The Secret Ingredient to the Best Coworking Space: Hospitality
Though coworking spaces have become increasingly popular within the last few years, they’re still far from being a well-established industry. Sure, they’re great for freelancers and small business owners to get a little office space and exchange ideas, but they’re certainly not perfect. There are still kinks to work out and challenges to overcome before coworking spaces can truly reach their full potential.
One industry that may be able to help guide coworking spaces in the right direction is the hospitality industry. There is already some overlap in what the two industries do in terms of taking care of their clients, so coworking spaces may want to look to the well-established hospitality industry to see how to take their business to the next level.
Let’s see how hospitality can be the secret ingredient to the best coworking spaces.
Amenities
Coworking spaces are known for their amenities. You can often get high-speed WiFi access, coffee machines, comfortable yet practical desks and chairs, access to meeting rooms and a common area all in the same place. In fact, these amenities are practically the bare minimum these days – even the worst coworking spaces should have many, if not all, of these elements.
Those coworking spaces that are striving to be the best, however, take their amenity game to the next level. Their goal is to make their spaces feel more like home, which is basically the goal of those in the hospitality business. This may involve providing renters with access to a full snack bar, a nap or wellness room, and a fitness room. Those with fitness rooms may also install showers or changing facilities if people are going to be working up a sweat. You’ll already see these types of amenities in some of the top hotels, which are practically the face of the hospitality industry, so coworking spaces should take note.
Customer Service
While the best coworking spaces do provide ample space and amenities for their renters, they don’t stop there. They go the extra mile and do their best to make sure everyone feels welcome and taken care of in their space.
One of the best ways to do this is to hire a front desk attendant. Similar to a concierge at a hotel, a front desk attendant is there to direct guests and answer questions about the various businesses that share the coworking space. Not only does this help out the businesses, but it gives a more professional atmosphere to the whole office. This can help attract those potential clients who think that coworking spaces are a little too casual for their particular business.
Community Managers
While a community manager may also work as a front desk attendant in some coworking spaces, it is often best if it is a separate position. A community manager is like a hotel manager in that they make sure everything is going smoothly in their place of business.
Community managers oversee everything and everyone in a coworking space, both renters and staff alike. They are therefore the go-to person for help with any requests or problems, from event planning to day-to-day operations. When a coworking space has a community manager, you know you’re going to be well-taken care of there.
When a coworking space concentrates on hospitality, it allows you to put your focus where it matters most: work. After all, isn’t that why you’re there in the first place?