Think about the areas of your automotive business; each serves a different function. Some are guest centered, some are heavy traffic and others are work areas. It only makes sense that there are specific floor mats to help elevate brand image, contain dirt and provide safety for each of those spaces.
To help you determine a plan for your floor mats, take a look at our front door to shop floor map. This layout gives you a good idea of which mats work in which areas.
We’ll walk through some of the common parts of an automotive facility and take a deeper dive into specialty mats and their benefits.
Let’s start outside. Nobody wants dirt, dust, snow or leaves to find their way into your front door. Place rubber Scraper Mats right outside your entrances to trap soils below the surface. These mats lay flat and stay in place, reducing trips. They help present a clean and inviting first impression.
Work your way indoors and greet your guests with a Custom Logo Mat. The perfect combination of style and function, a logo mat pulls double duty. You can showcase your company’s logo while controlling dust and dirt from messing up the floors. This mat also holds up to a gallon of water. Guests and employees are less likely to slip on a slick floor if there is a proper mat to wipe their shoes on.
If you have a front desk area, reception staff will appreciate an Anti-Fatigue Mat. The average worker loses 25% of their productivity when standing on hard surface flooring. The raised surface of these mats helps prevent leg fatigue and back ache. It also has a non-skid surface.
Next up are the sales and showroom areas. These high traffic spaces are ideal for Logo Mats and Pattern Mats. You want your products to be the stars so don’t let dirt and debris distract guests. Logo mats will reinforce your brand identity, and pattern mats will provide an updated, professional look.
Service areas are typically where the action is (i.e., grease, oil, dust, dirt and metal shavings). Contain the liquids at service bays with a Kitchen Mat. Don’t let the name fool you – this mat isn’t just for restaurants. It has flow-through capabilities to capture moisture and reduce possible slips and falls. Anti-Fatigue Mats can also help employees take the pressure off their feet and backs if they are standing over vehicles for an extended length of time.
Now let’s move to the employee break room. There are mats specifically designed for this area. Since staff spends a fair amount of time in the break room, it’s a great place to highlight a workplace safety message printed on a Safety Mat. If you have a coffee or water station in this area, a Coffee Mat will keep floors dry and stain free.
Classic Mats can be used throughout your business where you want to reduce dirt, such as hallways and waiting areas. They stand up to high traffic and come in several sizes and colours to coordinate with your décor. You may want to position one inside the doorway. When a Classic Mat is paired with a Scraper Mat, the combination picks up 85% of dust and dirt.
Now that you’ve visualized your facility and determined where your mat needs are, consider the upkeep. The most efficient approach is to rent your floor mats from a vendor who can offer a comprehensive program. Instead of paying a large fee upfront for several mats, you invest one small rental amount per delivery. This service also means that your mats always look fresh because they are thoroughly washed, not just vacuumed. And when a mat has seen better days, it is replaced at no charge. You don’t have to take time out of your busy schedule to buy and transport a new mat.
Inside or outside, the right mats trap dirt, dust and water to lower overall maintenance costs. They also help ensure customer and employee safety. With so many choices, it pays to be strategic in your floor mat program.