What to provide when holding a conference in the cold
The good news is that December 21st is the shortest day, which means more hours of sunlight in the weeks and months that follow.
Unfortunately, the days don’t get much longer overnight and the weather is likely to stay cold through until at least April – so how can you make sure your conference venues keep guests comfortable in arctic conditions?
Here are five top tips to keep in mind which will hopefully mean you see happier delegates at your next conference or meeting.
1. Getting There
Easily accessible conference facilities with good transport links are a must in cold weather, and make sure you give clear directions to those planning to attend.
You don’t want visitors stuck out in the cold or unsure about which building you’re in – you might want to give them a direct phone number to call you for help if they get lost on the way, just in case!
2. A Warm Welcome
The reception on arrival can make a huge difference to anyone who has just stepped in from the cold, so whatever the weather is doing outside, be ready to offer a welcoming handshake and take your visitor’s coat.
Give people a bit of time and space to unbundle themselves from scarves, gloves, hats and extra layers; our serviced offices have reception areas just for this transition from outside to in, helping to demarcate the unpleasant weather from the pleasantries of the conference or meeting that follows.
3. Food and Drink
Offer a hot drink on arrival – tea and coffee take only minutes to make and our serviced meeting rooms will usually have kitchen facilities available to you, so you can really reinforce that warm welcome for the best possible first impression.
Even a light snack can also help put some warmth into guests – it doesn’t have to be hot food, as just digesting a cold sandwich or other light bite helps to keep the body warm on the inside, not just during the meeting but also for the journey home.
4. Comfortable Furniture
Well-appointed meeting rooms with comfortable furniture can help weary travellers to recover from their journey, and, of course, central heating goes a long way to help too!
Again, people like to have some personal space, so make sure you book conference venues big enough for the air to circulate and for everyone to stay feeling fresh – and don’t overheat the room, as some people don’t feel so comfortable with a big change in temperature when coming in from the cold.
5. A Friendly Farewell
Your guests’ departure should be like their arrival, with plenty of time allowed for them to wrap up warm, so that they don’t face doing so in the cold outside.
See them off at the door, even if it means getting a bit chilly yourself, as last impressions really can count just as much as first impressions do.
With these tips and your own ideas about how to keep warm in conference venues, hopefully you can impress all of your delegates and visitors this winter, for a prosperous start to 2018!
