Ever wanted an inspiring home or workplace, designed to amaze, energize, yet save costs but stopped short because you couldn’t find a one-stop-shop offering world-class quality and transparency? Look no further.

Hong Kong’s design trade is bursting at the seams with amazing, fresh and innovative talent. Alas, the trade offers very select, few design houses that serve both design and execution on the transparent plate of mind-blowing talent.

Cost competitive firms should, because the Internet is unraveling the possibilities of design and on the other hand, living/working spaces are shrinking.

The design dollar can only stretch that much, so designers offering cost-competitive solutions are growing in demand in a territory known for its discerning tastes.     

Solutions Approach   

Stephen Chan Wai Ming, Design Director founded Oui3 International Ltd in 2008.

It began as a one-stop-solution for clients needing professional interior design and contracting services with which to bring those designs to fruition.

Today, it provides professional and recognized design consultancy combined with experience in contracting and project management.

“Having been an interior designer in Hong Kong since 1997 I felt that often the client would choose a contracting company that would not adhere to the finer construction details and workmanship or they could not keep to a schedule, often leading to delaying the project’s completion or there would arise an undesirable outcome thanks to poor craftsmanship.

This would frustrate designers as the essence of the designs could not achieve the intended expression or live out their full potential. It was either that or projects could carry on for over a month behind the client’s schedule, causing irritation, inconvenience and perhaps expense too.”

So Chan combined all 3 of these services (Interior design, project management, construction) under one team of professionals saving clients time and money as well as ensuring the quality of detailed, promised workmanship.

“My role is to inspire as much as to direct, organize, plan and execute. It’s easy when you think about it. All you have to do is think like a customer. That’s the magic bullet.”

– Stephen Chan

Carving a Niche

A keen industry observer, he is well placed to provide a bird’s eye view of trends.

“The interior design and construction industry has always been competitive.

Clients will always look for a company with a good standing and reputation.

They will always look at projects that the company has previously collaborated in.

It is therefore very important for us to maintain our reputation and continue to ensure that our projects are always delivered on time, within budget and carried out with utmost care.”

He says many clients come via referrals from his company’s existing clients because” we make sure that we maintain our reputation as a reliable, honest and professional business partner.”

“We like to keep current and potential clients informed on projects we are participating in or have recently completed. We will also inform clients of any additional achievements we make or any press or media coverage we gain.

“We keep clients updated through our multiple social media outlets as in today’s day and age we find that this is the most direct way to keep people informed and it seems that most people prefer this medium.”

Staying Relevant

We stay up to date with all trends happening in different areas of design, be those trends  architectural, interior-design based or fashion-design based, Chan says, adding that all areas of design affect and influence one another “so it is advantageous to beware of current design trends across various platforms.”

“We also ensure that we never forget how a design trend has formed and will always be wary of the many different design styles that have influenced these.

In this sense we will often refer back to these artistic styles whether they be classical, baroque, romanticism or art – deco, etc. It helps to understand the influences in order to implement the current trends.”

Smart Design

“Today’s customers demand environment-friendly components with a view to sustainability as well as cost-cutting. So, within our construction arm we always try to put additional effort into a more environmental aspect. We choose our materials sensibly and will always research into various building materials to find out how they are produced and by whom.”

“We find many of our competitors may overlook these aspects just to satisfy the need of the designer. However we are quite verbal in environmental issues within the interior design and construction trade, after all we cannot create a better more beautiful world if we keep depleting all our limited resources or harming lives in order to create designs.”

What China Expects!

Not just blindly on the China bandwagon, rather it was an educated guess for Chan.

“The China market has grown exceptionally well for interior design. The need for professionally designed projects has become evident on the mainland as clients grow more aware that attractive spaces entice and invite customers. But, many of China’s local designers have either not studied recent design trends or they don’t implement a more timeless approach. This is important because trends pass and are often forgotten. The market want’s designs that stay relevant. That’s the challenge!”

“Many China clients look for exceptional designers in Hong Kong and we are only too eager to help because the work we do for them, is our best referral or advertisement.

“Sometimes, we feel required to advertise our services within China and often attend exhibitions and trade shows within the mainland to underscore our market presence there.”

Think Like a Customer

“Design is not merely a business for me. It is a vocation. Customer satisfaction is our chief goal. I believe, in life, you get what you give. We use design, customer care, talent, patience, understanding and quality control to ensure we give the customer the best, over and above their expectations. Our mission is accomplished only when the customer is amazed. So we will continue to serve our clients with increasing passion for imaginative, pragmatic design and service attitude as we have done over the years and build on the relations we have with them.”

“We are currently in the process of incorporating graphic design into our suite of services. This will create a complete adhesion between our services and ensure that all our services can be easily implemented throughout the client’s project, easier and that there is no miscommunication between different designers within the same project who may have different visions.”

Chan’s notion of personalized service and one-stop-solutions approach is winning friends and influencing people and his work remains benchmark-worthy. The trick to growth however, is a sustainable quality of service.

“My role is to inspire as much as to direct, organize, plan and execute. It’s easy when you think about it. All you have to do is think like a customer. That’s the magic bullet.”

For additional information, please visit www.oui3.com.hk or www.facebook.com/oui3international

Hong Kong’s Business Leaders share market and interest intelligence in the pages of HKMVC 2019

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