It can be confusing when choosing an Office – so many questions to ask and so many factors to consider. Terminology can be different from company to company, pricing structures aren’t always the same and then you have to try and decide how much space you need, not only immediately but also looking forward so that any potential expansion plans aren’t restricted by your Office Space Solution.
Easy Offices can take away some of the headaches and answer any questions or queries you may have. Each business is different so a few minutes consultation with one of our Sales Staff can save you time and hassle and allow us to source a solution that suits your company or simply give you an oversight into what is or isn’t available.
Many companies go through this very same process and often have similar questions. To save time and provide a quick overview of what factors you may want to consider when moving Offices we’ve provided a list of commonly asked questions below along with some helpful advice:
1. Future Plans – Many companies consider this last after some of the other considerations but it’s actually one of the most important decisions you need to make. Companies planning to add staff also need to account for the additional space that they will need within the timeframes of expansion. Serviced Offices can be expanded at no extra cost so staff increases can be easily accommodated and can even be built into contracts. If this is important to your company then speak to the Office Providers about tailoring a contract that has expansion plans built into the Office Term.
2. Size – Size does matter! Different types of company require different working environments so it’s always best to have a look at some different shaped and sized Offices to find what works best. Some companies prefer open plan Office Solutions whilst others prefer to separate different departments to create distinct but different working mediums. Within reason any type of working environment can be created – it all depends on your needs and of course the cost!
3. Infrastructure – Spending cash up front on cabling an Office or creating a stable Technological Infrastructure to allow your staff to email, surf, communicate via an internal Intranet system and to do it all in a managed, safe and secure manner can be a major headache for companies that don’t specialise in this type of field. The vast majority of our Serviced Office Companies have already paid for this and will also manage the security and support. Specific requirements can also be met, dedicated pipelines allowing extra capacity can be ordered at short notice, see a previous blog entry for detailed information regarding IT and Telecoms.
4. Facilities – What’s on offer will vary greatly but the majority of Office Companies that we deal with will all have Meeting Rooms to Hire, Receptionists, Photocopiers and Fax Machines, Postal and Courier Services and many will have Disabled access. Some locations will have gyms, cafes and restaurants or even bars on site! For a more detailed overview please see a previous blog post, Facilities.
5. Price – For many this would be the first thing to consider or the most important. Whilst we’re not saying the price isn’t important we feel it’s important to fully understand what it is you are actually being charged for and what else might be added additionally. This really depends on what it is your Company needs, how often and how much you need, eg if you have heavy photocopier use then you’d be better off having your own in your office, if you only need one landline as everyone works from mobiles then a Company that includes phones & phone call costs may not be the best option for you as you won’t really be using and therefore benefiting from this service.
We’ve put price last as we feel it’s important to consider this factor after all the others so you can accurately compare what it is you are not only being offered but also charged for! Ideally you would want to try and include as many services in your monthly licence that you use frequently and have those that are only used occasionally charged on a per use basis. Easy Offices understands that this can be confusing so if you want a more detailed explanation please give us a call or ask us a question via our Blog.