My coffee-shop office
I love my office. My desk is never at the same place – in fact, I can choose a different desk each time I come to office. Also, my desk is always clean – no scrap papers from yesterday or last month, no stationary-holder. And, of course – the coffee is always good. No normal office Ricoffee. But what I like most about the coffee shop business culture, is the people and the vibe.
It is now three years since the Greenfields coffee chain in Pretoria started to give free wireless access at their Hatfield branch and since then to all its other branches. You don’t have to pay a cent. Of course they hope that you will buy coffee, but they never chase you away when you just quickly want to download and go. The result – a coffee shop business hub second to none – especially in the Lynnwood Greenfields branch. They’ve put in multi-power plugs all around the shop so you’ll never be out of battery power. They are now planning to have printing and fax facilities available which they’ll just charge to your bill. The waiters also know that you are here to work, so they don’t come and ask you every two minutes (hours?) whether you want to order something else. Of course when you do need something, you need to do some waving to get attention…(not more than in other shops, though…;-)
The amazing thing, though, is the amount of networking that takes place in this shop. People know each other because they always see each other here and they take their coffee breaks together, exchange business cards and even do business right there where they see the synergies. We also watch each other’s laptops and belongings when the coffee starts to talk…
What a lovely culture to be part of. Viva Greenfields Pretoria.
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Maybe more than even a ‘culture’…. perhaps the office of the future? Well for you it already is.
Also check out the information at: http://www.tmtd.biz/2005/08/17/the-third-space/
Oh, how I long for the day when I too will be part of the coffee shop office clique! Yes, it’s all about choices, I know. But next time you are sitting in an aroma-filled space, sipping inspiration bubbles floating on your cappuccino, think of the office bound “rat-racers” still working on the transition from bricks to clicks!
Do yourselves a favour and get a copy of Blackboards, Bubbles & Cappuccinos by Ruth Tearle – an inspirational read on coffee shop culture mixed with transformational truisms. Also visit http://www.ruthtearle.com
Jean, when will we have coffee again?
I wonder when all of the other coffee shops will follow suit and offer free internet? The longer is takes them the better Greenfields will do – may they open in Joburg soon!