Why the only place you should hold a meeting is in a meeting room
Do you often hold meetings in non-business spaces, such as in coffee shops or perhaps even in your own home? If so, have you thought about the impression you make on clients when holding an improvised and disorganised meeting?
In fact, there are many problems with holding meetings in spaces that aren’t really designed for doing business. Here are just a handful:
- Noise and interruptions. By sharing a space with lots of people who aren’t in your meeting, you also share their noise. Coffee shops, in particular, can be incredibly noisy. The last thing you want is to be shouting over the noise of coffee machines or having someone else’s conversation intrude on an important discussion. If you hold your meeting at home, you also risk a neighbour, the postman or the telephone interrupting proceedings.
- Lack of privacy and security. Not only is it highly unprofessional to discuss sensitive and confidential topics in public places, but the security of your and your clients’ belongings is also under threat. If you want to get up for a coffee or to use the facilities, you’ll have to take everything with you, or risk it being stolen. This is inconvenient and impractical.
- No space for delegates. In a dedicated meeting room, your meeting delegates have the space for all their own equipment and to make their own notes.
- Sharing screens. In a meeting room, you can make use of a projector or a large screen, so that everyone can comfortably see the presentation. However, squashed around your kitchen table, you’ll all have to share one or two computer screens. Needless to say, this isn’t an efficient or professional way of conducting a meeting.
- Comfort. People like to have their own space in a meeting, which you simply don’t get in a crowded coffee shop. You need the right equipment, comfortable seating and adequate facilities (i.e. refreshments, toilets) – these are just a handful of the things to look for when choosing a meeting space.
Lastly, but just as importantly, it makes a very poor impression on clients and prospects if you hold your meetings anywhere but a dedicated meeting space. It can give the wrong impression, whether that comes across as not being able to afford a meeting space or not caring about professionalism.
Where is the best place to hold a meeting?
You might think that you’re saving money by using coffee shops, cafes and your own living room for meetings, but you could actually be damaging your business in the long term. These spaces aren’t practical for meetings, they do nothing to impress delegates, and they can pose more problems than they solve.
A dedicated meeting room, on the other hand, can meet all of your needs. It comes equipped with everything you need for a professional business meeting. At WorkWell, refreshments are free when you book a meeting room, and projection equipment is provided so there’s no need to share tiny screens.
Delegates can spread out and take their own notes on a large table of the right height for working, and they have proper chairs to sit in – rather than the stools, sofas and benches you find in non-business spaces.
Power is often a problem when holding impromptu meetings in unsuitable spaces, with delegates having to fight over one power socket (if there is one in the first place). This isn’t a problem in a dedicated meeting room, which comes equipped with all the power solutions you could ask for.
Tips for choosing the perfect meeting room
- Establish the right type of meeting for you: Business needs will vary for many businesses, so outline whether you need a physical space with capacity for people to join, or you need a space set up with conferencing capabilities.
- The size of the space you need: You need to know how many attendees you’ll have so you can acquire a space that accommodates them.
- The Location: Check you’re in a good location for commuting, which is well-connected to public transport, and has plenty of parking for those driving.
- Comfort: Finding a comfortable space is equally important as having a space that can accommodate technological and capacity needs.
Download our handy meeting room checklist before booking, and subscribe to the WorkWell blog for more tips and advice about finding the ideal meeting room for your needs.