Autumnal re-runs: Dirty money, filthy lucre; a designer's confession
The following publish appeared originally on 6 September 2009. Here we're greater than a 12 months later and the payola state of affairs accessible appears extra chronic than ever. I nevertheless might not dirty my fingers with it and that it is going on as regularly because it does sticks in my craw like few other things.
A long, long term ago, I worked for a elaborate schmancy kitchen design studio. We worked the very high end of the marketplace and with the assist of an entire lot of smoke and mirrors, we had a popularity because the excessive class joint in which anyone with money to burn should go to get a kitchen or a bath instantly out of a magazine. In reality, loads of our stuff ended up in magazines. We had a popularity for being an ethical, provider-oriented firm peopled with designers who have been absolutely devoted to their customers' desires, wants and whims.
I worked there for two years and in those two years I worked on a couple of interesting projects, but most of it was just overpriced exercises in more is more. It was pretty soul-deadening. My big project though, was a home that was under construction for the entire two years that I was at the fancy schmancy studio. It was a grand home; a complete, period-perfect reproduction of a plantation house. We were contracted to design all of the cabinetry and casework in the entire house. It was a tremendous opportunity to learn how to design such things as coffered ceilings and wainscoted walls. It took a year-and-a-half to complete the designs.
Finally, when we priced out all of the cabinetry and casework the first time, the numbers came back at 1.3 million dollars. And no, million is not a typo. Eventually, we edited down the designs in the project and got it to a more palatable but still galling $400,000. A couple of hours before my boss and I were to present that revised proposal to the architects, he and I met to review the numbers one last time. When I was digging through the internal, itemized price sheets I came across an $85,000 charge that didn't have any kind of history or back up. The $85,000 had been folded into the total and since the client never saw the itemized back ups, no one would really know that it was in there. I asked what that charge was and he informed me that it was to pay for the builder's kitchen renovation.
I wanted to vomit. I am not a naif, I recognize that payola and kick backs move on all of the time in my industry. But I'd by no means visible so naked a grasp in my lifestyles. What ever appreciate I had for my boss or the contractor went out the window at that very moment. I swallowed my revulsion and made it via the meeting. I went in conjunction with it and stated nothing. I changed into a junior clothier at the assignment and I advised myself that it wasn't my place to make waves approximately the graft I'd stumbled throughout. I left the organization a couple of weeks after that, and I never got to look the finished house. It failed to count number by using then. In my mind everything turned into tainted and I had a hard enough time looking on the plans, seeing the real aspect would have finished me in. Many years later, that scenario nevertheless bothers me.
The payola, the graft, I stumbled throughout that afternoon wasn't an isolated case. I don't mean simply at that studio either. "Paid referrals" are a not unusual exercise throughout the enterprise and I react to them now the manner I did then. I'm repulsed. I think the practice is sleazy and unethical. I don't pay for referrals and I might not take delivery of cash for one. Take the money you'll pay me and price your patron much less. What a idea!
I'm hooked right into a network of tradespeople and providers I understand and agree with. When I refer my customers to my tile setter, or my electrician, or my lights dealer, I need them to recognize that I am relating to the first-class individual I recognize for the process to hand. I need them to recognize that they may be looked after. Their job may be finished as promised and they will be charged a fair, even though no longer necessarily a low, fee. I want them to recognise too that the truthful rate they may be paying doesn't encompass a chill to me.
I turned into reminded of that complete situation this week when I were given a cellphone name from an interior clothier I'd in no way met. She had two customers who desired to renovate a kitchen but that a kitchen plan became beyond her ability set. As we mentioned the task she was offering, she told me that her customers desired something first-rate, however they had been quite charge-sensitive. She then told me that she turned into inclined to waive her normal 10% referral rate and "simplest" wanted me to tack $1000 onto the job total for her. Only. This become a sentence or two after she described them as fee-touchy.
I informed her that I'd love to talk to her customers but that I wasn't going to present her a dime. There changed into a stoney silence on the other stop of the line. "Really?" she requested in a near whisper. "Why is that?"
"Because it's sleazy," I said. "It's unethical and it makes projects cost more than they should. If you're any good at what you do, you should be able to make a living from the fees and commissions you earn. Payola is dirty money, it's a used car salesman move. I'm not a used car salesman. Are you?"
"Ummm," she almost whispered, "perhaps we're not a very good in shape."
It turned into the smartest factor she said at some point of the three minutes she changed into in my lifestyles.