- Introduction
- 6 Reasons Why The Reception Area is so Important
- The Power of First Impressions
- 9 Major Reception Area Mistakes to Avoid
- What Type of Reception Office Furniture Should You Choose?
- Maintaining Reception Safety in The COVID Era
- A Word About Confidentiality & Privacy
- Conclusion
When you walk into a building, you want to know where to go, you want to inform the person you’re there to see, and you want to have somewhere comfortable to wait if they’re busy. Without these things, you would simply have small crowds of people milling around, not really sure where to go or what to do.
It’s not the most professional picture, is it?
The reception area of any building is arguably the most important of the entire space. Without the reception area, you’re easily giving the wrong first impression to your customers and clients and causing stress and anxiety from the get-go. Not only that, but from an organisational point of view, your workflow is going to be negatively affected if visitors and clients don’t know where they need to go.
The issue is that many businesses don’t place as much focus on their reception areas as they should. This is a whole subject that has many ins and outs, and if you want to create the best first impression and ensure that your business runs smoothly on a day to day basis, it’s important to understand it’s critical importance.
The good news is that guide is going to help you do just that. Your visitors need to be impressed from the moment they walk into your building, whether it’s their first time, second, or more. That means having a friendly and helpful receptionist sitting at the reception desk, designing a space with the right type of office furniture and décor, and thinking about comfort and entertainment during their waiting time. Of course, security and confidentiality also have to come into it too.
Without further ado, let’s get right into our guide and help you to come up with the best office reception design possible. Whether you have a small space, a large space or a space that’s a very irregular shape, everyone can create a reception area that fits the bill.
6 Reasons Why The Reception Area is so Important
To create the best reception area for your needs, you first need to understand why it’s such an important space in the first place. If you don’t have this understanding, it’s always going to be a place that falls to the bottom of your priority list.
Sure, the main open place office is the heartbeat of the business, and the sitting around the boardroom furniture is where all the decisions are made, but if you don’t have an impressive and friendly reception space, your customers and clients will never make it past the door.
Let’s look at 6 reasons why this is the space you need to focal all of your attention on.
- It is where first impressions are formed – The reception area is the first visual contact a customer or client has with your business. That means this is the place where they will form that all important first impression. That is a make or break moment. We’re going to talk more about first impressions shortly, but know that once a negative first impression is made, it’s extremely difficult to change it.
- Clients and customers are directed to the right place – The reception area acts as a direction service in many ways. Customers and clients report to the reception desks and from there they’re told to sit and wait and someone will be with them shortly, or they’re directed to the place they need to go. This helps to keep the workflow ticking along nicely.
- It acts as a waiting space to keep people where they should be – Sometimes customers or clients need to sit and wait and the reception area is where they will do that. For instance, if you have interviews for a vacant position, you’ll have candidates waiting in the reception space, sitting on the office sofas, waiting for their turn. This stops everyone congregating in the corridors and causing a confidentiality risk or a safety risk.
- It is the face of your business – We’ve mentioned first impressions already but the reception area acts as the face of your business. It should reflect everything that your business stands for and the receptionist needs to be as helpful and polite as they can possibly be. This will help to maintain business and perhaps even attract word of mouth custom as a result.
- It is a problem solving spot – Sometimes, customers don’t necessarily need to make an appointment to see someone, they just have a small problem that they need to discuss with someone. In that case, they can walk into the reception area and pose the issue. If the receptionist can deal with it, they can do so, or they can direct them to a person who can fix whatever the issue is. This means that customers feel they have a point of contact and that they’re not constantly trying to get in touch with someone via the telephone all the time. Sometimes, face to face help is better! In that case, small problems can be solved and they don’t turn into major issues that escalate as time ticks on.
- It acts as somewhere customers can go to ask simple questions – It’s not only problems that can be solved in at the reception desk, but small questions too. Again, a customer can walk in, ask a very simple question, and then go about their day. It’s good customer service at the end of the day and it should never be overlooked.
