The world is shrinking. File sharing, networking, and online communications have all been evolving in leaps and bounds. And as digital technology evolves, so too do our business needs. Based upon the current trajectory of the technology, it’s looking more and more like the traditional meeting or conference is bound to go by the wayside. Can your conference room keep up with technology? Do you need to update you furniture installation?
Conferencing technology has brought possibilities and opportunities that were thought impossible a few years ago. Video compression and massively improved bandwidth has made video conferencing crystal clear and a completely viable substitution to the physical presence at a meeting. Streaming services allow multiple-participant meetings to be simultaneously broadcast to countless employees located nearly anywhere in the world. Conference systems have developed technologies such as screen sharing that can convey information in ways that the previous generation of teleconferencing completely lacked.
The applications for this technology are extensive and can include:
Collaboration with partner or subsidiary companies.
The increased involvement in out-of-company talent.
The integration of international branches.
Employees who are currently on sales calls or otherwise working out-of-office being able to attend remotely and not miss a beat.
The ideal conference room, particularly for any industry which frequently collaborates with out-of-country or out-of-office employees, should include technologies that cater to digital conferencing:
Power For All: Laptops and tablets are becoming increasingly important in business affairs, whether it’s to actively participate during the meeting or to simply take notes. Making sure your conference room has enough plug outlets to keep those integral devices charged can save a world of stress and heartache, particularly for longer collaborative meetings.
A Dedicated Computer: Having a computer that’s permanently set up in the conference room can make it much easier to start meetings, avoiding the precious minutes of audio-visual setup and tinkering that is often required to connect a personal laptop to the system. This computer should have up-to-date copies of popular presentation programs, as well as access to the company network to allow managers and presenters to remotely access their files.
High Definition Display: The quality of your display can be extremely important, particularly if the meeting involves reviewing highly detailed visual elements such as designs, schematics, or blueprints. A larger, clearer display will also allow your conference system to clearly display multiple remote windows.
Integrated Multimedia: It might go without saying, but speakers and microphones are extremely important in digital conferencing. You want to make sure that your conference room has an audio system that projects adequately across the entire room, that it’s properly “mic’d” with noise-cancelling microphones that can pick up voices spoken from anywhere along the conference table, and that it has a built-in webcam that can be used to stream the lead presenter and conference table to remote employees.
Telephone Support: While the trend is swinging towards online technology, having the conference room wired into the telephone system can be quite useful as well. It allows a way to consult with suppliers, contractors, or anyone else who isn’t currently dialed into your meeting.
Technology moves faster every day, and shows no signs of stopping. Upgrading your conference rooms can provide an extremely powerful tool for your workers, while paving the way for the future of collaboration and conferencing.
If you plan on upgrading your conference room, or any other room in your office, call us today. We’ll see that your furniture installation is done properly, and that your old systems are removed without damage.