4 Tips to Create a Welcoming Waiting Room
You know how it is. You’re sitting in the lobby of your local repair shop or dermatologist, impatiently waiting for your name to be called while the news plays silently on the T.V. precariously attached to the wall above you. Not only is it a bore, but it also puts a damper on your whole experience, even if your car works like new and your doctor says your freckles are fine.
Think of your waiting room as a part of your commitment to customer service. If you have a welcoming and comfortable waiting room, your patients will be happier to be visiting your office. Happy patients make good patients. Does your waiting room need a little brightening up? Consider these tips to create a beautiful chiropractic office design that puts patients at ease.
1. Implement Efficiency
Instead of requiring your patients to idly wait for their appointment, provide tools they may need to check other tasks off their list. Most likely, your office is only one of many stops your patient has to make that day, so any convenience that will help them make the most of their time will be appreciated.
Leave mobile device chargers in the waiting room for patients who may be running a little low on battery. You can also provide a cozy desk with one of your old computers so that patients can answer their emails without squinting at their tiny smartphone screens.
More traditionally, you can also place educational magazines, pamphlets, and books throughout the office that will satisfy your patient’s curiosity about their upcoming appointment. We would be lying if we said some patients prefer a trendy lifestyle magazine here and there, too.
2. Add a Splash of Color
Do the stark, white walls of hospitals make you feel uneasy? Just because you work in a health profession doesn’t mean you need to subscribe to this sterile environment. Try painting your office colors that positively affect your patient’s mood. For example, green is considered calming and can create a serene atmosphere. Or, try painting an accent wall of bright orange or yellow project warmth and energize your visitors.
Instead of playing off color psychology, you can also decorate your office to reflect your brand’s colors. Is your logo blue and white? Either you can get out the paint rollers or use accent pieces around the waiting room that share similar characteristics to your branding. Make sure all branding is cohesive.
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3. Offer Refreshments
Who doesn’t like free drinks and snacks? Providing small amenities can make your office seem more hospitable and make your patient’s day a lot easier.
Set up a single-serve coffee machine or make sure your staff offers to make a cup for all those early morning appointments. It may be your 9 am patient’s first cup of the day and, as we all know, caffeine makes everything a lot more pleasant. Don’t forget to have a water cooler or water bottles available, too. Want to step it up? Fill a glass container with cucumber or lemon-infused water to exude an upscale vibe.
Don’t have time to grab fresh bagels and croissants every morning? That’s okay, stock up on healthy granola bars and fruits to arrange in a wicker basket next to the coffee machine. Some people might be a little shy, so a cute, DIY sign encouraging patients to partake in the refreshments can be a nice touch.
4. Show Your Personality
As a local business, it’s important to show a little personality to stand out against your competition. Your waiting room is an extension of you and your practice, so let your patients get to know you and your staff.
Put up a bulletin board to post pictures of your staff, snapshots of recent events, and client testimonials that will show your patients why they are in good hands.
Do you have an artist on your team? Spice up your regular corkboard by replacing it with a magnetic chalkboard. Then, commission your office artist to write monthly specials or motivational sayings on the chalkboard to add a little flare to your space.
Do you love your office space? Tag us in your photos so we can see how it’s done!
Put Your Chiropractic Patients at Ease with these Office Design Tips
What are you waiting for? You have all the tips you need to get started. A well-designed chiropractic office should be welcoming, organized, and open to all your patients.
Are you interested in different ways to get more patients to come into your office? Click here or give us a call at 800.792.8384 today.
