Scheduling any kind of appointment or checkup can be a tedious process from the very start. In the modern world where an average working individual is quite busy, it is hard to take out a few hours on a random day for an important meeting, let alone something private that you simply have to do.
Once you manage to find a narrow open slot in your timetable, you can still not be sure how long the whole ordeal is going to take. A doctor’s appointment is almost never right on time, nor is something you have to do at the bank. Even if you do not have anything do actually do, like when you take your car to a mechanic or when you take your children somewhere, you yourself are left alone in the waiting room.
It is in the waiting room that the troubles start. Most often, it seems like we are waiting for ages when it has only been 10 to 15 minutes. It is even worse when we know exactly how much we must wait that an hour feels like an eternity. So can something be done? What can businesses, practices, and service providers do to reduce the perceived wait time for their customers and patients?
Luckily, there are many methods that are already largely in use nowadays. In this article, we are going to explore how you can reduce the seemingly never-ending waiting time in your waiting room. Customers can learn something here as well, and perhaps find their new favorite activity while sitting patiently until their time arrives.
Modern Solutions
According to userful.com the most modern solution you can have in the dedicated waiting space is digital signage. Digital signs come in many different types and sizes, and they allow plenty of uses. Thanks to the comprehensive software involved, you can display a ton of different messages that will change every few minutes. This is a great way of giving your customers information they did not even know they needed.
Keeping the flow of your services is supported well with such a sign since an average patient or customer will not have to engage in contact with an employee to get an answer, which is useful during peak hours or when there is simply too much going on. Basically, these signs are distracting enough in all the right ways, meaning they will help those waiting not to feel every second pass by.
Business-related video materials, photos of and info about the staff, documentaries on the topic of your work, and general entertainment for the kids and grownups are all possible ways of utilizing digital signage. You could even have timers for how long the next customer will wait. The choice is yours, and it is next to unlimited thanks to this amazing technology. To find out more about how you can make use of digital signs, make sure to check out Mvix Digital Signage.
Traditional Means
The most traditional and easiest methods of pastime in the waiting rooms are daily newspapers and both weekly and monthly magazines. A bunch of papers ready to be read on the club table or the counter of your waiting room could be enough to entertain some of the customers, but not all. For example, if you have a lot of children, teens, or adolescents as your most frequent visitors, this will not be enough.
Music in the background, either from a computer or a radio, is a nice way of developing an atmosphere. You will give those who are waiting for something to listen to and focus on. Radio stations frequently have news, interesting segments, and playlists. Combined with the magazines, the music seems plenty for shorter periods of waiting, anywhere from 10 minutes to half an hour.
Last but not least, arguably one of the fan-favorite pastime activities in the designated waiting area is a TV or more of them if the room is big enough. Having a cable television for your customers allows them to watch the entertaining program they could be missing because they had to come to you. There may be an important match going on, so keeping an eye on the goings-on and the score is neat. Have a remote at the ready to switch the channel, or have the staff ask the patients every now and then what they would like to watch.
Combining these three traditional means of entertaining the people who came to you for help or to buy what you offer is a proven way of caring for their well-being and overall comfort levels. You are more likely to get recommended the better they feel, and they are more likely to become a returning customer.
A Comfortable Reception Area
The best waiting rooms double as reception areas. If you separate the two, the customers might feel neglected. The patients of your private practice will feel more anxious and worried about their checkup and the results, as well as the professionalism of the staff if they sit too far away from the employees. Therefore, devote an area that will both be a waiting room for the visitors and a reception area for the receptionist.
Once you have this, it is time to equip it with the right furniture and all the necessary elements. Basic plastic chairs are hard enough, which is why you should invest in comfortable, soft chairs that capable of supporting hours and hours of sitting. A couch and a few armchairs go a long way as well. Many waiting rooms also incorporate benches. This all comes down to the budget, general preferences, and the kind of business you run.
Then it is time for the TV and the supporting elements and ornaments. A few tall plants will make the guests feel more welcome. A few club tables and corner stands could serve to display dome items from related to your company, while the walls should definitely be decorated with pictures that capture and hold attention. Walls are also great for displaying your honors, degrees, certificates, and thank-you-notes from past customers. You can cut newspapers articles and frame them, they are guaranteed to have a few readers per day.
