Welkin & Meraki
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Colt meets the standard for internet access throughout an international network of serviced office buildings
Walk through the door of any Welkin & Meraki serviced office building and it feels like you’ve stepped inside a five-star hotel. A welcoming, beautifully designed interior. Delicious coffee and appetising food. Furniture and lighting that create a warm, comfortable atmosphere. “Everything’s designed to help people feel inspired and energised to do their best work,” says Christoph De Bodt, the company’s CIO. Welkin & Meraki offices are open to all customers — from individuals who want a workstation in a community coworking office, to companies that want a private, fully serviced office suite. The highly secured access control and enterprise-grade technology infrastructure comfortably meet corporate needs. “Large enterprises and corporates are particular fans of the Welkin & Meraki approach, as it lets them rent office space in a flexible, low-risk way,” says Christoph De Bodt. “Taking advantage of all the services we provide frees them up to focus on growing their business.”
Internet access without compromise
With several hundred people working out of a Welkin & Meraki building at any one time, the technology infrastructure has to deliver the same five-star experience as every other aspect of the service. “Today’s reliance on cloud apps and online services makes secure, reliable, high-speed internet access a top priority,” says Christoph De Bodt. “To find the best solution, we worked with telecoms consultancy Quendra, who recommended Colt’s high-speed business internet access service, IP Access.”
At each Welkin & Meraki building, Colt provides a 1Gbps IP Access connection, delivered from the secure, highly available Colt IQ Network; plus a secondary 500Mbps connection for resilience. “We count on partners like Quendra and Colt to help us deliver the high-quality service our customers expect,” says Christoph De Bodt. “I know that everyone’s satisfied with their internet access, as I’ve not had a single complaint.”
A global service for a company with global ambitions
A London office will shortly be added to Welkin & Meraki’s existing locations in Brussels, Paris, Eindhoven and Luxembourg. The same Quendra account manager and Colt project manager support Christoph De Bodt in every city. “Collaborating with the same partners and contacts provides a reassuring level of consistency throughout our operations,” says Christoph De Bodt. “Our Colt project manager makes life simpler for me by handling everything at the local level in each location.”
It takes the Welkin & Meraki team around three months of intensive work to get a new office building ready for business. “With contracts signed in advance and customers ready to move in, we can’t risk missing the launch date for a new building,” says Christoph De Bodt. “Fortunately, both Colt and Quendra understand that, and make sure our internet access is up and running on time, every time.” Welkin & Meraki continues to take its premium office concept further afield: additional European locations are in plan, with US locations also on the cards. “We’re excited about our company’s expansion,” says Christoph De Bodt. “The global reach of the Colt IQ Network means we expect to pursue our collaboration with Colt in many other locations around the world.”
COMPANY NAME
Welkin & Meraki
INDUSTRY
Premium Serviced Offices
CHALLENGE
To equip every serviced office building with secure, reliable, high-speed internet access.
