Your motivation to move your business may be influenced by many things – cost, location, where your customers are, etc. It may also be down to the type of office, and serviced offices have become a popular alternative to a traditional office space.
What is a serviced office?
A fully-furnished ready to use space, a serviced office comes complete with all the utilities you need, including Wi-Fi connection, reception staff and cleaning. It’s available on different tenancy types, such as rolling renewal, flexible and short term. They also typically offer access to meeting rooms, breakout areas and kitchens, parking provision and 24-hour access to the building.
The rental process of a serviced office is designed to be as hassle-free as possible, with a consistent space, support, and expense in the way of bills. Because it’s “ready to go”, if you are moving in then any downtime you experience won’t be down to the office space. There are also far fewer upfront costs. If you are going through a period of uncertainty, just starting out or on the way up, a serviced office can offer the perfect opportunity to adapt to changing circumstances. If things don’t work out, there’s no long-term lease to get out of. If things work out well, it can also give you the time and opportunity to consider options for furniture and amenities in a more permanent space in future.
How does it compare to a managed office?
The biggest difference between a serviced and a managed office is the furniture and fittings. While serviced offices come completely fitted out, managed offices offer the option to choose the floor plan, number and layout of desks, as well as the number of meeting rooms available. The office can be fitted out in anyway you like, as long as it is returned in the condition it was in when let.
Much the same as serviced offices, a managed office offers flexible rental options, managed by operators. The biggest difference is the way they are billed – serviced offices charge per workstation, offering the shortest terms and flexible rental plants. Managed offices charge for the amount of space you use and come with a longer term commitment.
A managed office can feel more like a permanent home to you and your staff. In terms of making it your own with furniture and decoration, you will have opportunities to customise and create branding that just isn’t there with serviced offices. This can hinder the creation of corporate identity and unique internal environments. Because a serviced office is a shared space, it can reduce levels of privacy.
Storage opportunities
If you are thinking of moving to a serviced office as a temporary measure, you may wish to store some of your existing office furniture. To ensure that you are adhering to your legal compliance requirements, it’s even more important that you do this with a reputable removal and storage company, with full insurances.
No matter which type of office you choose, you should always seek help from professionals for every stage of your move.
If you would like to talk about your removal and storage options, please get in touch.