As hybrid work continues to redefine collaboration, meeting spaces have become the heartbeat of modern businesses. The right technology doesn’t just connect people – it empowers teams, drives productivity, and ensures every voice is heard. With 2026 on the horizon, now is the time to plan upgrades that make your meeting rooms smarter, more inclusive and future ready.
Why Future-Proofing Matters
A well-designed meeting room is more than four walls and a table, it’s a productivity engine. Investing in the right AV solutions ensures your team can work smarter and collaborate seamlessly. Future proofing starts with intuitive controls and reliable connectivity that eliminate wasted time and extends to creating inclusive environments where high quality audio and video keep remote participants fully engaged.
Scalable solutions allow you to adapt easily across huddle rooms, boardrooms, and training spaces. With AI-driven tools becoming mainstream, certified hardware is essential to keep your business ahead of evolving collaboration trends. An IDC report commissioned by Microsoft in 2024 highlights that GenAI usage jumped from 55% in 2023, to 75% in 2024, signaling that AI is no longer optional – it's a core driver of productivity.
AI is rapidly changing the way we work, and meeting spaces are a critical touchpoint for this change. For many organisations, Microsoft Copilot is becoming an integrated part of daily workflows, delivering intelligent meeting summaries, action items and real time insights. These capabilities rely on having the right hardware in place.
Devices certified for Microsoft Teams Rooms ensure seamless integration with AI powered software, creating a unified experience that is both intuitive and future ready. By equipping your meeting rooms with compatible solutions today, you’re not just upgrading technology, you’re laying a foundation for smarter, more efficient collaboration tomorrow. Gen AI is a growth strategy – companies are seeing a 3.7x ROI for every dollar invested.
The best meeting spaces combine ease of use with advanced functionality. Features like one-touch join, and effortless content sharing make meetings stress free, while clear audio and video eliminate distractions. Integration with platforms such as Microsoft Teams Rooms guarantees a seamless experience, and intelligent automation powered by AI transforms meetings into productive, outcome driven sessions.
Partnering for Success
Future proofing your meeting spaces isn’t just about choosing the right technology, its about having the right partner to guide you every step of the way. At Dicker Data, we don’t just distribute products, we deliver end-to-end solutions tailored to your business needs. From expert presales consultation and room design advice to deployment support and post installation services, our team ensures your investment drives maximum value.
At Dicker Data we stock a wide range of vendors who play a critical role in delivering seamless collaboration experiences – from AI powered intelligence and premium display to advanced audio solutions and reliable compute devices. Together, these solutions ensure your meeting spaces are intuitive, inclusive, and equipped to handle the evolving demands of hybrid work.
We offer access to Microsoft Teams Rooms certified devices, from leading brands like Samsung, LG, Neat, Poly, Barco, CommBox and SHURE, backed by flexible financing options. Whether you’re upgrading a single meeting room or transforming an entire office, Dicker Data provides the knowledge, resources, and support to make your meeting spaces smarter, more inclusive and ready for the future.
