Anyone can go out and buy hardware for a hybrid meeting room, but without understanding how that hardware will be used, and for what, you risk creating more issues than you solve.  

The bottom line: No hybrid meeting room will deliver the results you want if you haven’t identified and addressed the needs of the people who will be using it. Once it’s clear how each room will be used, and by whom, you’re ready to work with a qualified AV partner to design meeting rooms that “break less and fix faster.” 

Why hybrid meeting room hardware matters: Remember, your employees have been easily and successfully working and video conferencing from home for more than a year. If you can’t provide the same positive user experience onsite, they’d be better off staying home. 

Keep these things in mind as you select hardware for your new hybrid meeting rooms. 

• Meeting participants will be joining from anywhere and everywhere, so full audio and video coverage in each of your hybrid meeting rooms is key. It can be tempting to go with the cheapest option but remember: you should be evaluating AV hardware based on outcomes, not price. 

• Settling on one video conferencing ecosystem simplifies the experience for users, because they can walk into a conference room knowing the equipment will be familiar and easy for them to use. If you need more than one video conferencing platform, make sure users know what rooms have what capabilities so they can schedule the right space based on their needs. 

• Hardware incompatibility is one of the leading causes of long-term issues for hybrid meeting rooms. All the components you select to equip your meeting spaces need to work together reliably. If you expect meeting participants to use their own devices, such as laptops or tablets, to hold video conferences, the hardware in your meeting spaces needs to be compatible with those personal devices as well. 

Final thoughts: When it comes to the outcomes organizations are looking for, a better user experience tops the list. If your users are having a bad experience, it’s almost always because they have the wrong meeting room hardware, or the hardware they do have isn’t configured properly. Or both. 

Taking the time, and spending the money, to get the right hardware in place from the start will help you avoid bigger and more expensive problems down the road. A comprehensive support plan offers the final layer of protection to help users stay productive and your limited IT resources stay sane.

What’s next: Tell us about the needs you’re trying to meet and we’ll help you identify the right hardware to get the job done. Give us a call at 225.326.3832 or use the Contact Us page on our website to talk about your meeting room vision.