I recently had my car serviced at the dealer and had a few hours to kill before it was ready. I decided to spend the time at Westfield Mall Valley Fair. I brought my laptop and they usually have a lot of free seating and free wifi to go along with it (not to mention food and snacks).
In my wandering from spot to spot, between tasks, I ran into a strange kiosk with the signage “Zenspace.” It was a workspace you could rent on an hourly basis, had it’s own wifi, frosted glass for privacy, and a table with seating where I could more comfortable work, or discreetly take a nap.
It looked worth a try but my initial attempt to sign up through the QR code and app lead me to believe the space cost $80 per hour. My mistake, because when I circled back after lunch I found that the price I originally saw was for a larger venue, and the cost for the pod was just $8 per hour. That was a lot more reasonable. I have used a desk at Silicon Valley Business Center in the past. That was more expensive, plus it was out in the open where I had to eavesdrop on other people’s conversations and be otherwise distracted from my work.
Reserving the pod was pretty easy, although the app could be more user-friendly and intuitive. I got in with no problem. Connecting to wifi was a bit confusing (again due to the could-be-better app UI), and in fact I contacted tech support. After I got connected though, it was smooth sailing.
When I went to sign up for my second hour, I realized I had been given a $20 credit at some point, so I used it. Unfortunately a minute after I made the reservation, the dealer called to tell me my car was ready.
I hope Zenspace is successful and sticks around. The convenience of a small, inexpensive workspace on the go was just what I needed, and am sure something I will need again.