Leading Brands Driving Innovation in AV Solutions
We spoke to our team of product managers, and asked them how their brands can best support your AV plans:
“LG’s displays offer a compelling solution for AV and signage deployments in New Zealand due to their versatility, reliability, and ease of management. They provide flexible options for diverse environments, including indoor, outdoor, and hospitality applications. Built on the smart webOS platform, the displays minimize the need for external media players, while their durable design supports continuous 24/7 commercial operation. Content management and scheduling are intuitive and efficient, and LG’s global service network ensures scalability and support for large deployments.” Zara Pooley – Product Manager
“Poly meeting room solutions have advanced technology and AI features to ensure all participants get the best experience from their meetings. NoiseBlockAI is Poly's AI-powered noise suppression using machine learning to detect and remove non-verbal distractions, like typing sounds or paper rustling without cutting off your speech. It can also minimise echo in rooms with lots of glass or hard surfaces. In open-plan offices or high traffic spaces, Poly Acoustic Fence creates a virtual "fence" meaning sounds outside this zone, like hallway chatter, are blocked so only meeting participants are heard. Poly DirectorAI allows the cameras to focus on the intended audience. With smart framing and perimeter settings meeting rooms become more people focused ensuring everyone is seen. That may mean for some spaces, multiple cameras offer the best experience.” Lloyd Kenny – Solutions Architect
“CommBox delivers a clear advantage in AV solutions by combining Australian-designed, secure display technology with seamless integration and an exceptional user experience. Engineered for classrooms, meeting rooms, hybrid spaces and LED environments, with cyber-security embedded at every layer, including CASA Tier 3 certification, independent Trustwave penetration testing and defence-grade hardware, organisations gain complete confidence that their environments are protected and future-ready, with reliable performance and intuitive tools that make it easier to present, collaborate and connect in any space.” Evan Jones – Product Manager
“Neat delivers beautifully simple video collaboration devices that create natural, equitable, and engaging meeting experiences for modern hybrid teams. By bridging the physical and virtual divide, Neat helps people feel more connected and present making distinctions like “in-office” and “remote” increasingly irrelevant.
Its pioneering portfolio provides exceptional audio and video quality for Zoom and Microsoft Teams spaces of all sizes, supported by Neat Pulse for streamlined device management, premium care, extended warranties, and integration with leading business apps. Neat also offers tailored solutions across Education, Financial Services, Public Sector, Retail, and Small Business environments.” Zara Pooley – Product Manager
“Barco is a global leader in visualisation and collaboration technologies, serving healthcare, enterprise, and entertainment markets. They focus on innovation, sustainability, and high-performance solutions like advanced displays, projection, and connectivity systems. Founded in 1934 in Belgium, Barco has grown into a trusted provider for mission-critical environments worldwide.
Notably, ClickShare is Barco’s award-winning wireless meeting room system that enables effortless video conferencing, collaboration, and presentations. It instantly connects your laptop to the room’s audio and video equipment, letting you start a meeting in under seven seconds with a single click via the ClickShare Button or App.” Zara Pooley – Product Manager
“Samsung displays offer versatile solutions for a wide range of business applications, including hospitality, digital signage, LED video walls, meeting rooms, and retail environments. Their smart signage platform, powered by Tizen OS and MagicINFO, enables seamless content creation, remote control, scheduling, and deployment, reducing reliance on external media players. Large-format and modular LED solutions, such as “The Wall”, provide immersive, high-impact visuals for any space. Built for up to 24/7 commercial use with 3Y commercial warranty, Samsung displays deliver reliable performance, durability, and scalability, making them ideal for both small-scale installations and enterprise-wide deployments.” Ty Kuy – Product Manager
“Shure is a global leader in professional and consumer audio, producing industry-standard microphones, conferencing systems, and audio equipment. Known for engineering excellence, reliability, and innovation, Shure’s solutions serve performers, presenters, and creators worldwide, continuing its century-long legacy of trusted audio technology.” Zara Pooley – Product Manager
Building a Strategy for 2026 and Beyond
As we approach 2026, the pace of technological change is accelerating and meeting spaces are at the center of this transformation. Hybrid work is no longer a trend; it’s the standard, and businesses that fail to plan now risk falling behind. AV planning isn’t just about upgrading hardware, it’s about creating a strategy that aligns with your long-term collaboration goals. From integrating AI-powered tools like Microsoft Copilot to ensuring compatibility with emerging platforms, every decision you make today will shape how your teams connect tomorrow. The right planning ensures your meeting rooms remain intuitive, inclusive, and scalable, delivering a seamless experience for both in-office and remote participants. By investing in future-ready AV solutions now, you’re not just preparing for next year - you’re building a foundation for sustained productivity, innovation, and competitive advantage in a rapidly evolving digital workplace.
Richard Harri
Hardware | General Manager
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