The average success rate of new businesses is not very high. Around half of small businesses only last for five years.
There are a number of reasons that entrepreneurs struggle to create viable, long-term business models. It is easy to think that it is almost always due to poor products and services. However, other factors can be just as important.
One of the biggest mistakes that many business owners make is failing to provide a hospitable environment for customers. You can’t afford to get this part of your business strategy wrong.
What can you do to create a more hospitable business? Some great steps that you can take are listed below.
Conduct Renovations in Your Front Office
Customers will see your lobby or front office before they see any other part of your business. You need to make sure that this room is as comfortable and aesthetically pleasing as possible.
If any of the floors are warped or walls are starting to deteriorate, then you will need to make some important renovations. You might find that replacing your existing floor beams with engineered wood flooring can make all the difference in the world. An interior designer can also help with other parts of the room.
If you are starting a new front office, then you might want to use a room visualizer. This can help you figure out what it will look like first.
Provide Some Simple Amenities for Visiting Customers
You should also consider offering some amenities to your customers. You can have a water cooler in the front office, so people can hydrate when they are thirsty. You might also want to have a few minutes at the front desk. These expensive niceties can actually make a very big positive impression.
Make Sure Your Customer Service Team Is Well Trained
You need to have the right employees acting as ambassadors to your business. This means that it is important to hire the right people from the beginning. However, even the right people are not necessarily going to know exactly how to deal with customers right away. You are also going to need to invest in training them.
Make Sure That the Building Is Cleaned Regularly
Nobody wants to visit a filthy business. People are going to feel uncomfortable if they have to worry about having an allergic reaction to excessive dust, coming into contact with potentially harmful bacteria or other health issues.
Some cleanliness issues won’t necessarily be health hazards. However, they still need to be taken care of. Most customers say that they think it is insulting when a business doesn’t do its best to make things clean.
You should have your employees clean things up every day at the end of their shift. You should also hire a professional cleaning company to visit once in a while to do a deep cleaning.
You Need to Make Your Business as Inviting as Possible
You can’t overlook the importance of making your business as inviting to your customers as possible. You will have an easier time retaining customers and attracting new ones if you have a reputation for having a clean and hospitable environment.
