Whilst most meetings are suited to the office boardroom, and whilst bringing clients into the building to impress them with your organisation has its advantages, sometimes it is more beneficial to hold a meeting off-site.
Many executives prefer to hold more intimate face-to-face meetings in a less formal environment, such as one of the available meeting rooms in Manchester, or even in a restaurant and bar. Meeting on neutral ground will immediately put everyone on the same level – as it is no longer a question of one party being invited to see the other – creating a more relaxed atmosphere and potentially creating an environment more conducive for making deals or compromises.
Choosing to hold meetings off-site also allows you to make use of some of the most technologically advanced meeting and conference facilities around, and items that few businesses will have in their offices, particularly if they are a small or new business. Unlike your office, conference centres are designed purely for the holding of meetings and therefore owners will be able to invest in everything a business could possibly need, from interactive boards to flat screen TVs and even video conferencing systems. If you are worried your boardroom is not striking enough for a particularly important meeting, using an outside venue is a great way of getting round this, whilst impressing the client at the same time.
To ensure your off-site meeting goes smoothly, it might be best to visit the venue prior to arranging the meeting just to double check it meets all your needs, and, finally, make sure your client knows exactly where they are going to avoid any potential embarrassment on the day.