That's an interesting comment. All the desks at Workantile are shared. We tried permanent desks for a while, but there was so little demand that we discontinued them.
On Sat, Jan 14, 2012 at 2:03 PM, Jerome Chang <[email protected]>wrote: > I would like to remind everyone that Alex is totally right: the flex/hot > desk is the ideal, as that one desk can serve several people. HOWEVER, > especially to the newbies out there, flex desks can be very difficult to > "sell". After 4 years of operating a coworking space, and now two, there > is just a persistent need for people to "own" their space. There is no > amount of cloud storage, and mobile computing that replaces the psychology > that when someone comes in to an office, they can return to the same, > familiar desk or office. That they can leave behind a stack of paperwork > and belongings they don't want to carry around. > > Please everyone, be mindful of the coworking/biz model ideals and the > realities to actually convince someone to pay to join your community. > Because at the end of the day, cash flow is the only thing that prevents > you from closing shop. > > > 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 Jan 14, 2012, at 8:55 AM, Tom Brandt wrote: > > At Workantile we experimented with various pricing schemes, but settled on > the following: > > Full member: $160/month. This comes with 24/7/365 access, ability to > reserve conference rooms, ability to host events. It also comes with an > expectation of work to help maintain the space, such as taking out the > trash, cleaning up the kitchen, bathroom, helping with marketing, etc. > Members can purchase a "get out of work" pass for an additional $70/month. > > Affiliate member: $25/month. This comes with one free day pass per month, > plus the ability to purchase day passes at $10/day in sets of five passes. > > Student member: $35/month. This is the same as a full member, but the > member must be currently enrolled in an accredited college or university, > and is expected to make a presentation to the rest of the membership on > whatever he or she is working that term. > > All members get an RFID key fob which they place next to a RFID reader to > open the door. This way we can offer 24/7/365 access to the space for full > members without handing out actual keys. For affiliate members, the RFID > chip is activated only on days for which they have reserved a day pass. > > This seems to be working out well. People understand it and it is easy for > us to administer. > > On Sat, Jan 14, 2012 at 11:39 AM, Cheryl Jaycox < > [email protected]> wrote: > >> Chad, >> Thank you for the detailed information, I feel the same way with some of >> the pricing charts I have looked at...confusing.... I like the Basic >> membership set up and will discuss this with the other core members. Since >> you mentioned it on an adverage how many events does your space host a >> month? To members only or do you open it up to anyone interested? >> Thanks Chad, your post are always helpful...as always look forward to >> your opinions and suggestions. >> CJay >> >> >> >> On Sat, Jan 14, 2012 at 9:32 AM, Chad Ballantyne < >> [email protected]> wrote: >> >>> I go crossed-eyed looking at some rate chats with the hourly model! >>> That head ache alone is worth any member staying a few hours over their >>> monthly allotments, so we've kept is simple. 3 main membership rates and >>> based off our $25/day (membership Fee) + $15/day ongoing >>> . >>> *Basic* = $25/mth -1 day a month in the space and access to all >>> community events (get's their feet wet and we hope will translate into the >>> next level of membership) >>> Every day after that is $15/day (versions of this plan could be a 1 >>> day/wk plan = $75/mth or 2 days per week = $100/mth. Some have applied for >>> these since launching the Basic+day scenario >>> >>> *Lite Membership* = $180/mth = 3 days per week >>> >>> *FullTime* = $300/mth (27/7) This is the only rate that there's a >>> better bargain - but we're re-thinking it now as Alex has said before >>> Full-time Desks takes a desk "off the market" and therefore can only be >>> rented once, as opposed to a flex desk which can be rent 3-4 times over as >>> the membership won't use that desk at the same time. >>> >>> I'd encourage y'all to try the Basic Membership. Thanks again to Alex >>> for the suggestion. >>> Since we launched the package we've seen about a member a week sign up. >>> It's not big bucks, but most grab it for the year ($275/year - $25 off if >>> they pay for the 12 mths up front) And so the 8 that have signed up so far >>> put $2200 in our bank account. We might see them one month and not the >>> next but they attend our events to network, etc. Well worth the $25 >>> >>> Members can use all meeting space as part of their membership if it's a >>> client meeting during the day and we just ask that they don't go over 2 >>> hours per meeting. Some go a bit over, we let it ride and just monitor >>> space usage for all members as to not have one or two monopolize the space. >>> >>> Meeting space for workshops, classes, clinics and events we charge >>> hourly. >>> >>> Since The Creative Space is not our full-time job, we have to do >>> everything we can to minimize the overhead and workload for administrating >>> it all. >>> Here's a summery of a few of the things we do to minimize the need for >>> costly systems/apps, manpower, etc >>> >>> SImple membership plans >>> Google cal for bookings/events >>> Skype to inform members that "clients are here" (we have 2 floors so >>> the upstairs peeps need some reception support) >>> Members help gather trash for trash day and re-supply toiletries when >>> their low. we just make sure the supply rooms are full >>> Every brings indoor shoes or slippers (has cut down our sweeping mopping >>> time drastically, especially during winter months - (Oh Canada - snow, >>> slush, salt) >>> MadMimi for news blasts >>> >>> >>> Peace, >>> >>> Chad >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> On 2012-01-14, at 9:11 AM, Alex Hillman wrote: >>> >>> Especially when just getting started, there's a lot of power in "keeping >>> it simple". It's tempting and easy to create a membership to fit every >>> person, down to half days and hourly. The problem I've seen with this is >>> that it creates