Is your Business due for some Fall Cleaning? Here are 3 Suggestions

Good bye Summer, the first official day of Fall has arrived, another year is flying by.  Soon the leaves will be falling.  Just as leaves need to be raked (or mulched) so you can see what they are hiding, you can benefit by applying this same principle to your business as well. (Think of it as a second round of spring cleaning…).

Clean your desk or work space

At least a few of our clients struggle with keeping their desks organized.  (No Names, to protect the innocent 😉 )  Even at a time when most companies are trying to “Go Green”….one pile becomes two,  two becomes three,  and pretty soon it looks like a paper mill.   A lot of people struggle with this one, so don’t beat yourself up if this sounds like you.

Working with your team, suggest starting by creating a system to process what’s currently on the desk.   The first step is condensing, toss what is trash, file what can be filed, and prioritize the rest.   A great goal with paperwork is to try and touch it only one time, two times if it is something you will complete later.

You always see a look of accomplishment on someone’s face when they report their desk or work space has been cleaned.

Clean the vehicle you use for work

If your only mode of transportation is public, then this may not apply to you.  But if you drive to work, drive for work, be it company owned or personally owned, this does apply to you.   Not only does it improve the image you present of yourself, it also improves the resale value of the vehicle and reduces maintenance costs (because you are more likely to notice issues in advance).   This is paramount for businesses with fleets.  Every customer who sees your vehicles is judging your business by the way the vehicles are maintained.  They don’t have to be new, but there is no reason they shouldn’t be clean.

No one sees the car you drive for work?   Clean it any way, and see if you don’t feel better driving it to work the next day.   Plus getting rid of that 3 week old half eaten Big Mac under the seat can really improve the air quality!

Clean the area your customers/clients see the most

This may be a meeting room, waiting room, store entrance, view from a curb, a drive up window,  or maybe it is just you.   The point is you never get a 2^nd chance to make a first impression.   So although the ultimate goal is have your entire business spotless, the baby step approach is what actually works (most fail from trying to do too much at once).   So start with the area that your customers or clients see the most.

Have you ever walked into a restaurant when there is a line and you end up sitting on that bench near the entrance waiting for your table?   If this area is filthy, do you ever wonder what the kitchen may look like where they are preparing your food? Would you want people thinking anything like that with your business?

What about a hotel lobby?  Which hotel would you feel more confident about having clean rooms, one with a clean lobby or dirty lobby when you are checking in?   Do you get the picture?  Where is your #1 spot that customers see all the time? Every business has one.  Identify your risk spot and give it good cleaning.

Finally, enjoy the fall weather.  There is no better time of year to get outside than the Fall – especially in Kansas City; some or all of these may allow you to do that.   You may even have fun with it.   As always feel free to add additional thoughts in the space below.

Chris Steinlage Kansas City Business Coach