5 Features To Look For When Looking For A Desk Booking System
by Arnab Dey Business Development Published on: 23 March 2023 Last Updated on: 13 May 2023
In flexible workspaces, desks are considered to be ‘valuable’ assets. When fewer employees show up, a lot of previously occupied space can stay empty for days. At the same time, the occupied space may not get used optimally, leading to further waste of space.
Maybe the number of workspaces isn’t enough, so your employees may feel the added stress of having to compete for them. So, it is your priority to make the most of your real estate. And what better way than to use a desk booking system!
A desk booking system is a convenient way for your managers and employees to access resources around the office. A robust hot desk booking system not only ensures everyone in the hybrid workspace can use desks when they need them but also gives you complete visibility into how these resources are being used or misused. And with this information, you can take control of your office and make informed decisions about how your company operates.
Have you implemented an office hoteling system yet? If not, it is understandable. For someone unfamiliar with this technology, it can be hard to identify what a good solution looks like. This article will help you get started.
Five Best Features To Look For When Looking For A Desk Booking System
Here are a few important features you must look for when choosing a desk booking system.
1. Ease of Use
Think of the most popular software tools in your industry. You’ll notice that they all have one factor in common: strong user adoption. And what is the number one factor that skyrockets user adoption? That’s right, ease of use.
When selecting a desk booking system, look for a simple, easy-to-use interface that allows users to understand and use it quickly. Make sure it is convenient for all employees to:
- View available and booked desks
- Book available desks in advance (desk hoteling)
- Cancel booked desks if no longer needed, thereby reducing the wastage of resources
Ease of access is another feature that encourages quick adoption. Look for a desk booking system that your employees can access via the web and on their personal devices like smartphones and tablets.
2. Real-Time Synchronization
A desk booking system with a central database that gets updated in real-time gives all users access to current information. Having a single, centralized system has several advantages:
- It prevents double bookings
- It eliminates scheduling conflicts
- Allows employees at any location can view available desks and slots
- Allows employees to occupy desks immediately after it is marked as available
An up-to-date database of desk availability and booking schedules has another major advantage: accurate report generation. Let us explore why your desk booking system must have a report feature.
3. Built-In Reporting Capabilities
Your desk booking system contains a wealth of data about available office space, space usage, booked desks, unused desks, and everything else. You can use this data to gain valuable insights and understand how to improve your desk arrangement, add or remove desks, and distribute resources.
A report generation tool helps you extract the necessary information from the desk booking software database as and when you like. For best results, choose a desk booking system with an automatic report generation feature. For example, at the end of each month, you can view an auto-generated report about the percentage of desk usage, number of desk bookings, etc.
The more comprehensive and customizable the report generation feature, the better. Moreover, all of the reports must follow a standardized format and offer support for third-party tools to keep better track of office space and resource usage. By using these reports wisely, you will be able to cut costs without compromising on the needs of your employees.
4. Scalability
Scalability should be a non-negotiable feature for your desk booking system, especially if you plan to expand and implement the hybrid work model in several locations. After all, it makes no sense to waste time, money, and resources on implementing a new desk booking system every year.
If your organization is spread across multiple locations, select a desk booking system that can cater to the needs of all offices. And if you are working for an international enterprise, it should be able to manage bookings across different time zones.
5. Seamless Integration
Your business relies on countless software tools for its day-to-day operations. These can be directory services, ERP software, scheduling software, calendar tools, etc.
When you introduce a new tool for desk management to this mix, does it mean you have to uproot the existing tools? Certainly not! A functional desk booking system is designed keeping in mind a company’s existing tech stack.
Look for a desk booking system that can easily integrate with your company’s ERP system and allows for customization. Some desk booking systems also allow for the integration of directory services like Google Accounts or company emails. This will eliminate the need for creating user accounts from scratch. Thus, the enrollment process is simplified.
In Summary
- Ease of use
- Real-time synchronization
- Built-in reporting capabilities
- Scalability
- Seamless integration
Your desk booking system checklist is now ready! Now, you can start researching and comparing desk booking systems that suit your business needs.
Apart from these five features, pay special attention to the company you purchase your desk booking system from. Trust a well-established company like WorkInSync with high ratings, a proven track record, a substantial client base, and good technical support. Opt for a demo to learn more.
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