How do your visitors see your company? Do they take away the image you would like them to?
The reception desk is the heart of your company - give it the respect it deserves
The reception desk is probably of about equal rank to the boardroom table as far as the importance of individual pieces of corporate furniture goes. How you position, organize and select your reception desk will speak volumes about your company to every visitor that passes by it.
The reception area is the first and possibly the only part of your office that many people will see - it is your 'Public Face' and what will be remembered long after the visitor has departed. Because of that, it is essential that you get it right when planning the reception desk and its environment.
The right way to view the design of the reception area is from the point of view of a first-time visitor. What is their point of view and what are they looking for from the experience?
First of all, identify your visitors. Probably clients, representatives of suppliers and interviewees make up the majority of your visitors. What is each one looking for?
Clients
They are primarily looking for the maximum efficiency and professionalism in your business. They want to come into your office, go straight to the reception desk and request the person with whom they have an appointment. They will be impressed by a clear desk, an appointments book and a working intercom or paging system. Most clients will be offended by an overly-ostentatious foyer - that would suggest the company has too high a profit margin. Solidity and reliability are everything.
Representatives
They will appreciate a good paging system and appointments book system but, more important for the average representative is a comfortable and quiet waiting area where they can get a cup of coffee and even conduct their meeting with the member of staff they have come to visit.
You should consider having a board welcoming either of these to the office.
Interviewees
If you want to recruit the best, you have to look the best yourself. There is nothing worse than going for an interview, entering the building and then seemingly being abandoned by either a non-existent reception desk or encountering one which knows nothing about you or your interview.
In summary, you should aim for a centrally-located reception desk which is kept free of clutter, a regularly updated appointment book, a comfortable and discreet waiting area with hot drinks facility to hand. The furniture should speak quality but not be flashily expensive and there should be enough chairs and tables so that everyone can be accommodated.
Make sure that there are trade magazines and company press releases on hand and ensure that these are updated regularly.
Then sit back and watch them all beat their way to your reception desk!
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