When a major global financial organization experienced an apparent shortfall in conference rooms for small meetings it used technology to investigate – and freed up an amazing 40% of blocked rooms.
The company found the problem was mostly being caused by inefficient booking practices, with solved it the help of sensors integrated with a conference room booking solution.
Effective meeting management has always been crucial for business success, but in today’s hybrid working world it’s more important than ever, helping workplace leaders make the most of real estate to create a positive employee and client experience.
Conference room booking software has emerged as a game-changer in this regard, streamlining the process of scheduling and managing meetings and creating a sense of autonomy among the employees who use it.
The benefits and features of conference room management software
No matter how large your estate is, or how worldwide, a conference booking system makes it easy to handle, because by bringing everything together in one platform it eliminates double booking. The system also enables employees to organize meetings with much-reduced admin even across different multiple locations and time zones.
The best conference room management systems, like Rendezvous by NFS, offer employees the opportunity to book meeting rooms and desks, and organize meetings, using an app on their mobile. It’s convenient and easy, and knowing space is already booked can take the stress out of making the commute to the office.
This is important for retention and recruitment, a recent study by Harvard Business Review showed. In one example, a Fortune 500 company gave IT employees control over when and where they did their work but still collaborated with their teammates to ensure needed coordination. The changes resulted in physical and mental health improvements for employees and reduced staff churn for the business.
Top-notch conference room management software integrates seamlessly with popular calendar systems such as Google Calendar and Microsoft Outlook so bookings are automatically entered into the calendar. This integration ensures temployees can view and manage their meetings within the tools they already use, enhancing their experience.
Every organization has unique meeting management needs. Good meeting room booking software offers customizable booking options, so users can specify parameters like meeting duration, room capacity and equipment requirements. This flexibility ensures that the software aligns with the specific requirements of your organization.
One of the criticisms sometimes thrown at hybrid working is that it makes employee engagement difficult. Having a hot desking and conference room management system boosts engagement by making it easy for people to be in the right place with the right people at the right time.
Rendezvous software, for example, provides a graphical floorplan and colleague search facility so workers can discover when and where their colleagues will be in the office. They can then book space near them so they can collaborate easily. Managers can also use the system to book joint space for their project teams.
Missed meetings can be a significant productivity drain. The conference room reservation system addresses this issue with automated reminders and updates sent to everyone involved in a meeting, reducing the likelihood of no-shows and improving overall attendance rates. This feature is especially valuable for organizations with a high volume of meetings.
It’s frustrating to turn up for a meeting and find essential equipment such VC is missing. Efficient resource allocation is also essential for cost control and optimization. Conference room management software provides comprehensive reporting features that enable organizations to track room utilization, analyze meeting patterns and make informed decisions about resource allocation.
To provide the best employee experience, a meeting room or hot desk booking system should integrate effortlessly with other technologies including sensors, meeting room and desk panels, and access systems that enable touch-free check in and out via QR codes for staff and visitors.
A well-controlled workplace is essential for the success of hybrid working, where the needs of the workforce may change from day to day. Having real-time space utilization data at their fingertips from a conference booking system helps workplace leaders reconfigure their real estate to suit evolving requirements without resorting to guesswork.
Success story: how an international law firm supports hybrid working with technology
Advice when choosing conference room software
There’s a genuine ROI to efficient meeting management – by optimizing the utilization of meeting spaces, reducing double bookings and streamlining administrative processes, a conference room booking solution contributes to significant cost savings. The software helps organizations make the most of their existing resources, eliminating the need for unnecessary expenditures on additional meeting spaces.
Crucially for today’s hybrid workplace, good meeting management pays off in staff wellbeing, happiness and productivity, resulting in improved talent retention and enhanced collaboration.
Luis De Souza, CEO of Rendezvous providers NFS Technology, says: “Workplace leaders have come to realize that employees are acting in similar ways to consumers these days. In other words, they are confident in their demands and require certain standards and facilities from their working environment.
“By deploying a powerful workspace management system, integrated with other technologies, managers can create a flexible, efficient and pleasant workplace that fulfils the needs of the employees and the organization.
“It’s essential that the technology you choose for your workplace is user-friendly, convenient to use and well-supported with training and good customer service. And always select a provider who works with you to understand exactly what you want the system to achieve – one size definitely does not fit all.”
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