Have you ever encountered a situation where your client did not like your design? How did you handle the situation?
Interior design is a multi-layered profession that requires skill and excellent communication. A client not appreciating your design can be a tough pill to swallow, but in the end, you want your customers to be happy and willing to re-hire you or recommend you to their network.
Using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result), talk about a time when a client did not like your design. Give the interviewer an overview of the situation and spend the majority of your time expressing how you reacted, your action steps, and then the resolution. The critical piece of your response is how you responded.
If you have never experienced this situation, you can express that customer service is a top priority while discussing what you would do in this hypothetical situation.
"As an experienced Interior Designer, I understand that each project has its ups and downs. I have worked hard to hone my ability to manage client expectations and deadlines, but sometimes, hiccups do happen. (Situation) A couple of years ago, I took on a residential design client who was referred to me by one of my long-term clients. (Task) I performed my discovery, as usual, did a site visit, and asked many challenging questions regarding vision and expectations. Upon delivering my first rendering, the client became silent and then simply stated, 'I hate it.' I had never encountered this type of reaction before! Sometimes there are elements that a client does not like; however, to simply hate it all was quite shocking. (Action) I remained calm and asked them to describe to me which elements they found the most offensive. I addressed every component of the project and asked the client to be as descriptive as possible. In the end, it turns out that the client did not like the color palette and also wanted softer lines. I ended up tweaking around 25% of the design, leveraging the new round of feedback. (Result) In the end, the client was thrilled with their unique interior, and they thanked me for my patience with their initially abrupt approach. Since then, this client has re-hired me to design their cottage and also a small office space. A significant part of my role as an Interior Designer is to build rapport and trust with my clients so that they think of my services time and time again. I will not close a project until I know that my client is 100% happy with the project outcome."
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