Hi People!
I’m doing a small survey to help understand what people would expect from the shared spaces we would be offering on My Cute Office. Below is a list which I have compiled of the usual requirements. Would be very helpful if you could take out a minute to let us know your needs when getting an office space. Just rank in the order of your preference, with the most important first.
Also feel free to add something which has been left out here.
A. Air Conditioning,
B. Free Internet,
C. Free Coffee,
D. Close to Home,
E. Low Cost,
F. High Quality Furniture,
G. Knowledge and Lead Exchange,
H. 24*7 Working,
I. Attached Toilet,
J. Parking,
K. Availability of Refreshments,
L. Natural Light,
M. Meeting Room,
N. Mineral Water,
O. Pantry
Amit Shroff
Hi Abhishek,
If i have to choose a shared office, following will be my preference.
Most Important Points
Secondary
I hoped it helped.
Manish Golchha
For me, most important is how many other starts up are working over there. Shared office mostly for solo or 2-3 people team so they want to know, atmosphere where they are working, people they are going to interact everyday.
Abhishek Barari
Thanks a lot Amit! This is really helpful!
Abhishek Barari
That is so very true. And something which is a part and parcel of what we are doing.
Would also love to know if there is something else which would rank high in priority for you, beside the other startups there.
Amit Shroff
Welcome Abhishek! I hope i was able to provide reasonable response.
Alok Rodinhood Kejriwal
I have a view on this!
– Which Shared office does not have an AC?! I mean thats like asking if people would like to sit under a FAN?!
– Mineral water? What do people drink otherwise?
My ranking:
Knowledge
Close to home
Infrastructure (Internet, front office staff)
Meeting rooms!!!!
GOOD LOCATION – near coffee shops etc
Abhishek Barari
Hi Alok,
That’s a very good observation. But with My Cute Office, what we are trying to do is get people with spare working space to give it out to other people on per desk basis. Obviously A/C’s are a must. But to my surprise, one guy had this house which he wanted to offer to the startups in Kurla, which did not have an AC. But it got occupied the fastest (Must have something to do with the location)! Hence I thought I’ll ask people for their opinion on this.
Mineral Water is something many of these don’t provide, so obviously we will have to work out a way to get mineral water provided in these locations.
But otherwise, thanks a lot! Really helps. Will ask for these from the people listing their spaces. 🙂
Rohit Kuttappan
Secondary
Darshan Bhambiru
Hi Abhishek, Congratulations on My Cute Office 🙂 (Maybe look into the Functionality or Economical as the Middle name there) #JustBeingMyself
Since Co working spaces are mostly used by Startups who are Bootstrapped most of the times and Expenses are always meant to be Kept the Lowest so as to make this Decision for the purpose to start with.
I would rearrange all the List that you have put up which saves Cost for them all and Anything which is part of the Standard Infrastructure in the Construction, Property or Realty Domain currently becomes Not Important since that would always be there EVERY such Place (This may also include a PARK or Garden with or Without a Fountain and Children’s Nursery made available along with a GYM for use exclusively for the Members of the Site, or the LIFT used for the access too) Notice Board, Reception with Internal Communication Telecom facilities are pretty much Standard everywhere (You can add Conference [charged] Facilities, if you want to add Value to it).
Anything which is Free is always Ranked Above!!!
(Your Cue to go ahead and Offer a Discount like here for the Expected members) 😉 m/
E. Low Cost, (That’s what they are looking for to start with)
B. Free Internet, (Wow Really)
C. Free Coffee, (include TEA too as an option) I love TEA 😛
H. 24*7 Working, (Why not?)
K. Availability of Refreshments, (Important for Night times, if it is 24×7 functional)
D. Close to Home, (This may be Relative to the various TEAM members or Other Members too for the purpose) Since it may be CLOSE to some for others this may not be a Consideration if they do not have something equaly available to make a choice with the mentioned services and facilities near their HOMES too
G. Knowledge and Lead Exchange, (This may not be the Center of EARTH) Even if this does not happen Locally everyone is Digitally connected nowadays.
A. Air Conditioning, (It might be too stuffy being in a Crowded Coworking space without that won’t it ? 😀 )
I. Attached Toilet, (This i s Construction related cant change options if not available too 🙂 )
J. Parking, (Relevant for only those who have their own Vehicles or for Shared Commutes)
M. Meeting Room, (again a Design aspect and Made available as per Site Location) Though this would be Important with Projector and White Board etc too. For either Internal use of the TEAMS or for other Visitors coming to Meet any of the Members per their Work requirement.
F. High Quality Furniture, (Definition of Comfort, Luxury, and HIGH is Individual) Would say Logically Decent and Functional Furniture should do the Job.
N. Mineral Water, (Is this a Vending machine with Chips Chocolates etc too ?) then Not important if part of Standard Dispensers at the Site then Yes that’s Good keeping the Health factor for the users a Good Idea always if not clean UV, RO etc Filter TAP Water with disposable or Clean Drinking Glasses, and they would never complain of getting ill as they consumed Soiled water at the site, anyways if someone carries their own Water Bottles this may not be Important as it is as a Stand Alone feature.
