Scheduling meetings can be a daunting task. Luckily, programs like Microsoft Outlook can make adding your meeting to someone’s schedule simple. Scheduling a meeting, notes Lost in Technology, becomes painless when you take advantage of Outlook’s scheduling features. Just a few clicks and you’ve sent an invitation to all your attendees with details like time and place included.
However, there are some places where Outlook isn’t enough. How will attendees know your room’s location, particularly if they are outside visitors? What about last-minute changes or cancellations? Or the lack of consistent naming or processes? Even worse, what if you double book a room? How will you ensure having the equipment on hand that you need?
Luckily you can make scheduling meetings with Outlook more powerful by combining it with Netsimplicity’s Meeting Room Manager. Suddenly meeting scheduling becomes even easier for everyone from attendees to support staff.
Save time with consistency
What room is it? Fully-qualified location and room names are automatically noted in the Outlook Meeting Request Location field sent to all attendees. Because everyone is using the same system, there is no longer confusion as to which room is which. “The big room at the end of the hall” didn’t sound very elegant anyway.
Businesses can also create their own norms for meeting scheduling. “Consistency makes employees more comfortable with the scheduling software, and there will be fewer mixups and miscommunication,” is just one of the 8 Reasons to Maximize Outlook with Meeting Room Manager.
Where am I? Where am I going?
Visibility also becomes important when things change, particularly at the last minute. All changes are instantly available from any computer with web access, including digital signage outside conference rooms or in reception areas. No more needing to post paper signs and worrying if people will receive the message in time.
The right tools every time
Don’t delay your meeting because of technical difficulties. While Outlook can schedule people, it can’t schedule teleconferencing equipment or projectors. Instead of having to submit requests for particular pieces of equipment manually, repeating details of your meeting, Meeting Room Manager lets you request what you need with a few clicks of a mouse. View room types easily from the start and pick the right space for your needs.
Keep Outlook scheduling for its strength — communicating with people — and let a meeting room scheduler take care of the rest.
Photo courtesy of NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
