Keeping up with the pace of office space technology can sometimes seem overwhelming for many companies and individuals. It’s as if as soon as you install a new system or piece of equipment, a new and improved model is announced, and your shiny new purchase has already seemingly become outdated. And many modern conference rooms now require more enhancements than they did before 2020 when few people worked remotely. Remote and hybrid work is now more commonplace, so face-to-face team member meetings in large conference rooms are quickly becoming a thing of the past.
We see so many conference rooms with technology and office furniture stuck in the last decade – if not the last century. Conference room technology seems to be last to the party to get updated. One reason for this is that refreshing your conference room’s technology was an expensive proposition – until recently. High-quality conferencing solutions are here and more affordable than ever.
The Way Meeting Rooms Used to Be: Racks On Racks
The old way of installing conference room tech was to have a large rack of tech equipment somewhere in the room. Sometimes this equipment would be hidden in a closet or cabinet, while other times, it would sit out in ugly plain view. Thankfully, this is no longer the case, but many companies have not yet caught up to the trend of the miniaturization of conference room technology.
It’s understandable why large, bulky AV equipment was the standard. Conference rooms have unique needs. You need projection, video, and audio, and possibly in-room amplification depending on its size. You also need the ability to conference call, many times using video conferencing with important vendors, clients, other offices, and remote workers.
And don’t forget the physical infrastructure needs! Network access, extra power ports, and some kind of computer system to tie it all together are important pieces to this puzzle.
Until recently, most of these functions would’ve needed their own systems. Conference rooms require a lot of equipment and upkeep, and replacing all those customized systems certainly wasn’t inexpensive.
We’d be remiss if we didn’t point out that while we call this “the old way,” for far too many companies, it’s just “the way.” It’s time for that to change.
The Current Trend: Meeting Space Miniaturization
We all experience miniaturization every day. Are you reading this post on your phone or tablet? Just 15 years ago, you would’ve needed a laptop or desktop computer to do so. And think of all the other devices your five-inch phone has displaced: cameras, video camcorders, calculators, media players, and GPS devices, to name a few.
Miniaturization in the Conference Room
With modern technologies and devices like those from Crestron, gone are the days of a half dozen or more different devices, each with its own cable or cables running to the rack. Today, all the conferencing equipment you need for your conference room can sit unobtrusively on your table top.
With a tablet controller or custom control interface using Crestron technology, you can control all the necessary behind-the-scenes equipment right from your conference table. No more plugging a laptop into an inconveniently placed rack system to troubleshoot. Simply tap to configure and start collaborating.
Using services like Crestron AirMedia, you can connect your device to a digital display wirelessly and seamlessly. Run your presentation from your seat or from a podium – you choose. No wires getting in the way means a clean, modern look and unhindered presentation.
There are plenty of other benefits of going wireless in the workplace. Learn more about how you can increase efficiency by cutting cords and maximizing available workspace through miniaturization, cord cutting, and more.
Are You Ready to Shrink… to Grow?
It sounds paradoxical, but shrinking is sometimes the key to growth. In this case, shrinking your technology footprint by replacing dated, bulky systems with a miniaturized all-in-one AV solution help you grow by gaining efficiency and reclaiming literal square footage. Not to mention, it creates a modern and sleek office design that helps to attract talent. Imagine transforming your current floor plan to have more huddle rooms and more digital meeting experiences that will, in turn, drive more business!
If your conference room technology or layout could use an update, it’s vital to get it right. Don’t go it alone. Whether you need interactive whiteboards, projectors, signage, or video walls, Bluewater can do and provide it all. Our AV experts can provide conference room design ideas that are practical and configurations that will lead to more productive meetings.
