If you are looking for DC meeting rooms in order to host a special event with vendors, clients, or staff members, there are many options to consider. Where will the meeting take place? What type of room layout will enhance communication? What type of technology do you need to use? How about catering?
Take a look at this guide to determine the best way to host your next meeting in Washington, DC.
Where to Go?
The first consideration is where you will host your DC meeting. Obviously, location is extremely important. It has to be convenient and easily accessible to all parties. Are most of your attendees coming from out of town? Then an airport location is probably best. If the people invited to your meeting are local but spread across the city and its suburbs, then a central location is important.
Then there’s cost. Generally, you have a few choices when it comes to where you host your meeting. You can rent a conference facility, a hotel banquet room, or even a restaurant. But there’s another option that you may not have thought about – a virtual office and meeting room facility.
What’s the advantage of using DC meeting rooms in a virtual office building? You just can’t get space any more conveniently located, available on a moment’s notice with all the features and amenities your meeting requires, and completely hassle-free when it comes to setting up catering, room configuration or remote access for offsite attendees. The space is literally sitting there waiting for you to fill it and use it to its full capacity!
How to Lay It Out
The way the room’s furnishings are configured depends on what type of meeting you are hosting. The basic choices are theatre, U-shape, boardroom, or classroom styles. Some of these layouts are most conducive to discussions amongst the attendees while others are better for a presentation or meeting that will be recorded or transmitted so remote attendees can participate.
The most important consideration for onsite attendees is comfort. Aim to provide enough table space so people can take notes and use their laptops and also consider the comfort of the chairs. If the meeting is being recorded, then opt for a background that is non-intrusive yet professional.
Of course, necessary technology is required to make the meeting a success. Look for facilities that offer onsite presentation tools such as flip charts, projectors, good audio components, and a polycom phone to talk to remote attendees.
Food & Beverage Service
Some meeting planners consider the catering to be the most important aspect of a meeting. After all, if attendees are not adequately nourished, you may lose their attention. At the minimum, carafes of water and dishes of hard candy should be provided. At the maximum, consider providing a full breakfast or lunch along with welcome breaks including light refreshments.
Washington virtual offices provide everything you need for any kind of meeting including a polycom phone, video recording equipment, a full A/V system, and tables and ergonomic chairs that can be configured in any seating style. Catering is easy to order because the facility is set up to accommodate nearly any request.
Next time you need to plan a conference of any type, look for DC meeting rooms located in a virtual office building. The advantages are the low cost, high technology, and simple configuration to accomplish any of your business goals.
For more information on DC Meeting Rooms, Telework, Executive Office Spaces, FlexDesk and other cost-effective business solutions visit Metro Offices online at www.metroffice.com.
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Kathlene Buchanan is the president and founder of Metro Offices, one of the premiere, women-owned, executive office centers in the Washington, D.C. Metro area. With presence in 8 different locations throughout the capital area, Metro Offices offers a full range of innovative business solutions and advanced technologies to help businesses compete in today’s transitioning business environment. Buchanan has been in the industry since 1979, and Metro Offices has been operating since 1989 with locations in Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia.