Des bases aux avantages : système logiciel de réservation de salles de réunion pour les entreprises

Technology has revolutionized the way people do things, whether in their personal lives, businesses, homes, restaurants, or many other industries. Technological advancements have played a significant role in improving office dynamics and employees’ daily routines in the corporate world.

Office and room scheduling technology

Scheduling technology such as meeting room booking software is a modern innovation in the hardware and software industry.

Hardware-wise, this includes room scheduling devices, signs, and hallway signs. Conference room scheduling software consists of touchscreens with additional hardware features placed outside facilities, either mounted on walls or found in reception centers. People can view the schedule for each room, the upcoming event, and the specific people or individuals involved in the meeting.

Corridor signs have also found their place in workplace technology. Light signals can now indicate the status of office rooms. For example, they glow red when occupied and green when available. This helps all users and employees quickly identify unused spaces at a glance while in the hallway.

And for software, this scheduling system integrates with corporate and organizational calendars to efficiently organize and define schedules and offer room analytics. Notably, a facility scheduling system must have an accurate and efficient integration function with your pre-existing network calendars.

Most businesses use Outlook, Office 365, Google Calendar, and other popular platforms, and your room booking software should integrate seamlessly with them. Another benefit of an integrable system is that users won’t have to learn a new system during implementation.

Additionally, meeting scheduling software can offer spontaneous meeting management functionality. Users can turn a meeting from an open, off-site space into a meeting room, even up to the last minute. They can quickly view the software’s meeting schedule, ensure availability, and add or transfer their scheduled meeting to the calendar. With just a few taps or mouse clicks, users can update and change meeting details without anyone else missing the new information.

Why should you use room booking software?

As a facility manager, you need a deep understanding of room analytics to identify the ROI of your spaces. Scheduling boards and lobby display software provide critical data and reporting on which meeting areas users frequently use, how effectively they use them, and how they can improve.

Technology-driven efficiency

Effective meeting room utilization translates into effective workplace scheduling. Meeting room booking software helps users determine how to effectively utilize their spaces and influences work-friendly designs and layouts. Your company can determine workplace space utilization by answering questions such as:

• Which work and meeting spaces do most users book?
• Are participants showing up to the meeting room as planned?
• Are users using the meeting room for its intended purpose?

What work and meeting spaces do most employees book?

With scheduling technology innovations like conference room scheduling software, team members can view a dashboard or map with data regarding room usage. Typically, this information includes:

• The total number of booking hours for each room
• The average length of each scheduled meeting
• The average meetings held each day and the specific times of day when they occur
• Frequency of each user to schedule meetings in a specific room

Do participants show up to the meeting room on time?

A facility scheduling system can account for unscheduled cancellations. This ensures that rooms aren’t left unavailable when no one shows up during the scheduled time. Beacons, Bluetooth sensors, and other occupancy sensors can determine whether or not people are currently occupying the room.

Proximity tags and check-in sensors typically use Bluetooth with an app on a user’s device to confirm whether someone has already entered the room. They also collect data regarding movement within the room and inferential information showing schedule and occupancy trends.

Meeting booking software systems can automatically cancel meetings whenever no registrations are detected within a specific period after the scheduled start time. This feature allows rooms to be immediately available for others to use. For example, a user schedules a meeting at 9:00 a.m., and no one shows up. The room can go from reserved to available after 15 minutes, still without a confirmed registration. This allows other employees who have an impromptu meeting to reserve and use the space during the remaining time.

Are employees using the meeting room for its intended purpose?

Large conference rooms with two screens and integrated video and audio, all controllable at the touch of a button, are everyone’s dream. The most spacious meeting rooms with modern equipment are usually the ones in demand.

When larger groups ran out of space, they would postpone the meeting or expel any smaller groups from the room. Waiting and delaying would be a difficult option, leading to the latter. However, it would appear awkward and unethical. Disrupting another important meeting by expelling another group from the space could create a tense dynamic in the office.

Using room scheduling software avoids this problem because the IT department can set minimum and maximum room capacity parameters. This means that if a meeting room contains 10 to 15 people, only meetings with more than nine guests can book the room.

