• Introduction 
• What Are First Impressions And Why Are They Important?
• 3 Outcomes of a Poor Impression 
• What Are First Impressions Based on?
• Can You Change a First Impression?
• The Role of The Reception Area
• 5 Reasons Why Effective Communication Matters
• 10 Ways to Make a Quality First Impression on Your Customers
• Conclusion 

Think back to the last time you saw something or someone for the first time; did you form an impression in your mind pretty quickly?

The chances are you did. 

Think again - did that impression stay with you for a while, particularly if it was a negative impression?

First impressions are powerful, and if a customer has a poor first impression of your business, it has the ability to make or break your future success.

The good news is there are plenty of things you can do to ensure that your customers have the best first and lasting impression of your business. This will ensure that they stay loyal to you, provided the rest of the service you provide is high quality, and remain out of the clutches of your competitors. 

Throughout this guide, we are going to cover everything you need to know about making a high-quality first impression and the various different ways to ensure that happens. From ensuring your office reception area is set up for ultimate impressibility to customer service and communication, we have you covered. All you need to do is ensure that you work with the advice we give you and do your best to maintain the same levels, once you have impressed your customers the first time you come into contact with them.

What Are First Impressions And Why Are They Important?

A first impression is a mental image and opinion formed by a person when they first encounter a person or a thing. In this case that would be your business.

Remember, every employee a customer speaks to, from the receptionist at their reception desk to the delivery driver who delivers the goods, is a representation of the business. That means every single transaction and encounter needs to be high quality, especially the first time.

As we’ve already mentioned, first impressions are not only powerful but vital. It is very easy for someone to be turned off by their first impression of you, and if that’s a business, it could mean that they simply decide you’re not the best fit for them, and they move on to another business instead. That means lost revenue and custom for you.

The worrying thing is that first impressions are made extremely quickly, in fact, they’re made far faster than most people realise. According to Forbes, a first impression is made within the first seven seconds of meeting someone or seeing something for the first time. It’s also suggested that less than a second, e.g. a tenth of a second, is all that is required for someone to decide whether they deem you to be trustworthy or not.

As you can see, the importance of first impressions is extreme, and you have very little time in which to make sure that the impression you give is not only positive, but lasting too. 

Overall, the average customer looks for the following traits in a business they are considering working with:

• Trustworthiness
• Politeness
• Effective communication
• Promises and guarantees are kept
• Understanding their needs and listen properly 
• Helpfulness

When you look at the list, you’ll see that it’s quite a simple one, but many businesses fail to actually understand the basics. If a customer doesn’t feel that you’re taking their needs seriously, they’re not going to continue using your services. If they don’t feel that they can trust you, they’ll find someone who can. All of this is extremely damaging to your business growth and success and in some cases, could be the beginning of the end. 

Check out this infographic which talks about how to make a good first impression in business, but a little later on we will talk in more detail about the specifics you can go into. 

Source - http://www.hotel-magazine.co.uk/creating-a-first-impression

3 Outcomes of a Poor Impression 

A little later in our guide we’re going to talk about what you can do to ensure a first impression is a good one and how you might be able to change an initially poor impression into a positive one. What you should realise however, is that changing an impression that is originally quite negative takes time and that is something that you don’t have as a business. For that reason, it’s best to focus on creating the right impression from the get-go. 

So, what are some of the outcomes of a poor first impression of a business?

1. Customers simply decide that they don’t like who you are as a business and what you stand for and that means they will go to one of your competitors instead. This means lost market share and lost profits over time.
2. Customers may rely upon their instincts to the point where they tell friends and family not to do business with you either. Word of mouth marketing is extremely powerful and could lead to a loss of market share once more.
3. A loss of market share and less customers could easily impact on the morale of your employees. This may lead to conflicts, misunderstandings, loss of productivity and in the end, loss of profits. 

