The Importance of Having a Good Waiting Room

Many businesses have waiting rooms for their customers and clients. The majority of waiting rooms are plain, boring and usually badly organised – we’ve all been to the doctor and had to wait for 40 minutes whilst numerous people brush past our legs. Here are some simple tips to improve the design of your waiting room and keep any visitors happy and comfortable.

There should be a clear entrance and exit to the waiting room so that any visitors can easily walk in, out and from one end to the other. It’s a good idea to have the exit and entrance separate to keep the traffic flow in one direction, but for many businesses this is not an option due to limited space. Any seating areas should be away from where people will be moving, so have your bench seating in one area or allocate the bench seats to one side of the room. Investing in a good quality bench seats from a bespoke designer is a great idea, as it is stylish and comfortable. It shows your customers that you want to look after them and brighten up the look of the waiting room.

The waiting room should be light and airy. If you are a doctor’s surgery don’t sit sick patients next to a window, but if you are an office it can be nice for visitors to look out on the view and open the window for some fresh air. If you have air conditioning circulate the air and make sure it is not too cold. If possible, enable natural light to filter through the room. Or, use lights that are at a comfortable glow for your visitors – not too bright but not too dim. Add some natural things like plants and a water fountain to create a serene atmosphere in the waiting room.

Consider the design of the waiting room. Use wallpaper, colour schemes and textures that represent your business. Use greens, light wood and water fountains if you are eco friendly or opt for black and leather if you want a corporate feel. Place objects that will interest and occupy your visitors such as: magazines, games, newspapers, TV screens and any of your company’s content. This will encourage visitors to relax, or even think further about your business should they read your latest company magazine or watch your latest corporate video.