How To Ask the Right Questions on Your Room Request Form

Scheduling pros know that the form people use to request space in your facility plays a significant role in the success of events. If it’s created hastily and without sufficient thought, the result can be anything from a lack of vital information being provided to frustrated customers who are asked to provide too much information.

Mazévo simplifies the process of creating the perfect form by asking for most of the needed information by default, including:

• Name of the meeting/event
• Date, time, and location
• Contact and department/organization information
• Number of attendees
• Service needs (AV, catering, setup details, etc.)

From there, most Mazévo users will define additional questions to ensure that they get all the information they need from requesters.

Common Request Form Questions

Some of the questions that we most frequently see on request forms are listed below. Note that we’re not encouraging you to ask all of them.

In fact, asking too many questions can create problems—whether that means customer confusion about what information you’re after or, in extreme cases, requesters who decide to hold their event at a facility where the event scheduling department is a little more attuned to the needs of event hosts. But this list is good food for thought.

• What is the purpose of your event? Understanding the context of an event and its goals makes it easier for your team to be proactive and help customers host successful gatherings.
• What activities will take place at your event? Mazévo allows event hosts to request specific resource items for their events (AV equipment, podiums, extra tables, etc.). However, in many instances, it’s better to simply use the request form to get information about the rough agenda of the event and then let your team decide what resources are needed.
• What internal account number should we charge for this event? For internal event, asking for billing details on the request form can save everyone time later.
• When will you want to access the room? Mazévo will ask for the start and end time of the event, and additional buffer time for setup and teardown can be added automatically behind the scenes. However, a customer may want to access the room early to do some decorating or setup. Inquiring about that up front prompts the requester to do a mental review of their event timeline and can help you avoid last-minute early access requests.
• Have you reviewed our room use policies? Most organizations have policies and procedures that a customer must agree to before they can use a room. Prompting them to do so helps you “check the box” on this requirement. Mazévo allows you to post a link to your policies and you can require that they acknowledge those policies.

What’s the Right Number of Questions to Ask?

Your request form should include questions that you need answered in order to do your job—but no more than that. A good rule of thumb is: When in doubt, leave it out. You can always get additional information later by contacting the requester.

The problem with having too many questions is that people get frustrated with long forms. The farther they get into a form, the more likely it is that the information they provide will be inaccurate or incomplete. Then, while your goal was to get all the details you need from the form to streamline the process, you end up having to reach out to the customer (often several times) for clarification, anyway.

What Types of Questions Can We Ask on Our Form?

There are three types of questions you can ask on a Mazévo room request form:

• Specific answer. With this type of question, the requester must select from a list of answers that you’ve defined.
• Text field. Here, the requester types their answer to your question. Typing requires more effort than simply selecting from a list. Plus, deciphering the meaning of a requester's answer can be challenging. So, you should use this type of question sparingly.
• Dependent question. This is a question that’s displayed based on the response to a previous question (a “trigger”). For example, if someone answers “Yes” to the question, “Will you be serving food?” the system can display the question, “What type(s) of food?” to help you understand what catering-related resources are needed.

Get the Answers You Need (and More Insights From a Great Resource!)

Asking the right questions (and only the right questions) on a room request form will make life much easier for your team and your customers. It takes a little time and effort to determine what those questions are, but once you do, you’ll save countless hours going forward.

Want more information on how to craft an effective room request process?  Download The Ultimate Guide to Meeting Room Requests today!