8 Reasons why a freelancer hates working out of a cafe | The Office Pass

8 Reasons Why a Freelancer Hates Working Out Of a Cafe

by | posted in: Coworking | 0

Before turning into a freelancer, every time I scurried in for a LattĂ© – as I had to clock into my corporate life before 9.15 a.m. – I saw freelancers at my favourite cafĂ© savouring each sip of their coffee while they typed on their laptops. I envied them. Well, who wouldn’t, from far? After all, there is something ‘cool’ about munching on cookies as you worked away to the smell of freshly brewed coffee every single day!

But now that I am a freelancer, I keep away from cafĂ©s whenever I have to get the work done. It isn’t that pretty a picture as it seemed to be from far. Here’s why:

8 REASONS WHY A FREELANCER HATE WORKING OUT OF A CAFE

8 Reasons Why a Freelancer Hates Working Out Of a Cafe

  1. The Ruckus & Distraction
  2. Unnecessary Stuffing
  3. Wifi Blues
  4. The right Community
  5. Dignified Business Address
  6. Timings
  7. The Work Essential
  8. The Washroom Visits

1. THE RUCKUS & DISTRACTION

A cafĂ© is unlike a coworking space where everyone is there to work. Another breed of people that frequently visit cafĂ©s is chit-chatters who don’t even pause the talking to swallow. They probably won’t even notice you trying to hint at your discomfort. And when you see a group of college kids with guitars and musical instruments walk in, you definitely know it’s time to wrap up and leave. On your worst days, you might even encounter crying toddlers.

8 REASONS WHY A FREELANCER HATE WORKING OUT OF A CAFE

2. UNNECESSARY STUFFING

You don’t want to look like a cheapskate, so you order a beverage at the very least. You drink it slowly and steadily. Then come the “It has been 4 hours, are you really not going to order anything more, you miser” stares from the waiters which start stinging. Finally, you give in and order something more, and then even more. There are others who might just ignore the stares but can’t ignore their appetites, urging them to keep eating. Over-eating has consequences we all know about. Not to forget, the huge amount of food going down your throat is also a burning hole in your pocket every day.

8 REASONS WHY A FREELANCER HATE WORKING OUT OF A CAFE

3. WIFI BLUES

This one goes without saying. Internet and a freelancer at work go hand in hand. Slow Wi-Fi is worse than no Wi-Fi and if you have to use your Hotspot for hours, you might as well go home! It may not apply to all cafés but some do enforce a limit on the free Wi-Fi and then starts the saga of using different numbers and plugging in OTPs to gain extra hours of free Wi-Fi. And if you have to pay for the Wi-Fi, well that just kills the mood right away!

4. THE RIGHT COMMUNITY

People at a café go about their own business. You may strike up a conversation upon overhearing a Game of Thrones discussion but might not go past the small talk. Everyone at that café need not be in a similar headspace as opposed to people you are coworking with. Sharing ideas, knowledge, and experiences is more likely to happen in a coworking space in Gurgaon than a Barista or CCD.

5. DIGNIFIED BUSINESS ADDRESS

Imagine giving your business card to a customer with the address of a Café. It is unlikely to create an impression and may compromise your otherwise good credentials. A professional business address is a small, but important element of your business and its value should not be underestimated.

Also Read: Difference Between Coworking and Shared Office Space for Freelancers

6. TIMINGS

A great idea just struck you and you need to jot it down before it fades away from your memory, but it is lunch or dinner time and the cafĂ© is full of people eager to fill their belly. This just ruins the whole flow! You might just be granted a few more minutes but you can’t stretch it any further.


7. THE WORK ESSENTIALS

The essential comprises a lot of items from facilities to infrastructure. Take, for instance, the case of a printing urgency. You would be very lucky to be in a cafĂ© with a printer – highly doubtful – otherwise, you have no choice but to leave. Many of you might require a proper table and chair to keep your head straight and functioning. Most of the time, cafĂ© stools or chairs are awfully uncomfortable and just not suitable for long hours of work. Further, not having a charging point next to your cafĂ© table is a huge inconvenience. We all hate the whole practice of giving your gadgets to the waiter for charging. All these hindrances may contribute a great deal to lowering your productivity.

