First impressions count. We may also like to think “don’t judge a book by its cover” – but research shows that we tend to form our first opinion on a person just seven seconds after meeting. As an individual, that’s barely enough time for a quick handshake and a “hi, how are you?”, before people might be making all kinds of assumptions, based on not very much information.
As an individual, whether it’s a personal or professional encounter, hopefully you’ll be given more time to show your personality and knowledge – perhaps over a coffee, or during an interview. But what if it’s your business people are judging in just seven seconds? You may not even know they were there as a potential customer, but you could have lost their attention in those first few vital seconds. How many times have you been about to go into a shop, then changed your mind as (glancing in the window, or seeing another customer depart) you decided it didn’t look the right place for you? Or looked at a menu outside a restaurant before walking away, deciding it wasn’t what you were after?
If you’re a small business, it can sometimes be tricky to give the ‘right’ first impression – perhaps you work at your kitchen table, but you feel like you shouldn’t reveal that to clients. Maybe your garage is your workspace or your shed home to your stock – which doesn’t quite tie in with the brand you’re trying to create.
That’s when a Business Centre or serviced offices, like McCarthy’s in Leeds, can make a big difference. Have your own office space – as big or as small as you need – but with centralised services and facilities to help you create the professional appearance you want.
Everything comes as part of the package, meaning there’s no unexpected bills – ideal for budgeting! So, your rent includes business rates, telephone connections, utilities, furniture and even high speed broadband connections. There’s meeting rooms you can book out for those important get togethers, well equipped kitchen facilities with free tea and coffee, and places to sit and have a bit of downtime with a cuppa – including a balcony to enjoy a spot of fresh air. You may even make some new connections and opportunities with fellow Business Centre occupants as you grab a bite to eat!
With a central reception area, we can answer all calls to your business with a personalised response, before forwarding the call on to your office or mobile. We can welcome visitors and take deliveries – all helping you run your business as smoothly as possible and giving that all important positive first impression.
The offices are handily located on Meanwood Road in Leeds, not far out of the city centre, and easily accessed from motorways and public transport. There’s ample free parking. There’s a shower, so you can even bike or run to work and freshen up ahead of your working day!
All individual offices are alarmed – but you can gain access whenever you need to, to suit your business requirements. We also have our self storage facilities based across the car park, so if you need more space to store stock, it’s not a problem at all – making it even more convenient for you.
We pride ourselves on flexibility and no red tape, meaning you can be up and running in your new office in a matter of days. If an office is a step too far for you right now, we can still offer assistance. How about a mailbox facility to give you an ‘official’ business address, and allowing you to receive deliveries even if you need to be away a lot. With a virtual office, we can also add in a phone answering service, to help give that professional first impression. In addition, we hire out our meeting rooms – so if you’re looking for somewhere for an important presentation or one-to-one, look no further.
So, if you think McCarthy’s Business Centre could help make a difference to your first impressions, why not get in touch?
