Your Office Space – The Real First Impression

July 10, 2014

You never get a second chance to make a first impression; we’ve all heard the phrase but what really counts as the first impression? If your business has a physical location then your first impression might not be made by a person but by the customer’s experience as they visit your company for the first time.

Do a simple exercise to try to see things from your customer’s perspective. Walk into your office and really pay attention to what a customer would see and feel upon entering. Does your lobby and reception area give off an aura of calm success or is it chaotic and messy?

The first step to making a lasting positive impression is to have a clean, well-lit space that is organized. Many companies pay to have a cleaning service come in each night so that first thing in the morning they are ready to impress customers!

If you don’t own your own building you might not have much authority to change the harsh overhead fluorescent lights but you can counter-balance this less than optimal feature with some low lighting around the reception area. Make sure to have comfortable seating with professional looking furniture. The walls should be painted a neutral color that is professional and friendly at the same time. You can also match colors and décor to your company’s brand.

You never allow customers to see dust, over flowing trash cans or stacks of files you can’t find a place for. Your organizational skills and over all décor should inspire confidence in your business. With a little paint, lighting and a few decorations you can create a lobby and reception area to be proud of. Your customers will feel welcomed and comfortable while waiting to meet with you, leading to more business!