1. EXPERIENCE
Ask how long the leaders of the company have been in the industry not just the cumulative hours of experience of all employees. If the people running the show have been around the block they will be able to identify areas of concern in a project before those concerns become a big deal. The experienced leader is incomparable at gauging the number of hours to be invested in both the project as a whole and in meeting deadlines along the way. This means you receive your beautiful deliverables on time as you planned.
2. PRICING
The most successful and well-managed firms aren’t likely to get involved in a pricing bidding war. They have honed their craft, and all the responsibilities surrounding it to ensure that they are providing the best value that they can. Their ongoing relationships with their clients are strong . Timeliness, accuracy, dependability, going above and beyond to make the visualizations truly amazing – these items are also incredibly important and should be considered in the value being offered. A good analogy would be that if you are buying an Ikea sofa but expecting the quality, comfort, and beauty of an Ethan Allen piece, you will quickly be disappointed. So should you ignore pricing all together? Of course not, everyone has a budget, but consider the value of the answers provided to all of the other questions before assuming that the lowest bid you received is the way to go.
3. PROJECT VARIETY
A sampling of a company’s interiors and exteriors as well as a variety of industries from which these samples originate will give you a good understanding about whether the artists have tackled your type of project before. Of course, years of experience can sometimes trump specific project experience. This is when your questions will help you determine if the firm is the correct fit for you.
4. CUSTOMER SERVICE
First rate service, aka white glove service, is something that makes the project process a whole lot easier. If a firm is able to set your expectations every step of the way and has steps in place to avoid miscommunications, this will go a long way towards your perception that the process was smooth and easy. Accessibility is another key component here. How committed to your project is this firm? Boutique firms often have the advantage over the big guns in this scenario because you, the client, will often get to speak directly with the artist working on your project and request last minute progress reports. Some firms will even allow the client to touch base around the clock or make changes for free to ensure 5- star service to the client.
5. TURNAROUND TIME
If you want a project done well and provided with trustworthy, dedicated service, it will take a time investment. Expecting overnight production simply isn’t realistic.
6. ARTISTS ON STAFF
A company with true artists has a specific advantage. Lighting (natural and artificial), textures, modeling , composition (understanding the space and selecting the most ideal view), and how technically real-life the renderings appear is all at the mercy of the 3D designer’s eye and fingertips. So, if the 3D Designer also happens to be a true artist, you can imagine that there are almost no boundaries when it comes to the life-like capabilities of a piece.
7. GUARANTEE
There are very few guarantees in life and fewer companies willing to guarantee at least some portion of its processes. Hopefully the firm you select has taken the time to establish one.