The way we work in the modern economy is changing by the minute. Mobility has given us more freedom and people are either working to more flexible schedules or from home more often. The traditional ‘9-to-5’ pattern of the working day is starting to disappear.
That's not to say people who telecommute stay locked in their homes all day. They may have errands to run in their locality, a doctor’s appointment, or someone to drop-off or wait for in town. A change of scenery and pace can be healthy and stimulating, so stopping by at a local coffee shop or café is a good idea. Indeed, many people prefer to work in such an environment, where there is some atmosphere, people coming and going and others busy on their laptops as well. They also do not have the inevitable distractions of that may inevitably draw a home worker away from their screen.
And of course, these days, the most important factor in deciding which café people choose to work from is not how good the coffee (or the tea) is, not the location or the music, or even whether or not the it is comfortable and stylish. All of these factors pale into insignificance next to the quality of the Wi-Fi.
The availability and speed of the wireless connection in any café now is the number-one consideration for anyone intending to spend more than a few minutes working in a coffee house. Indeed, many people now regard the café as a perfectly credible and bona fide place in which to work and will even regularly hold meetings in these locations, favouring their more relaxed atmosphere to the formality of an office meeting room.
The customers who work in coffee shops are also most likely to be amongst their best, most loyal and biggest-spending customers of that establishment, so they can be an important (and growing) source of income. This is why it is very important that the Wi-Fi in a café, and delivers the speed, quality, security and reliability that guests expect.
Of course, Wi-Fi is important for everyone these days, so as well as the telecommuters, having great Wi-Fi in your coffee shop is going to help you attract more every-day customers. And when they are not working, those telecommuters may well come back just to chill-out – and bring their friends along too.
Zyxel has a lot of experience in designing Wi-Fi solutions both for smaller independent cafés and for larger outlets and chains. We have a wide array of Wi-Fi solutions at different price points that provide a range of scalable options for owners depending on their needs. With a range of mountable options, the equipment can be easily disguised and hidden to fit in with the décor, as well as gateways for guest access and security to keep data secure. Our local partners can help you choose the right solution for your needs and customize it to suit your exact needs or if you need a simple solution, you can buy direct from our ecommerce partners such as Amazon.
Having great Wi-Fi at your coffee shop is essential – it will help draw in new customers, encourage them to stay longer and visit more often, and enhance its reputation as a great place to work, or just hang out.
To learn more about how Zyxel can help improve your coffeeshop's Wi-Fi, contact your local Zyxel office or partner.
