In an effort to become more engrained in consumer’s daily lives, Accor on Monday announed plans to enter the cowork space and create 1,200 spaces inside Accor hotels within three years under the brand name Wojo.
Emanating from Accor’s Innovation Lab, Wojo spaces will be launched across Accor’s hotel brand segments – from economy to luxury, according to its release. The concept is a renamed version of a joint venture called Nextdoor, which was created in July 2017 between Accor and Bouygues Immobilier.
“As we are directly in touch with companies and workers on a daily basis we have a thorough understanding of their needs and expectations in the work space,” said Wojo CEO Stephane Bensimon. “A personalized welcome, premium services, a friendly atmosphere and designer spaces are all essential features covered by our expertise. Through our new range of spaces, we are now able to meet a key customer need: combining the quality of work life with mobility.
WOJO will offer three different products and experiences to deliver the broadest range of coworking solutions:
Wojo Spots
Rolled out initially across all Accor’s brand portfolio, theses spaces make it possible for nomadic workers to work without a fee with the guarantee of a personalized service, a friendly atmosphere and a secure and reliable WiFi connection in design spaces. The worker can choose to work at the bar, in a restaurant or in the lobby (even if they are not staying at the hotel). For regular coworkers, Wojo offers a monthly subscription, which includes a 10% discount on dining and access to partner offers, events such as workshops and conferences, and the Wojo business network and community. More than 150 Wojo Spots will open in Paris and Lyon by summer 2019, reaching over 1,000 spots in Europe by 2022.
Wojo Corners
Wojo Corners are dedicated coworking spaces specifically designed for uninterrupted work, sheltered from the hustle and bustle outside. They will be located across a broad range of Accor hotels as a first step and then across train stations, airports and shopping malls. This coworking experience is designed for local and coworker customers with recurring weekly needs, seeking an informal and comfortable work environment.
The first Wojo Corner was launched in 2018 in the Mercure Paris Montmartre Sacré-Cœur hotel. Moving forward, more than 100 other Wojo Corners will open throughout Europe by 2022.
Wojo Sites
These are stand-alone coworking spaces over several thousand square meters in dedicated buildings, combining communal zones (bars, lounges, kitchens) with shared spaces, meeting rooms and dedicated offices. Unlike Spots and Corners, it is possible to rent offices and benefit from a wide range of services. Sites are led by a “business partners” team who are dedicated to the wellbeing of members and to connecting them strategically with other members in the network to create new business opportunities. These sites are developed in partnership with Bouygues Immobilier and Wojo will be integrated from the outset in certain real estate projects.
Ten Wojo Sites are currently open in Ile-de-France and Lyon (with over 5,000 members). Wojo Sites will expand across Europe with a target of more than 50 locations by 2022.
“We have the assets (brands, spaces, teams), we have the services (restaurants, bars, meeting spaces) and we are open 24/7,” said Franck Gervais CEO of Accor Europe. “By participating in Wojo’s ambitious development, we are optimizing the use of these assets and are creating value for our owners by being open to a new type of customer.”