Your clinic reception is the first place clients come face-to-face with your physical brand, so it’s vital to create the impression you want from the start, Apollo explains.
Here are our top ten tips for designing your clinic reception area:
Reinforce your brand identity
Your clinic reception is the ideal place to reinforce your brand’s identity.
The best brands are effective because they are defined by the repetition of the same logo, colours and fonts. Hopefully, you’ve developed a distinctive logo and selected a colour palette to represent your own brand. This consistency doesn’t just apply to how your brand is represented through your comms but also how it’s represented in your physical environment.
In other words, make sure you use your logo in your signage; if you have a colour palette, incorporate it in your decor. Your branding should seamlessly transition from paper and digital media to your physical surroundings and be reinforced from the moment a client enters your clinic.
Reflect the image you want to convey
The materials you choose in your interiors scheme can go a long way in conveying your brand values. Whether you pride yourself on your sustainability and decide to use purely natural materials or are setting up a clinic for children and want to make it colourful and fun, your reception area should reflect this.
Consider your staff’s needs
Ensure that you equip your reception desk with everything your staff need to perform their work efficiently whilst hiding any clutter. Do they need a printer or copier? Where is the filing space? Do they have enough space to be comfortable?
And, of course, consider your clients’ needs
Does your reception desk feel welcoming? Is there enough room for clients to complete paperwork? It’s important to consider the height of the desk – too high can feel unwelcoming – and ensure you have a lower-level area for wheelchair users.
Choose appropriate lighting
The right lighting can work wonders and transform the atmosphere in your clinic. Promoting natural light wherever possible helps improve wellbeing and productivity. Strategically placed lamps and wall lights can help create a relaxed atmosphere in your waiting area.
Halo lighting around your logo is a great way to create a focal point and lighting around the reception desk helps direct clients.
Make the area inviting
A tea and coffee station and chilled water to help themselves to are simple but appreciated touches to make your clients feel welcome. Coupled with phone charging stations and wifi, people will quickly feel at home.
Provide distraction
For nervous patients, a TV or latest editions of newspapers and magazines all help provide distraction while they are waiting. Interesting artwork is another good way to distract clients.
Play music
Calming background music is another good way to help clients relax while they are waiting and also while they are undergoing treatment. Studies have shown that slow, easy-listening or classical music at a lower decibel is best for helping promote wellbeing.
Introduce plants
Plants or flowers in your reception area are a fantastic way of adding interest and increasing wellbeing in staff and clients. It’s easy to select plants to fit in with your design scheme. They are a welcoming touch to any reception. If you’re really looking to wow your clients, you could even consider a living wall.
Showcase products
Your reception area is the perfect place for showcasing products – clients waiting have an ideal opportunity to browse. Attractive displays are a great way to capture attention and promote your products.
This article first appeared in Private Dentistry magazine. You can read the latest issue here.
