Business Centre Technology

Serviced Office centre managers and sales teams across the country will soon access client data and operational statistics on the move with the launch of CentreCharge Mobile by RJmetis. The new feature will be previewed, along with a range of other pioneering Apps for Business Centres, at the annual BCA conference in London on May 17th – 18th.

CentreCharge Mobile enables access to the main CentreCharge billing and enquiry management tool from a range of mobile devices, including Blackberry, Android devices, i-Phone and Apple’s new i-Pad. It is the latest development in RJmetis’s Apps for Business Centre suite of products.

RJmetis MD Justin Harley said: ‘We have witnessed first hand how often business centre managers are needed to be on the go, moving around a site and away from their desks dealing with the day-to-day running of the centre. CentreCharge Mobile allows them to keep in touch and access the latest contact and customer data on the go, improving efficiencies and management information.’

CentreCharge Mobile will provide access to the essential elements of the CentreCharge database. This functionally-rich new feature will enable sales teams and senior managers to check key information, such as enquiry reports and occupancy rates and even generate reports remotely. RJmetis anticipates general release of CentreCharge Mobile this summer. The application will be free to those with a valid CentreCharge user name.

The one thing about applications demonstrated at a show is that they are done in a controlled environment.  However, back in the real world the application is getting some very good reviews.

Ideally the application will be suited for busy business centre managers or managers on the road with limited network access.  Its also ideal for pulling reports on an ipad whilst in a meeting.  Overall this application will be the way forward and an essential tool for all business centre managers.

many thanks to http://www.serviced-offices.com/blog for providing some of the information.

Regus releases 2009 figures

Regus, the current market leader in the Serviced offices sector have posted their results for 2009 – Their UK workstations have increased but profits have dropped along with their occupancy.  The focus for 2010 will be to expand but to consolidate the loss making business centres, thus making the business more profitable.  They current economic climate means that Regus will be putting pressure on their suppliers to drive down costs.

The UK Section from their CEO statement

“Conditions during 2009 continued to be extremely challenging with renewed pressure on key performance indicators and particularly price. Set against this backdrop, the region delivered revenues of £191.4 million – down 13.3% on 2008 and achieved an average mature occupancy of 80% (2008: 83%). During the year, we opened 10 business centres which contributed to the increase in the average number of consolidated workstations from 30,899 in 2008 to 33,528 in 2009.

Looking ahead we will seek to address the performance of our loss making centres in the UK by both focusing on driving up revenues through targeted marketing and new product initiatives as well as seeking cost reductions. Allied to this, we are restructuring part of our UK business having regard, of course, to the interests of all concerned. Like many other companies with operations in the UK, we are seeking to renegotiate a small number of leases where this is critical to improving a centre’s performance and where the historic rent is not reflective of current market conditions. We very much hope the restructuring can be achieved consensually but in the event that this is not possible other measures may be necessary.

However we remain fully committed to developing the business and growing our leadership position in the UK. We will therefore continue to pursue low risk growth opportunities to expand and are contracted to open six centres in the next two months.”

Regus will continue to grow but will find it harder and harder to keep the occupancy high as smaller companies enter the market and seize on the competitive advantage.

Thinking outside of the box

Thinking outside of the box is essential in the current business climate.  A company in Singapore have developed a serviced office solution for the broad-minded.

The idea being that the explosion of colours, shapes and unusual furniture will appeal to the technology sector, such as games designers and programmers rather than call centre staff.

The open plan office gives the relaxed approach but the colours and shapes go beyond corporate.  The array of colours were selected specifically to help promote motivation, happiness and tranquillity within the workplace, whilst the wacky shaped windows, crazy desk shapes and ergonomic seating was all developed to give an out of the box feel.

The owners of the building are surprised by the instant uptake and high levels off occupancy in the early days.  The look and feel is expected to be rolled out onto another two or three offices.  “This is not a design that will work everywhere” However, they do not expect this to be a global trendsetter as it only appeals to a niche audience.

The more corporate look and feel is preferred by most of their clients, but there are a handful of clients that are looking for something different, something that stands out and something that promotes innovative thinking.

“Visitors to the offices can’t get their heads round the relaxed feel and the unusual designs”

This is one of many innovative ideas used buy some serviced office suppliers globally.  The global market for serviced offices is showing signs of decline due to the recession and business centre managers need to think outside of the box to attract new business.

Business Centres of the Future

Business Centres all over the country are opening and some with great deals. The offerings assist small businesses and help them with their cost projections.  For example i2office in Milton Keynes are offering 250.00 per workstation FREE UK and National telephone calls, Free IT Package, WAN, Telephony and 500.00 towards removal costs into their flagship business centre in Milton Keynes.

