The Drinking Fountain–A Must!
January 21st, 2010
A lot of people invest in real estate and get involved in property management. There are many little things that a property management entity can do to set themselves apart from the competition when seeking tenants. Proper snow removal, clean and well maintained restrooms, and quality floor mats are some examples to consider. One of the most needed things is to plan for and provide at least one drinking fountain in the facility. This shows a level of care and attention that many places do not display anymore.
A drinking fountain evokes a lot of positive feelings for people. On a very basic level, it provides the most important necessity to our existence–water. When one enters a building, whether a tenant or not, there are not many more pleasant sites than to see one of these if you are thirsty. Especially on a hot day, this sends a message right away that says “We care.” Instead of what many places are doing with having water in bottles in a machine you have to pay for, the drinking fountain is a “blast from the past” when water was still free and almost all public and many private buildings had these on almost every floor.
Additionally, the drinking fountain can link individuals to past memories of school where there were and are plenty of these all over the place. One thinks back to childhood times when one gets a drink from a drinking fountain–at least I know I do. Also, many times people are awaiting a crucial interview or to attend an important meeting. Maybe they are not even thirsty but can get welcome nervous relief simply by taking a few seconds to calm themselves with a nice cool long drink of water.
Many property management places have moved away from the drinking fountain and this is a mistake. The benefits of having these installed far outweigh the costs of doing so. There are not many things left in our modern lives that are free. Water and air should always be amongst them, at least in many people’s opinion. The management company that pays attention to these “old fashioned” notions are the ones that stay on the cutting edge of the times.
Entry Filed under: Miscellaneous