A successful modern coworking business must be extremely flexible and customer-oriented. People expect you to meet their expectations. They want to have access to the workspace any time they need, 24/7.
This is quite understandable as entrepreneurs cooperate with companies all over the globe located in different time zones. They need to participate in remote meetings, discussions, negotiations, etc. Those activities may take place late in the evening, early in the morning, or even at night. Sometimes work schedules are crazy.
Modern technology can help you cater to each and every inquiry. We are talking about a combo of hardware and coworking software that, in addition to other possibilities, allows to automate physical access to the workspace.
Keep your door open for paying customers round the clock.
The access control system integrated with your workspace management platform brings quite a number of advantages to your coworking business.
If you value time and effort, you probably prefer innovative solutions that guarantee flawless experience both for community managers and residents.
Integrated hardware-software solutions such as integrations of access control systems with Spacebring coworking space app is a good example of a contemporary approach to access control. AC technology integrates with digital smart locks and RFID readers to efficiently manage the check-in/out at your workspace.
Unlocking the doors by means of a mobile app adds to the clients' comfort and saves your resources. You don’t need to configure the software. Just press the “unlock” button on your smartphone and get in. The procedure becomes super simple. It works for both coworkers and coworking managers.
For a better experience, it’s important to make sure that you are going to use an advanced access control system. The one providing really futuristic features. Keep in mind that old-fashioned access control systems come as separate software distributed by hardware providers. This software is not smart enough to synchronize with your existing client database, so you have to manage both databases separately. The processes are not automated which causes poor user experience and enormous operational inefficiencies. In the long run, it results in a loss of money.
Access control systems vary a lot in types and levels of complexity. Here we listed the ones used in the coworking industry for you to consider their pros and cons.
Cloud access control is a system where locks, card readers, and controllers are installed at your workspace, and the server part together with the software — on remote servers or "cloud" that belong to the manufacturer.
Here are some of the key benefits of the cloud-based access control solution:
Disadvantages of cloud-based access control systems include:
Cloud ACS is not a universal solution suitable for every organization. There is an alternative — an access control system that is deployed locally on your own servers installed inside the branches. Local software may be the best choice if you can't import a leading ACS for some reason, if you may have problems using it, or if you just want to have your own servers. When making a decision, entrepreneurs take into account the level of comfort, as well as domestic and exterior policy.
The advantages of on-premise access control systems include:
Among the disadvantages is the fact that you will have to build your own server infrastructure, maintain and develop it. This will lead to huge expenses that are unlikely to ever pay off, as you will never be able to achieve the high level of efficiency and positive customer experience that cloud systems provide.
Sometimes the best solution is to use a mix of cloud and local security software applications. If this is your case, look for developers who give room for maneuver when needed. You may need to scale the solution quickly, which means that only local vendors may be relevant to you. However, the dexterity of the cloud may soon be needed.
Ultimately, whatever you choose: cloud or local servers, the key is to find a solution that provides the ideal experience for residents, managers and provides access to monitoring results.
This is a typical plastic card that contains a built-in RFID chip or memory, microprocessor. The chip is storing and transmitting data. The data is stored and processed within the card’s chip. The card data is transmitted via a reader, the outward-facing component of the smart card security computing system.
Plastic cards are an optimal access control solution for a present-day coworking space. Don’t be scared of costs add up as nobody says that you must distribute the cards for free. Sell them to compensate.
Manufacturers of modern access control systems offer their own software not only for administrators. They also provide mobile applications for users that allow unlocking the door with a smartphone.
An advanced system provides multiple ways to unlock the door using the smartphone. Once you have downloaded and configured the app, the smartphone is ready to open the door. The system unlocks the door as long as the app is running and your phone is close to the reader.
Please note that if this access control system does not work perfectly well, the user is likely to blame the coworking manager no matter of the true reason. That’s why we can’t recommend the system.
With this type of mobile access control system, the signal from the smartphone to the lock travels over the Internet.