overhead both for you (in the fact that you need some way >>> to keep track), as well as your members (they are always watching a clock >>> to make sure they don't go over). >>> >>> Having spoken to people who've been members of both models, *membership* is >>> preferred to be as simple as possible. The only thing that people really, >>> really appreciate in granular hourly pricing is meeting space - which >>> totally makes sense, it's rare to have half and full day meetings. >>> >>> I also like to think about this in terms of membership vs. renter. It's >>> hard to become a community member an hour at a time - within that hour you >>> need to do what you're there to do AND start to get to know people. Inside >>> of a full day, there's far more opportunity for serendipity and social >>> interactions to happen in addition to a productive work day. The people who >>> have that full spectrum of experiences are the ones who tend to fall into >>> the camp of community member. The ones who ONLY want a place to work and >>> have no interest in community participation are welcome, of course, but >>> tend to stick around for shorter durations. This also means lower >>> retention, which means more resources spent on recruiting new butts into >>> seats, and draining your time and money from focusing on the members you DO >>> have. >>> >>> No right or wrong here, of course. As Rachel suggested - having people >>> to ask how THEY would use the space is really helpful. The trick here is to >>> ask, but not necessarily do exactly what they say. Sometimes people think >>> they know what they want, but when it comes down to it, they have no clue >>> because they've never had it before. The IDEA of hourly usage sounds great >>> to somebody, but they end up not being the one who uses it. >>> >>> The Henry Ford quote "if I'd have giving people what they asked for, I >>> would've built a faster horse" comes to mind. You have to have people who >>> you can not only speak to, but who you can actually *understand* and >>> develop your model around their needs, not just *what they say* their >>> needs are. >>> >>> -Alex >>> >>> >>> /ah >>> indyhall.org >>> coworking in philadelphia >>> >>> >>> On Sat, Jan 14, 2012 at 1:42 AM, CAJ <[email protected]>wrote: >>> >>>> Rachel, >>>> There are a four of us, which is where the discussion comes from. >>>> There are diffrent ideas on the subject. So I thought I would bring >>>> the topic here for feedback. Since this is a new concept that we are >>>> just begining to push. We have the space which we consider phase one, >>>> with two workstaions and 12 basically "hot seats" Phase two is a 3000 >>>> sq ft renivated warehouse. We began by consideing a daily rate as well >>>> as monthly memberships, but thought that people might be more >>>> comfortable with hourly or even half day rate. >>>> CJay >>>> >>>> On Jan 13, 4:43 am, rachel young <[email protected]> wrote: >>>> > Do you have some existing folks from your community that are >>>> interested in >>>> > joining together to form a space? If so, ask them and average out >>>> their >>>> > responses. They are the ones that will be paying after all. >>>> > r. >>>> > On Jan 13, 2012 12:03 AM, "CAJ" <[email protected]> wrote: >>>> > >>>> > >>>> > >>>> > > Coworking Group, >>>> > >>>> > > Planning coworking space.....Need feedback on hourly vs daily rates. >>>> > > We are in a rural/suburban area outside St.Louis and this is indeed >>>> a >>>> > > new concept for most businesses. The concept of coworking is needed >>>> in >>>> > > this community. Any suggestions? >>>> > >>>> > > -- >>>> > > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >>>> Groups >>>> > > "Coworking" group. >>>> > > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. >>>> > > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >>>> > > [email protected]. >>>> > > For more options, visit this group at >>>> > >http://groups.google.com/group/coworking?hl=en. >>>> >>>> -- >>>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >>>> Groups "Coworking" group. >>>> To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. >>>> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >>>> [email protected]. >>>> For more options, visit this group at >>>> http://groups.google.com/group/coworking?hl=en. >>>> >>>> >>> >>> -- >>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >>> Groups "Coworking" group. >>> To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. >>> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >>> [email protected]. >>> For more options, visit this group at >>> http://groups.google.com/group/coworking?hl=en. >>> >>> >>> Chad Ballantyne >>> The Creative Space Director >>> >>> (705) 252-2423 >>> www.thecreativespace.ca >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> -- >>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >>> Groups "Coworking" group. >>> To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. >>> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >>> [email protected]. >>> For more options, visit this group at >>> http://groups.google.com/group/coworking?hl=en. >>> >> >> >> >> -- >> Cheryl Jaycox >> Community Manager >> Micro Office Suites & Business Center >> The HIVE@44,Business Coworking Communty >> Phone: 636-405-3130 >> Cell: 314-800-4305 >> >> >> -- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >> "Coworking" group. >> To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. >> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >> [email protected]. >> For more options, visit this group at >> http://groups.google.com/group/coworking?hl=en. >> > > > > -- > twb > member, Workantile Exchange <http://workantileexchange.com/> > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "Coworking" group. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > [email protected]. > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/coworking?hl=en. > > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "Coworking" group. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > [email protected]. > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/coworking?hl=en. > -- twb member, Workantile Exchange <http://workantileexchange.com/> -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Coworking" group. 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