The B. Amsterdam coworking hub in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, is built to give entrepreneurs the flexibility and inspiration they need to grow their businesses.
The B. Amsterdam coworking hub in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, is built to give entrepreneurs the flexibility and inspiration they need to grow their businesses. In the open-plan coworking space, you will find like-minded people. This often results in an increase in collaboration, igniting great ideas that might have not come to life otherwise. With a ‘full membership’ you get to enjoy this entrepreneurial community, and additionally make use of unlimited access to events, support, and facilities any coworking space should be proud to offer such as a padel court! All of this is spread over three buildings situated close to one another.
For this interview about how SALTO Keys as a Service helps B.Amsterdam increase member satisfaction, we spoke to Robin Slijkhuis, their New Business & Sales Manager.
What challenges or needs did you face in your building facility that led you to look for an access control solution like SALTO KS?
Well, there are approximately 300 spaces that need to be opened and closed on a weekly basis. This is time-consuming. We needed to get new keys, hand them over, get them back, change them, and worst of all, dismantle locks when someone lost a key. You can imagine with all these businesses that rent a space at B.Amsterdam there was a lot of administration, and therefore frustration regarding key management.
What steps and processes did you follow to determine your specific access control needs?
There is great circulation in the number of people coming and going. The Digital Key functionality is therefore a big plus of SALTO KS. Because of Corona and after there was an increase in flexibility. We don’t need a receptionist anymore because there are no keys. Different types of people come and go such as members, cleaning staff, suppliers, and employees of ‘STACH’ the in-house coffee bar. We have people coming in from 6 am to 11 pm without any hassle. We are not using it yet but it would be ideal to share keys with guests of our members. For instance, when one of the companies that rent a space organizes an event they can simply send the ‘key’ to their guests so they can come in at a specific time. Additionally, it’s nice that the organizer can see who of the invitees came and maybe wants to subscribe for more events or information.
Why did B. Amsterdam choose SALTO KS in the first place over any competitor and how does it compare to previous management?
From the very beginning, SALTO KS was chosen as the access control management tool for B.Amsterdam. I wasn't included in the process but I find SALTO KS very reliable and easy to use. It’s also a big advantage that SALTO KS can be integrated with Office RnD which increases the ways we can optimize our member experience. It goes without saying, this way of managing access control in the buildings is way better than when we were working with mechanical keys and a receptionist.
How many members do you have in one building on a regular basis?
It depends on the day, but we have 300 offices spread over three buildings, with 3000 members, a STACH (coffee bar), and, event rooms. So I would say 750 members per day.
What type of openings do you use and why?
We have an 80% Digital Key adoption rate which means most people use the Digital Key feature to open their offices. We have a lot of regular suppliers such as cleaners and grocery delivery services who can get their own personal keys. We can see exactly who was in the building and at what time which makes a great case to attract new potential members. It gives them a sense of security.
I recently learned about the Digital Key widget which seems to be a great next step for our members to make it even easier to open their doors.
How much does using SALTO KS reduce the cost and time of your building operation management tasks?
I don’t have the exact numbers but I’m guessing it’s a lot since we don't have to replace any locks or keys anymore and a receptionist is not necessary for access management at all times. It’s also helpful that we know when an office is empty so we can directly notify the cleaners to come and get the office ready for the next day/member.
How does using SALTO KS ignite the sense of community at B. Amsterdam?
Because you are able to get in the building and your office straight away, members feel included from the very beginning of their journey at B.Amsterdam. Members feel like they have ownership of their ‘own’ office, instead of a big building where they are just a ‘number’, which contributes to the exclusivity B.Amsterdam offers.
What would you tell others who might be considering using SALTO KS?
SALTO KS makes operations way easier, and it increases member satisfaction. The system is intuitive so adding, deleting, and blocking members is a simple task.
Thank you, Robin, for taking the time to meet with us! It’s an honour to have B.Amsterdam in our customer portfolio.
Are you looking for a private office or a nice spot in an open office filled with entrepreneurs? Contact B.Amsterdam!
Do you own a coworking space or are you interested in SALTO KS for another reason? Please contact one of SALTO’s sales teams. They are more than happy give you all the information you need!
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