The 3 Best Floors for Your Business Waiting Room

First impressions matter. Before your salespeople greet your clientele, before your receptionist asks if they have appointments, the people who walk into your small business are absorbing the décor of your waiting room. Depending on the type of business you run, they could be spending quite a lot of time in the waiting room before they go inside to meet the doctor, dentist or sales representative. Interior designers and customer service gurus are sure to stress the importance of a comfortable and welcoming waiting room at your business. But while they’re suggesting you add a fish tank and magazines or paint the wall a certain soothing shade of cream, they might be ignoring the floor beneath your customers’ feet.

You’d be surprised how many people look down while they walk, especially if your clientele includes senior citizens and those who rely on walking aids. Plus, a floor really can make or break the whole look of the room; a dirty, threadbare carpet will repel customers, no matter how lovely the rest of the room seems. You should spend as much time deciding what type of floor will give your waiting room the type of ambiance you need as you do what color walls, if not more. After all, the floor is going to get much more use.

Carpet

One of the most popular choices in a waiting room is carpet. Carpeting helps protect your customers from falls, which is especially important in a doctor’s or dentist’s office that sees a lot of senior clientele. Select a carpet designed for high traffic, a thin and durable option, and you won’t even have to worry about the carpet wearing down prematurely. Although not all carpets make sense for a waiting room – shag won’t do, for example, even if you’re going for a retro look – there are so many varieties of colors, textures and patterns, there’s sure to be several options that match your décor.

Laminate

If there’s a drawback to carpet, it’s that spills and dirt are difficult to clean on fiber. That’s not an issue with laminate. There will be no need to invest in carpet cleaners when a simple mop and bucket will do. Plus, since laminate is available in many looks, from those impersonating tiles to those mimicking hardwood floors, you can get the look you want for a fraction of the price. Plus, laminate is sure to be less slippery than hardwood flooring and tiles, which is especially important to consider if you’re in the health care business.

Tiles

There’s something truly elegant about tiles on a waiting room floor, something too few businesses take advantage of. If your waiting room patrons are primarily salespeople or customers for a business unrelated to the health care field, you especially need to consider the look that goes hand in hand with tiles: affluence, stylishness and sophistication. Having a shiny tile floor in your waiting room is like saying your business is timeless, successful and full of class. Don’t get caught up in thinking tiles are for bathrooms only; there are a wide variety of tile options, including much larger tiles than you’re used to seeing in bathrooms at home, and tiles in darker colors that will mask any dirt your patrons carry in on their shoes.

A waiting room floor sees more traffic than the flooring back in your offices. The flooring you choose needs to be durable but attractive, comforting but safe. If you can afford only one improvement to your waiting room this year, let it be flooring. Plus, if you shop at the right place, you might save so much you’ll have room left over in your budget for other improvements.