Raising the Bar in Customer Experience: The Value in a Design

A “good design” is multifaceted from a business perspective. It can refer to your product design, website design, or company brand. But from a restaurant / bar’s point of view, a good overall design is dependent on the interior design. Developing a concept for your restaurant’s bar goes beyond furnishing your layout with decorative restaurant bar stools and bar height tables.

You are not just designing your interior but your business as well. A good interior bar design directly reflects on your business. As such, having an impressive interior for your bar can go a long way in portraying your business as a professional brand. This professionalism can help you draw in customers which will reflect financially in your bottom line!

A great bar concept and design facilitates in employee retention and improves efficiencies. Employees are one of the biggest costs to any company, especially to a bar or a restaurant. A good interior restaurant/bar design is developed around people, be it staff or customers, their needs and wants. Having a supportive, innovative and inspirational bar interior helps you create not only a fantastic place for customers to enjoy a few drinks but also one that motivates staff regularly.

A good bar design also influences how the business functions. An effective layout in any commercial setting can notably improve service as it allows staff to perform more efficiently. For example, the integration of a well-organized floor plan and restaurant concept into your space can maximize workflow and reduce stress.

If you truly want to give your customers a positive and memorable experience at your bar, the interior design of your space should reflect your brand, service, or product. Consistency is extremely important. Think about first impressions. First impressions count and one of the first aspects of your bar which customers will notice – and ultimately judge you on – is the interior design of your space which they just walked into. If it’s drab or not up to date, it won’t set your business off in a good stead. A poorly designed entrance area can feel unwelcoming and disorienting. At the very most, a dull interior isn’t likely going to make customers feel inspired and motivated. Similarly, if your bar serves exciting concoctions and exotic cocktails, your bar interior should mirror this level of excitement! Interior design in any commercial space, but especially at a bar, has a major impact on the ambiance of your premise. Ambience is everything when it comes to customer experience.

To gain a better understanding on how an interior design can help enhance (or diminish) customer experience, look at it from an outsider’s point of view. Decorate the bar entrance in a way that makes customers feel welcomed rather than just having them walk in the middle of the dining area. Provide some comfortable and stylish restaurant seating with bar stools or waiting benches if customers need to wait to be seated. It’s all about using your space to enhance their experience so make sure you are doing exactly that.

Restaurant seating also impacts customer experience in a variety of ways; not just in terms of aesthetics but also in comfort and functionality. The seating layout of your restaurant furniture can affect the interior design, overall feel and atmosphere of your business. Hence, you should consider the flow of your interior space and the experience your customers are going to have with it. Bars and other leisure facilities tend to focus on designing a more sociable space than other venues with vibrant shades and quirky restaurant bar stools paired with bar height restaurant tables. Think carefully about your brand and the target market to create a drinking environment that potential customers will expect and want from you.

A interior/exterior bar design says a lot about a business. It’s important that yours is sending the right message. Especially since customer experience is increasingly often becoming more important even than the products being offered (according to a recent study showing that 76% of adults in the UK value customer service above all else). This study alone demonstrates the significance of customer experience on people’s perceptions on the brand. A good customer experience can help your bar stand out from competition but is unfortunately overlooked by some businesses. There is always room for improvement when it comes to customer experience. If you are unsure how to adapt your bar design to your business to enhance it, we can help you draw an effective restaurant floor plan.

If foot traffic at your venue astronomically grows, it’s mostly due to a good bar design which has been associated with an increased turnover. A report on the value of an interior design was recently published in the UK, suggesting that every £100 a business spends on a design can increase turnover by £225. That unto itself showcases the fantastic benefits of investing in a good bar design. We at Affordable Seating are firm believers in spending money when and where it matters which is why we feel it is worth it for your business to invest in a good interior design and quality restaurant furniture by extension.

Trust is essential when it comes to brand loyalty and building solid customer relationships. Believe it or not, a well-designed interior space plays a significant role in this. Competition is fiercer than ever with an over-saturated market of brands around the globe. However, a good bar design is beneficial for increased trust among customers and this trust can place you ahead of your competitors. It makes a lot of sense when you really think about it. Customers trust a brand when it appears to be professional and expert. Conclusively, a bar design has the same affect. If you are looking to open a bar or expand your restaurant layout to include one, understanding the value of an interior design and the impact it has on customers experience is crucial. Depending on how big or small your space is, the concept must be consistent and easy for people to understand. In return, you will strengthen customer relationships, improve services, build trust and increase loyalty.