Designing Profits, Inc. performed a major national survey of interior designers this year.  These survey results are now available for purchase on their website ($89).  From the DPI site: “This package contains both the actual results of the 2008 “What Designers Earn” survey, and David Shepherd’s 38 minute PowerPoint presentation with audio voice over. More than just an analysis of the survey, Shepherd provides a mini-MBA in strategies interior designers must adopt in order to create sustainable profits in the future.”  I saw David present some of this information at the 5th annual Business of Design Conference last month and was very impressed with both the findings and with his presentation technique.

Visit the Designing Profits site to purchase this informative and eye-opening package.

Our company calls and checks on lead times and stock on hundreds of goods for our members every day.  It’s been a very apparent trend that fewer and fewer manufacturers are keeping items in stock.  For truly custom items, lead times are getting longer and longer.  It is not abnormal to now see 12-16 weeks when we used to see 8-10.  This makes good business sense for those vendors that we work with, but what can designers do to deal with the longer lead times?

1.  Ask vendors that you work with often to update you with a stock list.  This can be especially helpful when you’re working with a lighting or accessory vendors.  If you need that lamp for an installation in two months, you don’t want to keep selecting lamps with estimated ship dates 6 months out.

2.  Set client expectations.  This economic situation is largely outside of our control and everyone realizes that.  A reasonable client will too if you let them know the logic.

3.  Stay on top of your orders.  Check on them frequently.  Due to longer lead times, a delay due to miscommunication or missing information can really set a project back and add more weeks to an already lengthy lead time.