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Message from discussion Ch-Ch-Change
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Chris Messina  
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 More options Mar 28 2008, 7:46 pm
From: "Chris Messina" <chris.mess...@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 28 Mar 2008 16:46:58 -0700
Local: Fri, Mar 28 2008 7:46 pm
Subject: Re: [Coworking] Re: Ch-Ch-Change
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We've never had too many people since we've been open. In some ways,
this is why the reservation system proved to be unnecessary once we
got underway. I was sure that having a reservation system would be
necessary to "assure" people that they wouldn't be wasting their time
if they showed up... turned out that  we typically have 2-3 people
most of the time, maybe up to 5, but rarely more than that.

It could be because we don't do any promotion and people find out
about us through the web or word or mouth, but it's just not been an
issue.

Now, *were* it to become an issue and we became insanely popular with
15-20 dropins showing up, that's different, but that would radically
change our business, and make it worthwhile to invest in some kind of
scheduling or charging scenario. One thing we've learned though, given
how easy it is to build a custom Rails app these days, is to not
prematurely optimize or to invest in behavior that may never
materialize. It's almost as though you want to reach a pain threshold
where you *must* take action... taking action in advance of something
is a risk that a bootstrapped project probably should avoid, if only
to limit wasting resources.

Y'know? Now, that isn't to say that you *can't* build something like
this, maybe to attract new folks, but we've seen personal connections
and community tend to be *much* ways to build interest. Anyway...! ;)

Chris

On Fri, Mar 28, 2008 at 11:40 AM, patrick.tang...@gmail.com

<patrick.tang...@gmail.com> wrote:

>  Thanks everyone, some food for thought there. A few of the models you
>  mention I hadn't heard of. I'm wondering though, how are you planning
>  to manage overcrowding on some days? If you have no schedule or
>  booking and people are free to drop by any day, some days you'll have
>  "too many" people no?

>  Most of us are not running at full capacity yet but it will come and
>  I'm wondering if these loose systems will work as well.

>  Not that hour banks will fix that but wetter we change systems or not,
>  we plan on a booking site so people can confirm a desk before heading
>  here. The bigger advantage you mention for the day or half day systems
>  is less management which, again, I'm afraid will lead to too many
>  people on some days.

>  Patrick

--
Chris Messina
Citizen-Participant &
 Open Source Advocate-at-Large
Work: http://citizenagency.com
Blog: http://factoryjoe.com/blog
Cell: 412.225.1051
IM: factoryjoe
This email is: [ ] bloggable [X] ask first [ ] private

 
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