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What layout to choose for your meeting?

  • by MMS
  • 02 Dec, 2022

What's best for you and your training/workshop?

Business meetings, seminars, training sessions, classes and conferences are notoriously difficult to organise. Of course, our services begin with your search for the ideal room.  But how would you want the room set up? What would your event benefit from the most?

Here's a quick rundown of some of the more common options for meeting rooms layouts. Choosing the right meeting room setup is crucial to the success of any business event, and this setup will depend on factors such as the type of event, the number of guests, and the budget.

BOARDROOM

Meetings, interviews, and talks with high-ranking executives all benefit from the boardroom seats. Delegates are seated around a large, central table (often rectangular or oval in shape). This arrangement is perfect for fostering face-to-face communication.


Pros:

  • Lots of tablespace.

  • Good for discussions.


Cons:

  • Not suitable for more than 10 people.

  • Poor AV setup.

U-SHAPE 

All of the chairs are arranged around the exterior of the U-shaped arrangement of tables, with the delegates facing inwards. Board and committee meetings, as well as smaller training sessions and discussion groups, benefit greatly from this arrangement. The free end can be used for presentations with a speaker or audiovisual aids.


Pros:

  • Interactive.

  • Facilitates speaker/presenter engagement.


Cons:

  • Not for groups over 15.

  • Space-intensive.

CLASSROOM

In a classroom setting, the tables are lined up and face the front of the room where the instructor or speaker will be standing. This configuration works well for medium-sized lecture halls, seminar halls, training halls, and examination halls, much like the rows of desks and chairs found in a typical classroom.


Pros:

  • Note-taking-friendly.

  • Emphasizes the speaker.


Cons:

  • Discourages delegate contact.

  • Seating is tight.

CIRCLE

Used for social gatherings, corporate presentations, or training seminars where a more relaxed atmosphere is desired. Round tables are uniformly spaced across the room, with the open end towards the front, providing a good view and plenty of space for the speaker or presenter. It's most often chosen for larger groups, or when the customer doesn't want people bumping into one another.


Pros:

  • Good for close intimate conversation.

  • Notable.


Cons:

  • It's not a space-saving design.

  • Costs for table setting.


All these configurations are intended to accommodate the needs of large meetings, seminars, conferences, and training sessions. Whether your meetings are small or large, these meeting rooms will be one of the ideal meeting room and class room for your events.


What is your favourite room arrangement? Tell us in the comments! Keep in mind that we can organise any of the rooms available to hire like these for your next meeting or training session, just let us know and we'll get it done.

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Training venues serve as an essential element in the success of any training program or event. It is crucial to view a training venue before you hire it to ensure that it meets your needs and requirements. Here are some reasons why it is important to view a training venue before you hire it:

Here are some tips for viewing a training venue before making a booking:

  1. Determine your needs: Before you start looking at venues, it's important to consider what you need from the space. This includes the size of the venue, the layout, the amenities, and any special requirements you may have.

  2. Take a tour: It's always a good idea to visit the venue in person to get a feel for the space. This will allow you to see the layout and amenities, and ask any questions you may have.

  3. Check the location: Consider the location of the venue and how easily accessible it is for attendees. Is it located near public transportation or is there ample parking?

  4. Consider the cost: Make sure to compare the cost of the venue to other options and ensure that it fits within your budget.

  5. Ask about setup and breakdown: If you'll be setting up and breaking down your own event, make sure to ask about the logistics of doing so at the venue.

  6. Get references: If possible, try to get references or reviews from other organizations or individuals who have used the venue. This can give you a sense of the venue's reliability and reputation.

  7. Make sure there are contingency plans: It's always a good idea to have backup plans in case something goes wrong. Ask about the venue's contingency plans for emergencies, power outages, or other issues that may arise.

We're always available for viewings, you can also request a video call viewing if you aren't able to physically make it to us, just give us a message or a call and we'll organise it.
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Meeting rooms are an essential element of a business strategy, and there are countless ways to approach a meeting room's design. But the conversation about how to determine the best value of a meeting room has been growing increasingly louder.

But there are a few things that need to be considered before booking a meeting room.

Conferencing equipment

First of all, you need to decide how you want to use the meeting room, for example, if it is to be used for video conferencing or not, are you using it for training or presentations, and what is the intention of the event. It is best to do this earlier in the booking process so that you can either make your decision early on or give yourself some flexibility.

Schedule

The most important thing is to factor in your usual meetings as you’re arranging them. Perhaps you have a regular team meeting, once a week, or twice a month. However, you don’t want the room to be booked out for this very often, instead use it for any meeting that will require a larger than usual space, for example, giving a presentation to group of senior directors or investors, holding a meeting with a prospective client or
investor, a training event for your marketing team or a training session for your sales team. Always consider your schedule before booking a meeting room. For instance If it's a long-term booking you can hire your meeting rooms from us at a discounted rate.

Location

You might not think of a conference room as being very important in the architecture of the building. But there is a lot of research that goes into deciding on the best location for each conference room and how you can best use the space to the best effect. For example central London can be extremely expensive - the best bet is somewhere just outside of it but has simple transport links to get to.

Capacity

Like the type of meeting room you require, you also need to look at the number of people it will accommodate. Will it be for 10 people, 20 people, 100 people, or more? This will influence the price and often the room is available on a first come first serve basis.

Room hire price

Consider price not only on a monthly basis but also on a yearly basis. These tend to be significantly cheaper over the longer term. But it is important to factor in the cost of hiring a meeting room and possible change fees. Go for a cost effective option for the longest term and budget for any change fees that may come with the bookings.

All these things should be taken into consideration when you are planning to hire and book a meeting room for your next training session.

Hope you have found this useful!
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