When you know how important your reception is, you focus more time and attention on it. When you don’t have this knowledge, you could be overlooking something huge. Of course, you also need to know how to maintain a reception area. That means fixing any problems as they arise, cleaning on a regular basis, and ensuring that any spills or wet floors are mopped, cleaned, and a ‘wet floor’ sign is placed in the appropriate place.
You’ll find many reception area ideas online and you might have a few ideas in your head already. The rest of this guide will help you to further decide what type of design and layout is best for your business. For a little inspiration on how you can quickly improve the space you have, however, check out this video.
The Power of First Impressions
One rule you should always remember – never underestimate the extreme power of a first impression. According to Wikipedia, it takes just one tenth of a second for a person to look at another person and judge them. It stands to reason that a first impression of a place can be formed just as quickly.
If that first impression is positive, the whole picture is positive. That person is likely to look for more positive elements, they’re likely to be more relaxed and as a result, the whole experience of the place will be a happy and memorable one. In terms of business, when this positive first impression is made, it’s the start of a happy business relationship. Of course, that impression needs to be maintained with good customer service, but the foundations have been laid. That person is also more likely to go and tell their friends and family about the good impression they received and that could lead to more custom.
However, if a first impression is negative, it’s extremely hard to shake off. When reception desks aren’t facing the right way and the receptionist doesn’t greet a person as a result, that can cause a bad first impression. When the overall reception desk is dull and dark, that can cause a bad first impression, the list goes on.
If it takes just a tenth of a second to form an impression, a study by Harvard University showed that it takes up to eight positive experiences to change a negative first impression. The problem in business is that if someone gets the wrong impression of you, they’re not going to stick around to see you again, let alone eight times!
The good news is that a first impression can easily be positive by sticking to the basics. People want manners, they want to be greeted by a smile and a friendly face, and they want to be comfortable. Look at a new sofa for office reception purposes or maybe some funky office reception armchairs. It’s also a good idea to have separate chairs and sofas, as some people don’t like to sit directly next to someone they don’t know.
You should also think about refreshments, a TV or some light music for entertainment, maybe a charging point for mobile phones, and some magazines to flick through whilst your visitors are waiting. These are very small and basic things which can make a positive first impression of a commercial reception space.
Check out this video to learn more about the power of first impressions.
9 Major Reception Area Mistakes to Avoid
When designing the ideal reception area, it’s prudent to focus on the ‘don’ts’ first, and then think about the things to add in as a ‘do’. In this section, let’s look at 9 things you should definitely avoid in your reception area.
- Reception desks don’t face the door – When someone walks into the reception area, the receptionist needs to be aware of it. If the reception desk isn’t facing the door, this is difficult to do. Not only could someone walk in and the receptionist not be aware of it but it also looks quite unprofessional to the visitor. They then have to make themselves known by saying ‘excuse me’, when they really shouldn’t have to announce their arrival in any way.
- The receptionist places their chair sideways on – If you choose a curved reception desk, it might be that the curved part where the reception chair slots in, directs their gaze away from the door. This isn’t the best arrangement. It’s also a bad idea for the computer monitor to block the receptionist’s view of the door. Again, it’s about the visitor knowing that they’re important and that they don’t have to go out of their way to tell someone that they’ve walked into the door.
- A lack of comfortable reception seating – Hard chairs might be easier to clean but they’re not at all comfortable and during the summer months, they can be even worse to sit on, especially for someone wearing a skirt or shorts. It’s far better to have covered seating, such as tub chairs, armchairs or reception sofas. However, as we mentioned earlier, make sure that you have separate chairs and a sofa if you’re going down this route, as not everyone wants to sit very close to someone they’ve never met before. It’s a case of personal space.
- A lack of refreshment options – This doesn’t mean you need have a full canteen in your reception space but it does mean that you should at least have a water machine and perhaps a tea and coffee machine. This should be cleaned very regularly, any spillages mopped up and tea/coffee/milk/sugar topped up to ensure they’re never empty. The receptionist should also direct visitors to the refreshments, “please take a seat, there is water, tea and coffee in the corner if you’d like”.
