Under the influence of the pandemic, the global economy has been severely impacted, as Hong Kong’s unemployment rate has reached a new 17-year high of 7% in 2021. Many enterprises are considering changes to their operating models to survive and save cost. This article discusses how co-working spaces can save on operating costs by using a developed digital technology system.
In Hong Kong, many people choose to become freelancers and find it difficult to focus on work at home. Therefore, they intend to work at nearby co-working spaces to maintain a certain level of work efficiency. With the increasing demand for co-working spaces in these years, it has attracted a number of investors in this business.
Nevertheless, the outbreak of Covid-19 was unexpected. With the launch of the restrictive measures, this business has been affected badly, experiencing a loss of about 30%-40. Among all the basic operating costs of co-working spaces, including utilities, labor, rent, and equipment maintenance, the cost of human resources can be relatively controlled. Once the labor costs are reduced, it may lead to a decline in service quality. Therefore, the application of digital systems appears as a solution to this issue.
General Booking Method
Most co-working spaces still rely on customers making appointments through Whatsapp or emails. This is no doubt a low-cost method, but it is also inefficient. Customers may lose patience and interest due to long waiting times. The reservation process is complex and requires repeated confirmation of details with customers. Meanwhile, there is a high opportunity of manual mistakes occurring and a lack of immediacy in knowing the appointment status in real-time. Thus, the customer experience may be affected negatively.
Online Booking System
Though this system is processed through the internet like the general way, it operates digitally. Apart from system settings, no manpower is required for appointment processing and arrangements.
Regarding reservation details, administrators can conduct room and equipment settings through the system backend, and even name each meeting room A, B or C.
It is also possible to set each appointment type to be independent with its own schedule and view it in a calendar format based on the backend settings. Therefore, the booking arrangement should be clear and understandable.
Administrators are also able to adjust the session length freely, such as setting a specific session for a 30-minute period or deleting inapplicable times. With just a few steps, a unique online booking system will be activated soon!
The next article will focus on discussing the advantages of the online booking system and another technology system that fits with the co-working spaces’ operational models. If you want to know more or are interested in the online booking system or ways to reduce operating costs, be sure not to miss it!