Hybrid working is here to stay. As a byproduct of this way of working, the nature of meeting room scheduling software and desk booking software solutions has changed.
In the not-so-distant past companies could manage with a simple meeting room and desk booking system which offered a relatively simple and straightforward set of features.
Now, organizations are investing more time and money in creating a great employee experience whether that is in the area of seating allocation or the meeting experience. A greater emphasis is being placed on how employees interact with their office environment.
Let’s explore what a meeting room and desk booking solution, such as Rendezvous Workspace, can offer for today’s efficient hybrid workplace and peek into how upcoming AI-based features are going to drive even greater efficiency.
How Rendezvous automates the room and desk booking process
The modern office is an increasingly sophisticated environment. A simple meeting room scheduler will no longer suffice in increasingly technologically-driven meeting spaces – leaders are looking for a holistic solution which can connect all their technology such as video conferencing and digital signage.
Rendezvous Workspace has been developed around an open API architecture so that it can easily integrate with a number of key workplace technology platforms.
Rendezvous Workspace drives efficiencies in a number of ways:
Outlook integration
Rendezvous Workspace is fully integrated with Outlook Exchange/365. Once a meeting is entered into the system then it automatically populates all attendees’ diaries. Any changes to the meeting are also automatically updated in Outlook. Similarly, all desk bookings are entered automatically into the employee’s Outlook diary.
For staff who “live” in Outlook, the integration is two-way. Meetings can be organized straight out of Outlook with meeting details integrated straight into Rendezvous – no danger of double booking ever! Just select the attendees and the room and fire off an invite – it is that easy. What’s more, it also notifies service providers of any catering or AV requirements.
Mobile-first approach
Today’s hybrid workers are no longer tethered to a desk. Rendezvous Workspace’s mobile apps make it easy for staff to book rooms, desks, resources and AV/catering in one simple process. Floorplan booking and find a colleague features empower collaborative working and make planning a productive day in the office a breeze.
Sensor technology
Ideal for organizations with a large desk estate, the Rendezvous occupancy sensor technology offers the easiest possible seating solution for hot desking.
Simply put, the staff member walks up to a digital signage display, finds a vacant desk on the screen, walks up to the desk and sits down. The occupancy sensor will detect the person and check them in. To check out, they simply leave. It is so easy and is ideal in an office where desk supply closely matches or outstrips demand.
In addition, the occupancy sensors can also form an integrated part of the meeting room scheduling software offering an additional layer of utilization and occupancy data.
Thanks to the occupancy sensors, real estate leaders can make informed decisions on space reconfiguration based on accurate historical usage data while also providing an efficient hot desking software solution.
Digital signage integration
Rendezvous Workspace integrates with all the leading digital signage and room panel solution providers.
This seamless integration means that attendees and visitors will see key meeting information displayed in real-time on the digital signage – it offers a great professional and welcoming experience for everyone. Simple color-coding on the panel – red for occupied and green for unoccupied – enables staff to see from a distance what the occupancy status of the room is. Useful information as, in addition, if a room is vacant then staff can book it out straight from the panel.
In-room panel integration enables staff a number of options including the ability to book vended services (AV and catering), extend meeting times and even start Teams meetings – all straight from the panel.
Desk panel integration
Many of our clients are now using desk panels. Thanks to tight integration with Rendezvous Workspace, clients can create a wonderful and touch-free desk check in/out process.
Thanks to color-coding, staff can see at a glance whether their booked desk is free or not. Check in to the desk can be via RFID or QR code or simply in-app. To check out they simply need to reverse the process.
Visitor management
Rendezvous Workspace meeting room booking software integrates with visitor management software to create a wonderfully welcoming experience for your external guests.
Guests are emailed a QR code which they can then use to check in on the day of the meeting – saving them and the reception team time. Guests get a professional and slick experience, and the reception team can spend time providing a warm welcome.
Reverse hoteling
A novel feature of the Rendezvous Workspace hot desk booking software is the reverse hoteling feature. Where desk space is at a premium this can be a money and time saver.
Thanks to this feature, organizations can temporarily convert permanent desk space into a hot desk. For example, when a staff member goes on vacation then their corner office can be converted to hot desk space which can be booked by anyone via the desk booking software. Once the staff member returns, the space is automatically removed from the desk booking pool.
The reverse hoteling feature ensures that you get the ultimate space utilization.
Reduced No Shows
Plans change and particularly with hybrid working there is a greater feeling of uncertainty. Thanks to Rendezvous Workspace’s powerful business rules engine, ghost bookings and no-shows have become a thing of the past.
With an appropriate business rule in place, a vacant room or desk can be auto released, say, within 15 minutes of a no-show to someone who needs it.
AI – driving even greater efficiency
Rendezvous Workspace is designed to make hybrid working easier while automating and streamlining processes Much like AI. Combining Rendezvous Workspace and AI solves a number of challenges:
Rendezvous Workspace is evolving in the next few months to include a helpful and powerful embedded AI assistant. The integration of AI into workspace management has unlocked a plethora of benefits that address the shortcomings of traditional scheduling methods. AI-powered automation provides businesses with advanced tools and capabilities to create a dynamic, efficient, and adaptive workspace environment:
Intelligent Scheduling
AI algorithms can analyze historical data, employee preferences, and usage patterns to create optimized schedules. By considering factors such as meeting durations, attendee preferences, and room specifications, AI can minimize scheduling conflicts and maximize room occupancy.
Real-Time Updates
AI-driven scheduling systems offer real-time updates on room availability, helping employees quickly locate and book available spaces. This feature reduces the likelihood of impromptu meetings disrupting pre-existing schedules.
New innovations in Rendezvous Workspace include the ability to warn staff that all meeting rooms are booked, and they need to conduct meetings online only.
Resource Optimization
AI algorithms can identify underutilized spaces and recommend changes that maximize resource allocation. For instance, if certain meeting rooms are consistently vacant during certain hours, the system can suggest converting them into collaboration spaces or allocating them for focused work.
Adaptability and Flexibility
In a dynamic business environment, plans can change rapidly. AI-powered scheduling systems can easily accommodate last-minute changes and cancellations, automatically adjusting schedules and notifying relevant parties.
Data-Driven Insights
AI analytics can provide valuable insights into workspace utilization trends. Businesses can leverage this data to make informed decisions about office layout, expansion, and resource allocation.
Complex data from the occupancy sensors, the room scheduling system and desk booking software can be interrogated in seconds using the embedded AI to answer important questions about occupancy and utilization. The Ai assistant will then create a beautiful dashboard – again in seconds.
Your User-Friendly Assistant
Our AI-driven workspace management platforms will offer an even more intuitive user interface. Employees can effortlessly browse room availability, book spaces, and manage their schedules without the need for extensive training.
Conclusion
AI is set to become integral to most aspects of modern office life including empowering hybrid working.
With the new features planned in the Rendezvous desk booking software and meeting room scheduling software, the process of booking desks and rooms can be largely automated while using AI to create the best possible employee experience.
Business leaders get more actionable insights with the added benefit of being able to analyze these data points at scale – again to drive the best possible employee experience.
AI is an exciting development, and we envisage it becoming a great tool for positive change – saving employees a great deal of time while driving continuous improvement in the workplace.
