Hybrid and remote work environments come with their share of benefits, including greater flexibility, a larger talent pool, and more personalized schedules. But any company investing in a hybrid workforce faces one glaring obstacle: how do teams that are separated, sometimes by continents, work together effectively?
Collaboration rooms were created to answer this question. They’re supposed to make teamwork easier. In practice, if not properly managed, it can do the opposite. From inconsistent equipment and disconnected tools to the stress of troubleshooting mid-meeting, what should be simple quickly turns into a burden on IT and a frustration for users.
The reality is that collaboration rooms are no longer just rooms. They’re a complex mix of AV, UC, scheduling tools, BYOD platforms, and connectivity systems, all expected to work together flawlessly. Managing them takes more than plug-and-play solutions. That’s where managed collaboration services come in.
What Makes Collaboration Rooms Complex?
Integration of Diverse Technologies
Modern collaboration rooms combine a long list of tools: video conferencing, interactive displays, control panels, scheduling software, and more. Each one adds a layer of complexity and another potential failure point, making it difficult for IT teams to keep everything running smoothly.
Varied User Expectations and Demands
One-size-fits-all doesn’t apply here, especially for organizations with multiple teams.
Sales teams may prioritize uninterrupted screen sharing. Executives expect high-quality video calls. Engineers want whiteboarding to work and share without delay.
These differing needs force IT to juggle inconsistent expectations with limited time and resources.
The High Stakes of Collaboration Room Downtime
When collaboration rooms go down, productivity quickly follows. Employees are left unable to host internal meetings, collaborate on projects, or reach clients.
Inconsistent room performance can create ripple effects across departments and projects that keep impacting business outcomes even after rooms are back up.
Why Traditional IT Management Can’t Keep Up with Modern Collaboration Rooms
Collaboration Rooms Are No Longer One-Size-Fits-All
Hybrid work has changed the way teams collaborate, and traditional IT hasn’t caught up. Most internal teams are built to manage generalized tech, not the unique blend of cloud platforms and advanced communication tools that make up today’s collaboration spaces.
Technology Silos Create Barriers
AV, software, and UC tools are often managed by different teams or vendors. With no single owner of the whole room experience, issues end up unaddressed, and priorities become misaligned.
Lack of Focus on User Experience
Uptime matters, but so does usability. If a room technically works but is clunky or unpredictable, teams won’t use it. Traditional IT methodologies often miss that nuance, focusing on pure function rather than experience.
Limited Data-Driven Insights
Most internal teams don’t have the tools or time to assess how rooms are being used. Without the ability to gather and analyze this data, making informed decisions on how to maneuver your tech stack becomes impossible. That leaves gaps in decision-making, slows down needed upgrades, and prolongs user issues.
The Managed Services Approach to Simplifying Collaboration Rooms
A Unified Strategy for Seamless Functionality
Managed services bring everything under one roof. AV, collaboration, voice, and digital signage support are all standardized, synced, and handled by a partner who understands the whole picture across every location.
Proactive Issue Resolution
With 24x7x365 monitoring and real-time diagnostics, issues get flagged and fixed before they disrupt your next meeting. If users are having to email mid-meeting with tech issues, your rooms are being mismanaged.
End-to-End Support
From initial room design to ongoing support, managed collaboration providers offer full coverage. That means fewer tickets for IT and fewer headaches for your users.
Adaptability to Evolving Needs
Business needs change, and so should your tech. Managed services are built to scale and adjust, integrating new tools and features (without disruption) as your business grows.
Simplifying Collaboration Room Management With Yorktel
Yorktel delivers managed collaboration solutions designed for enterprise scale. Whether it’s integrating multiple systems into a unified workflow or providing global room support, Yorktel’s services are built to reduce friction and free up your team’s time.
With proactive room monitoring, 24x7x365 diagnostics, and a global support model, Yorktel simplifies room management to improve reliability, costs, and uptime.
Reclaim Time and Productivity with Managed Collaboration Rooms
Keeping collaboration rooms online, optimized, and frustration-free shouldn’t fall entirely on your IT team. Partnering with a managed services provider lets your staff focus on strategic work while experts handle the complexity behind the scenes.
Contact Yorktel today to learn how we can help optimize your collaboration rooms.