Reasons to Stop Meeting Clients At Home
Working from a home office has a number of perks: it’s free, incredibly convenient, and you can complete your morning commute in sweatpants. However, when it comes to meeting face-to-face with clients, you may want to consider a more professional office environment.
In case you still need some convincing about the downsides of hosting clients in your home office, here are some of the top reasons to ditch the home office when it’s time to meet.
Meeting clients in your home is unprofessional
Let’s get straight to the main reason for holding client meetings outside of your home office—it’s more professional. Business clients shouldn’t have to stroll through your laundry room, kitchen, and living room to reach your home office.
There are logistical issues to consider, too. Is your home office accessible, even to visitors in wheelchairs or to clients on crutches? Will your home always be spotless, just in case a client drops by unannounced? Do you have clients who are allergic to pets, and you have a cat? It’s difficult to control these factors in a home office setting, which is why you should consider holding meetings elsewhere.
Home offices can create legal troubles
What happens if a client injures themselves in your home, or gets bitten by the neighbor’s dog? You may already have insurance that covers incidents like these, but it’s still an important factor to consider when hosting client meetings from your home office.
Legalities will vary from one state to the next, and it’s a smart move to consult with an attorney regarding the laws where you live.
Safety for you and your family
You probably aren’t running thorough background checks on every potential client that you do business with, especially because it’s largely unnecessary. However, you never know what could happen in the future. Take this example: a defense attorney fails to secure an acquittal for a client. The client’s family is angry and they know where the attorney lives, so someone shows up at the home unannounced, intending to do the attorney and their family harm. In all likelihood, this is a rare scenario, but why take the risk?
Keep your family safe from unwelcome visitors by meeting with clients in the appropriate places, like a coffee shop or coworking space.
You don’t have control over your environment
The typical American home is a flurry of activity. Children, pets, mail carriers… all of these things are out of your control and can cause major distractions during work meetings. Your client won’t be thrilled if you have to get up in the middle of a meeting to sign for a package or calm a crying toddler.
Unless you have a home that’s free of every conceivable distraction, plus receptionist who can answer the doorbell, you’re better off holding your meetings in a virtual office with designated meeting spaces. Your clients, and your bottom line, will appreciate the dedicated office space.
