Your brand is more than just your company’s logo. Your brand is what other people say about you when you aren’t in the room (thank you, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos).
Every interaction a customer has with your company needs to leave a good first impression, because if it doesn’t, the customer is likely to share their bad impression with others. In fact, one study showed 75% of customers interviewed indicated they would share a negative experience with their friends and colleagues.
The customer experience should be friendly, helpful and attractive at every stop — whether that’s by phone, by your website, or by walking into the front door of your business. Arguably, that last experience could rank above them all because it’s a coveted face-to-face interaction.
Not only should your customer service skills be on point when people visit your business, but your lobby inviting and comfortable. It’s a great opportunity to greet customers with information about your mission and vision, offer them perks for being there, and make them feel welcome. Here are a few ways you can make that happen:
Deliver a smile
Ever gotten warm, fuzzy feelings from someone who had a scowl on their face and acted as though you were inconveniencing them with your presence? Didn’t think so. It seems so simple, but making sure the first person a customer encounters in your lobby is smiling and friendly is the first step to making a good impression. If appropriate for your business dress code, allow employees to wear branded shirts to represent your company, which will build group unity with your team and show customers your employees are proud to represent you.
Give them the goodies
If you’re having to wait in a lobby for any length of time, having something tasty or refreshing will almost always make the time go by faster. Branded pens or notepads are also a nice touch, and will reinforce your brand with your customer after he or she leaves your business. Stock a small refrigerator with water, have a coffee stand, or leave bowls of branded candy on tables. Odds are when you invite your guests back to your office, they’ll have a smile on their face.
Decorate to impress
Having a space that’s warm and inviting will make customers feel comfortable and appreciative of your attention to detail. Coordinating interior colors with your visual identity (read: logo) can help build brand association for your customer and make your brand stronger. Displaying signage with your logo will take that even a step further.
Provide literature about your business on tables for customers to read while they wait, and spruce up the space with plants, modern artwork or unique furniture. Displaying photos of your community, whether current events or historical, can create conversation points and show your customers you care about what’s happening around you. Natural light can provide the feeling of openness and reassurance, so skip the window dressings! If you need ideas, search office decor Pinterest — there are tons of photos available that can inspire your lobby makeover.