Give & Take in the Design & Fitout World
Hello fans……today I’m talking design & fitout so this means it’s Baxter from Bellfort again. And all things in between because that’s what we at Bellfort do every day, 24/7. Really! I actually know that most of the Bellfort bunch wake up thinking about projects and how we’ve flourished. As you may have noticed if you follow our social media pages, we like growing and flourishing. And I think that’s a good thing…right?
So, I got to thinking the other day, as I do, that people can be seen as givers or takers. This generally depends on how they approach and interact with each other and life in general. And don’t go all upside down on me as you are reading this. Stay with me and hear me out because I have the blossoming beginnings of a brilliant idea.
Everyone is, at some stage, approached for donations or asked to give something away for free, yes? It could be money, services, donation items or anything else you can think of. It doesn’t always have to have dollar signs attached to it, you know. So, how often can you admit to obliging the asker? Come on, think truthfully here and own up.
How often do you give and pay it forward?
Now let me go back to where my head was the other day when I started thinking about this. Because paying it forward is something I really want to hone in on here.
At Bellfort, we’ve been asked a few times by not-for-profit or charity organisations to help them with either a refurbishment or new fitout. And each time we’ve said yes. And each time it’s proven to be a profitable project for all parties involved with a number of referrals and repeat business following on.
It’s not hard to do when you stop and look at the big picture. The process of paying it forward doesn’t always have to be up front as well. It could be at the completion of your interaction with a client by gifting an item that compliments their interior. A chair perhaps. Or some art that they couldn’t fit within their budget. And if you would like to read a little more about our fundraising efforts to date, click here.
Have you ever gone to buy a coffee and someone ahead of you has already paid for it? I’ve even heard of it happening to people when they fill-up at the petrol station, only to find someone ahead of them has paid for their fuel. Imagine if this was an everyday occurrence that touched all of us.
Mind blowing….hey? Wonder if anyone would stop and help me with a tyre puncture on my bike?
It’s really not an effort to add a smile to someone’s day by giving without expecting. It actually gives you a buzz too. With this in mind, I thought I should take on the guise of the Grand Buzz Master and suggest a few simple tips and tricks to help you get onto the pay it forward freeway.
Design & Fit Out
- Always thank a person who has served you in a shop, supermarket, restaurant or any service industry. You would be amazed at how many people don’t and the utterance of these two simple words actually means a lot to the person who has just served you. It can also mean they won’t spit in your coffee.
- Support a charity and ask to see the difference that your support has made. Giving a few bucks here and there is good but speaking with your selected charity and understanding what they do and what your donation has meant to them is really good. It not only allows them to thank you for your support, it tells them that you care as well. And to some charities, this can mean more than dollars.
- Offer to help a friend or colleague who may be inundated with work or in need of help in some way. It might be helping to move a heavy pot for a grumpy old bag or dusting a few shelves at the end of a project. The end result, no matter what, is going to be brilliant because you will have made a difference to another person’s world.
Happy Endings
- Leave a piece of inspiration for someone to discover. I know a crazy designer who always tries to do this in every design & fitout job. It might be artwork created from coffee cup trays which helps people to see a disposable product with a different personality. It might be a selection of finishes that create a thought or mood for someone which is then acted upon. Everyone’s interpretation is different but if what you create leaves people thinking, especially within the design & fitout world, then you have achieved your goal.
- Keep a smile up your sleeve with quick and easy access to items that will help generate a laugh or five when required. As an example, at Bellfort HQ we have a “word of the day” calendar. Sometimes just pronouncing the words cracks us up. And even though a word may leave us puzzled to the core, we still get a laugh when we think of using it in real life.
Are you getting the Bellfort design & fitout picture?
I would have to put the Bellfort bunch into the “giver” category because everyone does give in their own way and it really makes a difference to our approach with clients. While everyone is highly skilled within their particular trade, it’s the over and above approach that makes the real difference.
I don’t think you will find this pay it forward approach from a lot of people and I guess that helps Bellfort stand apart from many others. And yes, old Baxter here may be going a bit soft but if any of my words encourage someone to do something nice for others…I’m very proud to be old and soft!
Time to go tone up my muscle mass.
Until next time…
Baxter at Bellfort
79 St Georges Terrace, Perth WA 6000, Australia
