Imagine you go to a cozy restaurant in a strip mall when you are on vacation. When you walk in, a little girl with a messy mouth and messy hands is pushing the door open helping you get in. She smiles and her mom drags her out. Your experience is pleasurable; the food is good, as is the service.
Two days later, you decide to go to that same restaurant. Now, however, you see those markings of goo that the little girl left on the door. Your mind instantly wanders to calculate how many days it has been since that cute little girl smeared that door, how many employees missed the door while they were cleaning, if they even clean at all, and then the horrors of what else may be going on in the kitchen!
Not paying attention to cleanliness can be a big problem if it happens in a holistic professional's office! Luckily, it is one problem that is easy to solve by keeping your office clean. Even if you have a cleaning service that does a fantastic job, you and your staff should always be on high alert to the status of cleanliness in your office since the cleaning service isn't there all the time.
If a child spills their crumby crackers in the waiting room during the first appointment of the day, will your staff let that mess sit there until lunch while countless other clients come in? Or will your staff be attentive and do the best they can to clean it up without disturbing the other waiting clients?
Most of your clients aren't going to know that the crumby cracker mess just happened. For all they know, since they didn't see it happen, that mess could've been there for two weeks already! That mess will stick in their heads and, believe it or not, they will look for it the next time they come to your office - if they don't see that it was cleaned up while they were there. Monitoring little details like crumbs on the floor is one way your clients judge your office.
Goodness gracious if a client does come back two weeks later and sees that mess is still there! Your client will begin to question your office, just like you questioned that cozy restaurant in the strip mall when you found the goo on the glass door two days later. That client will probably make up any excuse and say they will call to reschedule their appointment just so they can get out of your office.
Don't let this happen in your office. Follow these five easy tips to help you keep your office clean for every client...
1. Set an office policy that states every employee is responsible for office cleanliness. Even if an office manager uses the restroom and sees that the mirror is smeared, it is that office manager's responsibility to see to it the mirror gets cleaned in a timely manner either by themselves or another employee.
2. Keep plenty of easy to use cleaning supplies strategically placed around your office. If your cleaning supplies are easy to get to and use, then your staff will have less of a barrier in cleaning the mess.
3. Let your clients know that they may report anything substandard to you or your staff. You can let them know this with their initial paperwork and also with small signs around your office. Letting your clients know that you want them to be in a clean environment will go a long way in your relationship. Your clients can also become key to having things cleaned up in a timely manner!
4. With number three being said, don't depend on your clients to always let you know that there is a problem! Your clients may be too embarrassed to let you know for one reason or another. Respect that fact and keep your staff on the lookout for anything that needs to be cleaned up or restocked (like tissues and toilet paper).
5. Always thank your staff every time you catch them cleaning up a mess. Many times employees don't like to clean since that is not why they were hired. Counteract their dislike for cleaning with appreciation. As their boss, give them a quick "thank you for cleaning that up." Go above and beyond if one of your employees is very attentive. Mention them at a staff meeting and give them some token of recognition such as a $5 gift card. You may be amazed at how your staff will really take to keeping your office looking great!
By implementing these five tips, you can be confident your clients will always experience a feeling of cleanliness and attention to detail in your office and you never know what wonderful things can follow as a result!
Rejina L. Hendricksen, D.C. helps holistic health professionals (chiropractors, massage therapists, acupuncturists, naturopaths, etc.) change their boring waiting rooms into vibrant reception rooms to keep their clients happy for more pleasant visits. If you would like a free 30 minute video to play in your waiting room to captivate your clients, go to ==> http://www.FreeWaitingRoomVideo.com