What does every coworking space in Charlotte all have in common? If you guessed they all offer Wi-Fi, go ahead and pat yourself on the back.
However, while this might be true, what’s also true is that the quality of the Wi-Fi is not always equal and that’s not good for anyone.
Wireless today needs to be thought of as a utility like electricity. Think about it, how productive do you think you or your business would be without electricity? Well, the same can be said about Wi-Fi today.
When looking for the right coworking space in Charlotte, NC for either yourself or your start-up, the quality of the wireless needs to be a major factor in your decision-making process.
To help you better understand why, here are 3 reasons Wi-Fi needs to be at the top of your list.
Security
By far the most important reason on the list is security. From your business’s data to your employee’s data to your own personal data, without proper network security in place all of it is left exposed.
In the world of wireless and security you’re either secure or you’re not, there is no middle ground.
The right wireless system will include many features that ensure your business and you are secure, things such as firewalls, and role-based access control to name a couple.
These things are technical, but what you need to realize is that they’re not standard at every coworking space. Fact of the matter is they’re not even standard at every traditional office space or coffee shop either.
Suggested Reading: The Hidden Cost of Leasing a Traditional Office Space vs. Shared Office Space
Next time you’re taking a tour of a coworking space ask about their security infrastructure regarding their wireless network. If they say they change their password every month and that’s it, I’d probably look at other options.
Performance
If security was the most important reason, performance must be the most obvious. Businesses today are a lot different than just a few years ago, especially tech start-ups, and creative freelancers. Almost everything you do is online, from cloud-based SaaS programs and CRMs to streaming video and using a variety of devices; everyone and everything is fueled by having access to quality Wi-Fi.
When Amazon Web Services went down the other day it was very apparent how dependent we are on the cloud, but it also made me think it would be even worse if we couldn’t get online at all i.e. if your wireless went down. The other part of this performance equation is the fact that coworking spaces tend to be tech-centric and therefore, full of bandwidth heavy applications and high numbers of mobile devices.
Suggested Reading: Are You Ready to Join a Coworking Space? 3 Tell-Tale Signs That Point to YES
What does this mean? It means to support the needs of everyone and every business in that coworking space properly, the quality of the wireless must be top notch. If not, speeds will be slow, you might get kicked off the network and ultimately you won’t get anything done.
Reliability
This shares some similarities with the last reason, however, there are some specific differences that need to be addressed. Having high-performing wireless access is one thing, making sure it stays that way is another.
A lot of tasks in business are time-sensitive and if the wireless goes down, well, in a lot of cases your SoL (pardon the abbreviated language). It would be ironic and completely useless if you had to go back home or to the coffee-shop because the wireless at your coworking space wasn’t working!
I’m not saying that you should expect a dedicated IT team on call should connectivity issues arise, but at The Launch Factory that’s basically what you get.
Warning* shameless plug in-coming!
The Launch Factory unlike any other Charlotte coworking space, was designed and is supported by SecurEdge Networks. SecurEdge are experts when it comes to wireless and security. For over 10 years, they have designed and managed over 500 enterprise grade networks nationwide and The Launch Factory is happy to be one of them. It’s also cool that they’re home office is located right below The Launch Factory.
Okay, plug over.
In Conclusion
Finding the right Charlotte coworking space involves many different variables, but one of the most important should be technology, specifically the quality of the Wi-Fi.
Tech startups, creative freelancers, and even traditional businesses alike rely on high-performing, secure and reliable wireless connectivity to operate, it’s a mission-critical component for everyone and one that should be at the top of your coworking priority list.
At The Launch Factory we provide a unique, technology-optimized, Charlotte coworking space that’s ready for business professionals and teams of all shapes and sizes. If you have any questions about our space or would like to schedule a private tour, please contact us here.
