What Makes A Good Waiting Room?

There are 3 essential components of a great waiting room: they are comfortable, they are informational, and they keep the client entertained. Here are some tips to make the most of your waiting room:

Keep It Comfortable

If a client does not feel at ease in your waiting room it will be hard for them to get into the proper mental mind-set for a treatment – you don’t want them feeling tense. So make it comfortable and decorate accordingly.

• Paint the walls a neutral, calming colour.
• Keep the air fresh with plants. They also add life and colour to the room.
• Keep the walls lively with interesting artwork.
• A fish tank or waterfalls are quite soothing for many people.

Keep It Informational

The client’s time in your waiting room is one of the few times you have the opportunity to educate them. Take advantage by doing the following:

• Place informational brochures for the client to read at their convenience. This is especially true for new treatments they may not yet be familiar with and potential up-sell opportunities (like the benefits of an aromatherapy add-on for massage therapists).
• If you’re providing a unique, niche service, have information that clearly explains the whole treatment process. Including other clients’ reviews on treatments can also put them at ease.
• This is also a good time to let them know that you are now booking appointments online.

Keep It Entertaining

The waiting room. It’s boring and terrible. Your goal is to limit the client’s time in your waiting room. But, there are going to be days where you run behind time, so to keep the client happy, give them some options to stay entertained.

• Keep your magazines up to date, no one is interested in July 1997’s issue of Time Magazine.
• If not used for informational purposes, a flat screen TV on the wall will allow the client to distract themselves with an interesting program.
• I recently visited a clinic who had a couple iPads in the waiting room… next time I’ll be going early!

Remember that your waiting room is your first impression on a new client and a reflection on your practice, so be sure to spend the time to make it comfortable, informational, and entertaining. And most importantly, don’t make them wait too long!