Do you know that you have only seven seconds to impress potential clients upon their arrival in your reception area? Think of it as visiting a website for the first time. Studies suggest that web visitors wait approximately five seconds for the website to load. If it’s slow to load, they will leave and look for another website. Although your visitors might be more tolerant and patient in person, what they see and experience in those first seven seconds may affect their decision to do business with you.
How long do they have to wait before you see them? Does your receptionist immediately use a Xorcom IP phone to inform you of their visit? The reception area of your office needs to feel warm and welcoming. It needs to have that wow factor that will make visitors want to stay and see what you can offer them. Treat the reception area as the face of your brand. It will convey the right message to your potential clients and investors.
Ergonomic Furniture
Not many people realize how important it is for guests to feel comfortable while waiting to see someone in the office. As they wait for a few minutes in the reception area, they should be impressed by the thought that goes into each design element. An ergonomic chair? Why, yes, of course. You should show that you care about making them comfortable. Besides, people are less likely to be annoyed to have to wait a few minutes if they are seated comfortably.
Receptionist
Your receptionist should care about all guests and visitors in the office, whether they have standing appointments with the boss or not. The receptionists are the first line of customer service. They must make the guests feel welcome and valued.
Greenery
Who doesn’t love plants? You may not be great at growing them, but they certainly have the characteristics to put more life in a room. Plants brighten up even the dingiest of rooms. This is especially important if your reception area doesn’t have much access to natural light. The presence of the plants will breathe life into the room. Choose plants that are low maintenance, so you don’t have to worry about them dying in one corner.
Sign-in System
Signing in manually to a logbook can feel bothersome and tedious to clients. Besides, isn’t that a very old-school way of signing in? Why not install a simple and easy-to-use sign-in system in your reception area? This system can manage guests and let the hosts know that someone is waiting for them in the reception area. You’ll impress your clients with the innovativeness of the system.
Music
Sometimes, the background noise of a reception area can be overwhelming. Play low music. Preferably, choose soft jazz. Create an atmosphere akin to a coffee shop. Loud music blasting through the speakers is not exactly the way to impress guests, so stay out of playing local radio stations or TV shows.
Do not be afraid to experiment a little with the style of your reception area. Just make sure that you keep the seven-second rule in mind. Choose furniture, music, design elements, and technology that will impress your guests.