Serviced offices are sometimes seen as the select protectorate of SME’s (Small Medium Enterprises) searching for short-term accommodation, often in out of town business parks, but this is a misapprehension.
While SMEs do profit very much from serviced offices – with the capability to set up rapidly (within days) and enjoy amenities that they would otherwise not be able to meet the expense of, they are not the only ones who profit. Larger businesses also use serviced offices in a selection of ways.
Some might decide to move their entire operation into a serviced office. In a few cases, large companies take an entire serviced office for themselves, with the provider running it for them. Others might look to house 10 – 20 % of their business in a serviced office as a way of allowing them to ‘flex’ with the market. If they have to to expand they can do so rapidly while any decrease in staff numbers can be accommodated too.
Businesses of all sizes can also profit from serviced offices when they set up particular project teams and need to house people in a different city or move their whole business to another location. Some will use serviced offices as an intervening measure while they wait for permanent premises to become accessible.
Another alternative for small businesses is the virtual office. With this, a business is able to benefit from an impressive address, phone number and call answering service but without actually having an office at the location. This can be helpful for small businesses who are based at home but need an exterior base as well and also those who have operatives working freely around the country. Calls, mail and faxes are forwarded for the client and meeting rooms or desks can be hired when they are necessary.
While serviced offices will certainly not be a solution for all businesses – as there will always be those who desire to invest in property themselves or secure a location for a longer term – the flexibility and convenience of serviced offices offer solutions to all types of enterprise.
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