The place where your business welcomes visitors is where people will first form an impression of your business, so you need to make sure that it is giving them the right first impression.
When someone walks into the reception area, they should be able to see what it is that your business is all about and get a feel for it, as well as being comfortable and feeling safe.
The reception desk is the first point of contact, and it needs to be clear where visitors need to report to on arrival. Signage is not only important for informing people where they should go but also for branding, so the reception area is a place where you should be concentrating your branding on.
The reception desk needs to be the focal point of the reception area, you also need to ensure that whoever works behind the desk has the right skills to greet people as they are the face of your company.
When visitors arrive on your premises, security is also important and having a visitor sign in system will help to make sure that everyone is safe in case something happens such as a fire for example, as then you will be able to see who is on site.
The reception waiting area should have comfortable seating for people to use whilst they wait and additions like magazines to read and refreshments will also make it a pleasant place for people to spend time when they are there.
Furnishing the reception for practical use
Good furniture does more than make a reception area look appealing. Each piece should also serve a practical purpose for visitors and staff, so it is worth planning the layout around what the space actually needs to do.
At the very least, the reception area needs a work desk. This can be an executive-style table or a simpler one, depending on the style of the rest of the office. Make room for visitor seating too, so that people waiting for a meeting have somewhere comfortable to sit rather than standing around the desk.
Plants and flowers near the front desk are a simple addition that helps create a pleasant, relaxed atmosphere. If your office layout is awkward, careful choices of furniture and greenery can still make the space look neat and attractive. The main job of a reception area is to welcome visitors and look professional, and getting these basics right goes a long way towards both.
Using signs to guide and reassure visitors
Good signage plays a bigger part in a reception area than many businesses expect. Clear, well branded signs tell visitors they are in the right place and give an instant sense of what the business is about, which supports the first impression the rest of the space is trying to create.
Signs also help people find their way. If you want visitors to report to reception when they arrive, a sign at the entrance saying so, and further signs showing where reception is, will save confusion. This matters most in large buildings or where there are several entrances, so people are directed to the right one.
Safety signs belong in the picture too. Even a small office needs to show where the fire assembly point is and warn people about hazards such as a slip or trip risk. Visitors who can see these things clearly will feel safer from the moment they walk in.
