Business meetings are important matters. They can happen for a variety of reasons, from regular catch-up to strategic review and just about everything in between. Because of their importance, it is essential that you have selected a suitable location for when these meetings take place. This is especially important if customers or other stakeholders (other than employees) will be present. The purpose of this article is to investigate an appropriate location for an important meeting and what factors to consider.
Corporate / Business Meeting – Planning-Purpose-Agenda-Venue
Often the first thing to determine is the size of the conference or meeting, as it has the greatest effect on the suitability of a venue. Meetings and conferences also don't come in standardized formats, so even if a venue has advertised an appropriate capacity, it should be handled to size.
Location location is also important to consider. The deciding factor as to whether or not a venue is suitable should always be related to the convenience of the guests. If the event will have many international attendees, one of the first considerations should be its location near an airport. If attendees are all local, the venue should be in a convenient local location.
The 'tone' of a location is another important factor. Customers and other stakeholders should leave feeling positive about the host and the event they just attended. If the location does not give the correct picture, this may not be the case.
A factor that has become increasingly important in recent years is the need for technology. Improvements in technology have increased the mobile workforce and the importance of staying connected at all times. To fit into this, locations must now meet these extensive technology requirements. High-speed Wi-Fi and good connectivity is now needed, and some locations are taking it a step further by offering video conferencing facilities for stakeholders who cannot attend. Social media packages are also becoming increasingly popular, especially for conferences with a wide appeal.
When deciding on a meeting or conference location, there is much more to it than just the costs. However, it would be foolish to say that costs are irrelevant, because that is simply not the case. Budgets are important, so the best course of action is to establish a budget at the start of the process and then find a suitable location within budget (or as close to budget as possible).
The length of a conference or meeting can also be a factor in some cases. In an all-day or multi-day scenario, the location's ability and willingness to serve guests can be a decisive factor. The quality must also be high, because well-fed and refreshed visitors are generally happy.
I mentioned the convenience earlier in the article, but it is important to ensure that the location is suitable for the stakeholders present. Parking is a consideration that you have to take into account. Free parking is a huge advantage, especially if the number of visitors is large. Whatever the parking arrangements, it is important that the details are communicated to attendees prior to the event, as it can be quite difficult to arrive without changing parking. If the meeting or conference is to take place over a number of days, it can be beneficial to organize a venue where attendees can stay, which is why hotels are popular meeting and convention venues.