BEST IDEA CONTEST Stone World TN, Inc Bright Idea: Create a Client Lounge Peer to peer group

The problem: Clients would crowd our reception area while waiting on a representative. If more than two clients were here at a time, there was limited space to sit, and the noise of cross talking was deafening for our poor receptionist.   The Solution: Create a client lounge We decided that we needed to create a space that moved clients away from the front door and gave them a comfortable space to sit and chat while waiting on a representative. The idea was that clients should move through our showroom like counters move through the shop; there should be a designed flow to getting customers into and out of the office. The first step was to rearrange displays in the showroom to create more space for seating. We created four comfortable sitting areas. We added a refrigerator with sodas and water, a coffee station, and a flat screen television that plays a permanent loop video about Stone World and the stone purchasing process. All in, we spent around $2,000.00 for the seating, and other items. Execution: When a client walks in the front door, they enter a quiet clean space, and are greeted by a smiling receptionist who says, “hello, how may I help you today”? No matter what answer the client provides, the receptionist says, “if you would please follow me to our showroom, I will have someone assist you shortly”. The receptionist then points out the sitting areas, soda, water, and coffee, along with the video playing and lets the client know that she will let the appropriate representative know that the client is here and waiting. Peer to peer group

Results: What we have found is that we can have many clients in our building at once without there being competition for space or to be heard. We have had as many as five representatives with five groups of clients in the client lounge at once, and the scene was comfortable and quiet. Clients often will sit with their builders or designers, watching the video and drinking a cup of coffee while they wait for a representative. When the representative greets the client, they are greeted with a smile and usually a comment about how nice our showroom is and usually has questions about the video or samples they were able to view while they waited. Summary: While the scenario above may seem trivial to some shops, it has improved the client flow into and out of our offices in a very real and measurable way. Clients are happier, more comfortable, and thus likely to spend more of their hard-earned dollars at Stone World, while the reception area is clear and quiet and inviting to new clients who have just arrived. Peer to peer group