- The receptionist doesn’t acknowledge visitors or they’re away from their desk a lot – Sometimes the receptionist may be called away from their desk but in this case, there should be someone to cover, or it should only be for no more than two minutes. If the receptionist isn’t there, visitors are going to wonder what they should do and it looks very unprofessional. Similarly, if a receptionist fails to acknowledge a visitor standing in front of them, it’s extremely bad for business.
- The décor doesn’t fit in with what the business offers – The reception area design should reflect what your business is about. If you’re designing toys, the décor should be bright and colourful. If you’re selling insurance, the design should be sleek and professional. Whatever you choose, make sure that it fits in with the goods and services your business offers.
- Harsh lighting or the room is simply too dark – Reception areas and waiting areas need to be comfortable and that means natural lighting as much as possible. Of course, during the winter months this isn’t always possible, and in that case artificial lightings should be chosen. It shouldn’t be too dark and it shouldn’t be too harsh. Also, flickering lights need to be fixed urgently.
- No open windows or a lack of heating/air conditioning – Whether it’s hot or cold outside, the reception area needs to be an ambient temperature. If possible, windows should be open to allow fresh air in. Whatever the weather, make sure visitors aren’t sweating or shivering!
- The reception desk is dirty and unkempt – Office reception desks should be clean, tidy, and kept free of clutter. Not only is having a large amount of paper over the desk a confidentiality hazard in such a public space, but it looks extremely unprofessional and papers could easily go missing. The desk should be wiped down daily and no food should be consumed at the desk. A cup of tea/coffee is fine, but no food. Of course, all office reception furniture should be cleaned regularly, so make sure that this is done daily.
Check out this useful infographic which gives a few ideas on how you can take your reception space from ‘meh’ to ‘wow’ pretty quickly.
Source - https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/243927
What Type of Reception Office Furniture Should You Choose?
We know that the reception area needs to be clean, tidy, and the décor needs to reflect what the business offers, but what about reception office furniture? Should you go down a reception theme, or should you go for something a little more personalised?
There is a huge range of reception area office furniture to choose from these days, and that can only be a good thing. It depends on the size of your space as to how much furniture you can incorporate. You can have a large amount of office furniture reception area seating if you have a very large and open space, but if you have a smaller room, just a couple of sofas and a few individual chairs should do the trick.
Office reception area chairs don’t need to be extremely plentiful; you will know how many visitors you’re likely to have at any one time, so simply think of the most you’ll ever have and cater for that scenario. If you have too many chairs, you can always use them in another part of the office, e.g. if you have a large conference or meeting at some point. The great thing about seating is that it can be moved!
Of course, the most important part of any reception area is the desk.
Office reception desks need to be:
- Clean and tidy
- Free of clutter
- Facing the door
- Large enough to dominate the space but not so large as to completely fill it
- Clear to visitors that the desk is the point of contact they need to head towards
Curved office desks are a very modern choice these days but you could think outside of the box and perhaps go with a white reception desk if you have a sleek monochrome look to your space, or even a biophilic look, with plenty of green plants. A small reception desk isn’t a bad thing, as long as you place it in the centre of your reception, towards the wall, facing the door. That will make it very clear to anyone who walks into your space that the reception desk is where they need to go.
What else should you have in your reception area in terms of furniture? We’ve covered reception seating and the reception desk, but what about the receptionist’s chair and a little storage?
Generally speaking, reception areas don’t tend to have a lot of storage. They may have one very small storage cabinet that is locked at all times, containing any work that the receptionist is doing throughout the day. This is from a confidentiality point of view but there shouldn’t be a real need for papers to be kept in such a public space anyway.
