Simplify your Search
When you're searching for a serviced office, Regus might be the word that comes to mind. However, your options are not as limited as you may think. Centres of different sizes, offering different services are waiting to be found and one out there is going to fit the bill. But how do you go about finding it? Must you always go through an agent? This week we want to tell you how you could go about finding the perfect serviced office for yourself, by yourself.
Office providers will be happier to negotiate if they don’t have to pay precious commission. Our advice: try to cut out the middle man. By going direct, would-be commission for cushy agents becomes a monthly bonus for your business. Your relationship with your office supplier may be better and everyone is happy.
Office companies want to be found, so it’s easy-as-pie to for you to do so yourself. Type key words into business listing sites such as Yelp and Scoot and your search will be well under way. Of course, smart providers will be listed on more than one of these sites and will come up trumps in a Google search. By choosing a company that understand how to market themselves, there will be a positive knock-on effect for you. Being based in a reputable business centre gives your company a more prestigious image. If the company have a strong PR team, you could also benefit directly from some free publicity. Be sure to ask about company publications: does the business centre have any, what goes into them, who sees them and could you get a mention?
Once you've made some initial enquiries, the responses that you get could sort the wheat from the chaff. Particularly take note of how you are dealt with over the phone and by email: if this becomes the base for your business, the business centre personnel may be dealing with your clients in the same way that they are dealing with you. Is the standard up to scratch? Coming up against some resistance to share prices and contract details over the phone shouldn't be regarded as rudeness. Serviced office companies are always more at ease to talk business face to face, so be sure to jump on the chance of a tour of the building if so far you like what you hear.
