When it comes to specifying a huddle space, it certainly helps to have prior experience managing collaborative systems. Such was the case when Norcross, Georgia-based NetPlanner Systems, a provider of communications cabling, audio/visual systems, access control, video surveillance, and other information transport systems, looked to outfit its own headquarters.
NetPlanner has experience providing education, corporate and military customers with a range of Pro AV and videoconferencing solutions for training, conference, meeting rooms, and more. According to Mike Haas, who oversees audio/visual sales for NetPlanner, the company has provided solutions for many of its corporate clients looking for huddle rooms, where anywhere from three to five people sit around a table with a conferencing system and a 46- or 48-inch display for interactive meetings. NetPlanner’s president, John Potts, liked the idea so much, he decided to create huddle rooms for use at the company’s new headquarters facility, with FSR HuddleVU systems at the center.
“The FSR unit is ideal for us,” says Haas. “Our setup includes a 48-inch LED and four HDMI connections. We use the HuddleVU all the time. Our sales, estimators, and even marketing teams will just sit down and have an impromptu meeting — go over details with clients, bring up drawings, whatever they want on the screen, and it’s really just so handy for a quick meeting. It’s so much easier than trying to sit in somebody’s office where a phone is ringing or someone is walking by. Instead, you just go over and sit at the huddle table, and everybody is able to focus without the distractions. We have two tables, one in the estimating and sales area and one in the operations area. Anybody in the company can walk up and use them.”
Haas notes that after a few simple instructions, his team was able to use the system right away.
“I showed them how to hook up everything, switch between laptops — it’s really so simple.”
The HuddleVU system allows for multiple users to share and view their laptops, tablets, and smart phone screens on a main display, and anyone participating can be a presenter at any given time at the push of a button. LEDs indicate which user is currently active and when the system is busy. The system requires no software or programming; it’s quick to install and use and good for budget-conscious installs.
