Often in life it’s the little things that can make the biggest difference. As we enter the season of higher church attendance, be sure these little things don’t ruin the experience at your facility.
Often in life it is the little things that make the biggest difference.
As related to a facility this can be so true! Listed below are somethings that I have experienced that have made my visit somewhere less than pleasant.
While none of the items are cardinal sins they did make an impression, not a good one on me.
Dirty bathrooms
Okay I said that none of these were cardinal sins. Yes, that is true but in my opinion dirty bathrooms come awful close.
I have written about and often talk about the need for bathroom ambassadors. It really is not that difficult to keep bathrooms clean and presentable. Someone just has to care enough to make sure it gets done!
Strange odor/aroma
I am sure Proctor and Gamble, the makers of Febreze could do well if they marketed to churches. I have run into or should I say experienced the strangest odors at some of the churches I have visited. The scents have ranged from enticing but poorly timed to just plain disgusting.
The enticing, the smell of a chicken dinner being prepared in the kitchen during the message had me so hungry that I couldn’t wait for the service to be over as I was literally drooling. The bad, the smell of raw sewage in a bathroom where the floor looked like the drain had been backed up for weeks and the crusty state of the floor was giving evidence that it had just dried up.
Now if the sermon had been on the satisfying taste of good food and how God provides and blesses us with good things, the chicken dinner smell could have been a great illustration! Provided that we would get to partake of it after the service.
Inappropriate or outdated décor.
Through the years I have seen my share of well shall we say it, bizarre décor or too old to be retro finishing’s. I know that interior design is a form of art and also very subjective.
So yes our tastes can differ, but I will say that when done well and appropriate there is a wide range of acceptable interior designs. One strange case that I experienced recently was not even church related.
A new restaurant that opened in our town I am sure took its decorating and design cues from the Apple Store. Yes, white, clean, really clinical looking works great for the Apple Store, I will attest to the fact that it does not work that well for a restaurant. There is something unsettling eating food in a place that is lit up and feels like a surgical room.
Crappy coffee…area
Like the bathroom, this example really bothers me. Why can’t someone be the coffee ambassador and simply make sure the counters are wiped clean of coffee drips and spills? It’s also important to make sure the cream and sugar containers are filled. Also, while they are at it, could the outside of the coffee pot and handle be clean and dry?
One more thing, not facility related, why does church coffee also have to taste so crappy? There are plenty of hearty coffee roasts to choose from. Why not make your morning cup-of-joe one that’s eagerly anticipated?
Bad signage
Why is signage so difficult? Just put it in a visible area, keep it simple and use common names for things.
When we use names like narthex, gathering area, the commons… how is someone not familiar with church supposed to know what that is? Why not just call it the Lobby? The Sanctuary? The Gym?
KEEP IT SIMPLE…I suppose one good thing about bad signage is I may not be able to locate the bathrooms, which could save me from a potentially stomach-turning experience.
As I said at the start, it’s the little things that make a big difference.
Plus, in this case the little things come with a little price tag. It doesn’t cost anything additional to keep the bathroom tidy, keep the coffee area clean or freshen up the smell. Additionally, décor updates and signage can be done well on a very modest budget.
As we enter the season of higher church attendance, be sure these little things don’t ruin the experience at your facility.
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