As one enters the Bengaluru-based coworking space CoWrks, he\she is sure to be charmed by the cozy set up the space offers. For the uninitiated, coworking spaces are office spaces where people from different start-ups (or companies) work and share the same office space.
From comfortable seating to an amenities fuel bar with an unlimited supply of tea, coffee, fruit-infused water, biscuits and phone booths for workers to have private telephonic conversations, the CoWrks facility is any start-up employee's dream come true.
Another attraction at CoWrks is the Virtual Receptionist. A visitor registers on a tab kept at the reception and the person to be contacted is instantly informed.
Interestingly, many have leased out spaces from CoWrks, including freelancers, independent professionals, start-ups, small scale enterprises and even Fortune 500 companies. Companies such as Alibaba.com and Boeing have also taken coworking spaces from CoWrks in its Bengaluru facility.
Sidharth Menda, CEO of CoWrks, strongly feels that it is essential to create a coworking community in the country which has a wave of millennials hitting the industry. “I observed that there is a huge disconnect between corporate work spaces and the modern workforce that mainly comprises of millennials.
Coworking spaces can foster a community of like-minded individuals who would not only build business relationships with each other but also connect on a social level. We have embarked on an expansion plans and are opening new facilities in Mumbai, Gurgaon and Chennai in the next quarter,” Menda told THE WEEK.
The company already has two coworking facilites in Bengaluru that can accommodate 3,400 people. The yet-to-be-opened facility in Mumbai is expected to accommodate around 1,300 people and its new facility in Gurgaon will accommodate close to 1,000 people. The company also plans to venture into Pune and Hyderabad later this year.
It is also evaluating to set up facilities at international locations – in Asia and Europe. “The response has been great. We already have full occupancy in Mumbai, Gurgaon and Chennai even before the facilities are open. There is also a waiting list,” added Menda.
The company also believes in a tech-first approach and has a ‘Connect Mobile App' that allows members to reserve meeting rooms in the facility from wherever they are. One can also view new events pushed to the apps, besides asking for help and support from the app itself. The company is also using artificial intelligence and chat bots to further enhance the experience of its users.