O. Pantry (Is it FREE ? Whats on the Menu ?)
L. Natural Light, (Come on !!!) Is this with Glass Windows Doors all around, on the TOP floor and with Skylights ? Confirmed, that many had Started their Entrepreneurial Journeys from Garages and Basements too 🙂
Shared Space – Co Working space
Shared space
Shared space is an urban design approach which seeks to minimise demarcations between vehicle traffic and pedestrians.
What You might want to say would be more on the lines of Co Working
Check the Demographics and the Misconceptions mentioned
Many misconceptions abound about what coworking encompasses and how it distinguishes itself from business accelerators, incubators and executive suites. These spaces do not seem to fit into the coworking model because
they often miss the social, collaborative, and informal aspects of the process. In coworking, management practices are closer to that of a cooperative, including a focus on community rather than profit.This would also mean the space used could also be
Hot desking : Hot desking is regularly used in workplaces where not all the employees are in the office at the same time, or not in the office for long periods at a time, which means actual personal offices would often be vacant, consuming valuable space and resources.
Here’s adding some more until the Alphabets Run out 😉 (Not in any particular Order)
Get Organized: 5 Tips for Working in a Co-Working Space
50+ Coworking Spaces in India for Startups and Budding Entrepreneurs
Starting with the Top 5 benefits of Co-working, rent a Desk and Shared Office space Let me lay down a few more that come to my Mind as a Wishlist if not more. If this helps get you more Thought points
(P) Provision of Systems with Storage (server based) and LAN with Internet Laptops and Desktops, Wifi and USB shared ports
(Q) Hiring Interns and Recruitment
Connecting with the Intern, Recruitment agencies providing and organising Teams and Companies for the Internal requirements and Tie ups for the Co working members.
(R) Events : Periodical Events and participation of the co working members with Speakers coming in from Time to Time regularly from a varied Domain and Vertical.
Being a start up entrepreneur, it is more likely that people would look for platforms to present their ideas, to get mentors, to learn/share the domain knowledge, to test their product in a smaller domain etc., Each one of these will cost you in one way or the other in terms of Event hosting, Event registration, Event organizing etc., these costs will be saved when you are the one among the vibrant community of start ups.
Alpha Labs Bangalore has this to say to Bring down Costs
(S) Security for Day and Night so that’s to say (24×7) operations are Must for late night requirements on a regular or as per requirement for Women Members too as added feature.
(T) Bulk and Group Discounts on Insurance and Product Launches sampling etc (Make it Coupons distribution and provision on a regular basis exclusive to the Members)
(U) House Keeping : Clean environments as well as Pantry (If available) and Toilets (attached or Detached as well) etc You can connect with Hammer and MOP (Sushrut Munje the Founder is an Active RH) for this if not already !!
(V) Power backup and Electrical Connections and Chargers for Charging Phones, Laptops and Tabs etc (Mobile devices) USB hubs for Dongles, Pen drives and other storage devices etc with Inverter or UPS facilities (Data Loss due to fluctuations and Power failures is Very troublesome…)
(W) WWW – Internet access (Charged – low cost since it would be shared by all on the network) or Free with Password access either on Wifi or also on the Desktops, Laptops Tabs etc
(X) Commuting facilities and Cab services (shared services or Group Pooling services made available), Parking is already made available for those using their own vehicles for the purpose.
(Y) A TV (Television) with News channels for live updates and other Entertainment channels made available (A Lounge area might be needed for these recreational activities) alongwith a Chess/Draught board, Carrom, table tennis table Air Hockey or Video Games etc could be made available for the members to Unwind. A Sound system with Light instrumental or Music could play streaming music on low volume always keeping the Environment Fresh and Energized always also serves Interacting with the other members.
(Z) A (Mobile) Signal Enhancer (since members may be using a variety of Connections for their Communication services) on the Mobiles tabs Dongles etc so they do not lose network connectivity while at the Premises and get a Signal Boost.
(a) This is what some others in the Domain have to say about it too 🙂 (You may find some of them are already RH’s)
CO-WORKING THE MUMBAI DREAM
(b) Check these out for the Others in the Domain and are available with their Services mentioned as well to compare (The Comments are also Interlinked with consolidated posts)
(c) Courier and Logistics with PhotoCopying services if made available in house would work wonders for featuring your place for sure 🙂
(d) Beta TUM Kya karte ho ??? 😉
Launching a Startup Campus in Mumbai (The Playce)
<Comic> Dwelling on your Dwelling: Finding a Startup Office
Lists Sharedesk as a resource to find temporary desk space and on-demand office mates.!!!
Good Advice… is Priceless.
Not what you want to hear, but what you need to hear.
Not imaginary, but practical.
Not based on fear, but on possibility.
Not designed to make you feel better, designed to make you better.
Seek it out and embrace the true friends that care enough to risk sharing it.
I’m not sure what takes more Guts — Giving it or Getting it. Seth Godin~
Good Luck!!! Cheers!! 🙂
Darshan Bhambiru
For Point (c) Courier and Logistics you can also connect with Bharat Ahirwar of My Peon services
My Peon is a kind of service where you can get an office boy on per task basis. “We provide some simple basic service that is the need of everyone in Mumbai. We intend this to be a telephone service and have no plans of getting a website as of now because we don’t want hassles of logging on and other intricacies” 🙂