Interior Design Profession Legislation Regulation Licensing
http://www.newstimes.com/business/article/Ethan-Allen-re-ups-CEO-next-up-designers-6551652.php
Maybe, just maybe, if you considered Interior Design as valuable service and not a free hook to lure in the occasional big sale your staff might earn a bit more respect and increase their sales, and your profit, via ethical business practices.
But what do I know?
The key component here is that ” some of them want to go back to being an independent entrepreneur.” My understanding ( limited) of their business model is that they could ultimately make more selling a more varied product line. Independent designers have a stubborn streak. The service may be wrapped up in the sales of items, but if the designer is not making enough and too many restrictions are placed upon them, they will want their independence back. EA is no different than any other furniture store. They have been giving away the “design” with the sales forever and no amount of higher education or testing will make this any different. They value the design so long as it leads to sales, which is the basis for most residential design firms. Once again, making the point that commercial design is far different than the business model for the residential designer.
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Don’t disagree…but my naivete tells me that if EA valued their design staff’s intellectual property by charging for it, or at least acknowledging that it is not free but included in the cost of the furniture that customers would respect that. They may even add value to it. Maybe I am giving their customers too much credit, if so then they probably could care less if they actually get any “design” service free or otherwise.
At this point it is not about what is right for interior designers. It simply is what is ethical from a business/service point of view. EA can do better.
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