10 fonctionnalités d'application logicielle non négociables que vous devriez rechercher dans les solutions de réservation de bureau

Technological advancements have enabled office automation and digitalization. One of the most essential software ever developed is office booking solutions. With this office space management system, businesses can efficiently provide satisfactory services and superb products. This can help the company expand locally and globally, reaching new markets while maintaining a loyal local customer base. However, operating the business in the « new normal » poses another challenge to protect customers and employees from the ongoing pandemic.

The consequences of COVID

Organizations are slowly picking up where they left off when governments ordered lockdowns and the cessation of non-essential economic activities. Six months later, the economy has plunged, creating a near-recession. To reorganize the economy, companies designed a return-to-work plan that included COVID-compliant health and safety desk booking solutions in the workplace.

Some companies had already implemented room booking software in their offices years before the pandemic hit. They implemented the concept of remote work in the early 1990s, when very few companies believed in the idea of ​​working from home. They partnered with software development technology companies to help them automate their remote office setup.

If your company is new to the idea of ​​a desk booking system and is considering signing up with a meeting room booking system project software, here are the key non-negotiable features that your desk booking software must provide:

#1: Customize the desk booking system interface

Your business must maintain consistency with your brand appeal, from your website design to your mobile app’s user interface. A reliable open-source meeting room scheduler will allow for customization based on your business needs and requirements. Maintaining a consistent booking interface design with your brand logo and images will build trust with your customers and employees when using the desk booking system.

#2: User-friendly interface

Not everyone in the office has the same level of experience using technology, so it’s essential to choose an online room booking system that’s easy to understand and use. Your team members need to use the room booking calendar software on the go when the need arises. Therefore, it’s essential to choose a responsive, intuitive, and easy-to-use application with an Office 365 booking system.

The user-friendly interface should include easy integration with existing business programs, calendars, and other productivity software applications. Some appointment scheduling apps automate the migration of calendars such as Google, Outlook, Active Directory, Okta, and Zapier. Your team members should be able to create new appointments, edit, cancel, or modify reservations within a simple Outlook interface of the meeting room booking system.

When team members use a meeting room booking system integrated with Office 365, it streamlines their office tasks. It’s easier to introduce new technology when it’s integrated with what team members are already comfortable using.

#3: Provide high-definition images of office spaces

The best online room booking system can provide high-definition images of the office floor plan. If the technology company can provide a 3D image of the workplace, users can easily reserve workstations by hovering over or clicking on the image and create reservations there. Some technology providers place colored dots on bookable spaces to display desk availability. Using the meeting room kiosk, users can also access high-definition images of the floor plan and make workstation reservations on the kiosk.

#4: Send automated notifications

An appointment scheduling app should send automated notifications to avoid miscommunication. Users should receive email and SMS notifications with booking details when the booking is confirmed. Another useful feature is SMS and email reminders a few hours before logging into the reserved workstation.

A conference room booking system will also send notification emails and SMS messages to team members when they are part of a meeting room booking.

Outlook appointment scheduling system email and SMS notifications will significantly reduce no-shows and increase worker productivity.

#5: Generate reports and analyses

The modern world runs on information technology. The data collected by desk booking solutions can provide insightful information about users’ behavior, movements, and office activity. Administrators can choose which reports they want to generate.

Open-source room booking software that can generate reports on bookings, no-shows, cancellations, new bookings, specific days of the week, office space, equipment, and more could provide the company with valuable insights into the company’s space utilization. As an office manager, you can send automated reports to various department heads to help implement workplace changes. It provides accurate information to help business leaders identify strengths, weaknesses, and other areas for improvement.

#6 Compatible with all devices

Most people access everything, including Outlook meeting room management software, using their mobile devices. It’s essential for a free desk booking system to provide a mobile app format that’s compatible with all devices. It must include compatibility with Android and iOS systems, various sizes and types of laptops, tablets, and mobile phones. More and more people are heavily reliant on their mobile devices for daily activities and business transactions. Therefore, your choice of office technology should be a meeting room booking system that’s compatible with Android and Apple.

#7 Show real-time availability, booking and confirmation

Meeting availability software should display real-time, actual office space availability. Knowing which spaces are available for booking reduces the risk of overbooking, lost bookings, and conflicts between team members. It also helps users create desk reservations directly on the floor plan map to choose the desired workstation.

A reliable desk booking software should send notifications and SMS messages to users immediately after booking confirmation and a few hours before the booking time. Additionally, a meeting room booking display screen will let users know the room’s availability when they look at the display screen.

Software should also automate team meetings and collaborations. Most businesses use apps and software that allow people to share projects in real time. The best meeting room booking app can help schedule team meetings and collaborate seamlessly. This saves the manager time and effort and avoids the hassle of scheduling meeting rooms among team members. Being able to schedule a meeting when everyone is available reduces the time and effort required to organize collaborative work.

#8 Provide multilingual access

Thanks to the internet, businesses can expand their reach and explore new markets beyond their own borders. If you’re looking to expand your business globally, you should consider choosing a multilingual desk booking solution.

Hospitality and restaurant businesses can benefit from using a multilingual reservation system to accommodate their international guests. There are approximately 8 billion people in the world, but only 400 million of them understand English. Positioning your business at the forefront of global expansion through multiple languages ​​will open doors to endless opportunities worldwide.

#9 Secure Payment Options

The number of coworking space rentals is increasing. Independent professionals, lawyers, consultants, accountants, and salespeople are spending more time working in coworking spaces while working on the go. Therefore, you need to choose the best customizable meeting room booking software that can help coworking businesses allow their clients to book in advance online and pay for their desks securely through the same interface.

Opt for a desk booking system that integrates with the best payment gateways, as most online transactions involve sensitive credit card information from your customers. Making things easier for your coworking space’s clients creates convenience for both the business owner and the customers.

#10 Ensure health and safety practices at work

The coronavirus pandemic has changed the way people work and live. As organizations begin to resume their normal activities and operations, reopening the workplace during the pandemic requires health and safety protocols and strategic plans.

Desk booking software with COVID-compliant features is the best choice and beneficial for every organization. COVID-compliant software features include automatic office sanitization, mask detection, thermal scanning, dynamic scheduling, visitor management, contact tracing, and social distancing. These software features can help protect the workplace from coronavirus contamination.

Using desk booking solutions saves time and money

Investing in a desk booking software system simplifies your business and workplace. It saves time and money by allowing your clients and team members to access the app and independently create, cancel, and modify bookings at their discretion. Planning team meetings, conferences, and events becomes more accessible and better organized. The exchange meeting room booking system makes it easier to schedule team member shifts, sanitize offices, and deep clean offices.

Education, healthcare, business, finance, law, government, and private sectors can use an office space scheduling application to reduce paperwork and business processes. Your employees and clients will appreciate being able to access the system to book, change, or cancel a reservation at a convenient time. This can significantly reduce underutilized resources, assets, and facilities in the workplace.

Not all online desk booking system applications have the same features and functions. There are different software providers with different prices depending on the software application you choose. If you’re still unsure if desk booking software is right for your business, a good booking software application should offer a free trial of the meeting room booking application for a period of time. You should have a firsthand experience or a trial of navigating the application before signing this contract. Be sure to do your research to determine which features are non-negotiable for your organization.