December: The Waiting Month
December is known for the Holiday season and the end of the year. We spend lots of time thinking about holiday celebrations, Christmas decorations, and how to make the most of the season. However, December is also a month of waiting. We wait at airports, we wait in traffic, we wait in lines at retail stores, and we wait for Christmas to arrive. We spend so much time waiting for ourselves we do not often think about those who might be waiting for us.
Inevitable Delays
We always want to be on time and to be ready for our coworkers, clients, and partners. The reality of professional life is meetings run over, and delays do happen. Furthermore, people arrive early, late, and sometimes schedules get shaken up. These facts emphasis the need for quality reception rooms and areas. These areas are often the first impression a guest gets, and they reflect upon us. Worn and damaged furniture may appear dirty and can leave a sour taste in the mouth of those who we keep waiting. In contrast a quality space and furniture can make someone’s waiting experience comfortable and can make an interaction start off the right way.
What to Look For
Hospitals and doctors’ offices are integral parts of our society, they are not all created equal. How confident would you be in a medical practice whose waiting room is dirty and outdated? Naturally you would question how clean the entire office is, how modern their equipment and methods are, and will shake your confidence in the doctor and its facilities. This rule holds true in any business setting. You never want a potential client to question your abilities and company before they even have their first meeting. The best way to avoid this is to spend a few minutes looking at your waiting areas. Do they need to be cleaned? Does furniture or other accessories need to be repaired or replaced? Do they make a great first impression? Would you be comfortable spending a few hours sitting there? If the answer is no, it may be time for an upgrade.
Furniture and Features
Carpets, paint, artwork, and music or television are all important components to a quality waiting area, but the furniture makes or breaks a space. An area can be well designed, but an outdated chair or uncomfortable couch can ruin everything, Seating from a few decades ago will be outdated even if it is in good condition. The world of commercial furniture is always changing and being modern takes an investment. This encompasses more than just the aesthetics of a space as well. Modern upholstery is crucial to making an area impactful and can make cleaning marginally easier. A fabric upholstered chair or sofa looks nice at first, but stains are difficult to remove, and they are difficult to clean. New waiting chairs and sofas can be bought with basic fabric, but upgrading to a modern, easy to clean, vinyl or silicone upholstery can be a difference maker. This allows you or your coworkers to simply wipe them down to ensure they stay clean with minimal effort. Furthermore, some of these modern upholstery options are designed to be antimicrobial, this will lead to an even cleaner reception area.
Style and Color
Some aesthetics will always withstand the test of time while others have short trends and become dated early. The hard part is knowing how to be cutting edge without investing in a short-term fad. The safe way to be successful is to stick with the basics. Black and Grey are always safe picks and if you like the traditional wood grain look you can never go wrong with Mahogany. However, these safe choices can be boring. The best way to make good, long term, color choices is to pick a theme. This could be something that matches your building’s décor or your company’s signature logo and colors. If you want to create a new style do not be afraid too but also do not rush into it. Consider spending extra time doing research or even hiring an expert. Waiting areas are spaces we need, use often, and we do not want to redo them every year.
It is easy to settle or to go cheap when designing a space but doing so often results in having to spend more money in the long run. Spending time to be deliberate and thorough will pay off. Additionally, spending a bit more on a quality product will ensure it lasts a long time and will not need to be replaced often. This holiday season, spend a few minutes sitting in your waiting areas to ensure it is a good experience. Finally, if you have any questions about waiting room furniture or need help deciding what products fit your needs, please contact us at sales@furniturewholesalers.com.