Any business worth its weight knows that first impressions are vital to the success of a business. You could turn this around to your own personal experiences – the first time you meet someone, do you form your initial opinion of them from that meeting? Yes, and in many cases, if it is a negative impression, it takes some time to turn it around. The same can be said for first time meetings between customers and businesses.
If a customer gets the wrong vibe from a business, they’re going to go somewhere else. It’s that simple. Turning your customers away to the competition is a big no no, and for that reason, getting the right reception area for your company is vital. It’s not just about the way people greet you, it’s about the environment you’re in too.
Let’s take a look at how reception area have changed throughout history, and where they might go in the future.
Receptions of the past
Back in the ‘80s and early ‘90s, the open plan office was a popular design. To reflect this, reception areas really followed suit, and tended to be large, open areas, with a ‘welcome’ reception desk at a strategically located point. These were designed to be a point of contact for the person walking into the building, as walking into an open plan office directly would have been confusing, to say the least. The logo of the company was traditionally placed on the back wall of the reception area, as is often still the case today.
Reception seating at this time was often a ‘waiting room’ style, e.g. plastic chairs in a row. Thankfully, things have moved on since then! There were also stacks of magazines for passing the time. As the ‘90s progressed, reception areas began to look a little more ‘sleek’, with polished floors, perhaps security on the door, and larger buildings would often have more than one receptionist on duty.
Receptions of the present
These days we have a much greater grasp on how first impressions can dictate business. Receptions areas of the current day tend to be about glass office desks, company branding, comfort, and always having someone there to welcome guests to the area. We also now take the opportunity to give information to visitors, e.g. wall designs, posters, leaflets to read, etc.
The reception area is about more than welcoming guests, it’s about showing them what your business is about, and what it stands for.
Receptions of the future
So, where we will go in the future? Office furniture design is likely to become more futuristic, even more ergonomic, perhaps more sleek and metal-designed. Who knows, we might even have robots welcoming us! Let’s hope not.