Your physical space is either reinforcing or undermining the client experience your business promises to deliver. Robin Pasley, NCIDQ-certified commercial interior designer and spatial branding strategist, explains how design elements — from wayfinding to ambiance — either communicate your values or contradict them. Business owners who align their commercial interior design with their customer experience strategy retain more clients, earn stronger referrals, and stand apart from every competitor in their market.
[Randi Lynn Johnson]: Robin, you mentioned customer service earlier, which I appreciate, because that actually segues into the next thing I want to talk about — customer experience as a competitive edge. With the dawn of the information age, it's brought this idea of new currency: the customer experience. How a customer feels during their interaction with your brand often holds more sway in their decision-making process than any other factor.
[Robin Pasley]: Oh, for sure.
[Randi Lynn Johnson]: Customer experience is what sets Chick-fil-A apart. I'm not going to name names — we know where you go in and nobody even greets you, you order, and you're done. And then you've got Chick-fil-A people offering more service: "Can I refresh your beverage?"
[Robin Pasley]: Little flowers on the table?
[Randi Lynn Johnson]: It's an experience. They really did get it. Chick-fil-A is a little pricier, but according to a study by American Express, customers are willing to spend 17% more on companies delivering excellent customer service. It just goes to show — people want to feel something.
[Robin Pasley]: It's totally true. I can't dictate how you're going to take care of people. But we work with great clients — people that are already doing great work. What we want to do is accentuate that in the space where they're doing the work. We want to make sure the space is saying the same thing their mission and vision says in the back room. "This is how we treat people" — we want the space to feel like that's exactly how clients are going to be treated.
[Randi Lynn Johnson]: So the investments in the comfort of seating, how people can move around in the space, the ambiance — you mentioned scent and sound — all of it. Is their space communicating what they value?
[Robin Pasley]: Absolutely.
[Randi Lynn Johnson]: Another point about customer experience is the idea of creating repeat customers. A study by Bain and Company indicated that a mere 5% increase in customer retention can boost profits by an astonishing 25 to 95%. The likelihood of selling to an existing happy customer is up to 14 times higher than the probability of selling to a new customer, according to Marketing Metrics.
[Robin Pasley]: Those are great stats for any business owner wanting to keep those they've already made happy.
[Randi Lynn Johnson]: Those of you listening might be asking yourself, "Randi Lynn, I thought we were talking about design and business — what does this have to do with customer experience?" And I'm so glad you asked. Robin, how do these two relate?
[Robin Pasley]: The really important part is: do they know who you are? Do they know why you do what you do? What sets you apart from your competitors? These are the questions we like to answer before we start designing. We want to create a design around your brand values — around your magic — and make you famous in the community for what you do. Let me circle back and touch a couple of notes I made. One: when people come into a new space, they're always a little nervous. They're not sure where to go, who they're supposed to see, what they're supposed to do. So having wayfinding, focal points, and clear direction is critical. It just makes people feel more comfortable. Two: most people are not the only ones in their field. You've got competitors. We want to help you design around what makes you great — what's the magic that makes you rise above — and make those things apparent to your clients the moment they walk in the door.
[Randi Lynn Johnson]: You want to help people be famous.
[Robin Pasley]: I do. I want to make my clients famous for what they do in their community. That's my favorite thing. I've gotten to work with some really great people and it's been so fun to watch them soar. I worked with a company that thought it would be five years before they'd expand to a second location — they were expanding in a year and a half. I don't put that entirely on my back, but I think I was part of the process. They have a great product, they have great customer service. And together we've grown. In fact, we now partner with that company every time they open a new location. They see us as part of their spatial branding package now.
[Randi Lynn Johnson]: As customers increasingly prioritize experience over products or services alone, businesses have to understand the impact their physical spaces have on creating that memorable client experience. Interior design elements — lighting, layout, and decor — can influence customer perception in profound ways. In an increasingly competitive market, using commercial interior design as a strategic growth tool can make all the difference — not just in surviving, but in thriving.
*Recorded in our studio at 616 N. Tejon St., Colorado Springs, Colorado, 80903
PASLEY COMMERCIAL INTERIORS is Colorado's trusted partner for growth-focused commercial interior design. As a woman-owned, NCIDQ-certified firm based in Colorado Springs, we blend spatial branding, client experience design, and turnkey interior solutions that help businesses make powerful first impressions and win their ideal clients. Our direct-to-manufacturer dealership simplifies the commercial furniture procurement process — reducing costs, cutting lead times, and delivering measurable ROI for every client. With deep expertise in workspace strategy, branded environment design, and commercial space planning, we transform business identities into client-converting spaces that inspire loyalty and drive revenue. From boutique and medical aesthetics buildouts to hospitality, multi-family, and franchise commercial projects, PASLEY COMMERCIAL INTERIORS delivers both impactful aesthetics and bottom-line results — because your space should work as hard as you do.
H.B. Pasley, Branding & Business Growth Advisor
616 N Tejon St
Colorado Springs, CO 80903
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