Designing your reception area to impress.
Your reception area is an opportunity to be more than a station to sign guests in and a desk where the security guard can sit. The reception area or lobby for your business sets the tone for how guests, employees, and partners feel about your business.
Whether you’re designing a reception area from scratch, remodeling a lobby, or simply upgrading an outdated reception area, there are some key design components to keep in mind. The last thing you want is to ruin the visual appeal of your office reception area with extension cords, cable covers, gaffer tape, or any other DIY technology bandaid.
I.e. Smart Systems specializes in working with architects, designers, and contractors to integrate the right technology infrastructure into your space. Your lobby is the gateway to your organization, and by taking the time to plan your IT infrastructure, you can save time and money, while achieving a much better experience for everyone who uses your building.
Think of your lobby as a product, complete with features and benefits.
It’s true that your reception area design should fulfill some basic functions, such as logging visitors, providing a comfortable waiting area, and creating a first-impression for your business.
What you may not realize is how seemingly small decisions can have long-term consequences for your business. Is there enough seating? Where is the charging station for visitor’s phones and laptops? Will the primary reception desk be large enough to hold all the equipment, storage, and workspace your reception staff needs?
The layout of the reception area can greatly impact the first experience of a visitor. The experience impacts the mental space, which might impact the meeting the follows this waiting time, be that a vendor meeting, negotiation, or job interview.
Or, in the current climate, the design could impact your ability to even do business.
Let’s say you’re setting up a lobby for a medical practice. Before the days of coronavirus it was common to offer lots of seats close together — just to maximize space for patients in waiting. In 2021 it’s important to create a space that’s flexible, comfortable, and functional. You can’t predict the future, but you can prepare for the unexpected.
Example: Inviting patients into a great experience.
Hospitals can be confusing places for visitors, and especially for patients (who aren’t feeling all that great to begin with). Incorporating self-check-in kiosks and clear digital signage can alleviate that confusion. By thinking about the visitor/patient experience holistically, you can design a lobby or reception area that invites, comforts, and supports without feeling overly sterile.
Great reception area design can enhance your brand.
While you are planning the design of your lobby, it’s helpful to think back on your own experience in reception areas and lobbies. Sure, a pretty lobby looks great on a brochure, but if it leaves your visitors feeling unsure about whether they’re allowed to sit down or touch anything, you’ve missed the mark (unless your brand is about intimidation).
What are the colors that represent your brand? Although you may be tempted to use your company’s color scheme throughout, it’s better to leverage neutral tones for the largest spaces and splash color in judiciously.
What are the stories you can tell to visitors while they wait? Video walls are a great way to occupy visitors while they wait, and maintain a flexible canvas for telling stories about your company, offering helpful info, and setting the visual tone.
Example: When a computer company asks for help with IT
I.e. Smart Systems worked with Hewlett Packard Incorporated to design the IT infrastructure for their LEED v4 Gold Certified office building in Houston. This project included more than 2.2M ft. of Cat 6 cabling, fiber optic integration, a video wall in the lobby, and much more.
Good building security doesn’t have to feel draconian.
As counterintuitive as it may sound, the best security is invisible, except when it’s responding to people or the environment. Effective visitor management includes things like electronic check-in, visitor badging, managed access, and video surveillance. When implemented as part of a thoughtful lobby design, these elements can feel seamless and confidence-boosting to everyone. If done carelessly, they can feel like a maximum-security dog pound.
Example: Turning a massive space into a manageable one.
Daikin worked with i.e. Smart Systems to plan and build their 4.1M ft. manufacturing facility. This project included voice, data, A/V systems as well as the security infrastructure, complete with access control for vendors.
Treat the IT infrastructure in your lobby design as a forethought, not an afterthought.
The simple truth is that it’s much easier, cheaper, and faster to lay cable, install terminals, and choose the right equipment if you design your space before the concrete foundation is poured. And any mistakes you make after that can turn into perpetual headaches. By partnering with an expert in designing technology-friendly spaces, you can create a lobby experience that is a joy for employees, visitors, and vendors.
About i.e.Smart Systems
i.e.Smart Systems is a Houston, TX based technology integration partner that specializes in design and installation of audio/visual technology and structured cabling. For more than three decades, our team of in-house experts has partnered with business owners, architectural firms, general contractors, construction managers, real estate developers, and designers in the Houston market, to deliver reliable, scalable solutions that align with their unique goals.
