet a lot of designers that are not tracking hours on their phones. They are still writing them down with pen and paper. You are losing money by doing this. By simply using a free app to clock in and, track appointment times, shopping times, travel times, sample pick-ups etc… you are more likely to bill clients correctly and stop leaving money on the table. My favorite is Hours Tracker. You can even email the tracked hours by job to your bookkeeper for invoicing.
I remember the days I used to mail my clients a contract and then hope they signed. No more! I now use HelloSign. You can upload your contract complete with initial and signature areas and have them sign in a matter of minutes. Not only does this move the project along, the client ready to go wastes no more time. You also have a time-stamped record of signatures.
Finally, my very favorite project management tool is Trello. There are many out there, but I really like the ease of use of Trello. Gone are the days of lost emails and communication. I walk my clients through Trello at our kick-off appointment and then we are on our way!
Trello: Streamlining Project Workflow
Changing to a platform like Trello, or anything else can be overwhelming. There are many out there and you need to research which is best for what you do. I will tell you what I love about Trello is the visual aspect of it. Design is a visual business and it helps to be able to post pictures of the project, samples, and inspiration photos. Along with comments and things like invoices. This simple-to-use platform has streamlined communication for my business. Clients feel like they can post and communicate on their own time and I can see and respond on my schedule. It’s also easy to go back and find things, unlike emails. You can see all your current projects in one place and share them with team members at the same time.
Hours Tracker: Efficient Time Tracking
Put the pencil down! You will simply be a better tracker of your time if you do it before you leave your clients. Like Trello, you can see all your clients in one place. You can set their hourly rate and export hours to an invoice or bookkeeper. You can even clock in and out for to-the-minute timing. There really is no reason not to use some sort of hours tracker on your device. You always have it with you so throw out the notebook and make more money!
HelloSign: Streamlining Document Signing
Gone are the days of snail mail and waiting weeks for contracts to be signed and checks to be mailed. Getting a free document signing service is key to moving your projects along in a timely manner. I can send a contract and have it signed with a deposit literally minutes later. This not only keeps things moving, but clients are ready to go and so it wastes no time. Paired with your electronic payment platform, no more excuses.
Integrating Project Management Tools for Maximum Efficiency
Designers are often so focused on the materials, design, textures, and layouts, that we let the technology that can maximize the efficiency of our business pass us by. We have to stop for a minute and evaluate if the tools we are still using are helping us organize ourselves, our offices, and our systems in the most profitable way possible. Looking at your systems and client onboarding from start to finish will ultimately give you time back, make you look your most professional, and help bring in the money you are leaving on the table.
By embracing project management tools, you can optimize your workflows, track time effectively, and streamline processes. The combination of these tools will enable you to enhance productivity, improve client communication, and ultimately elevate your business as a whole. Embrace organization, and start implementing these tools today and experience the transformative impact they can have on your business.
