The right reception desks for a warm welcome

Your reception desks are the first opportunity to make a good impression on new and returning customers. Together with the person sitting behind it, it is a crucial part of the office, essential for greeting and orienting customers, receiving deliveries and filtering unwanted visitors.

So what are the key features of an attractive, appropriate and functional reception desk? Does it need to be custom made? And why is it important to consider security features?

Getting the right unit

The key to choosing the right reception desk is to understand how it will be used, says Elaine Montgomery, director and administrator of Able Office Furniture. 

"Sometimes we actually go out to measure up and look at a premises, consider the room and make suggestions about how the unit could be used, the size and so on," says Elaine. "It's vital that a business gets the right unit."

Features to look for 

Like most other office furniture, desks for a reception are not just bits of attractive timber stuck together. They are a workstation, a cashier's desk, a meeting point and an administration centre. 

The practical features to consider include: 

• discrete space for computer, printer and cables
• lockable drawers for legal files or money
• drawers for smaller items like stationery
• space to add another receptionist
• ample space for customers to sign documents
• privacy for handling sensitive information
• choice of material - laminate, timber, glass.

Security considerations

According to Elaine, where reception staff are handling money, businesses commonly opt for a higher reception desk. "This stops people being able to grab the money off the desk or out of drawers," she says.

"If the desk is near a walkway, they might use an L-shaped desk, which goes right around the staff. That keeps people from seeing in and discourages them from reaching in.

"And if there are children, like in a doctor's surgery, they need to be kept out of places they shouldn't be."

Custom made

"Generally the larger the reception desk the more likely it is to be custom made," says Elaine. "Very rarely do we sell a reception desk wider than 2.1 metres - most businesses can usually find what they are looking for in a prefabricated unit."

Elaine suggests asking your office furniture retailer for a referral to a reputable shop fitout company who can manufacture a unit according to your specifications.

Look and feel

Businesses need to consider whether they want to put their logo on the front of the reception desk. "That needs to be factored into the buying decision, as does the unit colour, which should match the rest of the office," says Elaine.

The right reception desk

Striking a balance between functionality, size, colour and security is key to getting a great reception desk.

Ask an office furniture specialist today to help you indentify the right reception desks for your business.