When you go into a building, an office or another workplace owned by another company, how do you view it? Do you appreciate the efficient and tidy atmosphere and surroundings, or do you wonder how on earth they manage to get anything done because it is so untidy?

One thing is certain - we all judge the places we go to (whether we realise it or not) according to how clean and tidy they look. But the one thing we tend to forget is that other people will also be judging our own businesses according to what they see, and that can lead to problems if you don’t keep an eye on how things look to outsiders. Not all businesses are in direct contact with customers or clients but many are, and if your business falls into that category you need to think about whether you are giving your clients the right impression when they walk into your building.

The best way to do this is to put your premises to the test by looking at them as closely as a client would if they were coming to meet you. Walk through all the areas that they would see and look at them as if you were seeing them for the first time.

How do they look? Do they look clean, tidy and well cared for? Or are the bins overflowing and the carpet dirty? What about the offices themselves? Are they well organised or are there stacks of boxes and papers sitting on the floor that could provide a tripping hazard if someone didn’t see them? What about the toilets and other facilities? Are they spotless and hygienic? Or do they look as though they haven’t been cleaned in a week?

Performing this exercise can either be a shock or a confidence booster, but whatever you find the main thing is to react to it in the right way. If you have found problem areas make a note of them and take steps to combat them straightaway. If you currently use a commercial cleaning company and they should be doing things that don’t appear to have been done, make sure you speak to them and hire a new team or company if necessary.

Alternatively it may be that you have uncovered problems that you didn’t even realise were there previously. Many businesses find the interior of their premises looks great, but the outside leaves a lot to be desired. If this sounds like you, why not think about hiring a commercial cleaning service to take care of your exterior cleaning and tidying up for you as well? The impression it will have on your business might be bigger than you think.

In the end a regular check of this nature will protect your business by alerting you to problems as soon as they occur. By doing this you will be well on the road to making sure your visitors always get the best impression - even if they drop in unannounced.