(b) Creative Ideas for Customer Waiting Rooms

Customer waiting rooms are the doorway to your business. Over recent years an effort has been made to make the wait more pleasant - TV sets, games and drawing materials for children, music and the likes may be found in many places. Interior design also aims to make the wait more comfortable to the eye and body.

The ideas listed below are meant to take this trend a few steps further. They may serve as a tool to make your waiting room an attraction in itself, so that you may even advertise it for your advantage, with a slogan such as: "Even while you wait, we take extraordinary care of you!".

1. Connect your customers to your business and profession: You may use various ways to make your customers learn more about your profession in general and about your business in particular. Try to turn the lobby into an interactive museum where people may experiment with equipment or natural phenomena related to your work, or let them watch videos or read essays on pioneers of your profession or heroic founders of your company. Consider allowing and inviting people to visit even if they don't need an appointment or your service - this will make them remember your place favorably when they do need it.
   
   
2. Exhibit your customers' work: By doing so you can demonstrate that you respect your clients and are interested in them. This may include paintings, sculptures or other artwork made by your customers, drawings made by children, special or bizarre collections or even the personal story of one of your clients. I recommend having the exhibition change every few weeks, thus allowing you to be in touch with different clients that can express themselves on the changing subjects. It will also make the place more interesting for returning customers as they learn to expect new surprises with each visit.
   
   
3. Offer prizes for customers who complete special tasks: You may hide treasure envelopes and let clients look for them according to clues, or build a fun maze they must walk through while they await their turn. The basic idea is to entertain them so that they don't feel bored and neglected as they wait.
   
   
4. Teach them about creativity & creative tools: You may have different articles, posters, books and games that help learn and practice creativity. These may be used to produce creative ideas related to your products, services or business, or for any other subject the customers themselves may choose. To help you get started you may download and print the creativity articles from the following link (in PDF format): http://www.best100ideas.com/articles.shtml.
   You are also welcome to contact me if you need more help with this idea.
   
   
5. Use the room for a community service: Social responsibility activities have become an important part of business life. You may achieve several goals by promoting it in your customer waiting rooms. You will be recognized as a socially responsible firm, and your clients will be emotionally attached to the things you do. If you are able to find a community service which is related to your business - the effect will be stronger (e.g. if you sell medical supplies, find an activity that helps hospitalized kids or people who suffer from a certain illness). These activities do not always require big funds, and social organizations may appreciate the space you provide and your general support. Obviously, the biggest reward is actually helping people in need.
   
   
6. Design activities for customer interaction: This will make your waiting room into a social meeting place. Ideas may include simple activities such as letting clients play board games with each other while they wait, or bolder ideas such as holding dance lessons, Karaoke sessions or a beer drinking contest for your business's visitors. Again, it is better to find an activity which is related to the products or services you provide.