From many years of experience building custom modern conference tables, I can tell you that clients are good at looking at pictures and deciding which table they like best. What many customers lose sight of is the reason for buying a cool modern conference table in the first place: meetings!
To conduct a well-run meeting, you must first plan the room, furniture, and communication requirements. Many people think of conference table power/data as a feature they need included with the table, with no forethought as to how they should design it…or even knowing if it is designable.
Like any other functional design, power/data selection for your modern conference table should be based on your meeting style and attendees. Some meetings do not need technical tools, so power/data modules become irrelevant. In this day and age, however, laptop computers and similar electronic devices are usually very much a part of conference room meetings.
Knowing how many devices will be present at your meeting and how long the meeting will last will help you decide on the types of connections and how many receptacles you will need. The longer the meeting, the more frequently attendees will lose battery power.
In addition to deciding upon the number of receptacles, how will you divide them between modules? The further away a module is from an attendee, the longer the stretch of wire across the table. This brings into consideration the conference table size. A 4-foot-wide table that is 10 feet long with one power/data module in the center will mean that the attendees sitting at the ends of a rectangular table will have about a 5-foot reach, should they wish to plug in. With two modules, the distance will be less.
Sometimes, meetings require the table to be wired with phone lines or set up for video conferencing.
Where and how we work together, do business, and communicate has changed significantly since 2020. More and more companies are allowing employees to work remotely. Joining people together for video meetings has become hugely popular.
Considering this sudden shift in communication requirements, modern conference rooms must be equipped with quality TV monitors, microphones, and HDMI connectivity built into modern conference tables to effectively support and connect team members.
Many company decision-makers realize that video conferencing is a way to compensate for the lack of in-person team member presence. It is the perfect substitute for face-to-face meetings. Electronics in your modern conference table help your company meet the challenges of today’s work environment.
Choosing the suitable communication options for your company does not involve generic, one-size-fits-all options. When considering your meeting environment, make it personal. Decide in advance on the tools you’ll need to make your meeting a success, then outfit your modern conference table with all the required e-tools to accomplish just that.