As you can see, negative first impressions are things to avoid at all costs, but you also have to understand that it’s simply not possible to control every single variable in a situation. There will always be a customer who you simply cannot please, no matter what you do. In that case, you need to realise that provided you’re doing as much right as you can, that isn’t something you can control. Focus on the bigger picture, rather than simply zoning in on the lost causes. 

What Are First Impressions Based on?

There are a million things which can form a first impression, but where a business is concerned, there are several important areas. 

• The design of your office space, particularly your reception area
• How polite, or otherwise, your receptionist is. In this case, the receptionist, sitting at their reception desk, is probably going to be the first person the customer comes into contact with. However, it may also be that a customer calls the office first of all and speaks to someone over the telephone; the way in which this person communicates with the customer could be the make or break detail 
• Written communication which comes from your business. If this is littered with spelling mistakes and grammar issues, a customer could simply decide that the goods and services you provide as just as unprofessional as the written communication you send out
• The way in which you approach business. If you aren’t professional in your approach, that is going to translate to the customer in a very negative way
• The way in which your employees are dressed and how they present themselves. Everyone should be dressed in a clean and smart manner
• What other people say about you. Never underestimate the power of word of mouth and online reviews too. People may read reviews before they actually make contact with your venture into your office. They may already have a slight idea of your business from what they have read and that many influence their impression of you before they even meet you in person. 

Every single person will base their impression on something slightly different, but overall, the above points are some of the most prevalent. 

Think for a second about the things which are important to you as a customer. When you’re choosing a company to do business with, or perhaps as a manager you’re choosing which clients to work alongside, what do you look for? What influences your mindset? If there is one specific thing you look for personally, such as the design of the office desks and whether the overall decor is pleasing and professional, it’s best to incorporate that into your thinking too. 

Check out the infographic below which talks about what people look for when perusing business websites.

Source - https://econsultancy.com/the-power-of-a-first-impression-infographic/

Can You Change a First Impression?

You can, yes, but it’s very difficult if the impression is very negative. 

The problem is that in order to change a first impression, you need time. If a customer has developed a poor first impression of your business, they’re not going to hang around to try and change it; they’re simply going to move on. It might also be that the initial impression they had of you sticks with them a little in the background, like an annoying fly zipping around. This could cause them to leave your business at some point, for the slightest little thing, even if they do decide to stick with you initially. 

Many psychologists also believe that in order for a negative first impression to be changed, the impression needs to be continually challenged with different viewpoints and contexts. Again, all of this takes time. When this happens however, the initial negative impression becomes less powerful and a new point of view can be developed more effectively. 

So, whilst it is possible to change a first impression, doing so within a business context is extremely difficult and unlikely. There are many other businesses out there who are happy to give your customers what they need, and that means a customer is not going to stick around and try and change their first impression of you, no matter what you say or promise them. 

For that reason, learning how to make a good first impression initially is vital. 

The Role of The Reception Area

As we mentioned earlier, the first person a customer is likely to make contact with is your receptionist. Whilst they may call and discuss an issue with a member of your office team first of all, it is usually the reception area which provides the make or break point.

If you don’t place importance upon your reception area right now, it’s time to start. The design of your reception space needs to be fresh, professional, clean, tidy, and the person sitting in the reception chair needs to be polite, helpful, and professional once more. A lack of any of this can instantly give a customer the wrong impression of you as a business.

Every single part of your business reflects what a customer thinks it will be like to do business with you. For instance, if the floor is wet in the reception area and there isn’t a wet floor sign down, not only is there a risk a customer could slip and fall, but it also shows visitors to your space that you’re not bothered whether someone is injured and you’re shoddy in your approach. 

An uninterested receptionist shows a visitor that not only is the receptionist quite rude in themselves, but that the rest of the service they’re going to receive within your business is likely to be the same. It is instantly off-putting and a hard impression to change once it’s set in someone’s mind. 

