Has COVID Permanently Changed the Way You Work?

Original photography provided by Unsplash.

Original article posted at Business of Home by Haley Chouinard.

The pandemic has significantly altered how we’re living and working right now, but how much of that change is here to stay? We asked eight designers—Natalie Chong, Traci Connell, Marcy Garcia, Katie Gibson, Tia Gibson, Ally Maloney Winzer, Ray Martin and Martha J. Schneider—how (and if) COVID will permanently change the way they work.

CARE PACKAGE

“We utilize more online resources provided by vendors than we have in the past, and I imagine we will continue to do so even as things begin to normalize. I am not a huge fan of the virtual presentation. I think it is important for clients to be able to touch and feel the fabrics and see finishes in person. In the height of the pandemic, when we weren’t going into clients’ homes, we would create packages with samples and notes explaining everything so they could review on their own, and then we would discuss together over the phone. This time has given me a renewed faith in my employees’ ability to work from home, and I think I will be more open to having them work remotely in the future.” —Katie Gibson, Katie Gibson Interiors, Nashville

ZOOM IN

“COVID has absolutely brought to light a different way to work with clients. It has opened up a new line of possibilities when it comes to our out-of-town clients, as we have now perfected the Zoom presentation. We create presentation kits with labeled samples and finishes, perfectly packaged, and mail them ahead of time to our clients that are not able to come into our office. On the day of the presentation, the client unpacks each sample—like Christmas morning!—as we lead them through the step-by-step Zoom presentation. We plan on using this technique for years to come, and hopefully tapping into many cross-country projects through it.” —Traci Connell, Traci Connell Interiors, Dallas