Please don’t

Former employee here….

Clients tend to live the idea that William Sonoma gives free design consultations. William Sonoma is a furniture brand that started off with pots and pans. Later to branch off into furniture with sister stores like West elm, Pottery Barn, and Rejuvenation. I’m here to tell you why not to bother with the FREE DESIGN SERVICES OR TO GIVE YOU THE TEA JUST INCASE YOU STILL WANT TO.

1. Employees are sales personals with no design background. They learn over time or if they do they will come with design expertise.

2. You will be offered to have a designer come to your home, a virtual, or an in store appointment. If an employee is traveling to your home they are coming out of pocket to travel and will be later compensated. I find it crazy because the pay is low and sometimes Uber is best to during school hours. Also, depending on how far you are from the assigned store, a designer will come out. Virtual and in store appointments are best.

3. Virtual and store appointments are best because the sales personal is being taking out of the store and loosing their sales goal for the day. The sales personal is still responsible to make money to meet there goal. Is a stressful and toxic working environment to deal with.

4. Sales personal are pressured to close a sale. I know you thinking you want a floor plan, a mood board like they are real interior designers, nope managers want that sale to close to get money for the store. Projects tend to be rushed and not going to be in your liking.

5. Sales personals are not able to source furniture that is not within the William Sonoma house brand. Talking about buying crate and barrel furniture is not helpful to the sales personal. Their target is to make a sale. However, they can work with furniture that you already have purchase in order to help you furnish your home… WITH NEW FURNITURE THAT YOU TEND ON BUYING.

6. The service is for free give the sales personal grace and a smile. Deep down they are dying inside. I have came across mean clients that did not like the design the first go around but I was willing to change it. Sometimes I did work and never got a response back. Sales personal are on the floor selling furniture and at the same time have to get projects done. They stand on their feet to do projects and are not given a desk and a chair to relax. They are often harassed to greet clients right away.

7. There is no discount being offered like interior designers have trade accounts. That’s if you know someone with a trade or you have a business. If not they will feed the brand’s credit card down your mouth.

#interiordecor #decor #furniture