Why your boardroom is more than just a meeting room
Your boardroom is where the most important decisions are made. Where your management team meets investors. Where deals are closed or rejected. Where stakeholders get their first – and often lasting – impression of your organisation.
An outdated boardroom unintentionally communicates a message about your company. And that message can also be negative, without you or your management being aware of it.
Risk 1: Lost deals due to technical failures
For customers and partners, it’s often about the here and now. One crucial presentation that goes wrong can immediately cost you a deal.
A director told me how a big deal fell through because the boardroom failed at the wrong moment. The partner’s reaction?
“If you can’t get the basics right, how can we trust you with our business?”
What partners and customers experience
• Decision-making stalls due to technical interruptions
• The impression that your company isn’t reliable
• Trust disappears in a fraction of a second
Consequences for your organisation
• Lost revenue and deals that will never come back
• Damaged relationships with partners and customers
• Loss of competitive advantage in the short term
Risk 2: Loss of investor confidence
Investors look futher ahead. Their decision are based on figures, vision and confidence that your organisation operates professionally and is future-proof. As soon as the technology in the boardroom falters, that confidence is undermined.
Their reasoning is simple: “If this doesn’t work, what about the rest of the organisation?”
What investors think
• “If this doesn’t work, what about their operational processes?”
• “Can we entrust our capital to this organisation?”
• “Is this company ready to grow?”
Consequences for your organisation
• Investment decisions are postponed
• You are asked critical questions about professionalism and reliability
• Your reputation as a solid and future-proof company comes under pressure
Risk 3: Undermining your professional image with external visitors
Your boardroom is often the first thing external visitors see of your organisation. That space shapes their perception of who you are and what you stand for.
What an outdated boardroom communicates:
• “This company doesn’t invest in modern tools”
• “They are lagging behind developments in their sector”
• “Other processes are probably outdated too”
• “They don’t pay attention to details that matter”
The paradox: you spend huge budgets on marketing to show the right image. But one bad boardroom experience can undo months of brand building in one fell swoop.
Risk 4: Falling behind competitors with modern boardrooms
While you’re sticking to outdated technology, your competitors are investing in state-of-the-art boardrooms. The difference becomes increasingly evident.
How this places you behind competitors
• Customers unconsciously compare your facilities to those of competitors
• Top talent chooses organisations that invest in modern work environments
• Partnerships are more likely to be created with companies that appear “forward-thinking”
• You miss opportunities to impress in a time where details make the difference
Warning signs that your boardroom is causing reputational damage
How do you know if your boardroom is causing reputational damage? Watch out for these signs:
Technical signs:
□ Meetings consistently start 5-10 minutes late
□ You need an “AV expert” for every important meeting
□ External visitors cannot easily connect their laptops
□ The sound is poor during videoconferences with external participants
□ You have piles of remote controls and nobody knows which one does what
Behavioural signs:
□ Board members increasingly request alternative locations
□ Important meetings are moved to external venues
□ You hear remarks about “our outdated boardroom”
□ IT or AV support regularly receives calls about boardroom problems
□ External visitors make comments about the technology
Business signs:
□ Negotiations increasingly stall after boardroom meetings
□ Partners ask critical questions about your operational processes
□ You notice competitors are preferred during simultaneous pitches
□ Stakeholders make comments on “modernisation” or “digital transformation”
How does your boardroom score?
✅ 1-3 checkmarks: there’s room for improvement, but the risks are limited.
⚠️ 4-6 checkmarks: your boardroom is starting to have a serious impact on your reputation.
🚨 More than 6 checkmarks: high risk of reputational damage and missed business opportunities – time to take immediate action.
3 quick wins for your boardroom you can start applying tomorrow
You don’t have to wait for a complete boardroom renovation. Here are 3 quick wins you can start using tomorrow:
Quick win 1: Ensure flawless basic connectivity
Invest in a good wireless presentation solution that works with all devices. Make sure every laptop – Windows, Mac, or Chromebook – can present within 30 seconds. Do a monthly test trial with different devices.
Quick win 2: Eliminate visible cables and clutter
Keep all cables out of sight. Ensure there are fixed connection points elegantly integrated into the table. Remove any unnecassary remote controls, cables and boxes. A tidy boardroom shows professionalism.
Quick win 3: Test your system proactively
Schedule a monthly “boardroom check” where you test all functionalities. Make sure there’s always someone (or someone who can join remotely) who knows the system well and can operate it. Create a simple user manual for the basics.
The choice is yours
These image risks aren’t inevitable. They are symptoms or deferred maintenance and outdated priorities. Organizations that proactively invest in their boardroom directly enhance their reputation and achieve better results in their meetings and decisions.
That Head of Facilities from the introduction? After our boardroom upgrade, I spoke with him again three months later. “Marco, our CEO received compliments from the same investors who had previously criticised us. They said we are clearly an organization that evolves with time and responds correctly to positive feedback.”
That’s exactly what a modern boardroom does. It communicates that you’re an organization that invests in quality, is ready for the future, and doesn’t overlook any details when it matters.
Prevent corporate image damage before it’s too late
You now know the risks associated with an outdated boardroom, how to recognize the warning signs, and which quick wins you can implement immediately.
Don’t wait too long. Every meeting in an outdated boardroom can lead to corporate image damage, missed deals, or a loss of trust among investors and other stakeholders.
As a boardroom specialist at AVEX, I have been helping organizations modernize their boardrooms for over 12 years. This creates a professional environment that inspires confidence, supports decision-making, and enhances your corporate image.
Author
Marco Kramer is a boardroom specialist at AVEX and has more than 12 years of experience with boardroom installations. He was closely involved in the development of the unique Quarta concept and helps organisations create boardrooms that enhance their professional corporate image.
