makandra DeskBot

At makandra, we value creating a dynamic working environment that encourages creativity, collaboration and knowledge sharing. However, fostering such an environment inevitably brings complexity to workflows. To prevent this and keep the organizational effort as low as possible, we build tools for ourselves that enable us to maintain flexibility and dynamism. Building tools is one of our core competencies and we're really good at it.

The tool that helps us by far the most and at the same time enables several of our benefits is our DeskBot. In this blog post, we would like to give you an insight into what we have built this practical software for. We show how the tool goes far beyond the functionality of classic desk sharing software to meet our individual requirements.

New Work is on everyone's lips. We see it as the way to organize work life post-COVID. Employees are working more from home, but at the same time, we want to create incentives for them to come to the office a few days a week.

To efficiently use our office space and avoid many vacancies, we rely on a shared desk system. This means that no one in the team has a fixed workstation. Instead, each seat is assigned daily - this applies to the management and our CEO as well. Each desk is uniformly equipped with two large monitors, allowing easy connection with personal laptops to start working right away. The DeskBot organizes who sits where. The desk-sharing-tool gives employees maximum flexibility in choosing their workspace. They can easily reserve a desk for up to two weeks in advance. On the day, the seat is then assigned via lottery through our internal communication tool.

You can specify preferences - for example, whether you prefer to sit with your team or specific colleagues. However, this still doesn't lead to isolation or cliques because the DeskBot ensures variety and interaction with other project teams as well as people from different departments and with different areas of responsibility. So, the DeskBot not only simplifies seat booking but also promotes exchange and collaboration between teams.

For our move to the new office, we have expanded the DeskBot with additional features. With our new location, we have been able to incorporate additional benefits as well. So, the DeskBot had to evolve from a mere desk-sharing-software into the central hub for all aspects of a smooth, pleasant workday. This naturally includes lunch and enhancements regarding commuting to the office.

Since we moved to the new office space, our chef Sven takes care of our meals every day. There is fresh and delicious lunch served daily - and it's free for all employees. With enough lead time, the daily dishes are set up in the DeskBot and are visible to everyone. From savory to sweet, whether vegetarian or vegan, our chef ensures that there is something for every taste and dietary preference. With the help of the DeskBot, everyone can pre-order their preferred lunch for each weekday in advance.

Since meals are prepared based on bookings, the days of first come first serve or food waste are over. Everyone gets exactly the dish they want. Also, a fixed mealtime for everyone is a thing of the past because it can be individually specified in the DeskBot for each day at what time the food should be ready. The automated meal planning minimizes organizational and time effort, both for our employees and for our chef. Furthermore, the menu can be extremely helpful in deciding between home office and office. No wonder the home office rate has significantly decreased with such a delicious prospect!

For the convenience of our employees, we now offer the option to reserve parking spaces through the DeskBot. If you choose to drive, you can secure a slot in advance and avoid the hassle of searching for available spaces.

For those who prefer environmentally friendly transportation, there are also charging stations for electric vehicles available to promote sustainable mobility. Additionally, our bookable parking spaces in the adjacent parking garage and underground garage ensure a cool car in summer and a snow-free one in winter. This saves time and stress.

Bike parking spaces are also available in the parking garage or directly outside the door. However, these do not need to be booked and therefore do not go through the DeskBot.

Over time, our DeskBot has become an indispensable part of our everyday work life. With its diverse functions, ranging from organizing seats to meal and parking planning, it not only streamlines workflow but also significantly contributes to fostering a dynamic and pleasant work environment. Thanks to the DeskBot, the makandra team can work flexibly without having to worry too much about organizational details.

As a custom-developed individual software, the DeskBot is a standout example of our enthusiasm for developing innovative solutions tailored precisely to the needs of our team. Overall, the DeskBot is a prime example of how technology can help simplify the workday and create a productive work environment.