In the San Francisco Bay, coffee shop owners are torn between having to offer free WiFi to customers, and their coffee shops turning into boring study halls:
A Cup of Coffee With Your Wi-Fi?
http://www.eastbayexpress.com/ebx/a-cup-of-coffee-with-your-wi-fi/Content?oid=2155880
...while some coffeehouses have no qualms about marketing themselves as wi-fi shacks, an increasing number of cafe owners feel ambivalent about the effect that too many laptops can have on their business — and not just because a freeloading laptop user might take up valuable real estate while nursing a single cup of coffee for as long as seven or eight hours.
Catherine Keep, the manager at the Berkeley Philz, says that on busy weekdays as many as 80 percent of the customers in the cafe's main second-floor seating area are there with laptops, presumably working. "At the beginning we were here and it was like, 'Geez, it's a library up there!'" Keep said. "And that's not fun."
I thought the article might be interesting to hostels because of a possibly similar situation with offering free WiFi.
What do you think? Is the free WiFi having a negative effect on the atmosphere of hostels, or not really? The increasing number of laptops in common areas is definitely noticeable...
14 years
I don't think many budget backpackers would go to the cafes, but I wonder if some of the "flashpackers" might. I'm not sure if there are enough of those kind of travelers to cut down significantly on the number of laptops, though I have gotten the impression that an increasing number of people who stay at hostels aren't on a tight budget. :)
It definitely wouldn't solve the entire problem...
14 years
I don't think many budget backpackers would go to the cafes, but I wonder if some of the "flashpackers" might. ...
Oh, I've just acknowledged the word "Flashpacker" a moment ago.
Well, to me, sitting in front of the laptop in the common room doesn't bother me much. But.. I don't know if other might.
I respect thier free-will though. "Do whatever you want to". But maybe I would have limited powerpoints in common room area (maybe 2 or 3 only)
Oh and in addition, Free Wi-fi make your guest satisfied, isn't it? So why would we consider a problem?
14 years
I don't think many budget backpackers would go to the cafes, but I wonder if some of the "flashpackers" might.
Very true. And those are the ones who sometimes sit for hours not talking to anyone because they're doing work rather than just playing on facebook. On the other hand, since they're the ones actually working, they may be the first ones to take their business OUT of the common room so they can concentrate.
Oh and in addition, Free Wi-fi make your guest satisfied, isn't it? So why would we consider a problem?
Free wi-fi is definitely a positive, and (assuming it's a good connection) does make your guests satisfied. It becomes a problem when everyone sits around your social area staring at their laptops instead of socializing. They don't necessarily do this because they don't want to socialize, or even because they have important things to do on their computer. They do it because everyone else is on their laptop too.
The social aspect is critical for your hostel because the personal connections that people make there are what make them remember the place. If it's just a place with free wi-fi, then it won't stand out in their mind any more than their last trip to Starbucks. Their reviews will reflect that, and your word of mouth marketing is shot. Plus, all of the other people who wanted to have a social atmosphere leave unsatisfied, which is bad for your business too.
14 years
This has been a very productive thread, it has raised a few issues and provided useful routes for future hostel owners to follow. It would be useful to incorporate this info into any hostel guidance.
Josh, I'd love to help you design your hostel!
14 years
Josh, I'd love to help you design your hostel!
That would be great... I'm going to open a hostel as soon as the opportunity arises. Everyone is invited to visit :)
Side note: here's a link to a previous discussion about laptops:
http://www.hostelmanagement.com/forums/i-fear-future.html
14 years
Oh and in addition, Free Wi-fi make your guest satisfied, isn't it? So why would we consider a problem?
I pretty much agree with this. If the customers want it, give it to them. I can see the arguments about reducing sociability, but i think if you are offering free wifi and then come up with restictions on usage by rationing power or time online you'll only alienate people. People who want to socialise will, and people who don't wont. If you want to encourage sociability then I'd say a better idea is to orgainise activities for those who are interested. In my opinion not everyone wants to be sociable, and are quite happy emailing, on FB or even reading a book.
14 years
I can say from knowledge in the Australian industry that WIFI and general fast free or well priced normal internet access is a must to cater for the new breeds of backpackers. Reading the responses here there is allot of 'travel is about meeting new people' 'travel is socialising' although this is damn true you cannot bring your ideals into play.
For allot of GEN Y travel is about going to new places then talking about it on FB, their blog and other resources this is their sociability channel and they want unlimited access to the tools to use it.
Just because we as earlier generations cannot understand this or think the use of technology in hostels is killing the sociability aspect of it does not mean it is wrong.
The hostels that are doing well in Oz are the ones who are responding the market changes, forcing people off of their technology is not right and then you will see the bad reviews, someone said about alienating the backpackers and this is correct all you will do is annoy them and they will go elsewhere where they can use their technology uninterrupted.
I do agree that segregating laptop use into specific lounges is a good idea, so you can have options for people who want to socialise and people who want to connect online.
14 years
wifi is absolutely necessary. What you can do is have activities going on to make them socialize such as pasta parties, gathering around, jamming sessions, etc. Something to take boredom out of them. Off course there would still be some extreme nerds that would prefer to stay at computer rather than going with the rest of group, but these folks would always want to isolate, if not at the computer, they would be reading a book or something like that.
Even though I'm 30 yo, I consider myself generation Y. I don't write on paper anymore, I have most of my stuff online even personal files, I facebook and twitter a lot from my cellphone. If I'm traveling I want to do something nice. If there is not anything to do, or everyone else is at their computers I'd just stick to my computer too.
14 years
AH! a subject near and dear to me. excuse me while i rant a minute. I am dating myself but i remember backpacking when the idea was to drop out and be OUT OF TOUCH with people back home. When you traveled in part to MEET NEW PEOPLE!
if i had my way all laptops would be locked up and put away! or....i'd confine them all to one area of the hostel and let them have a laptop showdown!
nothing is more frustrating than to go into a hostel and everyone has their nose buried in a laptop...why in the hell did they bother to leave home???? someone please solve this mystery for me!
okay, that said - this generation seems to get panicked if they can't get a signal in every corner of the hostel - and as usual, it's about customer service. So if they want wifi even in the toilet, then they get it.
BUT to help counteract this, we have plenty of daily and nightly activities so that when people finally come up for air they are afforded plenty of opportunities to actually speak to people. We have many of these activities in our lounges so the laptop users quickly move out of the way to make room for those who think eye contact is a desirable thing.
As for skyping in the rooms...this is an issue that also concerns me. we recently made some new signage that alludes to the fact, in a humorous way, that it is rude to have late night conversations in bed....if i can remember to take a picture of the signage i'll post it...but if anyone has a funny sign that covers this situation i'd love to see it.
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