Re: Recommendations For Managing Flex Worker Seating

[Craig Baute - Creative Density Coworking]

I can safely say most of us don't have a reservation system for hot
desking and it works well for us. In my opionon, a reservation system
creates a barrier between you and the community that reminds people
that this is a commercial transaction. I like to elminate the barriers
for the coworker so it feels like it is their place and a community
versus reminding them this is a business and they are the customer.
The less friction the better.

Craig
Creative Density

[Alex Hillman]

+1 to everything Craig said. 

-- 

/ah

indyhall.org

coworking in philadelphia

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[Alex Hillman]

Steelcase sells a LOT of awesome stuff that makes sense for sharing offices but doesn't make sense for a coworking community. :)

-- 

/ah

indyhall.org

coworking in philadelphia

On Friday, June 8, 2012 at 9:50 AM, Adrienne N wrote:

I agree with Craig as well!

But FYI. I saw this the other day.

http://my.neocon.com/exhibitor/1766/product/1655

Hmmm...food for thought as to why they would go that direction?

Adrienne

On Jun 7, 12:22 pm, Alex Hillman <dangerouslyawes...@gmail.com> wrote:

+1 to everything Craig said.

--

/ah

indyhall.org

coworking in philadelphia

On Thursday, June 7, 2012 at 1:03 PM, Craig Baute - Creative Density Coworking wrote:

I can safely say most of us don't have a reservation system for hot

desking and it works well for us. In my opionon, a reservation system

creates a barrier between you and the community that reminds people

that this is a commercial transaction. I like to elminate the barriers

for the coworker so it feels like it is their place and a community

versus reminding them this is a business and they are the customer.

The less friction the better.

Craig

Creative Density

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To post to this group, send email to cowo...@googlegroups.com (mailto:cowo...@googlegroups.com).

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[Chris Johnson]

While it isn't a cheap solution I think it would actually increase community for the reason that it shows who has the room booked and who has it booked after you do.  It is really about visual identification for booking a shared resource.  There are less expensive ways of doing this, "EventBoard" for the iPad works similarly and there are other solutions out there.  I don't see that this would be a tool/technology to handle hot desking.

On Fri, Jun 8, 2012 at 8:50 AM, Adrienne N <arno...@gmail.com> wrote:

I agree with Craig as well!
But FYI.  I saw this the other day.
http://my.neocon.com/exhibitor/1766/product/1655

Hmmm...food for thought as to why they would go that direction?
Adrienne

On Jun 7, 12:22 pm, Alex Hillman <dangerouslyawes...@gmail.com> wrote:

> +1 to everything Craig said.
>
> --
> /ah
> indyhall.org
> coworking in philadelphia
>
> On Thursday, June 7, 2012 at 1:03 PM, Craig Baute - Creative Density Coworking wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> > I can safely say most of us don't have a reservation system for hot
> > desking and it works well for us. In my opionon, a reservation system
> > creates a barrier between you and the community that reminds people
> > that this is a commercial transaction. I like to elminate the barriers
> > for the coworker so it feels like it is their place and a community
> > versus reminding them this is a business and they are the customer.
> > The less friction the better.
>
> > Craig
> > Creative Density
>
> > --
> > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Coworking" group.

> > To post to this group, send email to cowo...@googlegroups.com (mailto:cowo...@googlegroups.com).
> > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to coworking+...@googlegroups.com (mailto:coworking+...@googlegroups.com).

[Jerome Chang]

Hotdesking by definition doesn't have reservations.

Office Hotelling has reservations.

I think that reservations can only help, if nothing else but to track usage.  One would "reserve" a space as they begin to use the space, or "checking in" a la 4Square/Gowalla.

As a "space operator", I think some kind of reservation/check-in system helps prevent any chaos that could ensue if too many people come in than there are desks.

Anyway, this kind of stuff isn't evil folks.

Jerome

______________
BLANKSPACES
"work FOR yourself, not BY yourself"

www.blankspaces.com
ph: 323.330.9505 | 5405 Wilshire Blvd (2 blocks west of La Brea) Los Angeles, CA 90036 

[Angel Kwiatkowski]

I don't want to dig on my members but they are *extremely* flaky. It's just their nature. If I asked them to tell me in advance when they thought they might show up and for how long it would be a total mess. In fact, just last week there was a facebook thread on our group where 3 people said they had planned to come in but life got weird. I am NOT in the business of managing that noise! We've never used reservations and even at our peak membership no one went without a place to sit. I'd give up my own desk before I started using a reservation system. If it ain't broke...

On Thursday, June 7, 2012 9:33:31 AM UTC-6, Linda Rolf wrote:

We are converting our existing space to coworking space to create a more dynamic work environment.  Since we have desks as well as open community areas, our initial plan is to offer a combination of reserved desks and more flexible work arrangements.  I would be interested in learning how you have managed the logistics of flex space.  Do you work with reservation only or do you accomdate the drop in worker?

 

Thanks for a great group! The postings have already been helpful.