8. THE WASHROOM VISITS

There is no guarantee that your coffee table will look the same once you are back from the washroom, so what do you do? Take the risk and try getting it done quickly or ask a stranger on the next table to watch over your things. Also, can you really create a scene if your pen goes missing? There is a third option too – pack up your bag and then visit the washroom. But be prepared to lose your table if you opt for that option. I would rather not put myself in this situation in the first place!

We all love cafés, I agree. It is also a universal fact that freelancers constitute a large proportion of the coffee shop dwellers but when it comes to working out of one, there are many hitches. That is why I simply avoid working out of one and opted for coworking space for freelancers in Gurgaon.

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The Office Pass raised fresh investment

The Office Pass, CoWorking Space Provider Raises Fresh Funding

by | posted in: Coworking Spaces, Funding | 0

Gurgaon-based TOP Technologies Private Limited that runs a coworking platform The Office Pass raised a fresh investment round from a group of individual investors led by Dhruv Agarwala, CEO of PropTiger, Makaan & Housing & an institution.

The company will use the funds for hiring technology & product talent and drive the expansion of coworking centers over the next 18-24 months. This investment comes within months of their seed investment round that was closed earlier this year.

The Office Pass, Coworking Space Provider Raises Fresh Funding

The company opened its 1st coworking center in Gurgaon in March 2017, which is fully occupied. “Our 1st center has helped validate many hypotheses that we had, before starting the business. We now feel confident to expand our network in a capital-light model, using technology with the objective to expand profitably. Most office-goers waste precious time, effort and money in commuting to work. If they are able to work from high quality, yet affordable, office near-by, it will solve a big productivity problem for Indian companies.” says Aditya Verma, Founder & CEO, The Office Pass.

Commenting on the investment Dhruv Agarwala added, “The Office Pass has shown good traction within a few months of its launch and that opens up exciting possibilities for rapid expansion. The company has a strong founding team led by Aditya, and has a good understanding of the role technology can play in scaling up the business in a capital-efficient way”.

UNIT ECONOMICS OF COWORKING BUSINESS

The unit economics of the coworking business are favourable, with a gross margin of over 50%, making a strong case for sustainable growth with limited external capital. The use of technology can further improve this margin. The company recently launched an Online Booking & Payment Platform that allows existing & new coworkers to book office space, meeting & conference rooms through a 100% online experience, which reduces manpower dependence.

Also Read: Coworking – Best Way to Battle Skyrocketing Office Rentals In NCR

WHO SHOULD USE COWORKING SPACE?

Finding an office is a major challenge for Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSME) and freelancers due to their inability to get into a long lease and block money in security deposits. Many of them are forced to work from home and cafes, reducing their productivity. This segment remains below the radar for developers, agents & property owners who find it difficult to service this segment in a cost-effective manner. The Office Pass aims to solve this problem by offering flexible terms & the use of technology.

TEAM BEHIND THE OFFICE PASS (TOP)

Co-founded by three former employees of Makaan.com, Aditya Verma, Nikhil Madan and Sachin Gaur, TOP launched its operations in March 2017.

ABOUT THE OFFICE PASS

The Office Pass, part of TOP Technologies Private Limited, is a technology platform that connects companies & professionals to ready-to-use, high-quality and economical co-working office space. The company takes care of all expenses associated with opening and operating an office. Expenses such as security deposit, maintenance charges, lock-in period, furnishing & equipment, rental, electricity, WiFi, security, housekeeping etc are all clubbed into “a small fee per seat”. This saves its customers valuable time and money, which can be used to improving the productivity of their business. The company also provides on-demand meeting and conference rooms through its platform.


