Avocor, the Wilsonville, Ore.-based global interactive display and videoconferencing company, has recently completed a project with Adwise, a digital marketing agency based in Almelo, Netherlands.
Originally a media buying agency, Adwise has since grown to offer a full range of marketing services including advertising, publishing, campaign analytics and technology solutions. This transition into a full-service digital agency has also coincided with the growth of a portfolio of local and international clients. Collaboration, therefore, both in person and virtually, has always been an important factor in the business for building and maintaining client relationships as well as staff well-being and productivity.
Prior to the pandemic, Adwise ran its business along traditional lines with most staff working full-time from the office and most meetings being conducted face-to-face, whether that was between staff or with clients. The global shutdown in March-April 2020 changed everything and the company transitioned to a remote working model, and since then, as the ‘new normal’ emerged, started (and continues) to operate with a fully hybrid workforce.
The Return to Office Problem
As staff began to return to the office, issues began to emerge around the use and layout of meeting spaces at the headquarters. The standard large meeting rooms were not fit for purpose as they were quickly overbooked and often under-occupied when in use. The reason being, since working from home people had become used to conducting virtual meetings with an element of privacy – hence the heavily booked meeting spaces. Creatively deeper work had also become more difficult for some, as more people returned to the office.
Jeffrey Oelen, workspace manager at Adwise, knew that he needed to find a solution to the problem to maintain staff productivity and job satisfaction. He began to research for a solution that could offer an innovative way to meet these, as well as the evolving needs of the business.
The Hush Pod + Avocor Desk 27 Solution
During his research Jeffrey discovered the Hushoffice range of acoustic office meeting pods. Hush pods are custom-designed, sound-proofed enclosed spaces that offer privacy and noise elimination to create a peaceful environment for productive work and virtual meetings. They also feature a comfortable bench seat and built-in desk, adjustable lighting for different tasks and because they are on wheels, can be moved around the office where and when desired. Jeffrey then had the task of finding a monitor or display that could be used for virtual meetings and videoconferences without the need for peripherals such as camera, microphone and speakers which would clutter up the space. In simple terms, an all-in-one solution.
“I was on a visit to the Google office in Brussels and I saw the Google Meet Series One Desk 27 by Avocor in action – it was then I knew I’d found the answer,” says Jeffrey. “I was inspired – the Desk 27 has no real competitors and occupies a unique place in the market. It is the perfect size for our pods and offers all the functionality we want; it’s a powerful collaboration tool for virtual meetings, a desktop monitor with touchscreen, a laptop docking station and digital whiteboard all rolled into one unit – exactly the all-in-one device we were looking for. Also, Google Workspace is our chosen software collaboration platform so adding the hardware was a seamless process with no extra training or orientation required. The units made a real difference from day one and we haven’t looked back.”
Adwise invested in four Desk 27s – one for each Hush unit in the office. With existing Google Workspace licenses in place, the pods quickly became the ‘go-to’ place for smaller collaboration meetings and distraction-free focused work for individual staff. This development also freed up the other meeting rooms for larger groups to meet and collaborate.
“I’m really pleased with how the Desk 27s have worked out,” adds Jeffrey. “At Adwise we want our workspace to continue to inspire colleagues and clients as well as excite potential new employees who visit our premises. With the addition of the stylish Hush pods and Google Meet Series One Desk 27 by Avocor, I feel that’s exactly what we’ve achieved.”
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