There’s no point opting for an office with a nice design and lots of natural light if you can’t run an uninterrupted Zoom call with clients due to bad connectivity. Before committing, find out how fast the broadband is and if it’s included in your rental agreement.
At Pure Offices, our occupiers get their own direct dial number and ultra-fast broadband (including a backup line) on the day they move in.
Arlene Reid and David Fraser moved into our Edinburgh offices in 2020. In our Clear Taxation Q&A, the pair explain how good connectivity has helped their business grow – despite the challenges posed by the pandemic.
“We thought we’d sign up for 12 months to start with and see how it goes. We’ve been here for five months now and still love it, and we think our team will too. Being at the new centre is also enabling us to grow – we’ve been onboarding new clients every day.
“The superfast broadband is fuelling our conversions because we can connect with potential clients quickly over video call, which is way more effective than speaking over the phone. It gives people confidence in us and it definitely helps to have a nice office backdrop.”
When researching and viewing potential new workspaces, ask yourself: how do I want my team and clients to feel when they come into the office? Look for somewhere that offers top notch facilities and an excellent customer service experience.
At Pure Offices, our occupiers and their clients are our customers. As Leeds occupier Lee Fisher points out, it’s the people that make the place.
“Pure Offices is a great place to host meetings: every time someone’s visited they’ve always been really impressed with the offices.
“The parking facilities are great, the offices are contemporary and the building itself is very well-maintained. The staff who work here are always friendly and accommodating which makes it a really lovely place to be.”
“Having it all” shouldn’t come at a huge cost. Flexibility is the norm in today’s workspace marketplace.
When on the lookout for a new home for your business, seek out somewhere that allows you to scale up, downsize or leave as your requirements change. It’s no use renting an office if you’re (financially) locked into for years at a time, worried about whether you’re going to be able to afford it in a few months time.
Unlike leased offices, serviced offices are managed and maintained on your behalf by the centre team. Like Paul Knappet, who rents an office in Warwick, you can hit the ground running from day one: “we’ve been here for a number of years in one form or another. The ease of moving in was the biggest selling point for us – it was a case of ‘plug in and go’.”
One of the things people missed the most when working from home during the pandemic was social interaction. Although we’re all continuing to follow social distancing measures, in-person collaboration and networking is back on the agenda.
There’s more to a good office than bricks, mortar and a few fancy furnishings. Good offices also act as social glue, providing occupiers with opportunities to connect with their neighbours and other local businesses.
Before the pandemic, we interviewed Tracey Lloyd, Director at AMT Evolve and Port Solent occupier. She explained that the centre manager can have a huge impact on customer satisfaction, and they also have a key role to play in the social side of office culture.
“The natural light and decor is great, but aesthetics aside I think many people in our centre would agree that it runs as well as it does because of our centre manager. Julie is super organised, very efficient and always has time for people.
“Julie puts on networking events where everybody gets to eat cake, bake their own, and raise money for charity. This January she invited health and wellbeing organisations in to run taster sessions for us.”
If net zero is high on your agenda, and if you’re taking steps to reduce your carbon footprint, make sure you opt for an office with green credentials. After all, the carbon footprint of the office you occupy affects your own carbon footprint.
When viewing offices, don’t be afraid to ask the centre manager questions like: how green is the energy that powers the building? Is there a recycling strategy in place? What type of lighting is used? Are you taking steps to reduce carbon in your supply chain?
In Issue 2 of The Hub Magazine, Leeds occupier Carol says she’s impressed with how her office “supports corporate social responsibility” and adds that it’s “reassuring to know that you’re paying for an office in an energy-efficient building.”
