How a Meeting Room Can Make Your Meetings More Effective

How a Meeting Room Can Make Your Meetings More Effective

Meeting rooms remain a vital – if not essential – component of contemporary working life. The way we work has evolved. The rigid 9-to-5 workday has given way to flexible working, dress codes have become increasingly relaxed, and some businesses no longer use a full-time office, preferring flexible workspace solutions instead.

But while software like Teams and Zoom can keep us connected, most acknowledge that face-to-face meetings bring something extra. Brainstorming concepts, developing initial strategies, or discussing the specific details all benefit from the energy that can only exist in a face-to-face meeting. But where can you hold that meeting?

Why choose a private meeting room?

We provide rooms suitable for meetings and training, complete with the essential facilities for a successful session.

Guaranteed privacy

All our meeting rooms are private, ensuring your conversations remain confidential. While there are plenty of public spaces where people can gather, the risk of being overheard can limit conversation and may even create business risks.

Professional image

Our rooms all feature premium furniture and equipment, stylish décor, and are maintained to the highest standards. Even if you are not meeting clients, a professional environment helps you conduct professional meetings.

More productive and focused staff meetings

Using one of our meeting rooms can enhance the productivity of your sessions. With fewer distractions and no risk of interruption, it becomes a space dedicated to your meeting’s purpose, whether that is brainstorming a hundred concepts or agreeing on just one.

Flexible spaces for your purpose

Our rooms can be configured to your requirements. The same space might see dozens gathered around the table for a board meeting one day, but be arranged classroom style the next for a training session. Each room features complimentary Wi-Fi and telephony, and can be equipped with additional facilities, such as flipboards and whiteboards, or catering when a caffeine boost is required.

A cost-effective and convenient solution

Rather than paying for a meeting room that sits unused, or, worse, gets overused, you only pay for what you require with a Bowman House meeting room, allowing you to simply turn up to a clean meeting room ready for you. We are conveniently located at Whitehill Industrial Estate in Royal Wootton Bassett, just 2 miles from Junction 16 of the M4. However, if you need a meeting elsewhere, please do not forget to check our other venues.

The meeting and conference rooms we offer

Bowman House features 5 dedicated meeting rooms, each with different capacities and layouts. Suitable for meetings with between 4 and 22 attendees, they all provide different layouts and facilities. We handle furniture and equipment arrangements, ensuring everything is in place so you can begin straight away.

Our boardroom-style rooms can accommodate up to ten people, allowing everyone to sit around the same table. Our larger training rooms can accommodate even more people with a classroom-style layout, making them perfect for briefing or training sessions. We can also provide larger horseshoe-style layouts, which can be ideal for more formal conference-style meetings.

We have also considered those who cannot attend the session. Although face-to-face meetings bring benefits, it is not always possible to get every person in the room. However, hybrid meetings often struggle because those attending remotely can be overlooked or find it difficult to follow what is happening. We can provide the audio-visual equipment, along with ultra-fast fibre broadband, if you require a room for a hybrid meeting, ensuring even those joining from the other side of the world have a video conferencing experience that is nearly as good as being in the room.

And because our rooms are dedicated meeting spaces, we have considered factors such as acoustics and convenience. You can spend a day in one of our meeting room chairs without straining to hear participants at the other end of the room, or finding yourself shifting in discomfort for the last few hours.

Most importantly, our meeting rooms are adaptable. They can be hired for as little as an hour, all the way to multi-day bookings for longer conferences. Because we have multiple meeting rooms, we can often accommodate even urgent bookings, so when you just require a space for people to gather, Bowman House is an obvious choice.

The Bowman House Advantage

Enhanced productivity through purpose-built environments: our dedicated meeting spaces eliminate workplace interruptions that can derail important discussions. Each room is acoustically designed for clear communication, while ergonomic furniture supports extended sessions without fatigue. This controlled environment enables teams to maintain focus on their objectives, resulting in more decisive outcomes.

Strategic location benefits: positioned just 2 miles from M4 Junction 16, Bowman House offers excellent accessibility for attendees from across the Thames Valley, Bristol, and beyond. Our ample free onsite parking eliminates the stress of finding spaces, while EV charging points support environmentally conscious travel. This prime location means less time on logistics and more time on productive collaboration.

Technology integration that works: our ultra-fast fibre broadband and plug-and-play telephony ensure seamless connectivity for both in-person and hybrid meetings. Our tested systems support everything from simple video calls to complex presentations, allowing you to focus on content rather than technical difficulties.

What to consider

Booking and availability: while our 5 meeting rooms provide good flexibility, popular time slots can fill up during busy periods. We recommend booking at least 48 hours in advance, though we often accommodate urgent requests. Consider alternative times if your preferred room is not available.

Catering requirements: our kitchen facilities provide complimentary tea and coffee; however, longer sessions may require additional catering services. We can coordinate external catering with advance notice, which will add to the overall costs. Please factor in refreshment needs when planning session duration and budget.

Technical setup: while our standard setup covers most needs, specialised presentations may require additional equipment. Consider your audio-visual requirements early – our team can advise on what is available versus what needs a separate arrangement.

How to make the most of your meeting room

Everyone knows the sinking feeling of a should-have-been-an-email meeting. Great meetings do not just happen but, with a little work, you can maximise the value of your room and host a session that makes a difference.

Make sure you require a meeting

Always question whether you require a meeting. Consider whether alternatives, such as email, chat platforms, or virtual meetings, are superior. It might seem counterintuitive for us to say it, but we are not just here to hire rooms.

We see the benefit and energy a positive session creates, and we want to help that happen with every booking.

Keep your agenda focused

A clear, concise agenda keeps sessions on track. Focus on the objectives at hand and eliminate anything that could be easily covered in an email. If it does not require a room, it does not require a room.

Encourage everyone to contribute

The ideal meetings bring out great concepts from everyone involved. Wherever possible, structure the discussion to invite views and input from all attendees. A well-facilitated session ensures everyone leaves feeling heard and engaged.

Where can be as important as why

Think about your attendees. How will they reach the session? What can they do during intervals? How do they continue the discussion afterwards?

Seek venues like ours, with well-positioned locations, outstanding facilities, and external options attendees can utilise.

Think about the Ps of meetings

There are variations of these, but we like these 5 Ps of meetings:

Purpose: think about why you are conducting your session. People: make sure you have the correct people at the session for that purpose. Process: how your session works affects its effectiveness; everything, from what is included in the agenda to how participants are engaged, right down to how intervals are organised, can be crucial. Preparation: ensure everything is prepared before the session begins; everyone should have the necessary information and materials, and any equipment in the venue should be checked and operational. Payoff: plan a session with the outcome in mind. People should be able to leave knowing they have achieved something meaningful, with clear next steps to complete.

And if you require an additional tip, we suggest a sixth P, which, we have discovered, can make a significant difference: pizza!

Hire a meeting room

When you need a meeting and know that having it face-to-face is the ideal way to accomplish it, choosing a convenient, well-equipped, and professional space is the ideal approach. From regular meetings to one-off gatherings, our collection of meeting spaces will have something suitable for you.

Call us today on 01793 843100 or email info@bowmanhouse.co.uk. to book a tour and explore the spaces we have available, and discover how they could work for you. Then you can start booking your first session in a space that is set up for your success.