Month: February 2018

Archives for February 2018

The Benefits of Coworking with Strangers

Coworking has long been the milieu of freelancers and remote workers. It is known for being an environment that stimulates creativity and productivity, but it also offers an opportunity to expand your network, form new partnerships and connect with others who share your values and work ethic.

A coworking space surrounds you with people who are self-motivated, entrepreneurial, and quite likely working on things that they truly care about. Does this sound like you? if so, you should consider moving your operations out of the coffee shop and over to a coworking space.

If you’re still on the fence, here are some of the key benefits of coworking with strangers:

Coworking benefit #1: A professional office space

Working at home is great, but distractions abound and will likely impact your productivity on some level. Meeting clients at home could be awkward, as can trying to Skype with a client in a noisy, busy public place. A coworking space gives you access to professional office amenities such as printers, on-demand meeting rooms, private or shared desks, super-fast internet, and a range of other great perks you will never get at the local coffee joint – including a physical business address that is not your home.

Coworking benefit #2: Inspiration

Coworking is a shared work environment, usually an open office space with a variety of places for you to sit, lounge, and connect. Many who cowork find that working across the desk from others who are engaged in completely different work activities stimulates new ideas and those new ideas lead to innovation.

Coworking benefit #3: Flexibility

A coworking space gives you the freedom to work when you want to, not based on your family’s schedule or the café’s hours of operation. Many coworking spaces offer extended hours and evening access, and you won’t be expected to buy a mocha while you’re there (because the coffee is free).

Coworking benefit #4: Networking

Meeting like-minded others not only boost productivity, but it gives you the opportunity to meet others who might be of help to you – and vice versa. For instance, you may well meet a graphic designer or web developer who can help you with your marketing plan. You may also meet somebody who would be delighted to have the benefit of your expertise on one of their projects.

Coworking benefit #5: You are not alone

Many freelancers, whether they are writers, artists or entrepreneurs, work alone. Because of this, feelings of isolation can set in, affecting your happiness as well as your ability to get the job done. With coworking, you are working by yourself, but you are never alone. You can ditch the isolation, feel better about yourself, and generally be happier in the process. Studies show that coworking can actually improve your health, which may be a by-product of the added flexibility and freedom you will gain.

Coworking in Weston, FL, has never been easier. If you are a freelancer, remote worker or entrepreneur in South Florida, drop by Lakeside Executive Suites for a tour. We would love to welcome you to join our vibrant coworking community.

Great customer service is essential. Here’s how to do it right!

One thing is for sure – it’s easy to tell when a company wants your business and when it doesn’t. Customer service is the business equivalent of a sincere, mutually beneficial, caring relationship. When it is genuine, you know it. When it’s not, well, you know that too.

Some companies, small to medium-sized companies especially, may not even realize where they are falling short until it’s too late. And if you lose one customer to a misunderstanding or customer service oversight, it can ricochet into something much larger.

Customer service is always important but especially important when things go wrong for the customer. When they do, you need to be prepared to handle it in such a way that lets your customer know that you really do care. In the age of ratings, reviews, and social proof, this takes on even greater importance as one customer slighted can reverberate that negativity into the foreseeable future.

If one of your resolutions in this new year is to up your game to take you to a new level of success, this article is for you. Here are three actionable tips to help you make your new customers happy and keep your existing ones coming back for more:

1. Make customer satisfaction #1

The truth about customer service is that you don’t often get a chance to redeem yourself once things have gone south. Make sure that your customer experience is easy, intuitive, and responsive to avoid frustration. Resolve to fix any issues before you let the customer off the phone – because bad reviews can’t be removed and it may impact your business for years to come. Long wait times for support, a lack of empathy for the problem, and ambivalent support representatives are fuel for the fire. Ensure that the process of finding answers and getting help is an easy process for the customer.

2. Strive for clear and consistent communication

There is nothing more exasperating than having to repeat yourself several times in order to get the message across to the right person. If you have several people fielding support, ensure that your customer’s needs are understood before they are forwarded to a support agent. Alternately, if you outsource your support, map out an omnichannel solution so that each representative can view the result of the customer’s previous calls.

3. Waive return fees on defective equipment

It happens occasionally: you purchase a product, but when it arrives it simply does not work. It should be a simple case of return and replace. If this happens, don’t take it out on the customer by charging them return fees, restocking fees, repair fees, or asking them to pay for shipping. Regardless of what happened, it’s not their fault. Go the extra mile to ensure a seamless, easy return process. Sure, you will have to absorb the cost, but it really comes down to the cost of doing business. Guaranteed you will get it back many times over in customer loyalty if you do the right thing, so don’t gripe about it.

Do you have a customer service story you can share? We’d love to know what you do to keep your clientele coming back for more! Lakeside Office Suites in Weston, FL, is dedicated to supporting our small business tenants with flexible office solutions to help them grow. Drop by for a tour, or call today to find out more.

The Coworking Plan – Daily vs Weekly vs Monthly

One of the most appealing benefits of coworking spaces is the flexibility that they provide when it comes to leasing office space. Regardless of whether a person or business is seeking a space by the day, the week, or the month, coworking spaces are equipped to accommodate different types of per-basis needs.

So, how does a person pick the right type of plan for themselves or their business? Should you opt for a day plan, a weekly plan, or a monthly plan?

In most cases, memberships come with different benefits and add-on services depending on the plan you buy and the type of workspace that you choose (private office, coworking space, dedicated desk, virtual office).

Day-to-day

This plan is optimal for people who tend to move around frequently from meeting to meeting, and sometimes just need a touchdown space for a few hours a day or week. This is also a great solution for traveling business people that need a place to work from for a few days or weeks while they are in town visiting or conducting business.

Weekly

Weekly plans are a viable workspace solution for travelers and people that are seeking network opportunities but don’t necessarily need a full-time space to work from. Weekly plans provide access to flexible or dedicated desks, access to events, and can help individuals become a part of the coworking community. Weekly plans, in the end, tend to be a more cost-effective solution than daily plans, especially if you will use the space for more than just a few days a month.

Monthly

In terms of benefits and advantages, monthly plans are usually the best deal in a coworking space. Not only do monthly plans give you access to secure workspace and a community, they also provide added services like meeting room time, free parking, 24/7 access, and administrative services, among others.

Monthly plans are the best option for businesses and startups that are already operating and past their initial stage. They are also a great option for entrepreneurs seeking to network and forge strong relationships with the local community, as well as those who work for a company with remote work policies and flexible schedules.

Though monthly memberships are, in the long-run, the most affordable, advantageous, and logical solution, buying a monthly or weekly membership is oftentimes a good idea, as these memberships can help you better decide and establish whether the location, the space, and the amenities are a right fit for you or your company.

Find more information about the types of memberships, workspace options, and perks of coworking plans here.

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