Retail vs Office (building)

[DataMedics]

Interesting. We do work out of our home office and just had a meeting with a 180 employee business for managed services. They have never seen our office. We were referred to them through a business group. We gave up our retail location just because business owners never came to our office, every one of them wanted us to come to them. I suppose different areas of the country could be different.

Right, but a strictly on-site/managed services business doesn't ever require people coming to their office and people view it as a strictly service based business.

Data Recovery (what we do) is viewed very differently, probably because someone decided to attach the word "laboratory" to their office years ago. It's true that we have some lab type equipment like HEPA clean chamber hoods, ultrasonic cleaners, etc. but 95% of the work ultimately is performed sitting at a desk in front of a computer. Nonetheless, people expect any business called a "data recovery laboratory" to be in a medical or corporate looking building.

For MSP or on-site services you can certainly get away with less fancy accomodations. My point was just to say that your office location can have a powerful effect on perception if you're going to have customers meet you there.

 

[Archon Prime]

Haha, very funny. You know what I mean though. First impressions are EVERYTHING and if you're working out of a dumpy building you'll scare off anyone that can actually afford to pay to get their computers worked on.

Let me put it this way. I choose a business by three criteria:

1. Online reviews
2. Location (is it in the bad part of town?)
3. The look / professionalism of the building, office, and person I'm doing business with

Oh for sure. I'm 100% the same way. If I go to your location of business and it's a crap shoot, I'm out of there.