Issues to Keep in Mind Regarding Serviced Offices

Businesses never had it so good with the entire world becoming one marketplace; but with market driven factors shaping business practices, the element of risk and volatility still remains high. While changes take place at a frenetic pace, companies and businesses look for ways and methods to reduce these risks by taking stable and long-term decisions that will hold well especially when the economy becomes unstable and the bottom seems likely to drop out.

Serviced apartments offer businesses the freedom to carry on trade and business practices in a professional environment at reduced risks. Not only for fledgling businesses that have to ensure that cash funds are not eaten up and lead to borrowings to maintain large and expensive office infrastructure in the long-term but for established companies too, serviced office spaces are a boon to minimize overhead expenses and have additional, complementary work space to function from. 
Thus, serviced offices are ideal work places for businesses for many reasons; some of them could be:

• Essential need for prominent office space in a key business area or central business district,

• Unpredictability in business growth where there may be need to upsize or downsize operations,

• Need for temporary space if relocations plans are on the anvil,

• Time and expenses spent in managing owned premises is taking focus away from business operations,

• Current office space not being fully utilized resulting in wasted expenditure and resources,

• Inability to invest in conventional rental premises, and

• Additional space requirement for short-term project needs.

However, it’s not as if to say that serviced office spaces do not have any disadvantages at all; they sure exist but may or may not impact a company or business too much.

Some of the minor disadvantages are:

• Inability to extend personal branding or corporate style to rental office space,

• Less visibility for business in a shared office space or building,

• Possibility of shared services being unavailable at key times,

• Rental expenses may be more prohibitive for some companies in the long run if they don’t require frequent expansions or change in location.

Hence, there are some important factors to consider when choosing serviced office space; broadly if they meet the salient points under three prime categories, then the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages.

Amenities and services

A serviced office space must provide easy and convenient access to facilities; in other words, in-house facilities must be on the same floor level; other administrative services should be close to the office building. This is vital for services to enable smooth office functioning. For example, these support-enabling services should be easily accessible.

• Meeting and conference rooms,

• Shared technology infrastructure like reception, telephone board, fax, IT back-end support etc.,

• Kitchen and pantry services,

• Wash area and bathrooms,

• Eateries or restaurants to cater to needs for snacks, meals etc.,

• Office supply stores, post office and bank,

Location

In many cities, rapid expansion has spurred growth of commercial buildings and complexes even in suburban areas away from mid-town or main commercial districts. While this is unavoidable, the location of an office is a vital element that contributes to business success.

• Easy access to location is a must for employees, associates and business visitors.

• An office space in a central or reputable location adds credibility to the business – employees feel reassured about their future prospects and business visitors get a good feel.

Business growth and tenure

• All business aim for growth and expansion; hence, operations must also factor in plans for future growth in terms of extra need for space, staff and infrastructure

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