Keep Your Waiting Room Comfortable and Neutral
The only reason a patient returns to a practice is for the Experience and not the procedure. Aesthetic procedures are available most anywhere. Often your patients live closer to your competitors, and can even find the same services at a lower cost. When they travel further and spend more, it’s because of the experience and the appearance of the practice. For this reason, I believe it is important to keep the bones of the practice safe and comfortable. People spend money at places they trust, so design your waiting room and consult rooms to be comfortable.
The waiting room is an important part of creating a safe, comfortable place. It’s also important to keep all furnishings neutral in color so the patient stands out, not the furnishings.
Furniture that is neutral in color helps the patient become the most important part your office. When a patient sits on a couch that is beige or taupe, the patient stands out and is more important than the furniture. Stay away from bold, overpowering colors such as red, orange, purple, pink, blue, green, etc. Strong colors and/or multiple patterns can compete with patients, making them feel less important.
The next step of neutrality and safety is the appearance of your staff. If everyone in the practice wears a white lab coat, suddenly the patient stands out rather than the outfit of the staff and provider. The next level of comfort should come from the appearance of the treatment room. Much like the color of the couch or chairs in your waiting room, the color of the exam room chair, and guest chairs are also important. Always use neutral colors rather than a garish color such as purple, which is not a comfortable feel.
Finally, consider minimizing the use of manufacture posters. Are you defining beauty to your patient from some beautiful model that often can’t be achieved? The art on the wall can also overpower the patient, wether it be in your lobby, treatment rooms, or hallways. Does the art stand out, or does the patient stand out? Take a look at your practice and determine what is most important, the furnishings or the patient.
Contact me for help on creating an office that’s safe, comfortable, productive, and profitable