Data-Driven Decisions in Space Optimization Solutions | Laurel Barrette from NFS Technology

Ernesto Quezada: Pathmonk is the intelligent tool for website lead generation. With increasing online competition, over 98% of website visitors don’t convert. The ability to successfully show your value proposition and support visitors in their buying journey separates you from the competition online. Pathmonk qualifies and converts leads on your website by figuring out where they are in the buying journey and influencing them in key decision moments. With relevant micro experiences like case studies, intro videos, and much more, stay relevant to your visitors and increase conversions by 50%. Add Pathmonk to your website in seconds. Let the AI do all the work and get access to 50% more qualified leads while you keep doing marketing and sales as usual. Check us out on pathmonk.com. Welcome to today’s episode. Let’s talk about today’s guest. We have Laurel, marketing coordinator at Rendezvous Workspace. How are you doing today, Laurel?

Laurel Barrette: Great, awesome.

Ernesto: Well, it’s great to have you on. We’re discussing a little bit about Rendezvous Workspace and NFS Technology. So in your own words, tell us a little bit more about how it works so that our listeners can get a good understanding.

Laurel: Absolutely, and thanks so much for having me here today. I appreciate it. We’re a hospitality and space management software solution provider. I focus on our core product, which is the space management side of the company—Rendezvous Workspace platform. We’re a global company with nearly 30 years of experience. One of the things I really like about NFS is the long tenure of a lot of our senior staff and leadership, which really helps maintain continuity in relationships, both internally within the team and externally with our clients, many of whom are long-term. Finally, we’re really proud of our strategic partnerships with leading hardware and software providers, like Microsoft and Crestron, which help us provide a more comprehensive enterprise-class solution.

Ernesto: Okay, interesting. Perfect. So that way, our listeners who are tuned in can get a good understanding of Rendezvous Workspace. What would you say is the key problem that you guys help solve for clients?

Laurel: Oh, at the top of the list would be space management. It’s not just about managing meeting rooms, but also desks, hoteling spaces, and enabling a seamless process where people can book services as well as rooms or desks on the go—all in one application. On the backend, we provide rich data with over 75 on-demand reports and a graphical dashboard so admins can optimize space usage and understand what’s going on behind the scenes.

Ernesto: Awesome to hear that. So then, is there a certain vertical segment? Is there an ideal ICP for Rendezvous Workspace?

Laurel: We work with a wide range of different organizations and industry sectors. In North America, we have a strong footprint in the legal sector, as well as financial, insurance, and health services organizations. Globally, we serve a wide range of corporations, public sector clients like the NHS in the UK, higher education institutions, sports teams, and hospitality clients with unique venues or catering companies. In North America, though, we’ve had great success working with legal, financial, and health services groups.

Ernesto: Awesome. So, say I was in the legal industry. How would I usually find out about Rendezvous Workspace? Is there a top client acquisition channel for you guys?

Laurel: One key way is through organizations we engage with, like ILTA (International Legal Technology Association). We’ll be exhibiting there this fall—super excited about that! It’s a very niche group focused on legal tech, so that’s a big one. We also get a lot of referrals from other law firms that have worked with us. We’re proud that about 50% of our clients are ranked on the Am Law 200 list, which gives us credibility and trust. Of course, we drive people to our website, where we have a dedicated legal sector page to show our understanding of their specific pain points and solutions.

Ernesto: Definitely important. Great to hear that. So, for our listeners who are tuned in, they can check you out at myrendezvous.net. You mentioned the website earlier—what would you say is its key focus? Is it lead generation or something else?

Laurel: Definitely lead generation. I’m on the website all the time, and it’s a great resource for anyone interested in our IoT ecosystem. We tailor it to meet the needs of different industries and roles, providing valuable resources. Keeping it fresh, easy to navigate, and updating the SEO are key for driving traffic to it from various channels.

Ernesto: Okay, perfect. Are there any tools, tips, or methods you’d recommend for website lead generation?

Laurel: One back-to-basics thing is making your forms easy to complete. Don’t ask for too much information up front—just the essentials. Also, make sure your content is searchable and easy to find. Content needs to be both attractive and actionable, not just for SEO. Ensure it’s genuinely useful for the client—like buyer enablement tools that they can actually use.

Ernesto: Okay, perfect. Awesome advice. Let’s switch gears a bit, Laurel, and talk about you. As marketing coordinator for Rendezvous Workspace, what are some key tasks you focus on day to day?

Laurel: Well, I’m part of a team, but I play a bit of a jack-of-all-trades role. I have a background in social science and education, so I bring a variety of skills to the table. No day looks the same, but I spend a lot of time on LinkedIn, especially in the B2B space, supporting our executives and sales teams with fresh content each week. I also do email marketing, some graphic design, and work on creating or refreshing content like presentations and pitch decks. For example, today, I turned a blog article into a graphic for LinkedIn on ESG, which is a hot topic. I also collaborate closely with our sales team to ensure the content we create is both practical and relevant.

Ernesto: Great to hear that! You mentioned LinkedIn—is that your preferred channel for staying up to date with news, trends, and strategies, or do you use other channels?

Laurel: I do use LinkedIn a lot, but I’m also a bit old school—I love taking classes and reading blogs. For graphic design, I use Skillshare, and for marketing, I’ve taken courses on Coursera in digital marketing and foundational marketing principles. It’s a mix, really. I think being curious and continuously learning is key in this field.

Ernesto: Definitely! All right, let’s move into our rapid-fire question round. Are you ready?

Laurel: I hope so!

Ernesto: First up, what’s the last book you read?

Laurel: I just finished Atomic Habits on audiobook. I’d highly recommend it. It’s all about making small adjustments that lead to lasting improvements—totally relatable for work and personal life.

Ernesto: Great choice! Next, if there were no boundaries in technology, what’s one thing you’d want to fix for your role as a marketer?

Laurel: I’d love to dig deeper into the psychological process of buyers. Understanding what they need, how to make their lives easier, and what builds trust would be incredible. I feel like AI might help us get there someday!

Ernesto: Love that! And if you could automate one repetitive task, what would it be?

Laurel: Definitely data hygiene. Data is only as good as how clean it is, and better tools for maintaining it would be amazing.

Ernesto: Agreed! Last question: what advice would you give yourself if you were to restart your journey as a marketer?

Laurel: Focus on communication—both understanding what others need and how to provide what they need. It’s essential for working effectively with internal teams and external clients.

Ernesto: Great advice for anyone! Laurel, we’re coming to the end of the show. Before we wrap up, if someone forgets everything from today’s interview, what’s the one thing they should remember about Rendezvous Workspace?

Laurel: That we provide a seamless, well-integrated space management solution for small and enterprise organizations alike.

Ernesto: Love it! And for our listeners, check them out at myrendezvous.net. Laurel, thank you so much for joining us today, and to our listeners, thanks for tuning in. I’m looking forward to our next episode at Pathmonk Presents. Thanks, Laurel!

Laurel: Thank you.