Made To Measure Reception Areas At Off The Rack Prices

By Author: Larry Tang
Total Articles: 512
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While there is some truth to the old saw that you can't judge a book by its cover, another one says there is no second first impression.

Contradictory? Perhaps so. But how many of us in search of a product or service have looked at a potential vendor's establishment and turned back because of an unattractive first impression? asks Mark Bassil, co-founder and vice president of MAiSPACE, a Mt. Olive, NJ, based manufacturer of modular office furniture systems. Chances are that poor first impression was created by an unattractive reception area. While this may be unfair - the vendor may in fact be first rate - business was lost because of a bad first impression.

Office Interiors Set the Image

Reception areas set expectations and can be designed to support those expectations, Bassil says. High-profile law firms and financial institutions, for example, must project an image of success that helps instill confidence on the part of their prospective clients - a positive first impression. Yet, he points out, an over-elaborate reception area in a small law firm, accounting office or health clinic might create ...
... a bad first impression by sending the signal ‘this place is too expensive for me'.

Professional office and interior designers must be aware of the nature of their clients' businesses and the type of customers they seek. They must put their talents to work in setting the image starting with the reception areas and continuing through to the personnel workspaces, conference rooms, and common areas - the entire office interior.

Taking a phrase from the garment trade, today's reception areas and offices are made to measure, not off the rack, says Bassil. Modular office furniture systems such as those offered by MAiSPACE support this concept by offering a complete range of options that can be tailored to the correct company image. Moreover, he says, our modern manufacturing techniques make it possible for high-priced law firms and budget-conscious health clinics alike to have superbly designed, image supporting interiors at surprisingly affordable prices.

Freedom of Choice

Professional office interior designers have never had such a broad choice of colors, textures and finishes from which to craft tailor-made reception areas for their clients, and at price points averaging 40% below those quoted by some of the country's oldest names in the contract furniture industry, Bassil says. Lower prices do not mean lower quality, as MAiSPACE products, from basic structural elements through PVC and laminate wood-tone surfaces and panels come with a full lifetime guarantee and warranty against obsolescence.

Taking wood as an example, Bassil notes, interior designers are thrilled at the potential of Roundabout, MAiSPACE's elegantly designed modular wood office furniture with its softer, gentler, and ergonomic form. Roundabout comes in eight beautiful finishes: Antique White, Black, Fashion Grey, Ibis, Kensington Maple, Pepperdust, Wild Cherry White, and Windsor Mahogany. Roundabout provides comfort and functionality along with aesthetics and style, he comments.

Reception area counter fronts, work surfaces and floor-to-ceiling walls can likewise be offered in laminated or PVC-protected wood finishes or in a variety of fabrics in several grades, stainless steel or painted metal in line with the image designers' clients wish to project. MAiSPACE stackable panels are available in these options as well as clear, striped, frosted or patterned glass to combine privacy with style. Personnel staffing the reception area are connected to company representatives and management via the MAiSPACE patented plug-and-play voice, data and electrical cabling system.

Making Guests Feel Welcome

In addition to projecting the desired company image, reception areas should be designed to make guests feel welcome and comfortable. Seating, tables and lighting along with decorative touches such as artwork and plants combine to send the message ‘welcome, we are glad you are here', Bassil says. An extra touch, well within reasonable costs, is providing work areas where clients can connect to the Internet while waiting for their appointment. Because MAiSPACE enables fully finished offices at $12 - $15 per square foot installed, this is a gesture well worth considering by companies with a strong interest in building and maintaining client loyalty.

The welcoming ambiance must continue through to the purpose of the visit, whether it is in a private conference room or a one-on-one meeting, This is where the MAiSPACE modular office system excels, Bassil comments. The off-module design stackable panel system allows virtually unlimited office configuration. To help ensure privacy MAiSPACE full wall offices provide a sound transmission coefficient of 39, one of the best in the modular furniture industry. Acoustical glass panels and sealed doorframes further ensure privacy.
MAiSPACE.com will help business owners and operators make smart choices in Office Cubicle Systems and Office Furniture for their offices and selecting the right Made to Measure Reception Areas at Off the Rack Prices.