Although first impressions can be totally misleading, there is no getting away from the fact that most people do subconsciously tuck away the first thought that strikes them when meeting someone for the first time. This holds true of their first encounter with businesses as well.

Can you remember a time when you entered a place of business that was in such a state of disarray, with clutter everywhere and people scurrying about like chickens with their heads cut off? Most of us have had the displeasure of walking into businesses like that.

While they might have been perfectly competent at what they did, you probably didn’t stick around long enough to find out. That’s human nature and somehow, office décor really does have an impact on that all-important first impression. Now let’s analyse your customer-facing business to see how you line up with what it takes to impress.

Start By Imagining Yourself as a Walk-In Client

Now take a look, an honest look, around your own customer-facing business. Pretend that you are entering for the very first time. What do you see? Would you be happy to do business with this company? What strikes you as something that displeases you? If you find several areas of concern, it’s probably time to call in the expertise of professional office interior designers.

Sometimes It’s a Trust Factor

Even if a business isn’t so totally disorganised and lacking in pleasing décor, some customers are unwilling to risk significant amounts of money with a company that can’t seem to keep their own business together. You might get a deal or two, but you are unlikely to get that sale of a lifetime if the customer lacks total trust in your capabilities.

Some businesses are more susceptible to office design than others. Real estate, for one, demands that your office is a showcase for what interior design is all about. If you are showing high value properties, few buyers would trust your ability to assess the inherent value in that real estate. The point being made here is that your office design can be the key that opens the door to the trust factor.

Layout and Organisation Are Crucial

How your business is laid out is of prime importance. Everything must be well organised with a pleasing and sensible layout. Once again, let’s consider a real estate office. If the owner of a large commercial piece of property wants to list it for sale, you wouldn’t want them stumbling around desks and climbing over the clutter of stacks of hardcopy files on the floor.

They want to see that you are detail oriented and focused on organisation. In fact, most clients would be wary of any agency that still relies on hardcopy files! In today’s digital arena, most files are kept in the Cloud so that they can be accessed from literally any location a sales rep would happen to be. In this case, it would probably be on the grounds of that commercial property they are showing to a prospective buyer.

Information about the property can be quickly accessed on a tablet and all answers are readily available when questioned. Now, that’s organisation! Those manilla file folders indicate otherwise so never leave them about in your office if you still use them. Here again, professional commercial interior designers can help you discover ways to set up the desks of agents so that it is easy to bring clients to the desk from which you will be serving them.

Focus on the Creative Use of Colour, Lighting and Décor

While neutral colours usually work best for walls, it is vital that you add splashes of colour and bits of décor to draw the focus of anyone entering your office. You could display works of art on the walls, use meeting tables with colourful mosaic tabletops and an assortment of potted plants in strategic locations.

Don’t forget a bit of ambient lighting. Most pricey works of art have a soft LED light near the plate that bears the artist’s information under the name of the piece. So, too, do plants often have soft, lighting to call attention to the plant. Rubber plants do well in an office setting because they need little care and are usually green unless having been burnt with over feeding.

Customer-Centric Design

In the end, there needs to be a healthy balance between function and design. While you can’t make office life unbearable for staff in an effort to have a showcase place of business, you can’t focus too heavily on function to distract from the overall appeal.

You want to provide a space that is inviting to customers but organised well enough to help your staff stay focused and productive. This is something that a professional office interior decorator can help you with. They are, after all, the experts in their field as you are in yours. Let them work for you so that you can work more effectively for the customers that keep your business alive.