
No one likes to be in the waiting room. Whether it’s an appointment of some sort or a job interview or something else entirely, nobody likes being in the waiting room. That’s why it’s so imperative to make it as enjoyable as possible. This entails picking the right furniture, décor, lighting, and whether or not to give guests WiFi access.
The waiting room is where guests make their first judgements about you and your business. It’s true that first impressions are important. The reception desk is the main focus and it needs to be easily accessible. Placing it immediately within sight from the door will help make guest feel more comfortable entering the waiting room. In addition, the desk needs to be clean and organized in order to give the guests the right idea about the business.
Next is the seating for the waiting guests. Spacing needs to be taken into account since you don’t want the room to look cramped or too empty. Another thing to think about is that some people don’t like having their back to the door, therefore having some seating that has a visual of the door is a good idea, but not essential. What is essential is comfortable seating for people of all shapes and sizes. Having a variety of chairs is your best bet, depending on how much space you have. For example, having a two-seater couch and some single seat chairs. For hygiene and durability purposes, you need to research what kind of upholstery is both easy to clean and will last for a long time.
The colours you choose for your furniture will also impact a guest’s view. The colour palette is dependent on your business and the kind of impression you want to give off but as long as the furniture and the walls all compliment each other, it should be fine. Depending on the colours you choose, buying the right lighting is important. The lighting can set the mood of a room and if you’ve chosen a dark colour palette, you need extra lighting to balance out the darkness. The main aim of the lighting is to be soft enough to spread a sense of calm but strong enough that the room doesn’t come across too dark.
Last, but not least, is the question of WiFi. The guests in your waiting room probably have a lot of work to do and it would be a major help if they had internet access do it while they wait. This does end up as an expense for the business but it does make guests see the generosity of the business and that you care about your guests.
There are several steps you can take to make your waiting room a pleasant experience for any guests coming in, including positioning the reception desk where its clearly visible, picking out comfortable and durable seating, make sure to have a cohesive colour palette for the furniture and walls, choose lighting that creates a good mood, and making WiFi available to guests.