Meeting room: Benefits & How to use one

What is a meeting room?

A meeting room, unlike the conference room, is a room that is used by less than 10 people to deliberate on mutual matters and it is not large, nor does it contain tables but chairs on which each individual can seat.

You can choose to own meeting rooms as part of your office space or rent on an as-need basis from a provider. A lot of virtual office providers have physical meeting rooms for rent to their customers when they need them.

Sometimes you will need to book one before use if you are renting from a virtual office provider. You can book a day or more before the meeting or as indicated by the service provider. This is to make sure the meeting room is available when you are ready to use it and prevent mix-ups.

How a meeting room differs from a conference room or hall

Conferences are known to involve a large number of people and are therefore very large spaces equipped with tables, chairs, audio, and sometimes video equipment. 

This is unlike the meeting room which is a small space designed for less than 10 people at a time. Conference rooms are used for various types of conference-like events, unlike the meeting room which is solely for the purpose of meetings.

Therefore, a meeting room may be a big room with a large round table and chairs surrounding it for meetings with employees or a small room to hold about four people at a time. A conference room on the other hand is larger and may seat a minimum of about 100 or 200 people and is equipped with a podium from which the attendees can be addressed.

Benefits of the meeting room

Even though the physical meeting room may seem redundant in these days of virtual offices address, they are still relevant because of the following reasons.

1. Having one avails you of the venue to hold your occasional physical meetings.
    
2. It is less distracting to hold a business meeting in the meeting room than online since online meetings depend on a good uninterrupted network connection or restaurant for that matter.
    
3. You can give your clients or business partners a good first impression when you use a well-equipped and befitting meeting room.
    
4. You can make use of the teleconferencing infrastructure in the meeting room to meet with members of your meeting who are unavoidably absent.
    
5. A meeting room is more presentable to use for video conferencing than your room or sitting room for some clients. In other words, a meeting room gives you a professional outlook.
    
6. You can have access to support services from snacks and drinks to photocopiers and printers. The meeting room allows you to run your meeting smoothly without worry.

Components of a meeting room

The following are the expected components a meeting room is supposed to be fitted with, apart from the usuals of tables and chairs. These are usually fitted into meeting rooms by service providers, peradventure you are renting the meeting room for your occasional meeting.

1. Natural or artificial lighting
2. Ventilation
3. Video conferencing platform
4. Strong Wi-Fi
5. Interactive whiteboards or flipcharts
6. A projector
7. A large TV screen

What is a virtual meeting room?

A virtual meeting room is essentially your normal video conferencing provided through apps or computer browsers, with the exception that it mimics your typical meeting room to provide an official or professional feel for your meeting. 

A virtual meeting room allows you instant options for sharing files, messages, and videos through links provided to the members of the meeting.

Virtual meeting rooms are provided by service providers who can either let you hold on to the meeting room permanently like WebEx, or you create a new one each time you have a meeting to host like Zoom, Loom, or Skype. There are several providers out there.

Also, you could choose to book a physical meeting room located in London from a virtual office service provider so that it boosts the professional image of your company. You can either do a walk-in to book the meeting room or do it online. 

The payment for this could be per hour or per use and the price varies per provider, street location, and building facilities provided.

Why opt for a virtual meeting room?

There is one major reason why opting to use a virtual meeting room is important. This reason is that it bridges the geographical gaps and you can meet your team at any time you set without the additional cost of having to transport them to a physical location.

Another important reason, especially for a physical virtual meeting room in a building with a street address located in London, is that it boosts your company’s image and gives you an edge of professional outlook. Many viable locations will serve this purpose in London.

Others are:

1. A level of privacy can be maintained since only members with the invite link and the relevant app on their phone or computer can join the meeting.
    
2. It saves a lot of time and resources.
    
3. Some of these providers allow you to set up a background that gives your business a professional outlook.
    
4. It makes it easier to call for emergency meetings without fear that someone will not show up due to being busy with something else. Meetings can be held anytime.

Conclusion

A meeting room, whether physical or virtual, is a great place to deliberate on official matters without fear of interruptions or distractions. It is easy to use as you have access to a lot of features you can choose to use.