The receptionist’s chair should be comfortable and ergonomic if at all possible. However, it should be sleek in appearance and shouldn’t dominate the space. Remember, the reception desk is the focal point! The key thing to remember is that your receptionist is going to be sitting at the chair for many hours per day and they need to be comfortable and supported. Ergonomic office chairs can be adjusted to specific needs and that helps with reducing aches and pains.
You can find many bespoke office reception desk and many can be designed from scratch too. It’s about thinking what you want and then looking for the office furniture that fits your needs. Have a general idea of what you want your reception area to look like first; that is a great starting point. For a few ideas/inspiration, however, check out this video.
Maintaining Reception Safety in The COVID Era
Of course, we can’t ignore the elephant in the room. COVID.
As the world begins to open up and offices start to welcome workers back to their office chairs, it’s likely that reception areas will become busier once more. Of course, this is a good thing because it means that we’re starting to get back to some form of normality but it does come with a few risks. COVID hasn’t gone away and it’s not going to go to away completely for a while. That means we need to take precautions, especially in public areas.
It’s entirely up to your business if you ask visitors to wear masks and that isn’t something we can dictate to you, however in terms of the safety of your receptionist, and the safety of visitors too, it’s important to have a few measures in place.
A reception desk screen is a good starting point. This is a glass/Perspex screen that sits on the desk and creates a barrier between the receptionist and anyone who walks into the space. Of course, it’s still easy for everyone to hear one another, but it gives that amount of reassurance that everyone needs.
The reception desk should be wiped down regularly with antibacterial spray/wipes and there should be hand sanitiser available in the reception area for visitors to use. We mentioned about opening windows earlier and this is even more important in the current day and age, as fresh air is vital for health. Of course, any surfaces that people regularly come into contact with should be sanitised, including seating.
Any cups that are used in the refreshment space should be disposable only. These should be placed in a bin once finished with and that bin should be emptied regularly.
There is a large debate over whether magazines should be allowed, because people touch them and then put back them down again. That’s something for you to decide in terms of how far you want to take it. Many businesses have decided to avoid having magazines and instead the TV is playing in the background or some gentle music. This isn’t normally a major problem as most people are on their phones whilst they’re waiting anyway!
Managing a reception area in the COVID era can be challenging. But, as long as you use common sense, stick to hygiene and safety, and always think of the comfort and health of your receptionist and visitors, you should cover all angles easily.
A Word About Confidentiality & Privacy
A receptionist is going to come into contact with many different people throughout the course of a day. At times, there may be nobody else in the reception area, but there could be times when there are several other people waiting on the reception sofas.
Confidentiality and privacy are extremely important in a reception area. It’s just as important as being polite and helpful. We mentioned earlier about not having papers on a modern reception desk, because these could easily be lost, picked up, or seen by a third party. However, it goes beyond that.
When a receptionist is speaking to a visitor, they should do it in a way which is clear and audible to the visitor but not to the rest of the room. It can be difficult sometimes, but no confidential or private details should be mentioned. For instance, a receptionist should never say why a person is visiting. It might be for a very mundane reason, but it’s nobody else’s business. Simply stating who they’re going to be seeing and when is enough. The subject doesn’t matter.
Conclusion
The reception area is one of the most important areas of the business premises. If this space is lacking in character, friendliness, and comfort, anyone who walks into the building is going to assume that the entire business lacks character, friendliness and comfort too.
First impressions are so incredibly important and take such a long time to repair if they created incorrectly. The reception area, and the service that your receptionist gives, are two of the key methods in creating that quality impression.
Pay as much attention to your reception area design as you would pay to your main office space, your boardroom, or your breakout space. We think so much about office desks and modern boardroom tables but the reception area is just as vital.
It’s also very important to remember the comfort of your receptionist as they’re working. Make sure that the receptionist’s chair is ergonomic and can be adjusted to their needs. This is even more important if you have more than one receptionist working on rotation, or who provides cover at certain times.
Don’t be the business that fails to recognise just how important their reception area is. Take our advice and make it an impressive part of your space.