Check out this video which shows a few things which a receptionist must avoid. Whilst some of this video might appear humorous, the message is quite serious. 

So, what are the main points to remember when designing a high quality reception area? There are many office reception ideas you will come across when searching online, but sometimes the basics are all you really need. 

• The reception desk needs to be clear of clutter and be a high quality, sleek design, in-keeping with the rest of the reception design. The overall design doesn’t necessarily need to be luxury, but it does need to be quality and professional 
• The reception floor needs to be kept clean at all times and any spillages or wet patches near the door, need to be mopped up immediately and a ‘wet floor’ sign placed down
• The reception seating should be clean at all times and any breakages fixed immediately 
• Reception sofas need to be cleaned on a regular basis
• Refreshments need to be offered to guests, be it tea, coffee, water, etc
• If you have a TV in the reception area, this shouldn’t be too loud or too low in terms of volume and it should show age-appropriate and location-appropriate content 
• The receptionist should be seated in a way which means they are facing the door. This means they’re able to see who comes in and they can answer queries quickly and effectively
• There should be a waiting area for guests which is comfortable and large enough to accommodate the average amount of visitors you have at any one time
• Avoid having all reception sofas if at all possible, as some people don’t like sitting too close to others. This means having a mixture of sofas and chairs, or just chairs if you only have a small space
• The overall decor should be pleasant and in-keeping with what the business is about. For instance, if the business is life insurance, you should go for a sleek, modern look. If the business is developing children’s toys, you should go for a bright and colourful decor. Avoid making the space look too small with dark colours, but also avoid going for anything which simply doesn’t ‘speak’ for the business
• A few extras you could think about include charging points for phones and laptops, electronic check in systems, and other pieces of office furniture which are designed to make the space more comfortable and welcoming.

There are many reception area ideas you can look into, but the above list will ensure that you cover all bases and give your visitors a comfortable time whilst they wait to be seen.

5 Reasons Why Effective Communication Matters

It isn’t all about how your office and reception area looks, it’s also about effective communication. 

Check out this video which talks a little more about effective communication and what it means.

Communication matters in a big, big way. Not only is this a way to transmit information from person to person and keep everyone in the loop, it is also a way to ensure that customers have that right impression of your business. Poor communication can lead to all manner of rather unnecessary outcomes. 

Within a contemporary office environment, poor communication can increase the risk of conflicts within the workplace. Misunderstandings happen and people take things you have said the wrong way. This means you need to be very careful with not only the words you say but also the tone of voice you use, i.e. the way you say them. You also have to watch your body language and ensure that your body isn’t contradicting the word you’re saying.

For instance, you could be saying all the right words to a customer who arrives at your reception desk, but if you’re avoiding eye contact, angling your body away from them and you’re not paying attention in general, they’re going to assume that you’re not interested in what they have to say. 

The same goes for collaborating ideas around the modern boardroom tables with clients from outside the company. You need to avoid crossing your arms over your body and showing defensive body language, because this might tell them that you’re not interested in what they have to say and that you don’t value their ideas. This could, in theory, mean that they don’t bother to do business with you and choose to take their collaborative efforts elsewhere. 

Communication is vital on so many levels. This means ensuring that you check your diary is up to date and that you don’t double book yourself. You might think that doesn’t fall under communication but it does in some ways, because if you don’t communicate problems such as this, you’re going to end up with two people turning up at the same time, or you needing to be in two places at one time. 

Let’s summarise 5 ways in which effective communication matters.

1. It helps to avoid conflicts and misunderstandings 
2. You can convey important information in an accurate and clear manner
3. You can clarify points which may otherwise be misunderstood
4. You reduce the chances of a poor first impression being formed by a customer or client
5. Everyone knows where they stand and this helps to avoid mistakes being made

10 Ways to Make a Quality First Impression on Your Customers

We’ve talked at length about why you need to make a high quality first impression and you know the price to be paid when this doesn’t happen. Now it’s time to be practical and look at how you can actually make that quality impression and make it stick. 

