After seeing so many businesses balking at having a workshifting friendly environment (and it's no wonder, since they run the risk of getting "that guy" as a customer), I thought I'd write a few simple guidelines for the business that wants to open its doors to this new mobile working world.

Have a professional set up your WiFi

It costs a little more upfront to contact the cable, FIOS or DSL company in your area and have them set your WiFi system up correctly, but it is worth it in prevention. When you tell a workshifter you have WiFi, they expect it to work. Your poor employees will be fielding tech questions all day if it slows down, or worse, goes down altogether from poor set up.

Can you offer WiFi without a professional set up? Sure! Anyone can buy a wireless router and offer WiFi if you already have high-speed internet in your establishment somewhere. What happens on a WiFi network in a business that is set up like a home office, though, is an increased chance of instability. If you can afford to go the pro route, I would. Going the pro route also lets you get some help setting up a guest login for your patrons that is different than your owner log in, for your protection.

Train your staff

Your staff are going to get questions about how to use the network. They don't have to be computer geniuses, but at least put the basic information they will need to know close at hand for them. This would include the answers to common questions like "Do I need a password or login to use your WiFi?", "Which network is yours?", etc. I assure you, a handful of people will still ask your staff these questions even if they are posted clearly. People are funny that way.

Have workshifting guidelines and post them clearly

Write out a list of rules for people using the WiFi for work, homework or play. Post them clearly in a number of different places.

Sample guidelines:

RESTAURANT X NOW HAS WIFI!

RULES FOR USE:
• To log in to our network (network X), please use Guest as the user name and Password as the password
• The tables with the green cards on them have outlets or power strips nearby
• No camping! We ask that you observe a 2 hour WiFi limit so that other patrons can come in to eat and to use the WiFi also (If you need to stay longer, just ask the manager on duty)
• Sharing is caring: please share larger tables with other workshifters. It is a great way to make a friend and maximize our space for others.
• Use your indoor voice. We know that your calls are important to your business, but many of our patrons are here to dine and relax, not to work. Help us give everyone a great experience here.
• If you experience technical problems with the network, please don't ask our wait staff or counter staff. Our tech support number is xxx-xxx-xxxx.

Make sure you have a few tables near outlets

Workshifters always need more power. Laptops and cell phones are always running out of juice. The more outlets you give us, the more we'll come back to your establishment.  

Consider signage

By this I mean, consider making it clear that a larger table by an outlet is a communal table by putting up a simple sign that says something like "this table is intended for communal workshifting use" or "please share this table with a stranger so everyone can plug in". Marking where the outlets are is also helpful.

Let us know you have WiFi

I can't tell you how many places I would go into in my travels if they had a simple sign out front that said "We Have WiFi". I'm always looking for it, and there is no great database yet to tell us who has it and where. There are a few online sites that list a handful of places, but the lists are incomplete. That also doesn't help when I get a call in the car that requires I hop on WiFi for a few minutes to respond. If you have a sign, I'm going to come in and buy something and sit for a while when that happens. If you don't I'll have to keep driving to somewhere that advertises their WiFi, like a Panera Bread or a Starbucks.

With a little planning and some clear guidelines, you should be able to reap the benefits of happy workshifters filling your establishment. We're out there, ready and waiting for more places to get WiFi.

Photo by: hive