I just love conference rooms. These rooms have such power in them and strengthen the attendees with a sense that “I am safe to share my ideas in private, with people who want to be here.” Then there are times I enter one, and I see all the possibilities of a space that could host greatness.

To transform your room into conference room greatness, ask yourself these questions:

Can I focus in this room? If there is echo and reverberation, it’s just annoying to hear your own voice bounce around in the room, not to mention road noise or conversations from the adjacent areas. Real life story: I was asked to upgrade the audio video system in a meeting room. I sat down at the conference room table to discuss the options then the unthinkable happened — “FLUSH, gurgle, gurgle” came from on the other side of the wall. The customer looked at me, embarrassed to admit that the bathroom is on the other side. Needless to say, I moved on with our conversation for I could not find a way to transition gracefully.

Don’t let this happen to you. Plan your space with acoustic design in mind. And if you think you are too late, then seek the council of an acoustical designer to discuss sound barrier, silencer and panels. A well-designed conference room gives you the ability to keep inside information inside and unwanted sound out. This helps everyone relax and listen to each other.

Is my conference room well-equipped? Ask yourself these following questions:

Does my conference room enable people to enjoy face-to-face interactions? These interactions are essential in fostering quality connections between remote and onsite employees. To learn more, revisit our blog post, “Use Video Conferencing to Keep Your Company Connected.”

Is my conference room a go-to zone for teams and departments working on various projects? The goals are to help them conduct quick status reports, share updates and set weekly benchmarks before heading back to their workspace to take care of business.

Does my conference room make a great impression? “Like a custom suit, a conference room instantly conveys to clients, prospects and visitors your organization’s personality, level of success, attention to detail and relevancy in the modern world.”

Does my conference room have instant access to tools? Having an InstaShow for sending your content up on the large display is ideal. Other great tools are Apple TV, Chromecast and and enterprise solution like VIA-Connect Pro.

Is my conference room amazing? Now really, it is just a room. And the words “conference room” have been a symbol of boring and unnecessary since Rework was published. But you can make it amazing by purposing to do so. Establish the room as the think tank, welcoming all thoughts and ideas. Every great meeting has on its agenda the goal of coming to a decision about what actions people in the company should take next. From choosing to go in a new direction, to beginning or ending a relationship with a client or vendor, to setting budgets, selecting teams, and more, the majority of decisions that are made in a company are made inside the four walls of a conference room. In short, the sacred ground of your company conference room is where decisions are made and problems are solved.

Interested in transforming your conference room? Let’s connect!

Pursuing greatness with you,

Tony, the AV guy