[Paul Katchings]

A reservation system makes all of the sense in the world to me. It seems from reading Linda Rolf ‘s request for suggestions that she has a plan to grow her space beyond 3 people.

 

I would use both the reservation and walk in clients just like upscale restaurants do. If fact I would contract a couple of upscale restaurants that are within walking distance for some type of mutual promotion.

 

When I do have more walk-in traffic than I can handle I would know of other Co-Working space that is very close and refer these walk-ins to these locations.

 

I just completed a study of the need for Co-working space as the US and European economies are changing and the potential is fantastic with just a bit of imagination.

 

We should be doing that we can to give any constructive suggestions and encouragements to fellow Co-Workers!

[Paul Katchings]

[Chad Ballantyne]

We don't do reservations. We try and make sure there's always extra space and use a sign in day-timer at the front to keep track. Low tech all the way!

Chad

On 2012-06-09, at 10:26 AM, Adrienne N <arno...@gmail.com> wrote:

>
> I have a lot of experience using this product personally and have
> found it difficult in general to get ALL users to adhere to the rules
> of just using it period. But it does make sense for meeting rooms if
> you can train all your members. The idea of putting one on a desk is
> iffy. As you said, it goes against the concept of hot desking, but if
> you had offices or more private desks or more long-term desks, I could
> see this as an application.
> I agree, not evil....but each coworking space would have to figure out
> how technology like this would fit within their culture and how.
>
> Adrienne

>
>
> On Jun 8, 3:55 pm, Jerome Chang <jer...@blankspaces.com> wrote:
>> Hotdesking by definition doesn't have reservations.
>> Office Hotelling has reservations.
>>
>> I think that reservations can only help, if nothing else but to track usage. One would "reserve" a space as they begin to use the space, or "checking in" a la 4Square/Gowalla.
>> As a "space operator", I think some kind of reservation/check-in system helps prevent any chaos that could ensue if too many people come in than there are desks.
>>
>> Anyway, this kind of stuff isn't evil folks.
>>
>> Jerome
>> ______________
>> BLANKSPACES
>> "work FOR yourself, not BY yourself"
>>
>> www.blankspaces.com
>> ph:323.330.9505| 5405 Wilshire Blvd (2 blocks west of La Brea) Los Angeles, CA 90036
>>
>> On Jun 8, 2012, at 7:00 AM, Chris Johnson wrote:
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>> While it isn't a cheap solution I think it would actually increase community for the reason that it shows who has the room booked and who has it booked after you do. It is really about visual identification for booking a shared resource. There are less expensive ways of doing this, "EventBoard" for the iPad works similarly and there are other solutions out there. I don't see that this would be a tool/technology to handle hot desking.
>>

[John Wilker]

We will likely add some type of booking to conference rooms as we're
starting to see those used more and more. As for desks I agree it's be
hard. Getting people to use it then keeping then adhering to it. Plus
it strikes me as possibly a deterrent to someone coming to check it
out.

Sent from my iPhone, plese excuse the type-o's

Twitter: jwilker
johnwilker.com | 360conferences.com |ignitedenver.org

[Jonathan Manheim]

Linda,

I may be wrong but I fear this thread may have gotten a little off the
topic of your original question. I speak to coworking operators about
this question everyday in my work at LiquidSpace and the vast vast
majority allow drop-ins pending capacity. However, many also allow
members and non-members to book a day pass on a given date or even
book a couple of hours at a specific date and time. Allowing people to
book in advance allows you to gauge the demand versus your capacity
for a future date and time, as well as track the usage of your space
historically. I see spaces that both allow people to reserve a given
desk and others that simply allow someone to buy a day pass to enter
the space and find an open desk. Either way, reservations do give you
the ability to plan and track usage.

As you may know, LiquidSpace was built specifically to help you manage
the live availability of your workspaces and share that availability
exclusively with your members or also with the LiquidSpace public.
Once an individual has permission, she can then book time in your
workspaces in real-time and your calendars can largely manage
themselves. People can then check in online or from their smartphones
upon arrival at the space. The platform is totally free to use with
your existing members and we only take a sip off a paid transaction
when LiquidSpace delivers a new customer to your door. If you use the
platform exclusively with your internal members, it's absolutely
free.

If I can be of further help, don't hesitate to shout. I'm always happy
to chat.

Jonathan

On Jun 9, 8:44 am, John Wilker <john.wil...@gmail.com> wrote:
> We will likely add some type of booking to conference rooms as we're
> starting to see those used more and more. As for desks I agree it's be
> hard. Getting people to use it then keeping then adhering to it. Plus
> it strikes me as possibly a deterrent to someone coming to check it
> out.
>
> Sent from my iPhone, plese excuse the type-o's
>
> Twitter: jwilker
> johnwilker.com | 360conferences.com |ignitedenver.org
>

> On Jun 9, 2012, at 8:31 AM, Chad Ballantyne <c...@thecreativespace.ca> wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> > We don't do reservations. We try and make sure there's always extra space and use a sign in day-timer at the front to keep track. Low tech all the way!
>
> > Chad
>