Improving Client Relations During the Architectural Process: is about how to make the experience more enjoyable for your Clients.

This is the next Big Thing for ArCH: Architects Creating Homes.  There seems to be widespread opinion that for Clients, going through the architectural project experience is not as enjoyable as perhaps we (Architects) would like it to be for our Clients.  And if our Clients feel better about what’s going on, then we, as their Architect, will also feel better.  The bottom line: an improved level of satisfaction during the process.

We’ve not seen where any other architectural professional organization has taken this on, or even recognized that there could be issues in this regard.  Since ArCH is the main organization for licensed Architects who design homes, we thought it appropriate that we do something about this.

This started out by ArCHexComm members wondering if the Architectural Design Process could actually be FUN for our Clients.  At this early point, we’re going to strive for that, however, some Architects are weighing in and saying that they don’t think that “fun” is a realistic goal and may be very difficult to achieve, if not impossible.  We’re not throwing in the towel on the “fun” aspect yet, but at the very least, your ArCHexComm is going to find easy methods to improve the “feeling” that Architects’ Clients have going through the Architectural Design Process.  And these improved “feelings” may be centered around such aspects as:

1.  Improved explanation of the design process
   and timing of when what explanations are delivered/sent to the Client from the Architect.  This will likely involve multiple transmissions of explanatory materials from the Architect to the Client, at key points in the process.
2. What the Process is
   We are going with the classic Architectural Design Process:
   1. Programming
   2. Schematic Design
   3. Design Development
   4. Construction Documents
3. The above may be amended by each Architect as they deem fit, per their company process.
4. Possible Marketing Materials
   1. either physically sent and/or emailed
5. Possible Generic Simplified Scheduling Tool
   1. Not detailed: but perhaps a bar that advances as the process moves forward, so the Client understands about where they are in the phases of work.
   2. On Client page on Architect’s website?  Or emailed to Client, or?
6. Other

Your ArCHexComm will be exploring these things.  Just one more reason that ArCH is: IMPROVING RESIDENTIAL ARCHITECTURE.