Provide | Resources: How to create a welcoming office environment

“Look good, feel good … If your office looks innovative, smart, and professional, your work will follow.”

As he embarks on his office renovation, we sat down with Dr. Benjamin Taylor, DMD, owner of Dunwoody Dental Care, to get his expert advice on creating an office atmosphere that leads to customer satisfaction and retention.

Did you leverage customer feedback and/or expert insights when planning your renovation?

Dr. Taylor: Absolutely. I looked at Google reviews and had honest in-person conversations with my patients. The reviews and conversations were enlightening, as they taught me what customers care about and what they don’t even notice. What it really comes down to is pricing and quality of service. Business owners exploring renovations should consider that their customers may associate a fancy new office with increased service costs, and they should seek to strike that balance of modern and innovative without being too flashy.

I also consulted with a few space designers when the makeover process became a bit overwhelming. My office was stuck in the 90s, with old carpet and brown wood design. I wanted to bring it up a few decades with modern flooring, energetic artwork, and colors representative of our brand. Your space should reflect the quality of work you produce.

Was there one feeling you wanted your renovation to communicate that you homed in on?

Dr. Taylor: Yes — comfort. Depending on the industry, new customers can experience fear or anxiety when choosing a new small business to work with, and this is most certainly the case in dentistry. Therefore, a major priority in my dental office renovation has been to create comfort. This can be achieved with materials, colors, and artwork that alleviate anxiety. Comfortable furniture, cozy spaces, and textures allowing a patient to relax in the environment are key. We play music throughout the office to drown out the buzz and whir of instruments, which are notoriously off-putting to patients. Candles and diffusers can also block out harsh chemical smells many people associate with a dental office. All senses should be considered, including sound and smell.

How frequently should business owners evaluate their office space and potentially make improvements?

Dr. Taylor: I believe every 15 years is a good cadence for evaluating your space and identifying areas that can be improved. This will help owners set themselves up for success if and when they decide to sell and/or retire. At that time, the space should be at least a decade or two relevant. I would not want to purchase an office that would require a ton of money to overhaul, especially if it does not have cash flow. A big consideration should be the tech and equipment — as someone who has had to overhaul nearly $200,000 worth of dental equipment in his first 2 1/2 years of ownership, believe me when I say there are other things on which owners would prefer to spend their money. The more up-to-date your office, especially the tech and equipment, the better (and more attractive it will be to prospective buyers).

How did you determine the budget for your office renovation?

Dr. Taylor: All in, I set aside 10% of my annual collections for this major overhaul, and I think that’s a good place to start for any business owner. When it came to prioritizing how to use that budget, I evaluated what changes would have the most impact and married those with what would also give me the most bang for my buck. For example, new flooring, paint, artwork, and furniture have huge square footage appeal and can dramatically change a space on their own.

So that I’m not paying a large lump sum all at once, I broke my renovation down into different phases. This also allows us to continue to do business during the project. Owners of businesses that are open five days a week should seek contractors who work on the weekends. There are also nuances to consider, such as paint taking many days to dry, which can affect your team working in the office. It’s certainly a dance that requires significant strategic planning.

Any final words of wisdom?

Dr. Taylor: Look good, feel good. The saying applies just as much here as when you’re dressing up for an event. If your office looks innovative, smart, and professional, your work will follow. And if your office reflects your brand, your customers will feel it. For example, I want my dental office to appear clean but not sterile. Hospitals feel sterile. I want to feel warmer than a hospital while conveying that health and safety are prioritized in our space. Customers should remain at the center of any renovation, and everything I’m pursuing with this project is in the name of patient and staff attraction and retention.