Why we’re in business.
Wallacespace is a place where people can step away from their everyday and leave the distractions of the office behind, in order to collaborate, think, learn and innovate.
We understand that if people feel good, they will think better and achieve more. Everything we do at wallacespace should support these simple aims.
What we do
Brighter thinking spaces
Our vision
To be the meeting space that people want to recommend, because they trust us to deliver really worthwhile results.
Our mission
We have tech savvy spaces, designed to support innovation & creative thinking, combined with genuinely super-service & bloody great food.
All of this is designed to ensure that people achieve more from the time they spend at wallacespace.
What you want, when you want it, no-fuss service that helps our clients focus on the job in hand.
We love what we do and it shows.
Flexible spaces. Flexible Ts and Cs. Flexible people. We’ll bend over backwards to help our clients achieve their goals.
We work with our clients as trusted partners, and across departments with a collaborative attitude.
First impressions matter. Did you know that our conscious minds can handle roughly 40 bits of information per second?
That sounds like a lot… until you know that our unconscious minds can handle 11 million bits per second. So we’ve evolved to let our unconscious minds handle first impressions, while our conscious minds are easily overwhelmed with just talking and trying not to spill coffee on ourselves.
Our attitude and the way we walk and talk is key to the impression we make and the way our clients think of wallacespace. People know we work here from the way we hold ourselves. Not because we wear a uniform or name badge.
We go the extra mile with thoughtful and proactive service that surprises and delights.
Wallacespace should be front of mind for those who have come across us before, and easy to find for those who haven’t.
Once a potential client has found us, our marketing should be clear, memorable and persuasive.
Answers to questions should be easily found, and the many different ways to contact us should be very clear.
We answer phone, Tawk and email enquiries promptly.
Grab hold of incoming business with both hands before people have a chance to wander elsewhere.
When someone gets in touch to book, we don’t work through a list of features they might need (boardroom for 4, sandwich lunch, 2 flipcharts, blah blah blah). We ask thoughtful questions designed to really understand what the client wants to achieve, so we can advise, based on our experience, and work with our clients as partners to help them achieve success.
If we stick to questions around timings and layouts, we risk getting things wrong for all but the most basic bookings. Ask questions. Be curious. Engage. Make connections.
We are different to other venues.
We work with our clients to help them achieve their objectives. To that end, we ask lots of questions in order to deeply understand what success looks like for each event, this helps us advise on best solutions.
Our clients will know they want to achieve, they may not be so sure of how best to get there. We have been doing this for a long time, have the confidence to advise on the best ways to do things.
It’s our job to anticipate what people are going to need and help them plan for all eventualities.
Our buildings are our shop windows.
Take pride in keeping the outside of our buildings looking beautiful.
Know your local area inside out.
Speak to the council and report fly tipping.
Be a positive part of our communities where we have the opportunity to do so.
A warm welcome sets the tone for the rest of the day.
Stand up, smile & make eye contact – it gives people ‘permission’ to come in and helps them feel ease.
Ask if we can help with suitcases, bikes, umbrellas etc.
Try to take people to their rooms where possible, and always show the facilitator up – it’s a great opportunity to build relationships and check everything is ok.
Be knowledgable about our spaces and our local area, and be ready to help and advise.
If a client asks where the nearest shop is, offer to go out for them first
If a client asks about pubs or restaurants on the day, offer to ring around and reserve a table. We are helpful & proactive.
Warm: Genuine smiles, less formality—relaxed and welcoming.
Uncluttered: Our working areas should be tidy and clean.
Attractive: Homely, fresh flowers to create a welcoming atmosphere. The type you might buy for your own home, not spiky, corporate bouquets.
Homely: Lamps and rugs to create comfortable, welcoming spaces.
Spotless and inviting: Clean loos, surfaces, and floors.
Collaborative: interesting stuff designed to spark conversation.
A client should feel like the first person to ever use their room.
Fresh pads of paper, pens that work, generous amounts of stationery, bins empty. everything spotlessly clean etc.
Remember that people come to wallacespace to innovate and think creatively. They will likely need flip charts (although too many can feel crowded), whiteboards, PostIts and stuff to stick on walls – all visible and within reach. Invite people to get creative and make a mess!
Get used to looking at our spaces as though you are client seeing everything for the first time. Notice what works and where we could improve. Think about how the space makes you feel. Treat wallacespace like your home and imagine you have visitors – straighten pictures, plump cushions, wipe away fingermarks – help our spaces to look their best.
Tech Savvy: Effortless Technology
User-friendly tech that’s ready to go.
Expert support: knowledgeable staff to assist with all tech needs.
Fit for purpose: Top-notch equipment that meets our clients needs.
Reliable: People and tech that can be trusted to deliver.
Scalable: There are few limits with the support of specialists.
Everyone’s first job is to create a welcoming space in our buildings, and this is especially true in our caffes.
Our caffe teams have a unique opportunity to interact with our clients. During their sessions, clients are likely very focussed. When they get to the caffe, we hope they are much more relaxed. We are open, smiling, here to help. We are interesting and interested – find out what our clients are doing and how their day is going.
Lunch is key to a productive day. It’s part of the process of workshopping and breaking down barriers. The food we serve is vital to keep people feeling sharp through the afternoon.
Generosity and choice.
We don’t stick signs on everything – we talk to people. Signs are usually there to tell people what to do, or not do.
Use your initiative, help people navigate through lunchtime, and manage bottle necks (eg long queues at the counter). They can then go back to their rooms in the right frame of mind for a successful afternoon.
