8 Tips for Making Your Business More Professional
Professionalism should be a quality found in any business or organization. It should start at the top with the business owner and the management team.
Here are eight ways to engender professionalism in your business or workplace:
1. Provide a Professional Workplace
The workspace should be an attractive, comfortable, and clean space for your employees and customers. This can be a major expense, but it doesn’t mean you have to commit to a long-term lease. For example, Merris Business Center provides office space with a professional image in a prime location in Brentwood TN as well as virtual offices. Learn More.
2. Treat Workers and Customers Like You Would Want Them to Treat You
Be kind, considerate, gracious, patient, and forgiving.
3. Keep Your Word
If you say you will do it, then do it—even when you don’t feel like doing it.
4. Be Honest
Always be upfront and truthful with your workers and customers. This builds trust, and trust builds loyalty.
5. Don’t Pass the Buck
Own up to your mistakes. Don’t blame them on other people. Try to learn from your mistakes and don’t make the same mistake twice.
6. Have a Good Attitude
If you’re in a bad mood, make a conscious effort to forget whatever is causing it. Don’t take it out on workers or customers. Don’t complain all the time and find fault with everything and everyone. Negativity is bad for morale.
7. Be Punctual
Show up to work on time, show up to meetings on time, and show up to phone conferences on time. Punctuality shows other people that you value their time.
8. Dress Appropriately
“Appropriate” could mean casual or formal. Whatever is appropriate for your business, make the dress requirements clear to workers and employees.
Professional Furnished and Unfurnished Office Space in Brentwood, TN
If you’re searching the web for office space Brentwood TN you’ll find a great partner in Merris Business Center. For more information about our professional office space for rent and our flexible terms, or to learn more about virtual offices in Brentwood contact us at 615-933-5100.
Thinking Outside the Box
This is a phrase we hear so often that the idea and the phrase itself are now “inside the box.” But does being “inside the box” where “everyone” is doing the same thing really make an idea bad, non-profitable, inefficient, etc.? Well, it depends.
What Happens on Saturn, Stays on Saturn
In his blog, “Do they celebrate on Saturn?” Seth Godin says that, “years ago, ‘everyone’ wore a hat. But by ‘everyone,’ we really mean men of a certain social stratum in certain cities, and they all wore the hat because everyone else did.” He points out that in other communities “everyone” wasn’t doing the same thing at all, and they never even heard of it on Saturn. “Peer pressure,” he says, “is a little like barometric pressure. It’s constant, it’s around us, and we assume that it’s universal. If it’s not helping you achieve your goals, ignore it.”
Taking a Look at an Example
Now let’s examine a case in point – starting a new business. The commonly held belief is that “everyone” that starts a new business goes out and:
- signs a long-term lease for a space or buys property and builds
- furnishes the business space
- installs a phone system
- gets Internet access
- hires employees or contractors
- buys equipment
- buys inventory
- starts advertising
- gets a website
When Your Goal Is a Shoe String
This is what peer pressure makes people think they have to do to start a business. But if your goal is to start a business “on a shoe string,” what can you ignore that will not help you achieve your goal? Depending on the business, you might be able to eliminate building a space or signing a long-term lease by renting a virtual office in a business center.
Virtual office spaces also offer many of the “must-haves” for a new business, such as telephone and Internet. Many features and services offered by virtual offices are much less expensive than purchasing the individual items or hiring employees to provide the services. Merris Business Center a virtual office Brentwood TN business owners can count on that includes:
- a receptionist
- a reception area
- a phone number
- Internet service
- phone answering/mail service
- well-furnished, rent-by-the-day office
- short-term office suite rentals
- well-equipped meeting rooms
As you can see, the list above filters out many expenses that would help you meet the goal of starting a business on a shoe string.
Need More Than a Virtual Office?
Merris Business Center also provides executive office suites and premier office space in Brentwood, TN with administrative support and services. If you’d like to learn more about all that Merris Business Center has to offer please contact us at (615) 933-5100
Our Virtual Offices in Brentwood, TN Have Many Benefits
Are you searching for the best Virtual Offices Brentwood, TN has to offer? Merris Business Center virtual offices are “risk free” with our month-to-month agreements.