Last minute change of rooms

Team members can also modify room reservations using their apps’ scheduling panel or lobby display software. It displays all other available meeting rooms at any time, so if a meeting is late, attendees from the previous meeting can immediately make adjustments to stay on schedule.

For example, Employee 1 has a meeting scheduled for 1:00 PM, but Employee 2’s meeting precedes it and unfortunately starts late. Employee 1 can check the scheduling board and find other available rooms so they can still start on their original schedule.

From a technological perspective, all they need is a collaborative display to modify their meeting to see an average conference room with the right technology. With the touch of a button via the app or in the lobby display software, everything can be adjusted. Simply put, these technological innovations allow employees to be agile and focus on getting their work done despite potential scheduling conflicts and inevitable unexpected situations.

Find the right meeting right away!

There are still people who arrive late to most meetings, arriving about 2 to 5 minutes before the session starts. Being slightly late to meetings may be acceptable for some organizations, but other companies have penalties for being late. In the worst-case scenario, a team member is late and doesn’t know where to go or which room to find. Meeting room booking software helps employees avoid the guessing game frenzy because latecomers can:

• Approach the planner as it displays all current meetings
• Show all meeting topics in ongoing meetings
• See the names of the invited participants
• Getting to the right room the first time

Essential Considerations for Meeting Booking Software

• Room scheduling technology allows facility managers to plan the future use of resources. They also help employees use these spaces efficiently and appropriately.
• Room booking analytics provided by high-quality room planners help facility managers plan and prepare for future expansion. It provides critical data on how often users schedule these spaces and offers data on technology-driven environments and other related information.
• Conference room scheduling software allows employees to make their daily schedules more efficient. While technology shouldn’t be the sole focus, it also seamlessly supports business operations by adapting to your company’s processes.

Why do customers and employees prefer online and in-app booking processes?

Many business owners and administrators are skeptical about adopting online and in-app bookings. Initially, setting up a booking system seems daunting and would require an expert programmer to manage it. But the main question is: will your customers and employees prefer booking online and through an app rather than doing it the traditional way? Of course! Here are a few reasons:

Booking a room online is quick and easy

The traditional pen-and-paper booking process is time-consuming and often error-prone. A simple, user-friendly interface allows users of all ages to book quickly and easily. It’s the easiest and most powerful way to retain leads and keep your business running.

It is accessible even after normal office hours

Websites and apps are always open for all users to visit and open at any time. Additionally, users don’t have to sit in front of their computer to book, as they can be accessed from any device. With just a few taps or clicks, they can schedule their meetings at a time that suits them best.

Facility scheduling systems display real-time availability

Facility scheduling systems help reduce double bookings and resolve missed office appointments. Having a system that constantly provides a list of available meeting space slots ensures that users, visitors, and clients are utilizing all resources efficiently.

It allows users to save on phone calls and SMS

In most cases, traditional booking processes require people to call or send a text message. With a software system, users won’t have to spend anything on room bookings and appointments. They’ll no longer have to pay call charges, especially if they’re traveling from abroad.

The booking systems are intuitive and clear

With a booking system for your meeting spaces and office resources, users will get clear and concise information about the meeting room and whether it has all the tools and equipment they need for that specific event.

Multilingual booking systems promote better communication

The multilingual feature helps users who don’t speak your language book. Instead of contacting you via email or phone, they can do so through the app by setting it to their native language, as most booking software interfaces support multilingual websites.

In-app bookings create an impressive overall experience

The booking process is often the first point of contact between a business and a customer. Therefore, ensuring they have a great first impression is essential. If users, customers, and visitors can complete their booking in less than five minutes, it will undoubtedly impress them. Positive initial experiences using the process and other small details can have a significant impact on their overall experience with you and your business.

You’ve just read the basics and benefits of meeting room booking software. Having one in your business helps it grow significantly and become an essential part of the business industry. More than that, it allows you to operate with constant progress as technology evolves.

Today, people can do everything with technology: hotel reservations, flight bookings, car rentals, property purchases, and education. People are now accustomed to doing many things online. The same goes for booking meetings—people prefer to do it online. And since most people prefer it this way, not having this technology for your business means not advancing in the industry.