Guest Access is one of the most powerful features in Sococo that doesn’t get enough credit. It’s easy to use, and allows you to open your digital office space to outsiders and friends who might not otherwise be able to visit you at work.
Follow along for an overview of how to utilize guest access in Sococo. But first, let’s talk about how you can use it to increase transparency and performance in your organization—and what makes it so great.
When to Use Guest Access
Guest links are particularly awesome for people who won’t use Sococo enough to warrant a paid membership. Consultants can use them to meet with clients, Sales can meet with prospects, and HR can meet with interview candidates (it’s a great barometer to see how tech-savvy an interviewee is).
Bring to life your open-door management policy by including a guest access link to your Sococo office along with an invitation to drop by anytime (or during certain office hours). You could even include this standing invitation in your email signature. Or, get creative and use guest access to host online event meetups with other industry professionals. The opportunities are endless.
What Makes Guest Access So Awesome
When you invite a guest into your Sococo space, they’ll only have access to use the room you sent (or follow you around using the “Get” feature), but they’ll be able to see the entire office. Do your conference rooms have funny names like “The Ball Pit,” or are they named after inspirational business icons? Are people huddled around a table in the “kitchen” chatting? Can they see several breakout rooms where people are sharing their screens with one another?
The visuals of your Sococo space tell your guest quite a bit about how your business runs, just like doing a lap around the floor of an office loft might. They offer a peek behind the curtain at your company’s culture and vibe. You can provide guests with a transparent look at the day-to-day comings and goings of your team. How cool is that?
How to Invite a Guest to Sococo Using a Share Link
Inviting a guest into Sococo is super easy. Sococo Bob joined us in the Innovation Lab to show you how to give your friends guest access.
Bob is partnering with his client Jenn to brainstorm ideas for a new initiative. He wants to invite Jenn to a meeting in Sococo so they can share their screens and whiteboard their to-do list. First, he decides where to host the meeting, in this case, in the Brainstorm room. He right-clicks on the room name, Brainstorm. From here, he clicks the option, “Get a share link for Brainstorm.”
Once he clicks that option, he is presented with a link and a button that allows him to copy the link to his computer’s clipboard.
Finally, he can paste that link anywhere he would like: an email to Jenn, a calendar invitation, or a chat. It’s that simple! Remember: Sococo only works with Google Chrome for now, so Bob will have to give Jenn a heads up so she uses the correct browser. If Jenn tries to join from an unsupported browser, she’ll receive a friendly reminder from Sococo that she needs to switch, but it’s better to let her know in advance so she can download Chrome if necessary before the meeting starts.
How to Use the Share Link for Your Meeting
At the time of the meeting, it’s helpful to pop into your conference room a few minutes early. As a security measure, your guest will need permission to enter your room. Let’s revisit Sococo Bob and his client Jenn. When Jenn clicks her access link in Google Chrome, she is met with a login screen. No prior account needed, she can simply put in her name and get moving.
Once she clicks, the “Join Meeting” button, she’ll be sent to a waiting screen.
Meanwhile, Bob can see that Jenn has metaphorically knocked on the Brainstorm door! She’s waiting, with her guest badge on her avatar, and he is prompted to answer the door by Sococo.
When Bob clicks, “Answer,” he is given the option to invite Jenn in or ask to her to wait, whatever the case may be.
Once Jenn is invited in, she’ll get a brief tutorial popup screen for using Sococo’s features. Then it’s off to the races! Brainstorm away.
If at any time Bob needs to remove Jenn’s guest access, he can right-click her avatar, and he’ll be given permission to disconnect her from the service. Otherwise, Jenn can simply log out or close her browser screen to end the meeting when it’s over.
Her guest link will be valid indefinitely, unless Bob decides to expire it. You can read about how to do that here.
To see how this works in action, you can check out our video tutorial or any of these helpful articles in the Sococo Knowledge Base.
Open the Doors to Your Work World
Companies across the web, from Buffer to Patagonia, have been lauded for their transparent policies and cultures. And rightfully so. Transparency boosts trust both inside and outside your organization. But it can be difficult to showcase your company’s awesomeness when you’re located across the country or globe. You can’t give tours or literally open your doors for clients, customers, and potential team members if you don’t have a physical office (or if the majority of your team isn’t located at the one you do have). Guest access in Sococo changes all that. You can give anyone—from your top client to your Aunt Linda—a look into how your business operates on a daily basis. Say goodbye to fuzzy conference lines and poor communication channels.
Guest access opens the doors of your working world, boosting your productivity with teams outside your organization and showcasing the “youness” of your company’s brand. If you haven’t given it a shot, today’s the day! Grab your share link, and unlock your business.
