Why Coworking Spaces Benefit From Mobile Access

Coworking Spaces x Tapkey

Digitisation is present everywhere and changes not only our everyday life, but entire industries. Therefore, companies are looking for intelligent solutions to further improve their processes and meet the needs of their customers. This also applies to shared workspaces and coworking spaces.

Finding the right access solution for your own coworking space can be difficult. Coworking spaces, such as Basis08, Coworking Space Lehrte, Space Hannover, WORQS and many more, already use Tapkey and trust in it. An important reason is the easy handling. In contrast to key cards, people carry their smartphones almost always with them. Convince yourself of the advantages.

1. Efficient Management

With Tapkey, the effort for managing the keys is considerably low, since access authorisations can be assigned and withdrawn at the push of a button. Using the app or the webportal, access permissions for new coworkers can be granted online—unlimited or temporarily. Quite individually, depending on how long the coworker’s contract runs. The flexible access options for different groups of people simplify the management of every coworking space.

Frank Haupt, CEO of Space Hannover also enjoys the simple key management, “Before that, I had to duplicate keys and document exactly who I gave which key to. With electronic access, there is no duplication of the physical keys and the whole key management has become much easier because I can see in my app who has which access.”

With a digital access solution, it is possible to offer access around the clock without being permanently present. Nevertheless, temporary access can also be granted for certain cases.

2. Save Time and Money

Since there are no fixed working hours in a coworking space and the people working there also change frequently, the demand for smart access solutions increases. After all, the constant production of replacement keys is not only tedious, but also costly and time-consuming. The keys not only have to be given to new members, but also have to be collected again after the contract expires. The problem is exacerbated if a provider operates several locations. Annoying key handovers are no longer necessary. 

“I no longer have to issue physical keys and the risk of losing keys is reduced. I can also grant people daily access without having to be on-site to let someone in.” confirms Frank Haupt.

Coworking companies can use their Tapkey access control system to set up a business “without reception” if required. As a result, the rooms are accessible to authorised users around the clock, with only a small outlay on personnel. Smart access control makes sense for all coworking spaces, regardless of their size. Even with a few doors and a few members, Tapkey is already worth the investment.

3. Safety First

 The key management of coworking spaces with a high fluctuation rate offers potential for chaos and uncertainty. Keys that are copied and lost endanger building security and are associated with additional costs. The absence of physical keys eliminates this security risk. 

Daniel Ruther, owner of the coworking space Lehrte, also emphasizes another security aspect, “Every access is logged and possible theft is reduced. Since there are expensive devices in the coworking space and a wide variety of people come and go, we simply need security here.”

In general, the following applies: The smartphone keys are assigned individually for each device and are not reused. The keys are therefore valid for a limited period and can be revoked at any time. Tapkey has several levels of security. We use SSL / TLS encryption protocols for data transmission. Access authorisations are stored in the Tapkey Trust Service to ensure the best possible security.

4. Transparent Use 

“With digital access control, we can control who can enter what room and when. This is much easier and safer than with conventional keys.” says Daniel Ruther and mentioned another advantage. 

Thanks to mobile access control, coworking operators benefit from automatic tracking of all access activities. Key management is consistently transparent despite high user turnover. Community managers always know who has access to which doors and when, and retain control over the keys.

“Tapkey simplifies my administration. I can assign mobile access authorisations to coworkers and know exactly who was in the coworking space. Ideal for billing FlexDesks.” says Wolfgang Millner, CEO of Basis08. For the complete interview, click here. 

Whether 24/7 access or authorisations on certain days: Access can be set to the minute for every employee or guest.

Iris Mayr, Managing Partner at Hauptplatz23, also emphasizes, “Unlimited people can be given controlled access as quickly as possible. And this can be revoked at any time. Logging of these accesses and comparatively easy administration—whatever is important when assessing also with regard to running costs.”

5. Automation Through Integration

The technology can be implemented in other management systems and tools via the API interface. Cobot, a coworking management software, has already done this. 

“Tapkey not only offers a secure solution to handle access permissions, but also understands the importance of a seamless user experience.” says Kristina Schneider, CPO at Cobot, about the integration in an interview with us. 

Thanks to the integration, operators can not only assign access rights, but also automatically account for bookings in space.

 “With the connection to our administration software, granting and withdrawing authorisations is a homogeneous process that the coworking host no longer has to take care of on-site. Keys do not have to be copied and returned. On request, I can also link access to individual rooms to the temporary booking of a meeting room. It is very comfortable.” says Tobias Kollewe, CEO of cowork AG.

In addition to an app, Tapkey offers an ecosystem of access hardware from different manufacturers. This means that coworking space operators can not only manage access to their premises, but also offer other services such as lockers or even a pool car. In addition to this, access for service providers such as cleaning companies can of course be guaranteed extremely efficiently. “I think digital access control is essential for coworking spaces. On the one hand, organisational processes on the operator side can be simplified. On the user side, there is more flexibility in daily use. The effects come into play in small and large spaces.” summarizes Tobias Kollewe.