Interior Investment: Make Your Space Memorable and Your Customers Comfortable

How do they feel?

Client experience involves many aspects: communication, customer service, expertise, cost, and results. But one often overlooked factor: your space.

The colors, the lighting, the design, the art, and the flow – all play into how your customers experience your services.

When a customer walks through your doors, down a hallway, into a new section: How does it make them feel?

Research shows there is a positive correlation between attractive environments and patient satisfaction.

Having a distinctive interior space can reinforce your brand, engage your employees, and inspire your customers.

By renovating and updating your space, your customers will:

• Feel comfortable
• Suffer less anxiety
• Be more likely to visit again
• Recommend your business to friends

What to Invest In

Updating your space does not have to involve a major overhaul. You can take it in stages and even make small changes with a big impact.

• Aim for the feel of a home instead of a commercial space. Everything from lighting fixtures to cabinetry to furniture can make a comforting impression.
• Use warm colors on the wall.
• Invest in a few statement light fixtures, especially in the main public areas.
• Avoid large, cavernous spaces. If the waiting room or other area is large, break it up into smaller sections with furniture.
• Make sure there is enough seating for customers (if needed).
• Ensure the hallways are wide enough for people to pass one another comfortably and to be able to walk side-by-side.
• Consider what a patient or customer sees while they’re in your space – whether in an operatory chair, walking around, or talking to your staff. Make the visuals relaxing and memorable.
• For medical and dental spaces, have designated spaces in which medical devices and tools are stored out of sight. Removing them from display can help relax clients who may be uncomfortable.
• Review the floor plan to look at customer pathways and make it easy to get around.
• Replace cabinets and/or countertops with something they would see in an updated home kitchen.
• Consider adding a feature wall with fun wallpaper, branding, or even an activity (a climbing wall is a fun activity for visiting kids!).
• Change up the lighting to be softer with parabolic lenses and softer light.
• Update flooring, especially if it’s getting worn or outdated. Luxury vinyl plank flooring will successfully replicate the look of more expensive wood or tile and is more durable, as well as being easier on the feet, knees, and legs of those standing and walking on it throughout the day. Modular carpet tile is also very easy to maintain with many designs to help update the space.

Taken in phases, with some budgeted dollars invested each quarter or each year, you can begin to renovate your space. Investing in interior design signals to your customers that you are investing in their comfort. Change draws attention to your business. And creating a memorable experience based on the visuals and atmosphere – think of your favorite restaurant – will keep them coming back again and again. And they’ll share their experiences with others – Facebook recommendations are an incredibly active way to earn business, along with Google or Yelp reviews and word of mouth.

People spend a majority of their time indoors. You can use your space to build customer interaction and inspire loyalty, refreshing your business for a strong future. If you’re considering renovations, it’s best to work with a company that specializes in refreshing commercial offices and spaces. We have deep experience in the retail, medical, and industrial markets, and you can easily get in touch with us today to ask for more information!