The best businesses are those that understand the culture of the customer along with creating a proper bottom line. The businesses that fail prioritize one at the expense of the other. In the case of coworking, the coworkers are the community, and the business is the facility. Making sure this relationship is harmonious is the keystone of a successful coworking space.
Maximize Face Time
The best part of coworking is individuals spending time together in the space and getting to know each other. Trying to play a social media game isn’t ideal for coworking. Instead, make these interactions a priority. The business benefits because it builds the emotional relationship between the coworker and the facility while at the same time creating a sense of community. Be visible, and spend time in places where members congregate, and that builds the right bonds.
Find Connection Points
The worst type of member is the member who has space, doesn’t use it, and doesn’t want to be part of the coworking community. This breeds disharmony amongst the rest of the community. For these members, it’s important to find out their needs when they join instead of waiting for them to join and see what they need. Sometimes, it’s better to not have someone join. Other times, a bit of salesmanship carries the day. When a proprietor knows what members need, they integrate members fully into the community.
Back Office Time
This is where the coworking space staff shines. A coworking administrator must administrate at times. They need to take time each day to deal with the day-to-day operations. Ensuring this time gets the proper prioritization each day means the coworking space gets the business attention it needs. Ensuring the team is well-trained to handle member issues while plugging away in the back office is the mark of a solid coworking space. Develop staff hospitality skills and allows managers to do the managing of the business they must do.
There are plenty of great coworking spaces where the facility and community needs are in balance. Look towards Venture X to see exactly how these spaces work so well that the members barely notice the delicate dance of serving the community and the business.