Our Virtual Identity Program (VIP)
Our VIP gives you the presence of a full operating office with the use of a day office or meeting room when you need it. A Virtual Office with Merris Business Center provides the following benefits:
- Dedicated telephone number
- Prestigious Brentwood, TN address
- Mail Services
- Business support services without an actual private office space
Another benefit of a Virtual Office is the flexibility it gives you to work from any location, while maintaining the appearance of a physical location. Plus, the VIP at Merris Business Center is customizable so you only pay for the services you need and receive one invoice each month.
Minimum and Maximum Virtual Offices
Virtual Office services can be tailored to fit your business needs. Services can include:
- Receptionist
- Telephone number/service
- Business address/mail service
- Conference rooms, Day Offices, training room
- WIFI
- Use and access to break rooms/kitchen
- Your company name on the lobby directory.
Clients can contract for all or part of these services. A Virtual Office gives you a dedicated phone number, which can be answered in your company name and handled per your instructions (forward to your cell, offer voice mail, relay information to callers as requested, etc.), and a physical address where mail can be received and signed for.
In addition to a virtual phone number and a virtual address—and a prestigious one at that—our full service Virtual Office program is called the Virtual Identity Program, or VIP for short. This program is ideal for start-ups, no need for a private office, expansion – satellite office(s), downsizing, or it’s a great starting point until you’re ready for you own private office(s). The transition is seamless!
Virtual Offices Save You Time and Money
Another substantial benefit of the Virtual Office is the savings you get in both time and money. As a result, office rental cost is lower; commuting time and expense is less; low-cost expansion with no long-term commitments is possible; employee expenses such as Social Security tax, health care, record-keeping, payroll, insurance, and paid time off are eliminated.
Finally, Merris Business Center also eliminates the expense of costly equipment and associated contracts such as telephone carriers, phone systems, IT contractor, copiers, postage meters, presentation amenities, etc. Plus, if you ever want to upgrade from your virtual office to one of our executive office suites in Brentwood, TN it’s a simple transition.
Learn More About Our Virtual Offices
Request more information about our virtual offices by calling (615) 720-4477 or emailing cathey.bradford@merrisbusinesscenter.com
Merris Business Center Launches New Office Suites in Brentwood, TN
The Merris Business Center is launching its new office center with executive office suites, day offices, conference rooms, a training room, and virtual offices in Brentwood. Because Merris Business Center is locally owned and operated, it has the personal touch many national firms don’t offer. The owners of Merris know this area, they know the people, and they know how business is conducted in Brentwood. They knew just how to design the business center and the services to meet the needs of entrepreneurs, small businesses, and even large multi-national companies that are located in the area. Merris Business Center provides new office suites Brentwood, TN businesses will be proud to call home.
Upscale and State-of-the-Art Business Center
Merris Business Center, located on Maryland Way, not only has a prestigious address, it also projects the look of success and professionalism. Before the launch, the building interior was fully remodeled with fresh paint, new ceramic tile, new carpet and furnishings for a high end look. Technology in the building was upgraded to state-of-the-art. including:
- VOIP phone system with numerous features (unified messaging, follow-me, and conference call capability, to name a few)
- Fiber optic cable and coaxial backup to prevent any interruptions in service
- High-speed Internet (100 MB up/down)
- Wiring upgraded to CAT-5
- Reliable WiFi
Experienced Administrative Staff
Merris Business Center also carefully selected its administrative support staff, which has 16 years of experience managing office suites and virtual offices. A professional and friendly receptionist not only greets and directs clients to the appropriate office or conference room, but answers your calls and is able to handle them per your request. Additional administrative services are also available.
New Office Suites Brentwood, TN Finds Flexible and Affordable
Merris Business Center provides the flexibility that business owners need. You can rent a conference room for an hour, an office for a day, or a private office(s) for as long as you need without signing a long-term lease.
Office suites can be furnished or unfurnished. Services are available a la carte so you only pay for what you use when you need it. The Virtual Identity Program (VIP) provides even more options and more flexibility. Ranging from $69 -$250 per month, depending on the level of services required, VIP offers professional receptionists, telephone service, mail service, day offices, conference rooms, and a training room.
With its upscale image, excellent customer service, prime location, and affordable pricing, Merris Business Center is the best choice for your business. We’ll prove it!
