Life is all about first impressions and your company's office is no exception. When customers enter the office, the reception desk is the first thing they see. Their initial impression may be entirely based on a piece of furniture, so you want to get it right. Deciding whether you want to go modern or traditional is just as important as what functionality the desk will have.
The design of your reception desk is a customer's first impression when they walk into your office.
Purchasing a reception desk may not seem like a major decision, but you need to ensure that it represents your company's image while also providing the receptionist with a work-space that makes productivity and organization as easy as possible. Here are 10 reasons why you need to choose the right reception desk and make a first impression that will win over customers from the start.
1. Aesthetics and Design
While a reception desk needs to be functional, a customer won't care about how many filing drawers are hidden behind their view. Determine what type of design is most suitable for your company, whether that is modern and sleek or traditional and classic. The desk will likely be a central focus in the reception room, so do consider the wall and carpeting colors, customer seating, and any other furniture that will be in the space.
Be sure you incorporate space for technology and paperwork to keep your reception area tidy and organized.
2. Functionality First Looking good is the first step towards a positive first impression, but functionality plays a major role in this as well. The desk you choose needs to keep the office from becoming disheveled or appearing messy. There should be plentiful drawers and cabinets for paperwork, electronics, and office supplies so that the space can be easily kept tidy and professional.
3. The Receptionist Don't forget to consider the person who will be manning the desk before making a decision. Your employee (or employees) will need to be in that space for eight hours a day so you need to ensure that the desk provides enough room for them to do their work without feeling too enclosed.
The receptionist desk needs to provide the comfort and functionality for a productive work environment.
4. Disabled Access You are legally required to have a reception desk that meets the criteria set forth by The Disability Discrimination Act. It needs to be low enough for wheelchair users, with plentiful room for getting around behind it.
5. Organizational Solutions Depending on the role of your reception desk, you may need to fit certain additions or accessories into the design. If you run a busy doctor's office you will need plentiful space for patient files but if you have little face-to-face contact with customers you may be better focused on room for computers and phones for in-bound calls.
6. Brand Positioning In every decision you make, you need to consider your brand. Do you need a reception desk in a particular color? Do you want your logo front and center? Your furniture is essential in the decor you choose for your brand.
7. All-Day Comfort For the staff who will be behind the reception desk for hours a day, a good ergonomic office chair is crucial. It should have wheels to make it easy to move from one side of the desk to the other and provide back and neck support for those long hours sitting.
8. Incorporate Technology Your reception desk will likely need an assortment of technologies to keep things running, but you don't want wires running everywhere making it look sloppy and unprofessional. Cable ports are an easy way to hide the wires from the computers, printer, and telephone.
9. Staff Size Do you have more than one receptionist? If you have a team of people working in the reception area, be sure that the reception desk is large enough to accommodate all staff.
10. Space Limitations If your reception area is small, you won't want to purchase a large reception desk that overtakes the space. Consider the size of the room before you purchase. Consider ordering a custom receptionist desk that can fit into the room seamlessly and look great.
