Webster and others define attrition quite colorfully! Briefly: the action or process of gradually reducing the strength or effectiveness of someone or something through sustained attack or pressure!
OUCH. The something in our context that concerns Interior designers is the integrity – and careful maintenance – of a beautiful commercial Interior design installation. Nothing is quite as disappointing as your Interior designer returning to the project site, a year or so later, and finding very untimely deterioration of one or more elements that were destined for much longer durability.
When premature decline becomes obvious way too soon, it’s a danger sign that the strength and effectiveness of one of your most powerful marketing tools is tanking. And almost always, the culprit is poor or wrong maintenance. It’s just not smart to undervalue and underserve that Interior design investment – or underestimate and forget its affect on your market share, when you invite them in.
Here is a true story about business owners who did too much of the wrong thing, themselves. A substantial investment was made in a new, upscale restaurant. Good decisions and wise choices were made and the restaurant opened to rave reviews, ooh’s and ahh’s and immediate success!
The owners chose well at the front end, but decided they could save money by handling the maintenance and care of elaborate upholstery and carpeting (and other elements) themselves. They rented the typical water-slosh carpet cleaners and faithfully and repeatedly moved the damp food and beverage spills around, allowing it all to settle and dry; over and over.
It was many, many months, but eventually, and inevitably, the day came when the first customers to arrive through the beautifully etched glass front door, began to detect what some described as that wet dishrag smell usually reserved for that slam-dunk joint we have all run into, sooner or later. Initially, they passed it off as an anomaly – because the air was soon filled with the wonderful smells, drifting in from the kitchen, of the delicious foods being served. But, that “cover” did not last.
Business slowly began to fall off. The owners decided that the town probably just was not quite ready for a restaurant of their caliber. Unfortunately, as it always does, word got around. Patrons began to make the connection between the pervasive odor and the evolving staining on the carpets and upholstery. Some were considerate enough to mention it to the owners and even make suggestions…
Long story short, the real issue became obscured in the ensuing financial struggle, and the place finally closed its doors, convinced the small city just didn’t support them. It is reasonable, perhaps, to speculate that their pattern harmed other aspects of the installation as well. A substantial investment became compromised. (Incidentally that was not one of our projects – but it could have been!)
I use the above example because it was not subtle – it was extreme! Advice and instruction at installation, and encouragement along the way was not taken to heart. A stubborn commitment to do-it-yourself (to save money) completely ruined beautiful, durable, high quality and expensive elements. Patrons’ comments were ignored and it cost a team of three partners the failure of their vision.
Attrition is right there, hovering around the edges of any commercial installation. High traffic or low, even well maintained Interior sites will age, because time will have its way with us! But it is nothing but foolish to make the investment then slowly destroy it with the old penny-wise-pound-foolish approach.
When your Interior design team guides you to appropriate, quality element choices for your Interior design project vision, take their maintenance guidance to heart. Situations like the restaurant fiasco described above could have been remedied, except for a stubborn resistance to instructions and informed advice. And, of course, the same discretions apply to residential, medical/dental, corporate and municipal installations.
Choosing quality elements comes with added obligations. Durability doesn’t happen in a vacuum. It’s up to you to protect that beautiful investment!
Robert Boccabella, B.F.A. is principal and founder of Business Design Services and a certified interior designer in private practice for over 30 years. Boccabella provides Designing to Fit the Vision© in collaboration with writingservice@earthlink.net. To contact him call 707-263-7073; email him at rb@BusinessDesignServices.com or visit www.BusinessDesignServices.com or on Face Book at Business Design Services.
