Every coworking space photographs well. The things that decide whether you still like it in six months are harder to see on a tour: the internet on a busy afternoon, the noise when three people take calls at once, what happens when you need a room at short notice. Here are the five questions we would ask of any space, including ours.
1. How good is the internet, really?
Ask what the connection is, whether it is shared with the whole building, and what happens when it goes down. Then test it on your tour, at a desk, not standing next to the router. Superfast internet is included in every ShiftWorks membership, and the buildings are set up for a floor full of video calls rather than a handful of laptops.
2. Where do you take a call?
A coworking floor that is quiet enough to think in needs somewhere else to talk. Look for a phone booth, meeting rooms you can take for half an hour, and a breakout area away from the desks. Royal House has a phone booth on the floor, a meeting room and a boardroom; Market Street has a meeting room and a boardroom; both have kitchens and lounges for the conversations that do not need a door.
3. What does the membership include?
The monthly price is only comparable if you know what sits behind it. Are meeting rooms included or charged by the hour? Is printing extra? Does the price exclude VAT? At ShiftWorks, flex and resident desks include the meeting rooms, printing, kitchens and events; resident desks add a locker and a registered business address; and every plan includes the bills.
4. When can you get in?
Some people work nine to five and never need more. Others start at seven or have calls with clients in other time zones. Check the staffed hours, the out of hours arrangements and whether access is a key, a code or a fingerprint. Our buildings are staffed Monday to Friday from 9am to 5.30pm, and resident desk and office members have biometric access around the clock, every day of the year.
5. How easy is it to leave?
The best test of a space is whether it needs to lock you in. Ask for the notice period and whether there is a deposit. ShiftWorks memberships roll monthly and private offices are on simple rolling agreements, which is a bet that you will stay because you want to.
And one more: the people
A coworking space is a building full of other businesses, and the right mix is worth more than any amenity. Visit at a busy time, not a quiet one, and notice whether people talk to each other. Then compare the plans, or book a tour in Chester or Hoylake and run the five checks for yourself.
