As the owner or manager of any establishment, you know the importance of creating a lasting first impression.  You also know the value of keeping your space clean and free from anything that could create a hazard to your clientele.  You’ve got plenty of safeguards in place to ensure your area is properly cleaned and maintained.  In addition to your cleaning service, you perform routine checks and sweeps to examine the condition of your property, repairing and adjusting anything that isn’t in fully operational condition.  You’ve also likely invested a good amount of money in developing your brand or look, and your store and storefront reflect those investments and create brand familiarity with your patrons.  However, there may be one thing you are overlooking that can save you effort, keep your space clean, and even add style to your space:  commercial entrance floor mats.  

At Ultimate Mats, we have been outfitting business and building owners alike with commercial entrance mats since 2005. There are anti-fatigue mats, rubber floor mats, door mats, heavy duty, outdoor entrance mats, the options are endless. It may seem as though selecting a commercial entrance mat would be relatively easy; find a mat supplier, order a mat.  However, not all mats are created equally.  For commercial purposes, as well as for home use, style and function must work congruently or the mat is ineffective.  This means your commercial entrance mat must be both visually appealing and functional.  Ultimate Mats has put together some guidelines to help you navigate your purchases of commercial entry mats, and also to educate you on their importance. 

Commercial Entrance Mats-Their Importance

Why are commercial floor mats so important?  Can’t I just make sure our floors are properly swept and mopped?  Isn’t it enough to place a wet floor sign if there is moisture present?  While you can and should do these things, using a commercial mat is a way to prevent you and your staff from having to double your efforts to keep these boxes checked.  Here are three reasons why commercial entrance mats are important.  

1. Safety.  A commercial entrance mat is designed to wipe and scrape debris, dirt, and water from the foot traffic that enters your space.  Any time dirt and debris enter your business’s floor space, you have a potential accident hazard, as there is a potential for a patron to slip, trip, fall, or otherwise injure themselves because of the walkway being compromised.  

Additionally, a commercial entrance mat will trap the vast majority of foot trafficked water before it ever hits your showroom floor.  While you would still want to place a wet floor sign as a precaution, the chance of water leaving a properly sized commercial entrance mat is rare if it is being used correctly.

1. Cleanliness.  You are already paying for a commercial cleaning team to service your facility, or you’re busy doing it yourself on your already tight schedule.  Either way, you’re investing time, energy, and money into the upkeep of your commercial space.  A commercial entrance mat can lengthen the life of your housekeeping by making sure dirt from foot traffic isn’t brought in and spread throughout your store.  Most business owners are amazed when they install a commercial entrance mat and are able to see the results in terms of amount of dirt and debris collected on the mat that would normally have gone into their buildings. 
2. Visual appeal.  You know all about visual appeal and the affect it has on your marketing and sales efforts.  The matting industry has always been a part of the design and décor team, but they have recently been promoted to the marketing team, with custom commercial entrance mats that are printed with your brand name, logo, and/or slogan.  There is no better way to create a lasting first impression than with a gorgeous, custom designed entrance mat.  Your patrons see this first and know that if you’ve put that much thought and attention to detail into your entrance mat, they can expect the same type of attention to detail and thought in their purchase and customer service experiences.   

Commercial Entrance Mats-Which Are the Best?

You now know the importance of commercial entrance mats, but how can you find the best for your needs?  At Ultimate Mats, we specialize in custom outfitting your space with a commercial entrance mat that is visually appealing, hard-working, and the perfect size and grade for your space.  Here is our list of must-have items in a commercial entrance mat.

• Durability.  No matter what, your commercial entrance mat has got to last and stand up to the amount of foot traffic it will see.  This doesn’t mean you have to spend a lot of money, it just means you have to find a mat that can handle the job.  Some of our favorite commercial entrance mats are made from polypropylene fiber which holds up better than nylon carpet fiber; a popular entrance mat material.
• Safety.  Your commercial entrance mat has got to be safe.  This means the mat itself cannot present a slip and fall hazard and the backing of the mat has got to grip the floor so that it doesn’t slip.  A great option is the WaterHog mat, which is available with two different options for backing.
• Visual Appeal.  Essentially, you want a workhorse of a mat without the appearance of one.  You can have your cake and eat it too with a beautiful commercial entrance mat from Ultimate Mats.  There’s no reason to sacrifice one for the other when considering style and function.  

Use of commercial entrance mats is one of the best ways to add visual appeal to your property.  It’s also a great time saver when considering the amount of dirt, debris, and excess water it can remove from your floor, preventing you and your staff from having to spend the time to clean up after foot traffic.  Commercial entrance mats are also visually appealing and can be a great marketing tool if you elect to purchase a fully customizable screen-printed logo mat with your company logo and/or slogan.  Your patrons will appreciate the importance you place on your business, and will have confidence that their interactions with you and your staff will be treated with equal meticulous attention to detail.