{"id":418,"date":"2012-05-22T03:00:56","date_gmt":"2012-05-22T03:00:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.eaglemat.com\/blog\/?p=418"},"modified":"2012-05-21T17:27:26","modified_gmt":"2012-05-21T17:27:26","slug":"matching-mats-with-brand-image","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.eaglemat.com\/blog\/matching-mats-with-brand-image\/","title":{"rendered":"Matching Mats with Brand Image"},"content":{"rendered":"

Using Entrance Mats That Promote Safety While Enhancing Brand Image<\/h2>\n

\"Matching<\/a>There\u2019s nothing worse than a pair of worn out, dangerously disheveled entrance mats<\/a> inside the doorway of a high-end electronics boutique.\u00a0 Unfortunately, a recent trip to Miami Beach landed a member of the Eagle Mat Blog\u2019s editorial team face-to-face with that very worst case scenario.\u00a0 Pictured at left are the entrance mats just inside a storefront on Lincoln Road, one of Miami Beach\u2019s premier attractions for tourists and residents alike.<\/p>\n

Lincoln Road<\/a> is said by many to be the \u201cRodeo Drive of Miami,\u201d a place where people watching and lazy-day 2-hour lunches mesh seamlessly. With a barrage of multi-million dollar condos on the West side, the Ritz Carlton South Beach on the East (ocean front) side, and a myriad of high-end designer boutiques lined all along the street in between, one is left with a very simple question:\u00a0 Why on earth are these entrance mats being used by a boutique on Lincoln Road?<\/p>\n

What follows is our editorial team\u2019s assessment of this problematic scenario, along with a few \u201cquick fixes\u201d aimed at improving safety while augmenting brand image.<\/p>\n

1. Mats do not appropriately accommodate for traffic.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The first glaring issue with the entrance mats being used by this retail outlet is that they are inappropriate given the steady streams of visitors this store undoubtedly receives.\u00a0 The store is located on Lincoln Road in Miami Beach, Florida.\u00a0 The busy closed-off street is trafficked by pedestrians only\u2014not vehicles\u2014and lined with high-end boutiques considered by many to be a premier destination for Miami tourists and residents alike.\u00a0 Further, it has been publicized that this particular chain of electronics outlets saw more visitors in 2010 than all Disney theme parks, combined<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Solution:\u00a0<\/strong> A recessed grill system<\/a> would be preferable for such a highly-trafficked retail outlet.\u00a0 These systems are available in a variety of heavy duty materials like steel and aluminum, and they are installed to lie flush within the floor to present a virtually nonexistent tripping hazard.<\/p>\n

2. Mats are not sufficient, given the tropical climate.<\/strong><\/p>\n

As we mentioned, this retail outlet is located in Miami, Florida.\u00a0 Miami has a naturally tropical climate that is known for abrupt and intense afternoon rainstorms in spring and summer months, often times followed by clear skies and sunshine.\u00a0 The concrete located just outside the entryway is smooth, painted, and sealed.\u00a0 This makes the surface incredibly slippery following rain spells, particularly those of the tropical nature that may be especially difficult for the storefront to control.<\/p>\n

Solution:<\/strong>\u00a0 First, the retail outlet may wish to place a set of Rubber Scraper Mats<\/a> just outside the entry to better manage rain water accumulation while giving visitors a place to \u201csqueegee\u201d their shoes dry.\u00a0 This may not be feasible given the high-profile nature of the shopping district, however, and the store may not be permitted to place mats outside the entryway.\u00a0 In this scenario, a recessed grill system is a superb option for the same reasons mentioned above.\u00a0 Alternatively, the use of larger Waterhog Mats<\/a> would suffice given their ability to retain up to a gallon or more of water, depending on size.<\/p>\n

3. Quality of matting does not mesh well with the store\u2019s \u201cbrand image.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

One does not need to know the name of the brand that calls this storefront home.\u00a0 The more important things to understand are:<\/p>\n