Embarking on an upgrade programme of your existing meeting room estate can be daunting. We recently explored how to avoid the common mistakes (The five biggest meeting room AV integration mistakes and how to avoid them).

In recent years there has been a proliferation of technology aimed at the corporate market, some of which address the changing way we work (Five key changes to the way we work and what this means for your workplace), all of which claims to be easy to use, reliable, effective and destined to make your business more efficient.

While choice is a good thing, it can make decisions that bit harder.

However, asking yourself a few key questions can help to bring some clarity.

How is the room used?

This is the most important question to answer before any work is undertaken.

If the biggest issue currently is communicating with remote workers, focus on creating a simple and seamless collaboration environment.

If the problem is lack of space for meetings, introduce huddle rooms and breakout spaces.

If your business does a lot of creative and design work, focus on straightforward file sharing.

Listen to those using the rooms (or not using them) and try to fix their pain points.

Call the experts

While it might be tempting to go it alone, speaking to experts is the best way to get the right equipment for your needs and at the best price.

Specialist AV integrators have years of experience working on similar projects and their in-depth knowledge of the latest technology makes them an invaluable resource when it comes to making those tricky decisions.

In addition, their buying power can also mean better prices.

Develop a plan

With your specialists on board, now is the time to make a definite plan that not only states your objectives but also covers the finer details, such as where displays should be located and any IT/networking issues that need to be addressed.

The more detail you include in this plan, the smoother the project will go.

Testing times

Once the kit is installed, spend some time testing it before it goes live.

What happens next?

The kit may be installed and everything may be working perfectly, but that isn’t the end.

The next step is to ensure anyone who needs training on the new equipment gets it, otherwise user uptake will not be at the levels you want it to be.

At the same time, it’s also important to make sure you have a plan for the future of your new meeting spaces.

If they’re simply left with the hope that everything will continue to run smoothly, there’s the potential for disaster, so look into a managed services agreement, whereby your integrator can take on responsibility for managing and maintaining your AV estate.

These agreements come in all sorts of shapes and sizes, from remote monitoring and management to having specialists on call at all times should any issues arise and ensuring all software updates are installed as they become available.

Deciding on a managed services plan is one of the best ways to ensure you continue to get the most out of your meeting rooms for years to come.

To find out how StriveAV can help with your AV upgrades and provide ongoing service and support, get in touch to let us know your requirements and download the How To Create Effective Meeting Spaces eBook below, for more information.