The actual advice will vary from business to business and depends upon the type of products and services you provide. However, there are very general pieces of advice that can be given, and we’ll stick to this at this point, to allow you to cover the basics first and foremost.

You don’t necessarily have to completely renovate your office space and install funky office furniture in place of the professional and sleek designs you have currently. You simply need to ensure that what you have is working for you.

Before we go into detail, check out this infographic which talks about a few basic ways that you can make a good first impression simply by the way you greet a customer or client. 

Source - http://www.sharynsheldon.com/1347/make-great-first-impressions/

Now you have a few ideas of what we’re looking for, here are 10 ways you can try your best to make that quality first impression on any customer you come into contact with. 

Remember That Manners Matter

The most basic thing in the world is often the most overlooked thing. When dealing with any customer, client, or anyone else you happen to come across, be it in person, via email or over the telephone whilst sat at your office desk, you should always ensure that you remember your manners. 

Most people value manners over many other things, and this also shows that you see your customer as a person and not just a money-making method. So, remember your ‘please’, ‘thank you’, smile, maintain eye contact, and generally be as helpful and professional as you can possibly be. By doing this, you’re ticking the very first impression box and it’s arguably the most important too.

Never underestimate the power of someone using correct and helpful manners around you. If you think back to times in the past when you might have been dealing with a business and the receptionist or a person you were speaking to simply didn’t bother with manners at all, did it make you feel good? Of course not. Did you want to continue working with them? You might have questioned it, even if you did continue in the end. This isn’t something you want your customers experiencing so make sure that you tick the basic boxes first and foremost. 

Ensure The Design of Your Office is Impressive

We’ve mentioned the design of your reception area, but you also need to ensure that you stretch this way of thinking to the rest of your space too. Customers may enter your office and that means they need to see that you take design as seriously as the goods and services you provide. The reason is because it all reflects on the business overall. 

If your office looks dark and dingy, if the office chairs are falling apart and the space is untidy, it’s not going to show you in the best light. However, if you have designer office desks, a pleasant decor, perhaps some office plants to give the space a biophilic vibe, and you focus on comfort and support for your employees, you’re not only ensuring customers have a great first impression of your business, but you’re also helping to boost morale and therefore productivity for your employees. 

Again, this doesn’t necessarily mean spending a fortune if you simply don’t have the budget, but it does mean moving things around, ensuring that your office furniture is comfortable, intact and pleasant on the eye, and also checking that the office decor ticks all the boxes it needs to tick. It’s also vital that the decor and design is in-keeping with the business, as we motioned before in our reception section.

Focus on Doing The Best For Your Customer

A great way to help a customer form a great first impression is to do whatever you can to help them when you first come into contact with them. Ask the what they need and do your best to provide it. Try and go the extra mile and find out if there is anything else they might want help and advice on and do your best to try and cater for that too. 

By doing this, you’re showing them that they are your priority and that you’re not simply interested the cash their sales and interest generates for you. Customers want to know that you value them as people, and that you’re interested in their needs. They don’t want to feel like you’re only interested in cold, hard cash. 

Of course, at the end of the day a business is about profits, but you only receive those profits if you focus on the health and wellbeing of your customers and, of course, pleasing your customers at every turn. 

Ensure You Have a High Quality Receptionist

In our reception area section we talked about the receptionist a little, but this is such a vital part of the puzzle that we need to enter it here on our list. A high quality receptionist can be the difference between losing a customer and keeping one. 

They need to be professional, kind, polite, helpful and welcoming. They should also keep tabs on how long visitors have been waiting and check in regularly to find out how much longer they have to wait. 

It may be that visitors to your reception area are a little nervous, worried, or possibly angry when they arrive. A high quality receptionist knows how to deal with this type of situation and can defuse any potential negative elements. By doing this, a customer may avoid a negative impression being formed, and you’ll get a positive view instead. 

