Pimp your office

by Kate Pritchard - Thursday, 20th November 2008 -

There isn't much new business out there – so you'd better start wowing the customers you've got. The first step is to spruce up your office. Even if you’re based on Slough Trading Estate, create the illusion of a palace, says Joanna Miller of RingGo.

Miller, who co-owns the £2m-tunover phone parking company, has set up an account with her local florist and gets fresh flowers delivered to the office each week.

“We spend £60 a week on flowers. That’s not much – but nothing makes the office look more inviting and extravagant.”

Miller also recommends second-hand site www.wantdontwant.com to update tired pieces of office furniture.

If your office is too small to host clients, take a leaf out of James Caan’s book. The star of Dragons’ Den wanted to base his first recruitment firm in Mayfair to give it a grand address but the only space he could afford was a former broom cupboard in Pall Mall, with no window.

When clients turned up, he’d say, “All my meeting rooms are busy, so shall we go down the road for a coffee?” Cunning.

Picture source

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