with a variety of cafes and workspaces around, it can be difficult to select the right coworking space in bangalore.

In the digital world we live in, people working in a cozy coffee shop are also a common scene. Whether it is a digital marketer trying to pitch to his potential client or a software developer writing his code, the coffee shop has become a cocktail of people with various intentions and moods.

Here are three good reasons to consider a coworking space instead.

Pricing

Coffee shops or Cafes (as they are popularly known) work on maximizing their revenue by increasing the turnover per table. So, in other words, a coffee shop such as a Starbucks or a Barista is generally designed so that its customers keep ordering more things to eat or drink or otherwise make room for a new set of guests. In fact, it gets awkward when a person just comes there for his work purpose and doesn’t order a lot but ends up staying for long. So, people end up ordering food as well which is generally more expensive than a regular restaurant in a city like Bangalore. 

Now,  the average cost per beverage in Starbucks in a major city like Bangalore is about 300 rupees. Mind you, they also want to sell you a 500 ml water bottle for about 100 rupees. Now, the pricey coffee gives you permission to get your work done (now you’ve got the (hopefully) free WiFi too). Once the coffee effect fades in about an hour, you’re hungry and you’ve got some work done so you reward yourself with a sandwich which costs another 300 rupees. Now, assume you’re somehow allowed to stay there for the entire day, it’s unlikely you’ll get through without ordering another drink. Then, you’ll end up spending another 300. So, your total cost was a whopping 1000 rupees for a day.

Now, one might argue that few coffee shops/cafes (such as SOCIAL Offline) are actually letting you use their space for about 4000-5000 per month which is redeemable in terms of food. But well, is it still worth it? A coworking space, on the other hand, solves the pricing problem for the digital nomad by providing unlimited beverages and water for anywhere between 200 and 600 rupees per day. The monthly passes tend to be even more reasonable. Read on to understand the other factors.

Professionalism

Coffee shops are used by people with all moods and wants. Some may be catching up with their friends or family. Couples may have their meetups as well. Freelancers may host their clients there. Digital nomads may just work from different coffee shops on a daily basis. Now, when it comes to hosting your business clients well, a coffee shop may not fit the pack due to one important reason. Coffee shops tend to be way too casual. The client may not take you seriously or even think you don’t have a good office. A coworking space can come in to save the day as it is designed as a business center that ensures functionality and professionalism.

Physical environment

As we discussed previously, coffee shops are designed as casual environments for about 30-40 people on average. Bigger shops tend to be quite rare and are located ideally close to the city center. While bigger coffee shops tend to have dedicated parking, it continues to be a challenge for the smaller ones. With a low seating capacity and a major chunk of the space taken up by the kitchen, the space left over for the actual seating tends to be cramped. Additionally, the seats are not ergonomically designed and also tend to have a slight recline. Meanwhile, the tables are mostly designed to keep your food and not your laptop. Now, this combination of chair and table design spells like a recipe for lower back pain.

While some coffee shops have a mild non-intrusive tune in the background stereo, others tend to play famous songs that you can’t stop but hum. Although some coworkers may prefer to use their headphones, it is distracting nevertheless. What can add to the list of distractions include a stand off between some other guests who are in their own moods or even something as simple as new guests trying to find their seats without being considerate of their surroundings. Finally, we can talk of security. As a public space where anyone can walk in, coffee shops or cafes tend to be less secure although they may have CCTV recording.

In contrast to the physical environment of coffee shops, coworking spaces are professional work environments which have dedicated parking spaces, break out areas, ergonomic seats, comfortable table heights, focus enhancing music (if at all), mindful coworkers (during most times) and access control.

A worthwhile bonus at a coworking space is access to a community wherein people can form shared routines, practice common interests and even collaborate or give business to each other.

What would you choose and why?

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About Work Theater, a coworking space in bangalore