The coronavirus outbreak situation in Poland and around the world is affecting the design market. Almost half of the interior design studios have lost orders in recent weeks. What is the mood among architects? How do designers assess the business outlook for the coming months? Will the solutions offered to entrepreneurs under the so-called "crisis shield" realistically help studios survive the economic crisis?
Home Sweet Home PR company conducted a survey to verify the mood of the architectural and interior design services market - "Architects and interior designers during the crisis". The survey was conducted from April 16-21, 2020 through an online survey sent to interior design studios across Poland. 258 respondents answered 13 closed questions and were able to leave comments.
A crisis is a time that teaches humility. In turn, a proper assessment of the current situation is essential for both architects and designers, as well as their business partners, to draw constructive conclusions and take wise steps for the future," stressed Justyna Siejka, co-owner of Home Sweet Home PR. We wanted to diagnose the real, not wishful, state of the interior design industry during the coronavirus pandemic. As many as 70 percent of survey participants say the pandemic has negatively affected their business, and nearly half of those surveyed have lost orders. At the same time, it should be remembered that the long-term nature of the design and construction process ensured a relatively soft landing for the entire industry anyway, Justyna Siejka adds.
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Architects and interior designers are noticing a marked decline in the number of new inquiries, orders and the withdrawal of clients from already planned projects. Those at an advanced stage of completion continue. 47 percent of studios have already lost planned projects, and if you add those whose project completion has significantly slipped (and thus: future financial inflows), 69 percent of companies are in this group.
not slowing down yet
In their comments, designers predict that the effects of the crisis will be most acute in a few months - work on orders contracted before the outbreak of the pandemic will run out, and new ones may be in short supply. The relatively good current situation of studios is not surprising in this situation - in contrast to other industries, only 4 percent of design studios have been forced to completely suspend or close their operations, 7 percent have had to lay off employees, and 26 percent have had to reduce the hourly scope of work of team members.
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Due to the continuation of previously started investments, the situation in the service market is still relatively stable. Until then. Potential difficulties with the supply of goods, growing investment caution on the part of clients, and anticipated employment problems (i.e.: a decline in Poles' incomes) put a question mark over maintaining the level of interest in designers' services. Half of those surveyed expect financial losses and lost projects in the coming months.
The respondents themselves indicate that cooperation is necessary to maintain the level of development of the industry: flexible teams, networking, mutual referrals. Confidence on the part of clients is also key, with 67 percent of respondents relying on guarantees of project completion from investors. This would help alleviate uncertainty and make it easier to plan activities. Especially as new orders are harder to come by. In the comments there are voices not only about the withdrawal of orders, but also about clients who cite the crisis situation as an excuse for not paying their dues.
You can work from home
Working remotely is not a major problem for studios - 67 percent of those surveyed say they are able to provide a completely remote and full-fledged design service in the current situation. For some of them, such a change even has a positive dimension - thanks to reduced commuting to meetings, and their lower frequency, they have more time for strictly design work. The challenge, of course, is balancing personal life (e.g., childcare) with professional work. More than 1/3 of respondents estimate as likely that within 5 years most studios will provide services remotely.
What is important today is the ability to observe, readiness for change, agility in adaptation and consistent execution. The search for and diversification of revenue sources, including within the industry itself - and thus reducing risks - will be an opportunity for many to secure a new tomorrow," assesses Przemyslaw Szklarzewski, CEO of the Polish Interior Design Center.
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How do designers work in the new everyday life? They most often use email and the telephone - for 80 percent of them these are their primary work tools. Interestingly - video conferencing is the least useful. 44 percent of those surveyed do not use them at all, and for only 18 percent it is a tool used frequently.
Collaboration rules need to be refined
Difficulties in working remotely are often due to partners - incomplete or underdeveloped catalogs on manufacturers' and showrooms' websites or difficulties in accessing material samples (which are the basis for designers' work) are the most frequently cited problems. As many as 75 percent of respondents said that facilitating access to patterns and samples is the main action they expect from manufacturers and business partners. A situation in which one has to go to the post office, for example, to get the patterns deteriorates rather than improves the quality of work. The procedure for remote quality control of products arriving at the construction site also needs to be improved - the new situation requires the development of other relations and rules of cooperation.
The pandemic has hit manufacturers and suppliers of furnishing materials. Huge changes are ahead in the operation of these companies, which will affect the design choices of architects, and these will affect the purchasing decisions of end customers. It's a system of interconnected vessels. It's not without reason that in the survey we asked a question about what actions manufacturers and business partners could take to support architects during the crisis. In addition to pattern books and catalogs, the availability of which is a matter of course, architects surveyed also indicated the need for closer cooperation and support from manufacturers and their representatives, notes Kinga Konopko, co-founder of Architect Support.
In their comments, survey respondents note that while they are able to provide design service remotely, they are eager to return to face-to-face meetings with clients, subcontractors and manufacturers once the pandemic is over. They stress that personal relationships with the public, participation in trade fairs or visits to showrooms are an important part of building an architect's credibility and self-development.