For additional information Contact: Nikhil Madan, Co-founder, The Office Pass (TOP) @ nikhil@www.theofficepass.com/toppings or +91 9891 833 008

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Shared office in Gurgaon - The Office Pass

Affordable Coworking, Shared Office Space in Gurgaon

by | posted in: Coworking in Gurgaon | 0

Millennium city of India “Gurgaon” is home to many large and medium global corporates. The past two decades have seen MNCs moving from popular commercial areas in Delhi like Connaught Place, Nehru Place and Rajendra Place to Gurgaon. Shared Office in Gurgaon is fast gaining currency among some segment of the working population. Read on to know more.

WHAT ARE THE OFFICE REQUIREMENTS FOR MSME & FREELANCERS IN GURGAON?

Emerging business including Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME), Small and Medium Business (SMB) and freelancers typically follows mature businesses in their choice for office space and they too started moving to Gurgaon. Because of this huge influx, office space rentals in parts of Gurgaon have increased from INR 30-80/- to INR 60-110/- PSF over the past decade or so.

Although MNCs & large Indian businesses are comfortable paying high office rent, these rates are prohibitive for MSME & Freelancers. They look for affordable office spaces in the range of INR 45 – 70/- PSF.

Affordable Coworking Shared Office Space in Gurgaon

WHY MSME & FREELANCERS SHOULD NOT TAKE OFFICE ON RENT IN GURGAON?

When the business is small, one tries to balance between growth and expenses; every penny saved is critical during a period where revenues are not sufficient to cover other costs. Some businesses make the mistake of putting money in non-productive areas that do not directly help in revenue or customer growth (two of the biggest focus areas for small businesses). This is an avoidable mistake.

WHAT ARE THE EXPENSES ASSOCIATED WITH TAKING OFFICE ON RENT IN GURGAON?

When businesses take their own office on rent, they end up blocking money in security deposit (equivalent to 3-6 month rent), office furnishing (approximately INR 1200-1400/- PSF) and committing a lock-in period (equivalent to 2-3 years). These commitments are avoidable till businesses generate sufficient surplus to enable such long-term commitments. Then there are other expenses like electricity, tea & coffee, office boy, internet, telephone line, office equipment like printer & scanner etc which takes up time & management bandwidth.

COWORKING, SHARED OFFICE IN GURGAON

In Coworking, Shared office in Gurgaon you do not have to pay any security deposit, these places are tastefully done-up, so you do not have to spend additional money on furnishing & fixtures and there is no lock-in period (so you can use the office space for as long as it meets your requirement). You are not charged a per square feet (PSF) monthly rental for the office space; instead, you pay per person for the number of employees using the Coworking space. You can add a seat if your business expands and you can reduce based on the requirement.


PRICING OF A COWORKING, SHARED OFFICE IN GURGAON

You are charged a small price per seat per month called a membership fee. The price ranges from INR 6,000 – 10,000/- depending on the services offered by the Coworking provider. You can book the seat for a month or few days or even a few hours in a month (in case your work does not require going to the office every day) which can further reduce your operating expenses. All charges are payable in advance for the month.

DISCOUNTS OFFERED BY COWORKING, SHARED OFFICE SPACE PROVIDERS

Coworking spaces often offer discounts if you pay in advance for 3-6 months. These discounts typically range from 5-10% for 3-6 months respectively. There are additional discounts available for female coworkers (so if you have female employees in your MSME setup you can avail of the office space at a reduced cost).

WHO SHOULD USE COWORKING, SHARED OFFICE IN GURGAON?

While MSME, SMB and freelancers may aspire to work alongside large global corporations, they may not “yet” be financially ready to take on this additional cost. Coworking or Shared office spaces come in handy as they allow small companies to taste, best office space experience, without drilling a hole in your pocket.

If your small business looking for office space in Gurgaon, we strongly recommend that you consider The Office Pass, a coworking space in Sohna Road. Our recommendation is based on a few things which will be beneficial in the long run.

