Client told me my floor patterns were 'too predictable' and I had to rethink everything

I do flooring installs solo, mostly tile and hardwood. Last year a client in Columbus looked at my layout and said 'this looks like a factory floor, can you mix it up?' I was using the same repeating pattern I had done for 10 years. So I started staggering tile joints randomly and matching the wood grain direction to the room shape instead of the walls. Took me 3 tries to get it right but now clients notice the difference right away. Has anyone else had a customer call out a habit you didn't even know you had?

3 comments

3 Comments

john_fisher27d ago

Felt that one in my bones. I had a regular client tell me I trimmed her dog's face the exact same way for five years, "like a poodle cut on a terrier." I didn't even realize I was doing it. Had to take a step back and actually look at what my hands were doing instead of just going through the motions. It's humbling when someone points out your blind spot, but it made me a better groomer.

nguyen.blake27d ago

Yeah I used to think those repeat clients who point stuff out were just being picky or controlling. Honestly I'd get annoyed like just let me do my job. But now I get it. They're not trying to be difficult, they're just noticing patterns you never see yourself. It took me a while to realize that when someone says you always do something a certain way, it's not an attack. It's just information. And once you actually stop and look at what you're doing, you see things you missed for years. Changed my whole approach to feedback.

morgan_king3627d ago

Yeah nguyen.blake is right that it's not an attack, it's just info. I had a client straight up tell me I was trimming her bushes into the same cube shape for three years without changing anything. I thought I was being consistent but she called it 'the lawn equivalent of a beige minivan.' That stung but she was right. Once you hear it you can't unsee it. Now I force myself to step back and look at the whole job before I start instead of going on autopilot. It's wild how much you miss when you're just doing the same thing out of habit.