Pay attention to traffic when arranging the waiting room area as you want to have a clear idea of where your customers will be entering and exiting and make sure these areas are marked. There is nothing worse than showing up for an interview and having no idea where to go; it can be off-putting right away. You want to make sure the foot traffic can flow freely around the waiting area and doesn’t bottleneck, which may be even more fluid if you have a separate exit to keep traffic moving in one direction. Also, be sure to flow patients through a visit without making them cross paths with other patients or retrace their steps.

Fill with the Right Furniture
The most significant part of your waiting space is the furniture; not only is it the first thing your guests will see, it determines how comfortable they will feel in your space:

Reception desk
Your reception desk should be the focal point of your waiting area and easily viewable and available from the entrance. It should also be attractive and neat; the last thing you want when visitors arrive is papers, boxes, and packages strewed around the reception desk. If this is a familiar sight at your front desk you will want to be sure to choose a reception desk with adequate storage so you have somewhere to put away deliveries and other items. Also be sure you will have enough room for all of the essentials such as telephones, computers, printers, and scanners, as well as enough room for the number of people who will be at the desk at the same time. You will also need to determine what shape of desk you will need depending on your space and choice as well as other design decisions (like will you need a raised front to cover confidential data, etc.). You want to pick a finish that will fit into your décor and offer the durability you need (wood grain laminate is very hard-wearing), and you can even add some finishing touches like steel or plexiglass. No matter what reception desks you are analyzing, the most important thing is to measure everything! You need to carefully measure the reception space you are willing to ensure the desk you choose will fit into the area with no difficulty.

Waiting Room Seating
Measurements are just as important in the seating area of your waiting room; your space needs to look professional and engaging while conveniently accommodating your visitors. Take the measurements of some of the waiting room furniture you are analyzing to ensure it will fit in your space. To determine how much furniture you will need, estimate how many waiting room chairs would be used by your customers on the busiest day, then add some tables to the space as well. Don’t forget when you are measuring to leave room for customers to move around freely and for a comfortable amount of space between the seats. You may also want to consider what seating design you use, for example, some clients typically do not want to sit with their backs to any doors, and using a square or “U-shaped” seating arrangement may be a good way to allow guests to decide how they would like to communicate with others while waiting.

When choosing what reception chairs will work best in your setting, there are many things to consider:

Is it comfortable? – Uncomfortable seating can make the wait seem longer, so the best test is to try it. Would you want to sit in it for possibly 20+ minutes? Consider all of your customers, their sizes, ages, and mobility. This will determine things like if you need chairs with arms or chairs of differing sizes to please everyone.

What type of upholstery will you need? – Combination fabrics and engineered fabrics tend to be more long-lasting than natural ones and work well in high traffic areas. Also, the tighter the weave, the longer the fabric tends to hold up. Vinyl seating is another cost-effective alternative and can even be treated with a finish that creates a barrier against germs, abrasion, and stains. Healthcare vinyl works well in some waiting areas too because it is easily cleaned and resistant to sulfide, urine, common stains, moisture, and bacteria.

Budget Is Important – Lastly, when deciding on purchasing waiting room furniture your budget will be one of the most important factors as well. Make sure to leave enough lead time if you are planning to have your reception area finished for a certain date, for an open house for example, because there is nothing worse than waiting until the last minute and not having your new furniture for your big day.

Computer Office Furniture Store (COFS) modern waiting room, lobby & reception area furniture is stylish, customizable, and includes patented additions that extend the life of your furniture even in busy, heavy use conditions. Thanks to cushions, replaceable parts, and materials that can be quickly cleaned and sanitized, our products help organizations reduce costs and extend the life of their purchase.

COFS is a true partner who understands the unique needs of a business, we look forward to helping you design, specify, customize, and install your next office furniture order.

Modern Waiting Room Furniture – FREE Quote 832-799-9942