Knight Frank Interiors operate globally to provide interior design services of the highest standard. We sat down with Munni Bains, our Associate , who has returned from a wonderfully insightful business trip around East Asia, to tell us the highlights of her travels…
Whereabouts in Asia did you visit and why?
Well after three very long years it’s been wonderful to return to Asia Pacific, and returning to very much-loved spots in Hong Kong, Singapore, Singapore and Malaysia to meet our fantastic clients and outstanding Sales teams in person!
Pre-pandemic, we would visit our international Knight Frank offices at regular intervals, joining exhibitions and meeting with our clients ahead of completions of projects they’re working with us on in the UK.
Why did this trip feel particularly special?
During the Covid-19 period, we couldn’t help but feel a slight disconnect from our clients. Whilst the ever-growing virtual world of wonders was great in bridging any gaps in communication, there’s still nothing that quite compares to sitting in the company of our clients and brainstorming their ideas in to plans of action, which is why the trip felt pretty special. I am so grateful to have such a loyal client base, and ever supportive teams that I work in close proximity with. Just as great as it felt to connect with clients, it was similarly wonderful meeting with my overseas colleagues, including new team members who I had not yet had the pleasure of meeting in person.
Tell us more about what you got up to!
The trip itself entailed one to one meetings with clients across each of these three countries and also two property update seminars in Hong Kong. This allowed us to share market updates on both Lettings and Management, as well as furniture and some of the exceptional projects we’ve worked on and look forward to completing on in the coming months.
Was there a key highlight for you?
I think one of the most moving moments for me throughout the trip was a client that I’d worked with on two projects already during the pandemic, joining our seminar to meet me in person purely because she recognised my name on the mailer that was advertising the seminar. It just brought home that whilst things have kept moving and I’m so proud of our teams for keeping this going, there still is that human touch which has been missed and so meeting face to face is something I’m so glad to be taking away from this trip and look forward to returning to in the new year.
It’s one of those things where I didn’t really realise how much I was missing until I had the opportunity to travel. Being part of an international design house and working in partnership with a global property consultancy, the world really is our oyster (funny fact, I tried an oyster for the first time by accident in Hong Kong on a client lunch!). Being out in our international offices, seeing the outstanding work our teams do and getting our teeth in to all the action in person was the most exhilarating experience and I look so very forward to seeing everything come to fruition in due course.
What is next to come?
Naturally, there will be challenges along the way, some within our control and some outside, but having strong teams in place and working in close conjunction with those and our clients alike, allows us to provide world-class consistent service irrespective of our location. One challenge I look forward to seeing overcome in the coming months is the disruption to our travel between each of our centres, and I hope that with this, clients will also grow better confidence travelling to the UK as well, further allowing us to meet more frequently.
I am taking away the strengthened relationships made with our overseas team and look forward to exploring further in more productive ways we can continue to work together to help achieve continued successes for our mutual clients. I also welcome the opportunity to return to these centres with our fabulous developer clients and supporting them in launching these highly anticipated projects abroad, as well as sharing our service lines that can assist purchaser clients within these.
We can’t wait to hear about Munni’s next business trip, stay tuned to see where she flies off to next!
Our Curated Furniture Packages will make your property better than the rest. We provide your tenants with a place they are proud to call home, all sealed with a 5-year guarantee. You can browse through our service brochure to learn more about our curated collections and discover the right fit for your property.