Investing In Room Scheduling Software Vs. Free Scheduling Tools
If you’ve looked into room scheduling software at all, you’ve probably come across a number of free scheduling tools and platforms.
You might be wondering whether a paid solution is really worthwhile.
But as the old saying goes, you get what you pay for—and sometimes “free” can cost you more in the long run.
Here are three good reasons to invest in premium room scheduling software.
Why Pay For Room Scheduling Software?
1. Full Access to Features on Mobile Devices
Your employees are always on the move, so they need a mobile solution that follows them wherever they go. And research shows employees who use work-related enterprise mobile apps believe it saves them time and increases their productivity.
A free scheduling tool may be accessible from a mobile browser, but it will likely be a scaled-down version with limited functionality.
Paid room scheduling software (like ours) comes with a native mobile app that does everything the desktop version can. And it’s just as easy as the apps your employees use at home—which is exactly what they expect.
2. Integrations With Other Business Tools
Free scheduling software doesn’t always integrate with the other software and apps your workforce uses. As a result, employees must do everything twice. They have to create the reservation in the room scheduling tool and then open their calendar tool and create an event there.
Paid room reservation software can connect directly to Google Calendar, Outlook or iCloud Calendar.
Employees can make a room reservation in the scheduling app and it will automatically sync with their preferred calendar app or vice versa. The details will be shared between the programs with no need to enter anything twice.
Paid room scheduling software also integrates with Slack so employees receive automatic meeting reminders and invitation alerts right in their chat window.
3. Space and Asset Utilization Data
Free scheduling tools may include limited reporting features, but the volume of available data is substantially lower than what is typically offered with a premium solution.
For instance, some free tools charge extra for things like booking activity reports and data retention. That’s valuable information you could be using to improve space utilization and optimize your conference rooms. (If a large conference room is taking up a lot of valuable real estate but is rarely being used, you’d want to know about it, right?)
Maximizing Your Investment In Room Scheduling Software
There are plenty of free room scheduling tools and some subscription-based software designed just for that purpose. And if you’re a smaller organization with just a few rooms, that might be enough.
However, fast-growing organizations and enterprises with multiple offices need a room scheduling software that gives them the insights to make the most of their space—while still being as easy for employees to use as any app on their smartphone.
To get these insights, you need reservation software that integrates seamlessly with other workplace technology, including:
- Space management software, so you can easily see how conference rooms fit into your floorplans and the rest of your real estate portfolio
- Facility maintenance software, so you can adjust cleaning schedules based on need
- Employee experience solutions that make it easy to find and book rooms, which could include wayfinding kiosks, room scheduling panels or a workplace app
- Internet of Things (IoT) sensors that collect real-time occupancy data on how meeting rooms and other spaces are being used
- A reporting and analytics dashboard that shows all this data in one place
Armed with this information, you can make data-driven decisions that impact your real estate portfolio and your entire workforce—not just your meeting rooms.
Now that’s worth every penny.
iOFFICE’s room reservation software is the only system that integrates with all the features you need to get the most from your investment. And it’s as easy as tapping a tablet. See how it can save your workplace time, money and hassle. Schedule a free demo today.