Also Read: Cyber City Gurgaon a Coworking Space Hub

AFFORDABLE PRICING

When compared with other locations in Gurgaon, Sohna Road offers a good return for your money. Coworking spaces like “The Office Pass in JMD Megapolis building” charge a relatively low membership fee while facilities like WiFi access, Coffee & Chai, printer & scanner are provided for FREE. The monthly membership cost is charged on a per-seat basis and ranges between INR 7,000/- to 9,000/- per month.

FACILITIES & SERVICES

Before you finalize a coworking space in Gurgaon make sure it has all the facilities that are typically available to a large and medium global corporate (no compromises here). Facilities like a nice and decent looking office (avoid places that try and fit people like in a call center), Hi-speed WiFi connection, printer & scanner facility, Coffee & Chai depending on your preference, access to conference and meeting rooms and good air-conditioning system (especially because the temperature in Gurgaon can touch 45 degrees in summers) should be checked.

MEETING & CONFERENCE ROOMS

If your business requires you to meet customers or vendors face to face, make sure that Coworking space has space to hold a meeting or do a conference call with a client.  However, if you do not expect customers to visit you, this criterion can be ignored.

FLEXIBILITY IN CONTRACT

Some Coworking space providers ask for a 1-2 months fee as a security deposit and some have a lock-in period of 2-4 months (before which you cannot vacate). On the other hand, some allow you complete flexibility and do not have a security deposit and lock-in period. Prefer the shared office spaces that provide flexibility in contract terms to its users.

COMMUNITY

If you can benefit from the experiences of other Coworkers and vice versa, then you achieve more while at work. You become part of a larger community and culture that thrive on each other’s experience. This can bring life into your business, and providing you the ability to give something back too.

If you are looking for Coworking space in Gurgaon, keep the above points in mind before selecting a space.

Happy Coworking.

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Book Coworking Office Space Online in under 3 minutes | The Office Pass

Book coworking office space online in under 3 minutes

by | posted in: Coworking | 0

Gurgaon based coworking office space provider The Office Pass (TOP) has launched an “Online booking & payment platform” on its website that allows existing & new coworkers to book office space, meeting & conference rooms through 100% online experience. Users will be able to choose a start date, select number of seats & duration for which the office space is required and make payment online to confirm their booking. This makes it convenient for freelancers, self-employed professionals & small companies to book a coworking office space in less than 3 minutes without going through a painful & lengthy conventional process.

The conventional process of identifying, shortlisting, negotiating, closing, furnishing & moving to an office space can take anywhere from 2 to 6 months depending upon the demand and supply in a particular area. Professionals & companies have to pay a security deposit (equivalent to 3-6 months of the monthly rent) and provide a lock-in period of 2 to 3 years. This makes the process unaffordable and painful to say the least. Coworking office space, in general, does away with these stringent requirements which are good news. The online booking & payment platform from The Office Pass takes this convenience to the next level (as it shrinks this time to under 3 minutes).

Book Coworking Office Space Online in Under 3 Minutes

As per Aditya Verma, CEO of the company, “It was important for us to get our online booking & payment platform in place before we expand our coworking footprint. With our online strategy beginning to fall in place, we will use technology to expand with minimal additional manpower, which will be a huge differentiator in the coworking category in India.” Till now The Office Pass website was used for information dissemination & lead generation, while the rest of the member journey was managed offline. With the new platform, the company plans to shift manual processes online. This will not only help increase % conversion through the website but also create consistency & transparency in the pricing for all coworkers (due to no manual intervention).

Also Read: Amazing Shared Office Spaces in Delhi NCR for Startups & SMEs

The system allows coworkers to enjoy discounts if they book the space for a longer duration and there is an additional discount for female coworkers. If coworker(s) joins before the 15th of the month, the online system calculates the price pro-rate for the remaining month. For coworker(s) who join after the 15th of the month, membership gets computed for the remaining days in that month and next month.


Now professionals & companies don’t have to waste time, effort & energy in office hunting and painful negotiations; simply open your computer or mobile & book a coworking space online in under 3 minutes.

Cheers & Happy Coworking.

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