It just got really exhausting because they were literally running through each item one by one, comparing my price with the prices of a contractor they found and just constantly gasping in horror at the cost difference, I mean just looking at their face was enough to know that they were not going to settle for the price I had quoted them, so we made things easier for each other and agreed on an overall discount.
It sucked that my profit margin dropped, but I was also relieved by the fact that I no longer have to sit through another round of bargaining with them.
The carpentry works are finally up and the empty flat is starting to feel like a home, the once bare kitchen is now lined with cabinets, the hallway is now made even tighter with the full height cabinets and the wardrobes in the room has been installed as well, it's really quite exciting to see my designs come to life, not that there's much design to be honest, I would have loved to explore more complex detailing, but the clients aren't too crazy about it, especially with the additional labor cost that will have to be incurred with designs that are too complicated.
This project should really be catapulting my interest in the field, and it is, because the satisfaction that I get from seeing the house slowly come together is pretty amazing, but when I actually think about how long it has been since I joined the company, I can't help but be worried about the long term prospects of this job.
I joined the company at the start of the year, and since then, I have managed to close 4 different projects, but it has taken me a total of 7 months to be almost done with one single project, a project I will not even be making much money out of due to the constant discount I have been giving my clients. If I'm lucky, I will only be able to make a measly $2500 from this project, $2500 after 7 months of work, that's equivalent to a little over $300 a month.
I've come to enjoy the process of Interior Designing through my short 2 week stint at ID3 and I was able to feel like a proper Interior Designer working at my current company, but the rate at which I am actually closing deals with new clients is abysmal, individuals who have joined the company much later than me have already signed upwards to 7 different contracts while I have only managed to sign my 4th contract 2 weeks ago... a very small contract that also won't be earning me much money.
The success that is able to come from this career is a little difficult for me to achieve because I am someone who always tend to pick and choose the clients I want to work with, if the first impression I have of a customer is bad and if we don't click at all during the first appointment, the bad taste that they leave in my mouth will normally signify the end of our partnership. I am someone who likes to plan ahead, so if I can foresee the trouble the clients will cause for me in the future, then it's better to nip them in the bud. My seniors on the other hand are always telling me to just sign as many as possible, to treat the horrible customers as learning experiences, but I honestly don't really see why I should make my life difficult and choose to work with potential assholes for 4 to 6 months, if I get a couple and I click with the husband but the wife is a complete cunt, or if the wife is easy to talk to but the husband is a complete dickhead, then...
The leads provided by the company, while useful, most of the time tend to feel like a waste of time. I have just been getting wave after wave of customers who just aren't interested at all, I don't see any with potential and it's honestly really demoralizing when they just straight up turn down my request for a second appointment. I only make second appointments with customers that I like, and those customers are far and few between.
I'm not sure if its me or if the customers that are coming in right now are just not good, I mean the company hasn't really been signing as much contracts these past few months, so it can't be just me, right now, I would like to believe that the recent customer drought might be due to the upcoming Ghost Festival, since almost every Chinese family avoids renovation works during this period because it's inauspicious or something, hopefully the customers will get better after the Ghost Festival period is over because I am really itching to start exploring and selling designs.
Another reason why I'm not personally putting too much effort this past month is because of the last mobilization that happened 2 weeks ago, as well as my upcoming reservist cycle.
I couldn't plan any appointments for the past few weeks because I was afraid the mobilization will clash with my appointments, and I won't be able to schedule any appointments for the next 2 weeks because I will be stuck in camp for my reservist.
I have never despised my reservist so much until now, just the amount of time it takes up and the inconveniences it is causing me....
....and my friend who was suppose to go through the reservist with me has recently attempted to defer due to work commitments, his request has been denied but he is going to appeal again, so there might be a chance that my reservist this time is going to be a solo experience. I'm selfishly hoping his appeal gets rejected because I'm a horrible friend.
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