Remembering that if it can go wrong, it will go wrong in the world of live events, we plan for all contingencies.
Things don’t always go quite according to plan, it’s what we do about it in the moment that reassures and builds trust.
We are open and calm, not obstructive or defensive. If things have gone wrong, what’s important is sorting it out, not apportioning blame. We work together to make things right, and 9 out of 10 times, this means the client is even more impressed with wallacespace, because of the way we fix things.
Don’t underestimate the importance of Invoicing!
Getting the correct information from the beginning is key, much like when you book a holiday – no one is interested in the details after the event has happened.
It may sound a silly question but ‘who is paying for the event?’ is a vital question, Often it’s not the company or person you are speaking to .
Sending the correct invoice to the correct person for the correct amount creates a smooth / professional process for both them and us and helps build trust.
Mistakes cost us time and money as well as effecting our reputation as being an easy to buy / easy to pay company – setting us apart from our competitors .
More money in our bank and time to build new business is a win win for all of us.
Three very senior people at wallacespace had a conversation about why it is important to stand up when we greet clients in the morning.
They gave three different responses as to why…
Of course, the truth is that all three are true.
If you were welcoming an important guest to your own home, you wouldn’t stay sat on the sofa as they arrived and merely point them in the direction of the kettle, or the guest bedroom.
Wallacespace is our home and clients are our special guests. We make them feel welcome, we make sure everything is spruced and tidy, we make sure they know where to find the coffee, biscuits, loos etc. And not by way of sticking a sign on the wall and expecting them to read it…
We don’t hate goodbyes, they’re a great opportunity to consolidate relationships.
Just as we stand up and make eye contact to give clients ‘permission’ to come into wallacespace in the morning, we stand up and say goodbye to give people that same permission to leave. You’ll notice people often look a bit awkward and unsure until we do this.
The goodbye is also a key moment to have those powerful conversations that start with ‘how did everything go?’ and end with ‘is there anyone else you can recommend us to?’
Asking these questions is crucial when it comes to building our business.
Why don’t we have loads of signage?
“Please DO NOT approach the reception window until you are called to do so by a receptionist.”
“No parking.”
“No mobile phones.”
“No running, jumping or heavy petting.”
Signage invariably tells us what NOT to do. It’s mealy-mouthed, waggy-fingered and can feel like an excuse to avoid speaking to people.
At wallacespace, we try to stick to directional and essential signage only (where are the loos and what’s the wifi code?).
If someone looks a bit baffled over by the teabags we’ll go over and help, giving us an opportunity to introduce ourselves and see what else we can do to help.
We don’t wear uniforms at wallacespace because we don’t need to. Clients can see that we work here because we have our heads up and we actively seek out those who look they might have a question or need a hand with something.
Psychological safety means having the comfort that you won’t be punished or humiliated for speaking up with ideas, questions, concerns, or mistakes. Psychological safety at work is a shared expectation held by members of a team that teammates won’t embarrass, reject or punish them for sharing ideas, taking risks, or seeking feedback.
I doesn’t mean that everybody is nice to each other all the time. It does mean that people feel free to “brainstorm out loud,” voice half-finished thoughts, openly challenge the status quo, share feedback, and work through disagreements together — knowing that leaders value honesty, candor, and truth-telling, and that team members will have one another’s backs.
When workplace psychological safety is present, people feel comfortable bringing their full, authentic selves to work and are okay with risking feeling vulnerable in front of others. Organisations with psychologically safe environments — where employees feel free to ask bold questions, share concerns, ask for help, and take calculated risks — are all the better for it.
I am registered blind & Wallacespace has been outstanding in supporting me. It’s never patronising or intrusive, I just know that the team will be on hand to assist me in doing my job in terrific surroundings. It gives me great confidence that our participants will have a wonderful experience in a welcoming, dynamic and professional location.” Alan Lock, Maynard Leigh
Some of our buildings are converted warehouses. They are all different and unique in style. We love that this gives our spaces character, however older buildings come with accessibility challenges. There are some things we can’t control, but there are many that we can.
Forewarned is forearmed. If walking is difficult or impossible, it may be useful to know in advance about steps and how to avoid them, whether the front door opens inwards or outwards. About the width of the lift, or the fact that the caffe is down a steep flight of stairs (and lunch can be served in the room). Try to put yourself in a clients shoes and anticipate what they might need in the way of help or extra information.
If you’re not sure, ask.
Not all disabilities are immediately obvious. It’s another very good reason to keep walking around the building, checking if anyone needs help.
Contingency & forward thinking are the cornerstones of successful meetings & events. By anticipating potential challenges and developing proactive solutions, we can minimise risk, be efficient with resources and build partnerships built on trust.
Mitigating Risks
Unexpected Challenges: Meetings and events can be complex with many moving parts. Unexpected headaches like speaker cancellations, tech failures or travel disruption can derail an event. Solid contingency planning helps us respond effectively and minimise disruptions.
Crisis Management: In case of emergencies, having a plan keeps us all safe and protects our brand reputation.
Resourcing: Identifying potential needs in advance allows for efficient resource allocation and prevents last-minute scrambling
Scenario Planning: By thinking through possible scenarios, you can develop effective strategies to address challenges or opportunities.
Creating Exceptional Experiences
Anticipating your clients’ needs allows you to create memorable, worthwhile experiences.
Forward thinking helps you stay flexible and adapt to changing circumstances, ensuring the event remains engaging and relevant.
Building Trust and Confidence
Be prepared: Demonstrating preparedness and a proactive approach builds trust.
Professionalism: Solid contingency planning demonstrates a high level of professionalism and attention to detail.