Keypads on door locks might be most familiar to everybody. At its simplest, a keypad is a set of buttons complete with all alpha numerals and a couple of symbols. To unlock the door you just need to enter the combination of the right numbers, a pin code.
QR codes are blocky black and white squares of digital information that take the user to an app or webpage on their smartphone. They can be used as virtual credentials instead of traditional plastic cards. QR codes have a very controversial reputation because they require a camera and have an age barrier (can't be used efficiently by all age groups of customers). In some countries such as in China, QR-codes are widely used but in most countries, the general public has very limited experience in using such codes.
Seems like QR codes are the worst option of access control implementation. They are not reliable. The technology is supposed to work like this — the software generates a dynamic QR code for the door and the users access the room simply by placing their smartphone screens closer to the QR/barcode reader. However, in real life, even low screen brightness can prevent technology from working properly. Everyone has had that frustrative experience at Starbucks trying to scan the loyalty membership barcode multiple times to make it work.
At first glance, access with biometric input seems very futuristic. Such tools have become most popular in Asia, including South Korea, China, and Japan. When purchasing a membership plan, the user records their biometric data in your ACS system with the help of special biometrics readers. To unlock the door, you need to touch the fingerprint reader or look into the camera for iris or face recognition.
When you offer workspaces to companies or freelancers, one of the most important aspects is security. No one wants strangers to approach their workplace. Therefore, you should pay special attention to which doors you secure with the access control system.
Most of the coworking space owners in the process of planning the future of their businesses dream about one application for everything. This approach is quite correct and highly recommended because it gives your customers access to space from the same application they consume all your services through. In addition, it supposedly integrates your value proposition under the umbrella of your brand.
Left image: Individual or company members sync to the relevant group on access control system (Kisi) for as long as the membership plan is active. If the plan expires, access is automatically removed. Right image: Members can unlock the doors with a smartphone using their main coworking space app (Spacebring).
Here are a few more benefits of integrating your main coworking space software with an access control system:
However, sometimes it’s technically impossible or irrational to integrate coworking software and access control system. This is not the reason to get upset or reject one of the awesome solutions you’ve picked out. You can follow Regus experience (Regus as a program for consuming services and Access Control Application to open the door) and use two separate applications.
The right answer here is — put your specific requirements first when you choose among different access control systems available in the market.
Many organizations prefer moving their business applications and processes to the cloud. This is a current trend for a good number of reasons. You need to think carefully about what makes more sense for your development strategy. To do this, try to answer the following questions:
It’s easy to get lost searching for a decent access control system provider if you are new to the matter. We will try to help you out.
One thing that is definitely taking Kisi apart from the competition, is that their access control solution is constantly updating itself. They run over-the-air updates on all of their hardware, that's why it's super easy to get company support team to fix bugs that might show up. And this is also the reason why Kisi is the most future-proof solution on the market that will never get obsolete.
Want to know if Kisi integrates with Spacebring coworking software? Check out integration details here.
If you prefer to deal with local vendors, beware that oftentimes they have no API or offer some exotic integrations. Even if their solutions can be integrated with your own custom software in the long term you will feel disappointed with their “sell and forget” behavior. Plus, continuous maintenance may turn out to be expensive. In a couple of years, you will have to pay even more because your system will become outdated.
So, how to avoid pitfalls while automating your coworking access? Before making a final choice, consult your coworking software vendor. Review a list of the equipment they support. Developers often partner with ACS equipment, so they can introduce you to a local representative or recommend how to organize the system more effectively.
Now, at the mature age of coworking when the industry becomes more competitive, only the smart and innovative keep the leadership. Here the last generation automated access control system makes a difference. It makes your coworking space smart. It paves the way to business development while cutting costs and ensuring security in the long run.
Summarizing everything said above, the purpose of automating access to a coworking space is to provide quick, convenient access for authorized people, while at the same time, restrict access for unauthorized ones. And now you know what options are available and how to implement them in the particular coworking space.
Questions? Get in touch with our team, and we’ll be happy to talk about Spacebring coworking software and its solutions including powerful integrations with world-leading access control systems!