If you're a restaurant owner, you're going to want to pay special attention today. The rest of you can just use your imagination and apply the same concepts to your own business. I will be getting to your field of business over the next couple of weeks.
As I stated last week, lighting, style, and color are just some of the things that can make an impression on your customers. It's not just about the service that your employees give (Even though that is a big part of it!!). These things contribute too. To the right is a popular Asian restaurant and its entrance into the space. The mood is immediately set through lighting and color. Your customers instantly feel calmer. You may also notice the blinds and how it darkens the space. This does two things. The first thing, is it attributes to is the lighting nuance as discussed. The second this this does is give your customers a sense of separation from the outside world. They are visiting for lunch or dinner, and it allows them to escape from where ever they just came from. When your trying to win your customers over, you don't want them to be thinking of the meeting they have to go to after lunch, or the chew out they just had from their boss. Setting that mental tone is key to first impressions. If you can't get into their head or emotions, their visit will be all but a blur to them. 
Too many times I have been in a fast food restaurant where there is a self serve soft drink bar, and it looks like it was half put together; The overflow drain is out in front for everyone to see, the cabinets and counter tops are chipped, and there is no room for multiple customers at one time. This picture doesn't show it, but the arrangement seen here, is mirrored on the opposite side. We humans are weird in that way. We want to be amongst a social gathering, but we don't want to be too close to people whee we are sharing the same 5'-0" radius circle with a complete stranger. The other thing this picture is showing is what is not in this picture. For example, the clean line where the floor meets the cabinets. There is no floor drain for customers to see. The stainless steel cabinets also set a tone. They are so stylish, that it's hard for anyone to imagine that there is storage behind those doors. Finally, using finishes that are tough to wear down in high traffic areas such as this, is essential for up-keep down the road. You don't want your customers to think you don't care about the place, because then they won't care enough to come back. 
It's all in the details!!! The beams in the ceiling didn't even have to be there, and why do you think that they chose a black drop down ceiling instead of a traditional white? As you look back to the first picture, and get the feel for the space, do you think that I white ceiling would have been complete for what was trying to be achieved? Making a first impression is an all or nothing thing. As a business owner, your constantly trying to sell yourself. You don't just make a partial impression. Either people like you or they don't. It would be silly to do bits and pieces of your business, because most likely your customers will notice the parts that you didn't pay attention to.Your business is a place where it is a chance to show your credibility. You want to be able to reach your customers on an emotional level, and first impressions are all based off of our emotions. If you want to have repeat customers, don't just leave it to your staff to have good customer service. Add to your customers experience to allow them to feel something different for that one hour that they are there. They will certainly come back.
