Due to the flexible nature of serviced office spaces, many business owners are moving away from traditional office spaces and into shared buildings instead. If you are considering renting a serviced office space, this blog is right up your street. We will be exploring some criteria that you may want to have a think about, and how McCue House can help you.
What Is A Serviced Office?
A serviced office is a fully equipped workspace that is run by a private operator. Clients are able to rent furnished, private offices usually on a flexible contract. One of the great benefits is that serviced offices usually have a team of professional receptionists that are on hand to help with some of your basic administrative tasks. They also provide a professional outlook when they meet and greet your visitors upon arrival to the building.
Shared facilities are also included, such as a kitchen area, meeting room which are available for hire, and breakout areas too. Serviced offices often have a pay-as-you-use model which means you just pay for the number of desks that you intend on using on a regular basis. This allows you to easily scale up and scale down the number of employees you have, as required.
How To Choose The Best Serviced Office
There are a few criteria that you might want to consider before launching into renting the closest serviced office space to you. Let’s run through them:
1. Location
Don’t underestimate how much of a boost your business could receive if you had an office in a prime city location. Showcasing this on your website, business cards and email signature could really help to set you apart from the competition. It is also a good idea to think about where your clients are based and try to pick a location that is central to them. That will help to make meetings a lot easier for both parties.
2. Initial Costs
Cost is usually one of the first things that business owners take into consideration when making any big decisions. Most serviced office spaces don’t charge a setup fee, but it is always worth asking the question so you don’t end up being stung later on. Ask if there are any maintenance charges that you are required to cover as well.
If you are thinking about growing your business you might want to have that conversation with the office provider in the early stages. That way they can help you find an office within their facilities that is easy to adapt and change as your team grows.
3. Service Package
Make sure you fully understand the service package you will receive before signing up for a rental agreement. Serviced office spaces usually charge an all-inclusive fee, but it is good to check whether some of the following services will be added on top of this:
- Refreshments
- Internet
- Air conditioning/heating
- Cleaning service
- Mail and phone handling
It is always a good idea to understand the meeting room booking process too. Does this have to be booked a couple of weeks in advance? Is the fee included within your monthly rent, even if you don’t use the meeting room?
4. Amenities
When you book a tour of a serviced office space, have a good look around and take notice of the equipment and furniture within each office. Is the atmosphere somewhere where you could see yourself working? Could you imagine the rest of your team working productively and happily in this office space? If you can, it is always a good idea to do a quick wi-fi speed test to make sure this is up to the standard you require to run your business smoothly.
5. Security & Accessibility
You need to feel safe knowing that if you leave your computer equipment at the office overnight, no one else can gain access at all. Check the safety of the building, and what security system they have in place. Are you someone that works outside of the usual 9 am-5 pm? Then you may want to see if the building is still accessible outside of operational hours for members. It is important that this office space fits in with the nature of your business.
How McCue House Can Help
So there you have it, a comprehensive guide to renting a serviced office space. If you feel that your business is ready for the next stage of growth and you are wanting to move into a serviced office space, why not book a tour of McCue House so you can see all of the facilities available. In the meantime, our friendly team are on hand to answer questions you may have so please feel free to call them on 01472 287766.