First impressions count\u2014whether it\u2019s how you present yourself to someone you\u2019re just meeting or the way your healthcare operation presents itself to the public. As the first place a visitor sees, your lobby sets the tone for your business. <\/p>\n
\u201cThe lobby tells the story of your facility,\u201d says Gordon Food Service Cleaning Solutions and Beverage Specialist Mark Hendzell. \u201cIf it\u2019s clean and neat and has a pleasant scent, all of that goes into a good first impression.\u201d <\/p>\n
The lobby should be immaculate. Signs of dirt or laziness on the part of your staff reflect badly on your business. <\/p>\n
\u201cIf I\u2019m looking at a lobby, my eyes go right to the floor,\u201d says Gordon Food Service Cleaning Solutions and Beverage Specialist Mike Palmer. \u201cHow clean is it? That immediately tells me a lot about what\u2019s going on there.\u201d <\/p>\n
During winter and inclement weather, Palmer advises adding walk-off mats in the entryway and the lobby \u201cto get the salt, snow, slush, and dirt off shoes so it doesn\u2019t get tracked all over the building.\u201d Have housekeeping staff vacuum mats and carpeting frequently. Also, wet floors are a safety hazard; make sure they\u2019re dry. <\/p>\n
With flu season upon us, \u201chaving hand sanitizers out front and around the building says \u2018I care about my residents,\u2019\u201d Hendzell notes. <\/p>\n
Keep the lobby well lit, both for ambience and for safety. \u201cMake sure blinds and curtains are open for natural light,\u201d suggests Gordon Food Service Nutrition Resource Center Manager Sara Kwiatkowski, RD. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt should be warm and inviting, a place where people would want to be,\u201d Kwiatkowski says. \u201cGive it a home-like appeal. Have some reading material there and perhaps even a computer to use.\u201d Lobbies often have office-like furniture, \u201cbut comfy chairs give a better impression,\u201d she advises. <\/p>\n
If space allows, suggest separate areas visually. Beyond the entryway, create a quiet corner for reading and another area for gathering with family members or friends. <\/p>\n
Set out fresh-baked cookies and place flowers on the desk, Kwiatkowski suggests. \u201cA lot of places have self-service coffee machines or brewers,\u201d Palmer adds. \u201cThat\u2019s a nice touch.\u201d <\/p>\n
Fresh-baked cookies, fresh coffee, and fresh flowers also appeal to the sense of smell, a crucial factor in many facilities. A pleasant olfactory experience helps underscore that the place is well-maintained and that residents or patients are well-cared-for. <\/p>\n
At the entrance of the foodservice area, display a photo or plated version of the food to be served at the next meal. \u201cThat helps people know what\u2019s for lunch, what\u2019s for dinner,\u201d Kwiatkowski says. <\/p>\n
\u201cEverybody\u2019s on a budget today, and that has a lot to do with how things look,\u201d Palmer says. \u201cSmart operators are organized, focused, and find a way to make things work.\u201d <\/p>\n
\u201cMake sure the lobby doesn\u2019t outmatch the rest of the building, or you\u2019ll disappoint people once they get beyond it,\u201d Kwiatkowski says. <\/p>\n
Making a first impression is just one of the ways to make your healthcare foodservice operations successful. By working collaboratively with your operation, we can provide you with a suite of resources and solutions which can help your healthcare meal program grow – from advising on how to stay in compliance with industry regulations, to controlling your food service costs, and more.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
First impressions count\u2014whether it\u2019s how you present yourself to someone you\u2019re just meeting or the way your healthcare operation presents itself to the public. As the first place a visitor sees, your lobby sets the tone for your business. \u201cThe lobby tells the story of your facility,\u201d says Gordon Food Service Cleaning Solutions and Beverage […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":19,"featured_media":4019,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[69],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4018","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-running-your-business"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n