Why Having a Coworking App Will Transform Your Business

In today’s world, expectations around digital experiences are shaped by the apps that permeate our everyday lives.

Services like Uber and DoorDash have mastered the creation of a seamless mobile experience, setting the bar for every software tool we use, including those in the workplace.

Providing your prospective and current coworking members with the ability to interact with your brand on their mobile phones is imperative. Not only can it be used to attract and convert prospects, it can also generate more revenue, make your members more productive, and improve the overall user experience.

In this article, we’ll share with you four ways in which a coworking app can benefit your business, including how to get started with implementing one in your space.

What is a coworking app?

A coworking app is a mobile application for iOS and Android that connects your members with you and your brand. They are designed to make it easier and more convenient for members to interact with your space.

A coworking app can support a range of functions including:

• Booking a meeting room
• Connecting with the community on-demand
• Simplying payments
• Reporting an issue

It is important to note that coworking software and coworking apps are not the same thing. Coworking software is a platform that helps admin manage their coworking space. A coworking app can be a part of that software. It is created specifically for your members to use.

This guide will walk you through everything you need to know about coworking software.

Why does your coworking space need an app?

There are many benefits to using a coworking app in your space. However, the main reasons why we see our clients implement an app is to increase automation and improve the user experience.

Manually managing monthly payments, room bookings, and daily check-ins is cumbersome and labor-intensive. It costs you time and money, while leaving room for human error. Coworking software enables you to automate these processes, drastically increasing your overall efficiency.

A coworking app makes these automated processes seamless and intuitive for your members. They don’t need to log in to a computer to make a booking or have a physical key fob to access a meeting room space. They can do all of this on their phone.

There are some other great benefits to having your own app in a coworking space. Below, we’ll look at some of the major impacts a coworking app can have on your space.

Reason #1: Coworking apps can drive more revenue

An easy mobile shopping experience leads to three key outcomes: larger purchases, at a faster rate, at an increased frequency.

1. We make faster purchasing decisions on mobile devices

We’ve all logged into UberEats telling ourselves we’re not hungry, only to have a cart full of food moments later.

This isn’t an accident. Research from The Boston Consulting Group showed that purchasing time is reduced with mobile technology, often fast-tracking it by up to 20%.

As an operator, you can take advantage of this psychological quirk by offering products and services in your space on a mobile device. The easier it is to buy a product, the more likely it is that your members will do so.

2. We have higher spends with mobile payments

According to this research study from Market Watch, mobile payments encourage people to spend more money. This is because mobile payments are easy and convenient. People also tend to be more detached from them compared to other physical payment methods like cash or a credit card.

If you truly want to maximize your revenue per member, charging for snacks, meals, and services on a coworking app is the way to do it.

It’s much easier to pay for something with a click of a button on a mobile phone than it is to wait for someone at the front desk, pull out your wallet, and see the cash leaving your pocket.

3. We make mobile purchases more often

The same research study also found that mobile payment users conduct more transactions than their desktop counterparts – up to 25% more transactions.

It all comes back to making it simple and convenient to buy an item in your space. Rather than a cumbersome desktop or manual purchasing experience, equip your space with a mobile phone.  It will be easier than ever to make a purchase in your space.

Reason #2: Coworking apps can increase member productivity

You may not think of scrolling through your phone as a productive activity. However, there is a growing consensus that mobile phone usage in the workplace can increase productivity.

According to the Economist Intelligence Unit, 6 in 10 employees say mobile technology makes them more productive, while more than 4 in 10 believe it causes their creativity to rise. Why is this the case?

1. Collaboration is easier with a mobile device

People are able to collaborate more frequently through workplace apps. This is because our mobile devices are so integrated with our current lifestyle.

This sustained connectivity allows for a more collaborative team and an improvement in the ability for members to connect with one another. If someone in your space needs something from someone else, they’ll be able to connect with them faster through a mobile device.

2. Workflows are more efficient with the right tools

Efficiency is at the heart of productivity. Helping your members work better is a valuable offering for your business – and can be your competitive edge.

Coworking apps are designed to aid member workflows and make their days more efficient. With an end-to-end mobile app, your coworking space members can book a meeting room, connect with their community on-demand, expedite payments, and more, all in one platform.

Having a single centralized space to complete all of these tasks means your members can spend less time worrying about how to book a room, and more time doing their best work.

Reason #3: Coworking apps can enhance your customer service strategy

In a study done by Google and Purchased, the three most common positive descriptors of mobile brand experiences were easy, helpful, and convenient.

A coworking app can enhance your customer service strategy by encompassing these three elements. Here’s how to do it.

1. Make your mobile experience easy

This comes down to designing your mobile experience with your members in mind.

When choosing which mobile technology provider you want to partner with, make sure that your partner is focused on providing a user-centric, intuitive mobile experience for your members.

People don’t have a lot of patience for buggy technology. Therefore, just having an app for members to use isn’t enough. It needs to be easy and accessible in order for people to really benefit from it.

2. Utilize data and analytics from your app to be more helpful

As an administrator, you’ll want to understand what experiences or actions are most important to your members. Is it interacting with their community or being able to easily access the space?

Most likely, it’s both and more. By understanding the key actions that your members want to perform, you will be able to provide a mobile experience that is helpful.

This can be done using data and analytics provided by your coworking app. The nice thing about implementing technology in your coworking space, is you now have access to an array of data you didn’t have before.

You can use this data to tailor the customer experience to better fit the needs of your members.

3. Create a more convenient experience for your members

From a member’s perspective, convenience is value. Members of coworking spaces are expecting digital experiences to connect them with the space, wherever they are.

A mobile experience allows your members to perform key actions on-the-go. They don’t need to wait until they arrive at their coworking space to book a desk.

If they see an issue, they can report it immediately. If they want podcast equipment for that afternoon, they can do that on their way to the space.

Being able to perform these key actions on-the-go is what will make your mobile experience truly convenient for your members.

Reason #4: Coworking apps can elevate your brand

Having a mobile experience enables you to deliver experiences with more efficiency.

It empowers your members, giving them the control to create their own path and perform their own actions.

But best of all, having a coworking app puts your brand front and center in the mobile experience. Opening up your app and booking a meeting room creates a small, positive brand experience that will continue to reinforce the value that you are providing to your members.

1. Your app (and your brand) is on your members phones at all times

Everytime your member opens their phone, they’ll see your brand.

This small reinforcement can have a major impact on your overall brand recognition and can serve as a gentle reminder to your members to come into your space.

2. Your brand is not just your physical space

There is so much more to building a brand than just having a nice coworking space for people to come to. Every touchpoint that your member has with your brand is an opportunity to provide a positive experience.

This includes how they book a meeting room, make a payment, and check-in for the day.

By providing your members with delightful experiences through-and-through, you’ll be positively impacting the way they view your brand.

It’s an important point of differentiation in the market.

How to get started with a coworking app

You could go through the process of building your own app…but for most coworking spaces, this is not a feasible option.

App development is a lengthy and expensive process and is simply not within the budget of most new coworking spaces in the market.

The best option is a white-labeled app. This is an app built by a third party that operates under your brand. They are:

• Less expensive
• Faster to build
• Fully customizable

Optix is a coworking management platform specializing in white-labeled apps. We create beautifully designed, high-quality apps for coworking and flexible workspaces around the world.

To get started, have a look at our Optix features and see if it would be a good fit for your business.
Ready to take the leap? Talk to a member of our team today.