Serviced Offices: Top Ten Tips You Need To Know – Part 2

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IT and Telecoms

The internet and emails are the lifeblood of most companies and it is important to consider your business usage when looking at serviced offices. There are often standard packages available for both IT and telecoms however most requirements can be met.  For example for a heavily IT based company, large bandwidth pipes can be sectioned off to provide the service needed.

For serviced offices your telephone and internet rental are often not part of your monthly agreement, there are however all inclusive deals which are worth asking about.

For all inclusive deals be aware that depending on the terms and conditions in the contract, telephone and internet services may very well be capped and if your business frequently goes over this agreed cap amount the additional costs will need to be covered.

Terms and conditions for IT and telecoms are usually flexible and contracts can be adapted for your company’s specific needs.

It’s important to be clear on what services you need when looking for office space, if you know you will have heavy or specific requirements these can be discussed and a mutually convenient solution agreed. In some circumstances it may be possible for you to use your own supplier.

Facilities

In addition to common facilities such as a kitchen, toilets etc, it is worth thinking about what extra facilities your business needs or would like to have.

Serviced buildings should also take disabled visitors and employees needs into consideration, providing adequate access to much needed areas of the building.  Consider any additional facilities you may require and raise these points with your broker.  Other facilities can include but not limited to access to an in house cafĂ©, gym, post room, showering facilities, bike racks etc.

Expansion

The purpose of this section is to encourage you to take a moment to think about your business plans and what the future holds for your business. Do your current office space requirements take these plans into consideration and do they really need to when considering a serviced office?

Serviced office space terms are usually available for 3-12 months although shorter and longer terms can be found.

The rigidity of more traditional Lease Agreements are not applicable to Serviced Office Space, a greater degree of flexibility is the norm. You can build into your contract a ‘step deal’ where you can increase size at specific dates and there is the option to expand without penalty, allowing you to move into larger offices if you need to expand or add staff members.

Pricing

For traditional leased offices the cost of your office space is usually charged on a “per square foot“ basis.

However serviced office space is often priced per workstation as discussed in point four of this guide.

This pricing structure takes into account many of the variables such as rent, rates, service charges, utilities, furniture, IT and cleaning and provides an inclusive cost for each work station.

There are no credit checks conducted but deposits are normally 2 months up front with rent payable in advance. Certain companies will offer no deposit incentives or be more flexible, your office broker can advise of any promotions that are being run.

Communication

Clear communication with your broker is essential. The more information you can provide on the office space you are looking for the better.

Your broker is there to make the search process as easy as possible and to answer any questions you may have. They will do the leg work for you provide you with an accurate and current list of suitable offices in the area that you are interested in.

Your broker can advise you of any promotions or incentives that may be available but the choice is your own to make independently.

Once you have viewed the offices you will be emailed proposals for the offices you have seen. The price will vary depending upon term and stock levels but this is time to negotiate if possible as good a deal as you can.

Viewings are arranged through your office broker but viewings and negotiations are done with the office company directly.

Conclusion

Regardless of whether you are looking for your first office or are expanding there are plenty of office spaces options available to you.

Remember our top 10 tips in order to get the most out of your search for office space and getting the most out of your broker.

The clearer and more concise you can be about the 10 main areas the better. If using a tight criteria doesn’t yield the results you are after, you can always widen your search.

Serviced Offices: Top Ten Tips You Need To Know – Part 1

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