Massreality.com recently interviewed me to learn more about the business. Here's an excerpt from the article and a link to the complete story.
Choosing the Right Landscape Designer: An Interview with Faith Michaels of Faithful Flowers
In your opinion, what are three qualities that every landscape design firm should possess?
A good landscape firm must take pride in its work with every plant or stone chosen for a specific location and carefully installed. Listening to clients needs and being flexible to change direction or come up with multiple solutions. Customer satisfaction is extremely important as well as building client trust and confidence.
If you could describe your ideal client/designer relationship, what would it be and why?
The ideal client trusts me to deliver exactly what he/she envisions their landscape environment to be. I do my best work when clients describe to me what they are looking for and tell me to go for it. That's how artists do their best work.
As a landscape design firm, how do you make sure you're understanding of what your client wants?
The proof is in the pudding, or rather the planting. We have a lot of conversations, sample and design review before a plant or stone goes in the ground.
What are at least three questions every homeowner should ask their home designer before hiring them?
How do you come up with your pricing and are you flexible?
Will my job be finished on an agreed upon timeline?
Will I be the only client you will be working with or are you on other job sites? If not, how will this affect my project?
What is your philosophy behind creating dynamic, yet functional spaces throughout the landscape?
I think it's important to understand the environment you are working in and how the client wants to use it. We are actually creating outdoor rooms for people to move through and enjoy. One has to keep in mind how the space will develop years from the installation and the maintenance that will be required.
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