In order to make the best possible impression when clients visit your offices, your reception area needs to be carefully planned. It should, in some way, be representative of your business, feel warm and welcoming. Ideally, it should also have that little something, or je ne sais quoi, in terms of interior design, décor and furniture. You really do only get one chance to make that all-important impact.
So the positioning of your reception desk, the choice of furniture and wall hangings, the colour of the walls, the flooring and carpets, your company logo design, as well as the use of the dimensions of the space, all need to be taken into account in the overall design. In that way, the second anyone steps through the doors they should be pleasantly surprised and suitably impressed. Together with an interior designer, try to plan the reception area so that you get the best out of the space.
To help you do this, here are 5 top tips – provided by Liam Houghton, an interior design writer who researched a range of news sources, respectable staff management sites like Planday and other authorities in each of the fields…
Make your guests feel comfortable
The reception area should be a place where your visitors feel really comfortable – an area where they can sit, relax and get work done if need be. Make sure the furniture – perhaps a stylish sofa or two, a low table and a several plush chairs – is positioned well away from the door so that visitors don’t get a blast of cold air, or rain, whenever it’s opened.
Place the couches, chairs and the low table close together so that groups of visitors can sit and talk to each other. Set out magazines nearby for single visitors – but not just any magazines, choose quality, business-related magazines and make sure they’re current and updated regularly.
You might also consider installing a tea and coffee machine, which is a nice touch, but instead of having clients help themselves, let your receptionist make the drinks and serve it in real cups, together with a good quality milk jug and sugar bowl.
Keep your design practical
Reception areas can get pretty busy, what with people coming in and out during the day. If you’re not careful, pretty soon the area can start to look somewhat untidy and messy. If your office door opens directly onto the street, be aware of weather issues – your visitors could end up tracking snow, dirt and mud onto the floor. Plan around these issues by decorating with stylish but practical runner rugs, placed just inside the entrance so that guests don’t slip and slide on a damp floor. Another good idea is to have a coat rack and an umbrella holder situated close to the entrance.
Reinforce your company brand
Besides being welcoming, comfortable and practical, the reception area should also reflect your company’s brand. Things to consider are: painting the wall in your company’s colours, attaching the logo to the wall with lighting behind it for dramatic effect. You could also install a television near the sitting section and let it play your company’s corporate video and any advertising you may have. You might also like to consider having the company logo carved onto the front of reception desk and above and behind on the wall, a large television. Finally, don’t forget to leave some company literature on the table for your guest to peruse or even take away.
Create a warm and welcoming atmosphere
It’s important to think carefully about the kind of ambience you’d like to create. Put yourself in the shoes of someone visiting your company for the very first time. How would they like to be greeted and seated? What is it you really want the reception area to say about your company? Maybe go for a high-tech design if you’re an online business, or some wood panelling if you’re a firm of lawyers or accountants, or something bold, bright and colourful if you’re a retail business.
Whatever your company does, make sure this is reflected in the décor and design of your reception area. If you’re holding meetings with potential new clients, the design becomes especially important, as their experience when they first walk in could have a major influence on their decision.
Keep it neat and tidy at all times
If you want visitors to think your business is professional and highly organized, then make sure the reception area is not cluttered with cardboard boxes, packages and other bits and pieces. You could always choose a stylish cupboard and position it against the wall behind the reception desk – close enough for the receptionist to keep all packages and other items neatly stored away. Or you could have a separate ‘package’ desk behind the main desk for the express purpose of keeping them out of the way and hidden from view.
