Can you take clients in a coworking space?

Coworking spaces are great for individual productivity— whether you’re a remote worker, entrepreneur, digital nomad, or anything in between. But a question we often get during tours is “can I take clients in the space?”

The short answer is yes. In fact, a commonly noted benefit of working from a coworking space is the professional atmosphere for client meetings. However there are some key considerations to ensure a smooth experience for both you and your clients.

I booked meeting rooms to hold corporate interviews while my restaurant is being built and I found Groundwork to be the perfect spot for this! Clean, modern, friendly, easy parking, free coffee! What more could you want. Thank you GW!

Brandon Roderick, Owner of The Baker & Olivia’s

Book a meeting room

While coworking spaces offer flexibility and collaboration, it’s important to be mindful of the environment and your surroundings. Therefore, you should avoid taking clients in the open flex space. Instead book a meeting room to ensure privacy and minimize disruption to other members. This allows you to control the atmosphere of your meeting, display presentations comfortably, and ensure confidential conversations remain that way.

No drop-in appointments

If you plan to run your business out of a coworking space, whether as a member or on an as-needed basis, it’s essential to establish a by-appointment-only policy for client meetings. Prospective clients often feel frustrated and confused when they show up to a coworking space expecting to meet you only to learn that there is no one on sight.

A “by-appointment-only” policy keeps prospective clients happy and informed, and allows you to prepare and book a meeting room in advance. Your Google Business Page, website, and other online platforms should reflect this policy in order to prevent unexpected guests.

Communication is key

As the host, it’s your responsibility to greet your client upon arrival at the coworking space. For this reason, you should make sure that you are on sight before your client arrives and have a clear communication plan in place (phone call, text) so they can reach out to you directly when they arrive. This is especially important during our unstaffed hours when the doors are locked.

It can also be helpful to provide your client with important information about parking and navigating the building. Lastly, if you are expecting a client but need to step away for any reason, be sure to let the Community Coordinator know. In this case, your client will be directed to wait in the gallery until you’re ready to meet them.

Be a good host and guest

Meeting rooms are a shared space used by both members and non-members. As such, there is an etiquette that goes with using them. Check out this blog post to learn how shared meeting rooms work in a coworking space. Here are some important things to consider:

• Make sure you book the room: This is very important so others know the room is unavailable and allows us to accurately track your meeting rooms hours (if you’re a member).
• Respect your booked time: If you need to stay over your allotted time, check the booking calendar to make sure nobody is using it after you, and then book your extra time.
• Book the room you need: if you are meeting with just one other person, don’t book a larger room unless you need to for specific equipment.
• Clean up after yourself: Be sure to clear out coffee mugs and/or food, erase the whiteboard, wipe down the tables if needed, and leave the room ready for the next person.

By following these simple guidelines, you can ensure productive client meetings in any coworking space while maintaining a productive and respectful environment for everyone.

Not a member yet?

If you’re not a member of Groundwork yet, you can rent our meeting rooms in New Bedford or check out the meeting space in our Fall River location. Just remember to follow these guidelines to ensure a great experience for all!