Waiting rooms can be uncomfortable and downright boring. After all, who enjoys having to sit in a room without anything to do but wait? While the idea of waiting is not as appealing, the reception area is an essential feature for many businesses. Large corporations, doctor’s offices, restaurants, hotels, car dealerships, and sales offices alike all need to have spaces where their customers can wait to receive service.
One of the places where the reception area is most essential is the clinic. According to research, the average person spends about 21 minutes in a doctor’s waiting room during every visit. It is important to create a positive impression on patients from the moment they walk through the door. Guests should feel relaxed and at ease while they wait for their appointments. Your reception or waiting area is also the perfect opportunity to display what you and your organisation represent.
Creating a plan for your clinic’s reception area can be incredibly overwhelming. Remember—whether you are starting from a blank space in a new building or renovating an existing one, keeping the overall customer experience in mind makes a world of difference.
Here are some useful tips you need to consider when putting together your ideal reception area:
- Design based on customer behaviour
The first step of designing a waiting room is evaluating the current state of the space. Observe the different ways your customers interact with your front office staff. Do they seem uncomfortable, impatient, or bored? Do they have a better understanding of why they are asked to wait and what are they waiting for? Keep track of these patterns for a few weeks before starting on the new layout.
- Design for comfort (but not too much)
One of the primary considerations for any reception or waiting area should be comfortable seating. Before investing in a new sofa or chairs, test and make sure that every piece is comfortable. Would you want to spend the next 20-25 minutes in that chair? If yes, then your customers might probably like sitting there, too. If not, then you should move on to the next option. That said, don’t overdo the comfort level as it can backfire. If you think about it, a deep plush couch will make you want to sink into it and take a little nap. Your customers will probably feel the same and spend much longer in your office than they should!
- Design for accessibility
Accessibility is an important factor in ensuring the best reception area design. You want to make it feels welcoming to customers and accommodates a wide range of customers.
Your layout and design should have an accessible seating space where customers can put wheelchairs, service animals, or assistive devices without disrupting the flow of traffic or bothering themselves. Your layout must also need to have an accessible path for easy flow of traffic. Think about how your staff and customers will move through space. Your reception area must also provide a good combination of different seating types. Chairs with armrests are ideal for the older customers who need to sit down and stand up easily, while chairs without armrests may be better for those with wheelchairs or other assistive devices. Chairs that have higher weight limits and are larger are important to accommodate customers of all body types.
These are just three basic tips to consider in designing an accommodating and welcoming reception area in your clinic. Beyond that, however, there are literally hundreds of ways to create a truly enjoyable experience for your customers.
If you’re looking to outfit your reception area or nurse stations, get in touch with PP Healthcare Solutions for the equipment you need!