2. Alternatively, you could take the opportunity to feature pictures of the key workers in your team. A head and shoulders photo and a name plate will enable first time visitors to recognise the person that they are to meet and to determine their position within the management team.

This is very comforting when you are about to meet someone for the first time. It also helps to make the staff feel valued and a real part of the organization.

3.If you think that you need to be a little more creative, why not feature you staff in poses that display their favorite pastime.

If the M.D. is a keen angler, or the Sales Manager takes part in amateur dramatics, feature them in suitable attire.
This makes the person appear "human" and not an office automation, thus making them easier to relate to.

4.If customers are to be required to wait awhile, or even waiting to make a complaint, consider carefully how to entertain them while they are waiting.

You need the area to be calming and friendly, so avoid aggressive colors such as bright reds or solid blacks and consider featuring pastel colors in abstract designs of a gentle nature.

5. You may even consider some humorous cartoons or caricatures of the senior management as a way to present yourselves as people of good humor and friendly nature. Try to be general in nature so as to appeal to everyone.

If customers are entertained and relaxed by your choice of images and you come out to meet them with a big helpful smile on your face, they will find it harder to be angry with you when you first meet.

6.Similar rules apply when decorating the general admin areas of the office. It is likely that the work is constant and repetitive, so make the staff comfortable by displaying bright and positive images they can enjoy.

7.In your Marketing and Sales Area try to avoid the cliche pictures of Lions stating "The Customer is King" etc. While true, such messages are tired and lack impact these days.

Instead, why not feature nicely framed letters from happy customers, certificates of achievement, employee of the month awards, or pictures of staff outings that were earned as rewards against results.

These will make it quite clear why everyone is there and reminders of  the rewards they get for their efforts, will spur them on to win future acknowledgements.

8.Make sure your art is modern, popular and up to date. Framed calendar prints of Monet's Water Lillie's in tired frames against decrepit wallpaper or wood wall paneling just will not do.

They give out signals of slow, old fashioned, and behind the times. If you happen to like the classics, it's ok to hang them. Just make sure you do so in a celebratory way.

Big positive prints and good frames will make much more of a statement than something old and tired.

9.  As with flowers and fish tanks it may be possible to hire art for your workplace.

This has the advantage of regular refreshment as the supplier visits at allocated times to change the displays.

It may also give you a chance to see what you want to keep on a more permanent basis once you have had a chance to live with them for awhile.

10.If you would rather put your money to a good cause, why not sponsor a local School or Hospital to provide paintings by pupils or patients.

These are fun and different and show a caring side of your business. Framed well, even the poorest of efforts can look very interesting considering the source.

11.What ever you choose, make an effort to frame it well. Cheap, tatty frames do nothing for your image or your perceived attitude of quality.

A tatty attitude to your decor, could suggest to a client that you have a sloppy attitude to your business or the service you will give them. 
The presentation you make in your place of work says a great deal about you and what you stand for.

12.Try to discourage staff from littering the walls of their work area with personal effects, such as pictures of Pop Stars, bawdy calenders, humorous verses about working here made easier by being crazy etc.
if these areas are encountered by your clients, they will give the impression of a loosely run ship.

By all means allow staff to personalize their area to an extent, pictures of the family can remind employees why they are working, and the things that are really important to them.

13.Try not to make the work environment too sterile. Make good use of plants, maybe a fish tank, these do well can look very impressive and encourage tranquility.

Good use of lighting can make an enormous difference to the atmosphere of the place as can a TV screen permanently tuned to a news channel.

Again announcing to all who visit, that you are in touch with the World beyond your doors.

14. Strongly discourage staff from holding personal conservations within earshot of waiting clients.

Not only is this immensely embarrassing for the person waiting, it suggests lack of discipline and attention to the job at hand.

15.Make sure reception staff speak well and  elegance. Make sure they know your clients name and use it each time they address them to offer coffee or update on your availability.

Only select individuals with a good spoken voice to greet clients in person or by phone or make announcements on the P.A. system.

This is very important when aiming to establish the quality of your company to clients and staff alike.

16. The smart appearance of staff is essential to maintain standards. Clean shaven, well tied ties, smart haircuts, etc. go along way to making a great impression.

In these days of increased casual attitudes, it is not difficult to stand above the competition. You don't have to go over the top but, rolled up shirt sleeves look much better than a Tee Shirt.

17. Washrooms for use by you and your clients are often over looked when it comes to setting standards.

Simple things like making sure soap, tissue, toilet seats, along with an extractor fan, hot water, and hand dryers are the simple things that can be allowed to let slip. And of course cleanliness is paramount also.

18. If welcoming foreign visitors, make the effort to ensure you are familiar with their customs when greeting them.

For example, if greeting a guest from Malaysia, it is customary not to shake hands ( although they will, as they are also aware of your culture) but to greet them by placing the palm of your right hand against your own left shoulder as you make a subtle bow towards them.

It is also good manners for the majority of far eastern countries to intently study their business card for a few seconds when it is offered to you, and avoid pointing with your finger, instead gesturing direction with a gentle upturned hand.

19.When clients are leaving you after a meeting, make the effort to at least see them to the door of your building or, if appropriate, walk them to their vehicle.

So many times I have been given excellent treatment by my host only to feel hurriedly ejected at the end of the meeting. It is often the last few minutes of your meeting that you remember after your meeting.

20.Go the extra mile to impress. Always send a short note or Email to thank your guest for coming and to suggest the next steps of your trading relationship. Any deal are after is not in the bag until the contracts are concluded.

21. Constantly appraise your working environment and create a check list of points to maintain at all times.It's easy to forget these important details, but they can make all the difference to your image both within and outside of office walls.