If you're in the business of serving people, chances are you have to deal with customers and clients who sometimes have to bring their children with them. Doctors, dentists, therapists, lawyers, hairdressers, and even car dealers certainly have had appointments with clients who had their little toddlers tagging along.
It can be difficult, but most often your customers do so because they do not have any other option. And unless you're okay with bored kids endlessly interrupting a meeting or a sales opportunity, it would be a good idea to set a little corner of your office space as a waiting room for these little visitors. Such a simple gesture can mean a lot in keeping your clients coming back. When you go the extra mile to make their visit as hassle-free as possible, they will love coming to you instead of a competitor who has not done so.
Your waiting room does not have to be a grand entertainment center. A little nook with lots of activity stuff for the little kids would do the job. Fill it with blocks, beads, puzzles, educational mazes or wall activity panels for the little ones. You can have simple crossword puzzles or word search pages reproduced for the older ones, and good reading materials will likewise appeal to children of varying ages.
Your waiting area can be versatile yet compact, and they not only keep the kids busy while you meet with their parents. You also give them a reason for wanting to come back, and some have even encountered a welcome problem of getting the kids to leave! This is a good add-on especially when your clients are the children themselves. Imagine having children wanting to visit their doctor, dentist or hairdresser!
Happy customers will mean more clients and more revenue for you. Consider the idea seriously. It could take very little space in your office and a little or no investment on the entertainment materials, as you can ask relatives and friends to contribute things their own children might have outgrown. A little effort could go a long way by having a children's waiting room in your area of practice.
