Conference rooms don’t have to be used just for big meetings. A well-appointed conference room can serve as a temporary office for visiting executives or as a luncheon room for special occasions. By furnishing your conference rooms with the right kind of appointments, you can turn that little-used office conference room into a place where employees feel comfortable bringing customers or managers for an intimate setting.

Business conference rooms should be wired for easy electronic access as well as telephone jacks and wireless connections. If your office conference room is really underused, you might consider renting it out to community groups or other small business associates. With a little creative thinking, you can come up with a number of uses for your office conference rooms.

1. Build your conference rooms with a small kitchenette

2. Furnish a business conference room with style

3. Donate your conference rooms

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Make your conference rooms usable

Ideally, you will have some input when your conference rooms are being designed so that you can insist on appointments such as sink with running water or a small refrigerator, a bank of outlets and built-in screens. If you have to install any of these items aftermarket, then find a good contractor who can make the utilities fit in with the design and décor of the room

I recommend: Polycom can make your conference rooms into spaces that can run the most technologically advanced meetings you can contrive. Get a quote online from Remodelers Online for your conference upgrades.

Find business conference room furnishings

You can spend a small fortune on a custom-made conference table that will really stand out and make a huge impression on clients if one of the main purposes of your office conference room is to impress. Or you can find great deals on modular conference room tables that can convert to a multitude of shapes and sizes to accommodate a variety of uses.

I recommend: CSN has a huge selection of conference room tables in every conceivable size and shape. Paul Downs makes beautiful custom tables in exotic woods with inlays and odd shapes for a spectacular impression of success.

Let others use your office conference rooms

Whether an employee has a pet nonprofit that needs a monthly meeting space or one of your board members is involved in a charity, you can make your conference room available to them. You might offer the rooms during office hours for luncheons or daytime meetings, rent the rooms in the evening for a small fee to community groups or allow a new small business to use your conference rooms for meetings of his own as he grows his business. Collect a fee or use the time as a tax-deductible charitable contribution and build community loyalty at the same time.

I recommend: List your conference room with the Training Registry for professionals and community groups to find your available space. Let the procurement professionals at Contact Pointe know about your available facilities as they may need something in your area.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Don't skimp on the quality of chairs that will go around your conference room table. Many meetings will last for hours and you can best maintain the attention of your team if you provide a comfortable, ergonomic chair.