Sannat Chandhok: A Founder And Influencer In The Co-Working Space Industry | CEOInsights Vendor
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Sannat Chandhok: A Founder And Influencer In The Co-Working Space Industry

Sannat Chandhok: A Founder And Influencer In The Co-Working Space Industry

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Sannat Chandhok,Founder & CEO

Sannat Chandhok

Founder & CEO

India, traditionally known to be a country obsessed with run off the mill service jobs, has turned a new leaf and opened-up to the concept of entrepreneurship in the past few years. As a consequence, the country has become a hub for startups and entrepreneurial ventures across various industries. Sannat Chandhok, a young graduate from Boston, was observant of these cultural changes occurring across the country and decided to capitalize on these winds of change. He thus founded Desker CoWorking, a provider of contemporary co-working spaces in 2019. Going beyond the real estate aspect, Sannat made the prudent decision to focus on rendering best-in-class hospitality services to clients in order to create a differentiator. His insight resulted in Desker CoWorking creating contemporary, trendy and convenient co-working spaces in New Delhi, Noida and NCR. In a detailed interview with the CEO Insights team, Sannat speaks to us about the various services, design philosophies and safety procedures that have gone into making Desker CoWorking a cut above the rest in the Indian co-working industry.

What motivated you to step into the co-working space?
It was while pursuing my higher studies in the US that I got introduced to the concept of co-working. Upon my return to India, I realized that the co-working trend had caught steam here as well. I also saw a positive shift in how the society and government viewed startups and entrepreneurship as a whole. Upon getting intrigued, I researched and realized that it was much more economical for a startup to find a co-working space than to lease an office. Since co-working spaces brought convenience, flexibility and cost effectiveness to the table, startups and established corporate entities alike are gradually moving towards co-working spaces. The facts and figures all pointed towards co-working spaces being a lucrative
industry to venture in and thus I took the plunge.

What thought went behind putting together Desker CoWorking’s service portfolio? How is your firm breaking the clutter in the market to carve a unique identity for itself in the Indian co working space?
It is very easy for anybody to put together a basic co-working space, but we wanted to go beyond the ordinary. I started by conducting an in depth research about various co-working spaces within India and abroad. Studying the merits and flaws of each co-working space, I figured-out what resonated with clients the most.

While co-working is considered a part of the real estate business, I realized that a key element to success in this sector was hospitality. Unlike most coworking spaces that largely focus on increasing desk count, Desker CoWorking provides best-in-class hospitality to its patrons. Each of our spaces emulate the vibe of a contemporary boutique hotel. Each of our staff has been handpicked by me; we have invested heavily in hospitality training of our staff, which gives us a clear edge over our competitors.

Each of our services has been put together after much thought, be it the artisanal coffee that we serve or the art work displayed at our space, we have handpicked every tiny detail to ensure our clients’ satisfaction. We have formulated a plethora of service packages based on clients’ budgets, and each of them come with various ad-ons. Our clients can make use of our space’s butler service, in room dining, gyms, concierge service, cafeterias, and valet service, among various others.

Design makes a space alive and gives it character. What approach does Desker CoWorking take while designing its co-working spaces?
We believe the smallest of details in co-working spaces make the most difference. All our spaces give off a contemporary, trendy yet warm vibe. Our design team has modeled the Okhla office after The Big Apple, New York City. A lot of planning and designing has gone into putting subtle of New York into our space. Similarly, we now intend to design our upcoming spaces keeping in mind other cities such as Tokyo, Milan and London.

Other than making our spaces trendy, we also strive to add an element of warmth in designs so as to make our clients feel like they are working from the comfort of their home. Every piece of furniture,
artwork or artifact has been carefully curated to ensure that our space looks different from any other co-working space.

How do you see the co-working industry faring in the near future given the global pandemic scare? Also, what steps has Desker CoWorking taken to ensure that safety of its patrons?
The current pandemic has given rise to the culture of working from home. However, one must note that this trend has a shelf life and will not be sustainable in the long run. Most people working from home lack the infrastructure required to work seamlessly; this will cause companies to look for people to work from a more professional space in the days to come. However, owing to the dangers brought about by large gatherings of people in one place, companies will look to decentralize their workspace into smaller units. Since building such workspaces will require time and energy, most companies will turn to co-working spaces in the future.

It is also pertinent to note that since these spaces are run by professionals who specialize in this area, they are able to maintain cleanliness and hygiene at a much higher rate than a leased office. Most co-working players have invested in special training modules for staff and procuring technology & gadgets required to ensure a hygienic work space. Therefore, co-working has a great forecast for the future.

In order to deal with the current global pandemic, Desker CoWorking has taken a number of steps to ensure the safety of our clients. Be it thermal checking of each of our staff and patrons’ temperature on a daily basis, sanitizing high touch surfaces periodically, mandate for all staff to wear masks, gloves & face shields at all time or the availability of hand sanitizers at every corner of our offices, we have left no stones unturned to ensure the safety of our clients.

Sannat Chandhok, Founder & CEO, Desker Coworking
A seasoned entrepreneur and natural leader, Sannat comes armed with a Bachelor of Science (BSc) focused in Finance, General from University of Massachusetts Boston. With over seven years of experience across various industries, Sannat leverages his deep insight and market knowledge to catapult Desker CoWorking into a league of its own.

Offerings: Co-working spaces
Offices: New Delhi, Noida, and NCR

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