Modernising meeting rooms is a strategic step that can enhance productivity, communication, and collaboration in any organisation. As companies put together their budgets for 2025, many IT procurement managers will be considering a refit, refurbishment or an upgrade to their existing facilities.
Nimans have experts ready to help resellers and their customers of all sizes. In the latest issue of UC Advanced magazine, UC Advanced met Sam Kay, Video Business Development Manager for Nimans. Sam is on hand to help any reseller with Meeting Room projects, from concept phase to post-installation.
Q: How do you help resellers?
Sam Kay: I help any reseller that’s looking for advice or training on meeting room equipment, or I can help a reseller alongside their customer from scoping to quote and further. I’ll show them options, discuss both technical options, compatibility, brand choices and more. All within their budget. The sector is full of fast-changing technology, so is hard to keep up with. Luckily, I work with the major suppliers day-on-day, so can share what are the latest trends.
Q: How do resellers get in touch?
SK: Call me! Or better still – video conference me. I’m on Teams, Zoom, or whatever platform you use. Sometimes I travel to a reseller’s premises, or meet the reseller at their customers’ office, and of course I’m happy to meet online. I do online demos daily. We also regularly send out demo kit in professional flightcases and I’ll come out and show you how it works. There’s nothing like seeing technology, in action, in person.
Q: What service do you offer?
SK: How much time have you got? I offer the reseller help with understanding the equipment, it’s selling features, specifications and performance. Additionally, we can compare various products against each other for compatibility, pricing, margins, performance and longevity. With over 10 years of experience, I know which products will offer the best value for the customers’ budget. I help prepare quotes and assist when customers do know exactly what they want and also when they don’t.
Q : What types of Meeting Room products are you familiar with?
SK: Video bars, PTZ cameras, hubs, room sensors, cabling or wireless, speakers, ceiling or desk microphones. Whatever you need for tiny meeting rooms or massive auditoriums and multi-purpose conference centres.
Q: What does a typical day look like for you?
Sam: No two days are the same. I go where the reseller requires me. Sometimes I am demonstrating new equipment – which can be done in our state-of-the-art presentation and demonstration suites in Salford, or I could be in London or Edinburgh. A lot of resellers prefer me to accompany them when negotiating contracts and working with new customers.
Q : Do you recommend certain brands/products?
SK: At Nimans, we’re vendor neutral. It depends entirely on the reseller and the customer’s preferences. Some resellers have fixed ideas, and like working with certain brands, and sometimes budgets dictate just how much equipment can be purchased. It’s always best to have full and lengthy conversations with the customer, because trusting and happy customers always return. Many times, awareness, detailed questioning and exploring options changes the original framework of the customers’ project, and resellers can benefit from our knowledge. I love to help resellers deliver the projects that’s right for the customer, because we know they’ll come back. And that’s good for both the reseller and Nimans.
Q: What’s in your ideal meeting room?
SK: Chocolates or pizza! 😊
Q: What can go wrong?
SK: Lots! We’re on hand to help with compatibility with existing technology, acoustics advice, remote dialling facilities, connectivity, installation advice and more. Each meeting room is different from size, location, lighting, fittings and fixtures. Some meeting rooms need to be flexible for different uses and users, others can remain largely dedicated to being a meeting space. We also advise on the remote user and noise-cancelling solutions. There is nothing worse than a room where participants are not comfortable and able to contribute fully to meetings.
Q: What is trending in meeting room designs?
SK: Future-proofing, compatibility and security. Future-proofing, both to use existing technology and being compatible with the new, is massively important. Smart features like room sensors, adjustable light sensors and technology that involve a sustainability element is becoming a priority on procurement agendas. Security credentials and certificates are also becoming more important. I’m being asked more questions about encrypted information and data hosting than in previous years.
Q: What is the cost?
SK: Our advice is FREE. Resellers are under no obligation to take our advice, but we offer a helping hand all the way. Resellers keep coming back for our help, mostly because they see a massive increase in projects won, which we all benefit from.
Sam Kay will be at ISE in Barcelona to discuss meeting rooms projects.