My office typically offers a client a bottle of water at the beginning of a meeting. Making the client comfortable and appearing to care for their wellbeing are important qualities we are trying to convey, but how can we go further?
What do your firms offer clients, or potential clients as they walk in? How do you, or DO you push subliminal ideas on your clients with what you offer them as they walk in?
Anyone offering me bottled water to become their client will be blacklisted, anyone wanting bottled water in order for them to be my client will be blacklisted too.
We have a test we apply to prospective clients. If we go to see them for an initial meeting, and they don’t offer us, at minimum, water or coffee, they will very likely be bad clients. It’s common courtesy.
We have them wait in our lobby, which has a coffee table featuring books and magazines containing our work. There's a screen on the wall that continuously shows photos of our projects. It's a nice lobby, with nice finishes, with furniture and reception desk designed by us. None of that is very subliminal. It's pretty blatant.
I don't think we'd be sending a good message about our greenness if we offered bottled water. Generally our receptionist asks if they'd like water, coffee, tea, etc. If it's late in the day we usually offer wine or beer. At this time of year we get a zillion baskets of cookies and such from consultants, so they'd be offered whatever is in our kitchen today too.
We do mostly commercial work, so there aren't that many clients who bring kids, but when that occasionally happens we have an area with legos, crayons, and a computer with games, to keep the kids busy.
Anyone offering me bottled water to become their client will be blacklisted, anyone wanting bottled water in order for them to be my client will be blacklisted too.
We have a test we apply to prospective clients. If we go to see them for an initial meeting, and they don’t offer us, at minimum, water or coffee, they will very likely be bad clients. It’s common courtesy.
Have a spring water dispenser for chilled water, a hot dispenser for tea, and Keurig for coffee. Assortment of mugs, no disposables. Bottled water would get you put in environmentally irresponsible camp here. Nobody drinks the coffee, a few take tea, a lot of people carry their own water bottle and refill it.
Dec 27, 17 4:17 pm ·
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citizen
I get this, but how far to take it? The k-cups are plastic, too, the heat for tea takes energy we'll never recover, the mugs take heat and water to wash, not to mention dish soap. How much environmental irresponsibility should we tolerate?
(I'm being rhetorical here... I understand the larger point, but bristle when good/bad labels are applied to something that's actually on a scale.)
Dec 28, 17 12:00 pm ·
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Wilma Buttfit
I think its all local rhetoric/perception. Notice no one uses the k-cups because they are a no-no. The tea is hip, has an emotional aspect to it. But yes, the hot water on demand does cost energy.
Dec 29, 17 12:32 am ·
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citizen
Good point. Local custom and perception (and rhetoric and fashion) factor bigly into so many things.
Dec 29, 17 12:37 pm ·
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A client walks in - "Would you like a bottle of water?"
Hey all,
My office typically offers a client a bottle of water at the beginning of a meeting. Making the client comfortable and appearing to care for their wellbeing are important qualities we are trying to convey, but how can we go further?
What do your firms offer clients, or potential clients as they walk in? How do you, or DO you push subliminal ideas on your clients with what you offer them as they walk in?
Thanks all. Have a great Christmas.
3 Featured Comments
Anyone offering me bottled water to become their client will be blacklisted, anyone wanting bottled water in order for them to be my client will be blacklisted too.
Good point. Local custom and perception (and rhetoric and fashion) factor bigly into so many things.
All 9 Comments
Pay or validate their parking.
Subliminal ideas?
We have them wait in our lobby, which has a coffee table featuring books and magazines containing our work. There's a screen on the wall that continuously shows photos of our projects. It's a nice lobby, with nice finishes, with furniture and reception desk designed by us. None of that is very subliminal. It's pretty blatant.
I don't think we'd be sending a good message about our greenness if we offered bottled water. Generally our receptionist asks if they'd like water, coffee, tea, etc. If it's late in the day we usually offer wine or beer. At this time of year we get a zillion baskets of cookies and such from consultants, so they'd be offered whatever is in our kitchen today too.
We do mostly commercial work, so there aren't that many clients who bring kids, but when that occasionally happens we have an area with legos, crayons, and a computer with games, to keep the kids busy.
"A meeting will be scheduled as soon as you pass a full background check."
We have a beer tap in the reception desk. I'm not kidding.
Edit to add: our exceptionally well-designed and sexy reception desk.
I'm passing this suggestion to the office manager, but it may be too late to incorporate into the new office space.
hoo...never mind..
Anyone offering me bottled water to become their client will be blacklisted, anyone wanting bottled water in order for them to be my client will be blacklisted too.
even in flint, michigan?
Especially in Flint.
Have a spring water dispenser for chilled water, a hot dispenser for tea, and Keurig for coffee. Assortment of mugs, no disposables. Bottled water would get you put in environmentally irresponsible camp here. Nobody drinks the coffee, a few take tea, a lot of people carry their own water bottle and refill it.
I get this, but how far to take it? The k-cups are plastic, too, the heat for tea takes energy we'll never recover, the mugs take heat and water to wash, not to mention dish soap. How much environmental irresponsibility should we tolerate?
(I'm being rhetorical here... I understand the larger point, but bristle when good/bad labels are applied to something that's actually on a scale.)
I think its all local rhetoric/perception. Notice no one uses the k-cups because they are a no-no. The tea is hip, has an emotional aspect to it. But yes, the hot water on demand does cost energy.
Good point. Local custom and perception (and rhetoric and fashion) factor bigly into so many things.
Block this user
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