First impressions

Whether you like it or not, people judge based on first impressions. Your recruiting assistants work hard to get applicants scheduled. So make sure your receptionist area looks professional and legit.

Go outside and walk in as if you are an applicant. What is the first thing an applicant will see when they walk in? Neat and tidy desks? Smiling people? Or a mess of phone cords, computer cords, and full trashcans? Hide those cords, empty those trashcans, put away or throw away loose papers, and get your callers some comfortable chairs to sit in!

DM Casey Meyer says that your office appearance plays a big role in the type of quality sales reps you will retain. He recommends doing online searches for images of office set ups that look sharp and are easy to duplicate. “Spend time before or after ‘office hours’—before 8am and after 9pm—to get your office set up the way you want it.”

If you don’t have an eye for décor, or don’t really have the time, DM Quina Feldstein suggests you pay your recruiting assistants to set up, organize, and decorate for a few hours. It will help them feel good about being a part of what you are building from the very beginning. Plus, your time is probably more valuable spent in other areas of the business or at least setting up the rooms that you’ll use more often than your front office.

Throughout your office, keep the clutter clear, and carefully hide cords to keep the office looking neat. (You’ll have phone cords, computer cords, and cords for the tv screens you use for interviews and training.) Keep trashcans available, empty them regularly, and invest in a vacuum or carpet sweeper.  Get in the daily habit of tidying up, wiping down, and vacuuming to make sure the office looks spic and span. You want the people who walk through your doors to want to stay there. It’s also a good idea to audit your office every couple months. You may have clutter build up the longer you are open.

If you saved $10,000 or more as a management candidate, here are some bonus ideas to consider. For a cheap and functional decor, try using office supplies in the reception area as a statement. You can find cool file folders like this one on Amazon. You can hit up Ikea or The Container Store for stylish supply holders, or make your own by spray painting these berry baskets as shown here.

Second impressions

If you’re lucky, your building will have community restrooms with several stalls and a cleaning service so that you don’t have to be responsible for cleaning toilets and sinks. But some Vector office spaces have a restroom that the manager is responsible for cleaning and maintaining. My BEST advice is to budget for a weekly cleaning service so that you are not responsible for emptying trash, scrubbing a toilet, or dusting trophies. However, if you can’t budget for this expense, YOU CAN’T NEGLECT THE RESTROOM.

Your restroom doesn’t need fancy soap, a stylish rug, flowers, or any decoration.  Your bathroom DOES NEED a working light, an air freshener, soap, paper towels, toilet paper, and a trashcan. It needs to be in good working order. If not, contact your landlord. It needs to be cleaned a MINIMUM of twice a month (although every week would be ideal).

I’ve traveled to foreign countries. I’ve used bathrooms on trains and buses in foreign countries, in restaurants and public spaces in foreign countries. I’ve spent my fair share of time on airplanes and thus in airplane bathrooms. I grew up riding horses and I’ve used bathrooms at rodeo arenas and fair grounds all over Texas. But some of the most uncomfortable bathrooms I’ve experienced have been in Vector offices. We sell Cutco, the World’s Finest Cutlery. We should have bathrooms that are clean, in good working order, and don’t smell.

If you don’t want to be the person to clean the restroom and a cleaning service isn’t feasible, PAY someone in your office extra money to keep the restroom clean and well stocked. Make sure you hold them accountable. After all, it’s your office and a disgusting bathroom reflects poorly on you, even if you’ve assigned the task to someone else.

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