While it is advised to never judge a book by its cover, we all subconsciously do so, and this is no different for clients and potential partners when they judge a business by its reception area. As the first space that greets all visitors, the reception area must be presentable and comfortable while guests wait for their appointments. While passing the time, they will undoubtedly begin to form their opinions about a company based on what they see in front of them. If they are met with anything less than a pristine environment, your meeting with them may start off on the wrong foot. To ensure your reception area is inviting and makes a positive first impression on all, here are four cleaning tips to make it look its best.
1. Make enough space
A cluttered reception area is not going to put any visitor at ease. It will instead negatively reflect the business’s image and lead them to assume it is lacking in space and disorganised. Although not all companies have the budget to get a spacious reception area, there are some things that business owners can do to make it seem bigger:
- Remove all clutter and refrain from making the reception area serve double duty, like extra space for office supplies and other paraphernalia.
- Minimise magazines to avoid swamping the area with them. Although having business-appropriate reading material shows that the company stays on top of what is happening in the industry, it is best to stick to just a small yet updated collection.
- Downgrade the counter if the space is too cramped with the addition of a reception desk. Instead, consider going for a mounted table where visitors can check-in.
- Finetuning your furniture means minimising and streamlining the furnishing pieces in the reception area. Since it is rare for your guests to spend hours waiting for their appointment, downsizing the furniture to just a few sleek and minimalist chairs can help maximise space.
2. Remove any kind of foul smell
Besides being pleasing to the eyes, your reception area should also smell just as good or at least be free of any foul smells. If the space uses an open plan layout, it is inevitable for workplace odours like tupperware lunches or coffee to permeate the reception area. Eliminate these scents as best as possible since they will also heavily influence first impressions. One way to achieve this is by banning food consumption in the workplace and only allowing it in designated areas like the pantry or break room.
3. Pay attention to the flooring
The reception area will most likely be where all employees pass through on their way inside the office, resulting in high levels of footfall daily. As such, it is recommended to do more frequent floor care like cleaning or vacuuming in this space. For solid flooring, look into the best ways to clean marble floors and other types of flooring in use within the premises. For carpet flooring, maintaining it is best left to a cleaning services company. Installing a boot scraper and floormat by the entrance will also help significantly reduce dust, mud, and other debris from dirtying the reception area.
Conclusion
Reception areas serve as the first space that welcomes clients, business partners, and other guests of the company. Due to the importance of first impressions, business owners must strive to make theirs as inviting and comfortable as possible for the sake of the company’s image.
For a spotless and impressive reception area, leave the cleaning to the experts here at Abba. With our top quality and affordable office cleaning services in Singapore, you can guarantee that your office environment gets cleaned from top to bottom, improving its appeal to guests and promoting the well-being of your staff. Besides office cleaning, we also cater to your other cleaning needs, such as pest control, disinfection services, and commercial cleaning services.