The Things Every Workplace Should Have in Their Reception Area

Your reception area is the first thing people see when they come to your office. Whether it’s someone who is a potential client, customer, or coming for a job interview, it’s important to make a great first impression. If you’re wondering how to make your reception area a little more impressive, here are some things you could add.

A reception desk

When you walk into a strange place, it’s annoying to not know where to go. If visitors are currently arriving and then wandering around trying to find a doorbell or instructions on how to get to the office, then this simply doesn’t look good for your brand. Make sure you have a desk which is manned when visitors are expected, and at least has a bell or some other way of getting attention when nobody is around.

A seating area

A seating area is another must for reception areas. When people arrive, they might have to wait for a short amount of time, and the last thing they want is to be on their feet. You should provide a seating area with a few items like magazines so that they can pass some time while they are waiting for you.

Refreshments

If you’ve ever travelled to a meeting, you know that after a long drive or train ride, you often arrive thirsty and needing a perk up. It’s worth installing a good quality drink vending machine so that people can enjoy their drink of choice and help themselves. Whether it’s soft drinks or coffee, it’s only polite to offer refreshments to people who visit, so they feel refreshed and ready for your meeting.

Something to keep people busy

If your reception area is more of a waiting room, where people might be sat for a while, then you might want to focus on things that can keep people occupied in case of a delay. These could include:

  • A TV screen
  • Magazines
  • A play area for kids
  • Tablets – just make sure they’re secured to deter thieves

Nobody wants to sit around with bad phone reception and no WiFi. Make sure you have a sign displaying your visitors’ WiFi password so people can connect.

Good signage

To avoid confusion, make sure you put plenty of clear signage about where people need to go or what they need to do. For example, if they need to use the phone to call for a receptionist or whether they should ring a bell. Nothing is more annoying than sitting around for ages, then realising nobody is coming to help, so make sure people know what to do on arrival.

A reception area makes that all important first impression. If it’s welcoming, looks nice and has plenty of comfortable seating, then people feel at ease right away and you have got them in the right frame of mind. People like to be greeted when they arrive, so having a manned reception can also improve your company’s image and ensure everyone gets a warm welcome, whatever reason they are visiting.

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