The verdict in three sentences
An 800-desk flexible office headquarters, in Paris or London, pays EUR 28,800 to 76,800 a year for a booking SaaS, or invests EUR 30,000 to 60,000 in a custom app connected to Outlook and access control. The choice depends less on software price than on its ability to release unused rooms automatically and produce reliable occupancy data. At EUR 500 per square metre per year, saving 15 to 25% of floor space dwarfs the licence fee.
The problem: rooms booked but empty
The facilities manager of a central business district headquarters sees the same thing every week: rooms blocked in Outlook by cancelled recurring meetings, flex desks booked "just in case", staff wandering floors at 9:30 am. Sensors installed during an audit show that 30% of bookings are never used and real desk occupancy peaks at 55% on Mondays and Fridays.
| Measured indicator (800-desk HQ) | Before | Target with the tool |
|---|---|---|
| Room bookings not used | 30% | 5 to 8% |
| Average desk occupancy (Tuesday to Thursday) | 75% | 85 to 90% |
| Average occupancy (Monday, Friday) | 50 to 55% | Managed, floors closed |
| Time lost looking for a room | 10 to 15 min per person per day | 2 min |
| Office floor space | 9,000 sq m | 7,200 to 7,650 sq m over time |
| Total property cost (EUR 500/sq m/year) | EUR 4,500,000 | EUR 3,600,000 to 3,825,000 |
Off-the-shelf SaaS or custom app
Desk and room booking SaaS tools are numerous and mature. They suit a standard headquarters well. A custom build wins when integration with the badge system, existing door displays or specific internal rules (priority for project teams, quotas per division) becomes essential.
| Criterion | Booking SaaS | Custom app |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 cost | EUR 3 to 8 per user per month | EUR 30,000 to 60,000 + EUR 800 to 1,800 monthly maintenance |
| 3-year cost (800 users) | EUR 86,400 to 230,400 | EUR 58,800 to 124,800 |
| Outlook and Teams integration | Standard | Custom, via Microsoft Graph |
| Link with badges and sensors | Depends on supported vendors | Connected to your existing system |
| Automatic release (no-show) | Yes, generic rules | Yes, rules per division |
| Occupancy data | Vendor dashboards | Exports and metrics you control |
| Data hosting | Often outside your country | Local hosting possible, GDPR under control |
| Timeline | 2 to 6 weeks | 10 to 14 weeks |
Features that actually save floor space
Booking alone frees nothing. Rules and data change behaviour.
| Feature | Expected effect | Custom budget (estimate) |
|---|---|---|
| Check-in by badge or QR code, release after 15 min | No-shows below 8% | EUR 5,000 to 9,000 |
| Outlook and Teams sync | Single source of bookings | EUR 6,000 to 10,000 |
| Interactive floor plan | Booking in 3 clicks | EUR 5,000 to 10,000 |
| Resource management (parking, projectors, lockers) | No more spreadsheets | EUR 4,000 to 8,000 |
| Occupancy dashboard | Decision to close floors | EUR 5,000 to 12,000 |
| Mobile app (PWA) | On-the-go use | EUR 5,000 to 11,000 |
Mini case study
Julien, facilities manager of an 800-desk headquarters in Paris, runs 9,000 sq m at EUR 500 per square metre, or EUR 4,500,000 a year. He chooses a custom app at EUR 48,000 with EUR 1,200 monthly maintenance.
Need a professional website?
Kolonell builds websites that attract clients, optimized for the Sénégalese market. Free quote in 2 minutes.
After 9 months of data, management closes half a floor on Mondays and Fridays, then renegotiates the lease to hand back 1,350 sq m (15%). Annual saving: 1,350 x 500 = EUR 675,000. The tool's total 3-year cost (EUR 91,200) is less than 5% of the savings over the same period.
FAQ
Is a SaaS enough for an 800-desk HQ?
Often yes, at EUR 3 to 8 per user per month. Custom becomes relevant beyond 500 users if badge integration or specific internal rules are required.
How do we stop booked rooms from going unused?
With mandatory check-in by badge, QR code or door display within 15 minutes. Headquarters that enable it see no-shows drop from 30% to under 8%.
Can the app connect to Outlook?
Yes, through Microsoft Graph: rooms remain bookable from Outlook and Teams, and the integration costs EUR 6,000 to 10,000 in a custom project.
Is occupancy data GDPR compliant?
Yes if it is aggregated by zone and kept for 12 to 24 months at most. Employee representatives should be informed before rollout.
How long before we can reduce floor space?
Allow 6 to 9 months of reliable data before deciding. Lease renegotiation or subletting then takes 6 to 18 months depending on your contract.
Let's scope your project. Give us your desk count, tools (Outlook, badges, displays) and space targets: we will price an app between EUR 30,000 and 60,000 with a 10 to 14 week timeline. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
