Are you still renting conventional office space for your business? If so, you are likely placing an unnecessary cost burden on your business. From New York to London to Tokyo, companies are ditching conventional offices in favour of serviced office facilities and co-working spaces. In our part of the world there is still resistance to this trend, and people prefer the traditional way of doing things. Now is the time to change, and here are some of the top reasons why your business will thank you for doing so:
Cost. A business employing 4-6 people can save as much as AED220,000 per year in office costs. Rent is only part the picture, and savings come from fit-out, furniture, and office equipment expenses as well as all the shared services and costs included with a serviced office: reception & admin staff, utilities, insurance, cleaning & maintenance, office assistants, telephone & internet, office supplies, etc.
Cash flow. Gone are the days when you need to pay your office rent in advance for the entire year, or issue post-dated cheques in two or three installments. Serviced office contracts and payments are monthly allowing you to better plan deployment of your financial resources. Many contracts are all-inclusive meaning your total office costs are constant and predictable for the entire duration.
Flexibility. The ability to quickly expand or downsize your office at short notice as your requirements change is a major advantage of serviced offices. This way you only pay for what your business actually needs at any given point in time. Contracts are monthly and this eventually results in cost saving.
Instant. Serviced offices are already fully set up and ready to use so there is none of the downtime usually associated with moving into a new office. Because fit-out is complete, utilities are connected, and communications are already set up, your business continuity is insured.
Staff. Your business benefits from well trained staff available in serviced office facilities. From professional reception staff that answer calls and greet visitors, to capable admin assistants, accountants, and IT support, there are a range of services offered, many of which are included in the cost of the office. An added bonus is that you never have to worry about staff leave and vacations as replacements are always on hand.
Networking. The shared nature of serviced office facilities lends itself to business networking. Many operators offer a wide range of networking events and opportunities of meet fellow tenants. There is also a growing trend of niche co-working spaces with areas dedicated exclusively to particular industry sectors.
Location. Serviced office facilities are often located in prime locations and give your business access to an exclusive address.
If you would like to find out more information about serviced offices and the specific benefits to your business, contact Sentinel Business Centres.