Thanks for the responses. Jacob, come to Prague and visit the space! Prague is beautiful, and there are already four coworking spaces in the city worth a visit: Creators (creators.cz), Coffice (coffice.cz), and The Hub (http:// www.prague.the-hub.net/public/), along with my space!
I still want to argue the point, though (not to be argumentative :), but because I think there's something important being missed in your responses). Your responses imply (I think) that I can solve the problem I'm bringing up simply changing my terms to the terms I want. But changing my terms does nothing to increase the value of the visa program for my members or my space. It just increases the value for all other spaces while having a net cost to members of my own space (who have to share more of their resources with non-paying members from other spaces). [Indeed, if my work situation is such that I have to work on a regular basis in two different cities with two different coworking spaces, I'm actually incentivized to become a member of the space with *worse* visa terms, since that way I can take better advantage of the visa program.] I completely agree that the value of the visa program is it's simplicity. Having a default (3 days, as was initially set up) didn't add to the complexity of the visa program, it was essential to its simplicity and to making it work in the first place. With no default, there's an incentive to offer the average terms of other spaces or less, which over the long run would push the average down lower and lower (and, as such, the value of the visa program itself). Having a default anchors the terms so that as long as most people are relatively good hearted, they're willing to stick to those terms even if it's slightly above the average across spaces and means that people who stick to it are giving slightly better value to non-members than they're getting for their members in return. But that default anchors the terms at the high end as well. There's a real and clear disincentive for any space owner to offer visa terms that are better than the default terms and no incentive whatsoever to offer better terms (unless you really want to increase the number of non-paying members from other coworking spaces who use your space without offering any advantages to your own members). It would be a real shame if we stuck with some defaults that anchor the system at a clear net disadvantage to everyone simply because any change ads complexity. So here's an alternative suggestion that minimizes the complexity while also not penalizing coworking spaces for offering better terms than everyone else. Add a clause to your own coworking space that indicates your visa terms, but that limits your terms contingent on the visa terms offered by the visiting coworker's home space. So, for example, I'll add something like the following details to my visa description: 1) Members of spaces that participate in the coworking visa program are welcome to use Locus Workspace at no cost for up to one month. 2) The above is constrained by the *coworking visa terms* offered by the coworking space where you are a member. For example, if your own coworking space visa terms are limited to 10 days, then you are only able to use our space for 10 days. [For my space I'll add the note that Locus will however provide a minimum of 1 week free use to any coworking visa space members as long as their home space offers at least 3 free days. That's because I don't offer membership periods for less than a week, and I people who are members of spaces that only offer three day terms to be able to use my space as part of the visa program.] Part of what I hope will get people on board is that it offers the same terms that Julie (Souk) and Susan (Office Nomads) originally proposed for the coworking visa which made sure it doesn't add complexity (or any cost) to anyone who doesn't think the benefits outweigh the costs: (1) It's completely opt in. If you don't want to do it because it doesn't make sense to you or you don't like it, don't do anything. Keep your terms as they are. (2) It eliminates the free-rider problem (the problem that offering better terms even if you think they'd be ideal if every was in on it only benefits members of other spaces and actually has a net cost to members of your own space). (3) It adds some incentive for other spaces to offer better terms along with you, since their members will then be able to take advantage of terms you offer, and that encouragement will in turn increase the value of the coworking visa for members of your own space. Anyway, I've convinced myself :), so I'm going to try it! Hope some of you are inspired to increase the length of your own visa terms as well! Best, Will -- Will Bennis Locus Workspace Krakovská 22, 110 00 Praha 1 http://www.locusworkspace.com Tel: +420 223 017 593 Mob: +420 604 776 440 On Jun 16, 9:37 pm, Angel <[email protected]> wrote: > +1 what Jacob said. Just use the current setup to customize your > specs for the Visa program. I think that lots, if not all, of the > owners would be flexible and helpful with any visiting members who had > specific needs. > > On Jun 16, 10:19 am, "Will Bennis, Locus Workspace" > > > > <[email protected]> wrote: > > Hi Folks, > > > I was just talking to another space owner in Prague, and we agreed > > that there might be an easy way to improve the coworking visa program > > without much cost and with a great deal to gain. > > > Speaking for myself, the main thing I'd want to change would be to > > make the default length longer than three days. Why not have the > > default be two weeks (or at least talk about what we think the ideal > > time period would be)? For myself at least the initial great appeal of > > the program loses *a lot* of its value when it becomes clear that it's > > only for three days. If I go somewhere for a week, that means that I > > have to buy a weekly membership or just not have a coworking space, or > > pay a lot of money for a week membership even if I'm surrounded by > > spaces that are visa members? > > > Let me preface this with two points: > > > First, this is not meant to be critical of the way it is now. The > > initial setup was clearly in large part successful because it was so > > simple and no one could argue with the terms. But now that it's an > > established success, it seems like it might not be a bad idea to think > > about how it might be improved. > > > Second, I realize there are very large discrepancies in how much > > coworking spaces charge. People who regularly work in two cities could > > *potentially* work the system by buying the cheaper membership and > > using it to cowork on a regular basis at the more expensive location. > > But it seems to me that we could deal with this (probably rare event) > > pretty easily by just adding a few simple caveats: > > 1) you must have a membership at a coworking space in a different city > > from the place you're using the visa. > > 2) use of the space is contingent on space availability: local members > > get precedent. > > 3) coworking space managers reserve the right to refuse service to > > members of other spaces who seem to be working the system. > > > Thoughts? > > > To me the knowledge that becoming a member of a coworking space in one > > city would allow me to travel, even for an extended period and to > > multiple places and work while on the road would add great value to a > > membership. > > > Will > > > -- > > Will Bennis > > > Locus Workspace > > Krakovská 22, 110 00 Praha 1http://www.locusworkspace.com > > Tel: +420 223 017 593 > > Mob: +420 604 776 440 -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Coworking" group. 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