The waiting area of any commercial space is most of the times overlooked, neglected and in some cases ignored. Most of the times, is not even considered as an integral part of your project but rather an after- thought, or consequence in your space planning. The train of thought usually is “Why bother investing in a space that has nothing or little to do with my business?” Most of the times you just don’t see a point in making an investment on (expensive) furniture (yes, commercial furniture CAN BE expensive)- I bet most of the times you have thought about this -“No, forget about furniture, during the weekend I can go to Marshall’s or TJ Maxx find something and problem solved” Sounds familiar?- Contrary to popular belief it has to do everything with your business. I don’t mean to create awareness or a sense of guilt, but the waiting area is a reflection of your appreciation for your clientele. It means you care, it means you are grateful your client has chosen you to address their needs. The least you could do is show some appreciation. A comfortable, inviting waiting area is definitely one way to do so. A nice, simple yet elegant beverage station, with a commercial grade coffee maker (just don’t go to Wal-Mart and buy a $20 dollar coffee maker-as you will just be throwing your money)- is always appreciated, small, personalized bottled water is always welcomed plus it enhances your image. Keep it simple if you will- but trust me, it is an important perk for your business. Now, about the furniture, if you decide to go to any of the places I mentioned earlier-trust me it doesn’t work like that. These single sofas you might come across are intended for residential use, light traffic. It won’t even be a month before they look like something you brought from Goodwill or the Salvation Army store. Commercial furniture is designed to withstand heavy traffic, and is more rigid furniture while residential is more comfortable. Remember people are concerned about their personal space, a sofa that causes its users “to sink” is not an ideal option when the user needs to use his/her arms and push themselves up while invading the space of the person sitting next to them. Also remember there’s price options AND many companies lease commercial furniture out- it all depends how much you want to spend and how appreciative are of your clients. If it’s a small area a couple of welcoming chairs and a nice coffee table, if there’s a significant number of chairs, change the color, be creative and fun. Remember a comfortable, relaxed and welcoming environment is a message between the lines that tells your client- thanks for your business.
An inviting, relaxing waiting area not only projects appreciation to your clients- but also helps your clients to sooth their minds and relaxing them. Interiors should involve all 5-senses, I like my interiors to be a 5-sense experience.
Furniture can many times helps my designs by becoming the contrasting element that pops-up- a striking visual contrast that makes it an inviting area for customers to experience.
Consider this- the more inviting and welcoming your customers feel like, the more time they will spend enjoying the overall experience of your business. Make sure you make your clients feel welcomed at all times..