Many people falsely think that a receptionist role is something that anyone can do. Wrong! A high quality receptionist is a person with skill, effective communication knowledge, and is a true people person. These are things which, whilst can be learnt, are often second nature. So, when you’re hiring a receptionist, if you haven’t already, make sure you look for these vital skills at the time. 

Look Closely at Your Website

More and more people check out a business online before deciding whether or not to do business with them. That means you need to look at your website and check that it is up to date, pleasant to look at, informative and gives customers the information they need most, and that it doesn’t contain any broken links. 

You should also ensure that there are contact details displayed prominently and give your customers the online experience they need. This may or may not include buying products online, but it should certainly give them information they need to help them decide which products or services they need, what you provide, and how to go about making the next step. 

Appearances Matter

Without a doubt, one of the most common ways to make impressions of people in particular, but also places, is down to appearance. We’ve covered your office and reception desk, so now we need to talk about people. 

Of course, your employees are all adults who understand the importance of being well turned out for work, but let’s highlight what is necessary here, so there is no misunderstanding. 

Employees, whether sitting in the reception area or at their executive office desks in the main working space need to be:

• Clean
• Clothes need to be clean and ironed
• Shaven if necessary, or at least well-kept if they have facial hair
• Hair needs to be clean and styled in an appropriate way
• No unnecessary jewellery or adornments - this is something you will need to decide upon as a company as to your limits, but it’s something to consider
• Shoes need to be clean and appropriate for the workplace
• Nails need to be clean and appropriate for the workplace

Many of these things go without saying, but it’s vital to highlight them here. 

Keep Customers Up-to-Date

Whilst sitting in the reception area, customers need to be updated on how long they can expect to wait to be seen. If they are calling the office and asking about something, you need to ensure that you give them the right information and ensure that you update them when necessary.

It’s a huge communication no no to leave customers waiting unnecessarily and not to give them the information that they need. By ensuring that you update your customers on a regular basis, they will feel like you care about their problem and that you’re doing your best to fix it. Of course, it might not be a problem they have, it might be that they’re simply waiting for an order to be delivered. In that case, ensure that you give realistic timescales and again, update them on any changes. 

Fix What Needs to be Fixed

If anything is broken in your office, your reception area, your parking area, or your outside space, make sure that you fix it in a timely manner. Broken furniture and other items does not look good and creates the appearance of shoddiness. This isn’t something you want to be associated with your business. 

It might sound like a no-brainer, because of course you will fix something if it’s broken, but many businesses put things like this to the bottom of their priority list, not realising the effect it can have in terms of positive or negative first impressions. 

Ask For Feedback

A good way to show customers that you care about the service you’re giving them is to ask for feedback at the end. A simple “how did we do?” And “is there anything else we can help you with” is really all it takes. When you do this, you show your customers that you’re striving for improvement at all times. There is nothing negative about that, and in many ways it helps to boost the chances of developing a positive first impression, which sticks and then remains.

Remember, a first impression isn’t something you simply tick off and then leave alone; you need to continue to maintain that impression over the long-term if you want to succeed. 

Move With The Times

The final item on our list is to ensure that as a business you move with the times. If you stay where you are, stuck in the past, you’re going to show customers that you’re not a progressive company and that you’re not gong to be able to offer them anything different beyond this point. 

Focus on staying present and in the moment, stay abreast of what your competitors are dong, and aim to keep moving, even if it does include baby steps. 

Conclusion 

By this point you should be pretty clear on what does and doesn’t constitute a positive first impression. You should also be very clear on why businesses need to strive for positive first impressions and then ensure that they continue to maintain them over the long-term. 

The basic truth is that a good first impression can help you not only maintain the custom of that particular person, but it can also attract more; word of mouth is very powerful and customers will probably tell their friends and family about you too. 

Focusing on the right things, rather than allowing yourself to make common, negative mistakes, is a must do.