The crux of the issue – broader than concierge service

While workspace owners try to grapple with the best way to share office space with other tenants or implement flex office sharing in their organizations, they’re looking for “solutions” not “products.” However, some opportunist software sellers are attempting to steer that conversation away from a solution-oriented approach, to just a focus on incidental features.

The truth of the matter is that to be truly efficient in its implementation; Hoteling Software solutions must prove more useful than robotic front-desk managers. That’s because the hoteling function is broader than just making reservations and canceling them.  And, to determine its effectiveness, the solution (not the product) must deliver functionality beyond remote check-in/out capability.

More than automated reservation clerks

So, what differentiates a concierge service-based product versus an intelligence-based, automated hoteling solution for busy workplaces? Well, if you ask professional facilities managers and office hoteling program administrators, here’s what they’ll look for to separate “products” from solution

1)   Powerful Analytics and Reporting

One reason that workspace owners chose to implement Office Hoteling Software is to maximize their investment in office space. So, what does it mean in simple terms? Well, at minimum, the solution must aid facility managers in getting full visibility of the shared office space they’re managing. 

The intelligent data analytics engine of the software solution must have the ability to effortlessly slice and dice available space data, reservation information, future bookings, and a whole lot more.  That data should give facility managers, and office administrators clear insight on an All User, All Spaces, and Available Spaces basis to then make data-driven decisions on space maximization.

This powerful feature goes way beyond the scope of concierge-driven Hoteling Software products. Typically, only the most dominant hoteling solutions support users with such functionality.

2) Dynamic 3D Floor Mapping

Most of the concierge-focused products offer users the ability to do what a good front-desk manager does: Take bookings, make reservations on the fly, or even book or cancel reservations using a smartphone. However, the smart hoteling solutions offer those capabilities – at minimum, and some more – including custom 3D floor maps!

High-end office hoteling software solutions take things up a notch by giving hoteling space managers a strategic big-picture view of the space they administer. It’s okay to have a piece of concierge-focused software notifying hoteling space managers of the daily booking statistics, and the number of cancellations they’ve had.

An office administrator overseeing, say, ten or twenty desks, cubicles, and workstations might be extremely pleased with those statistical reports. But why settle for just that, when you can demand so much more from your software solution.

The ability to digitize existing floor plans and infuse intelligence into those images to graphically display the current state of the office layout is priceless. The maps use colored cues – green, red, etc. – to indicate to space planners the current status of the office floor. This feature is especially useful in hoteling software that manages space across multiple levels and over several locations.

Demand. Don’t settle!

When looking for intelligent Office Hoteling software solutions, shared office space managers and facility managers must demand perfection in what they’re receiving. It’s essential for you to carefully compare what product sellers offer versus what an efficient solution delivers. Don’t just settle for second best – demand the very best!