This shift from long term leasing and bolt on costs is a good move for small businesses looking to expand.  A small business knows what its office costs will be and there are no hidden surprises, for example the old structure would include some of these hidden charges;

• Service Charges
• Building Insurance
• Utilities
• Cleaning
• Equipment / Furnishings
• BT line rental
• BT Set up costs
• Telephone Calls
• Maintenance Costs
• Receptionist
• Tea / Coffee
• Security

All of these are costs that you would expect in a traditional lease option.  Some of them will be fixed costs but some of them like the telephone call charges will be a variable charge that could have hidden surprises.

The key for small businesses to succeed is to keep the cost base low whilst still maintaining a great working environment.

The advantage of security on a modern business centre is key to reassuring the occupants that not only is their data and equipment safe, but they have the peace of mind that they are safe.  Good lighting a close car park are essential, especially as the winter nights draw in.

I2office appear to be leading the market with their innovation in security, low cost and state of the art design.  A good working environment is essential to happy staff and motivated staff, with breakout areas for impromptu meetings or just a break from intense working office.  The floor to ceiling windows offers a great source of natural light and great views of the surrounding gardens all together offering a pleasant environment to work in.

5 reasons to move to a serviced office.

serviced office

As the recession spreads and the gloom of uncertainty still emanates from the media, companies are looking at ways to reduce costs, whilst still delivering high standards to their clients.

One such initiative is to downsize or move to a serviced office. There are many reasons to move into a serviced office and there are many factors that drive the business decision.

Moving into a serviced office couldn’t be easier. Most serviced office companies have a facilities team that will assist your move, ensuring your requirements are met, facilitating a smooth transition from your old office to your new one.

Most businesses move into serviced offices for the following reasons;

1. Money
Money is a deciding factor and if you can reduce your financial exposure and eliminate variable costs then this in itself is a great business justification.

2. Location, location, location
Companies like to be positioned correctly. Even a small office with only 1 or 2 occupants will want to be in the right location, usually in the heart of the business community with access to other amenities.

3. Technology
The cost of technology can be high, especially if you’re looking to host most of it yourself. The renewal of desktop machines, server equipment, software, coupled with anti virus updates and annual services and maintenance can be costly. Most serviced office suppliers will have most of your technology requirements available so you can rent them at reduced costs whilst maintaining the high technical capability.

4. Downsizing
Some companies will want to reduce their costs and manpower. Reducing manpower will inevitably mean that they have unused space in their offices. Whilst this means some people can spread out a bit, it ultimately means they are not making the best use of the space they have and thus costing more than they need to pay.

5. Furniture
All offices need furniture and the cost of buying and maintaining furniture can be expensive, especially when you think the cost of an average office desk can range from £150 up to £3000 for a call centre style pod. These cost plus the cost of maintaining the desk can all add up. Most serviced offices will provide the furniture and maintenance of the furniture is included in the monthly price.

Many businesses are taking these factors into consideration and finding that moving into a serviced office is making sound financial sense. It gives businesses large and small, a relatively inexpensive fixed price to cover whatever that company requires with no surplus waste. This is what makes the serviced office sector one of the fastest growing areas in the current climate.

Techno Office

serviced office

Astonishingly, in the downturn market, companies are posting record profits, for example Regus have recently posted record profits and their share price rose from 75p to £1 in a matter of days.  So what’s the secret? How do businesses post record profits when the rest of the country is shedding jobs?

A statement from Regus CEO shows that serviced offices and virtual offices are set to rise in popularity globally over the next 2 years

“Regus is a growth business in a growth market… and it is expected that in 2011 there will be over a billion mobile workers or home workers,”

But Regus are not the only company in the UK providing these services. There are some already strong companies in this sector and there are some businesses emerging set to be the industry leaders taking innovation and technology to the next step.

The serviced office sector is set to increase over the next 2 years as companies look to reduce costs and smaller companies increase in size.  The benefits of leasing a serviced office far outweigh owning a building or leasing a traditional office.

However, the sector can only increase as it evolves.  With office furniture companies making more robust, secure and state of the art design furniture, the look and feel of the office will evolve naturally.  But for the serviced office industry to remain attractive it will need to look at technology and innovation to drive down costs and attract customers from all sectors.

The new technologies out in the market place today will soon link in to a managed section of their serviced office network, offering social/business networking, e-commerce, security etc.  This coupled with the security companies adding new technologies ensuring the safety of your staff and your equipment will make a secure office not only a place of work, but a place of immense technology.

One such innovation of social networking in a serviced office is whereby people can log onto their account, see what other businesses are in the building and take advantage of their services.  On the same system people can log on and see the local traffic reports to see if the route home is clear.

Outside of the technology, break out areas in any serviced office are essential.  They provide space for small out of office meetings or offer a place for a simple coffee break giving staff a break from the VDU.

Embracing change for any business sector is essential and the serviced office sector have to stay one step ahead ensuring that they too are embracing new technologies and are passing the advantages onto their clients.

Serviced offices booming.

serviced office

Official figures have shown that unemployment is at its highest since 1995.  Unemployment increased by 220,000 in the three months to June taking the figure to 2,435,000 unemployed.  The figures come as the Bank of England’s latest quarterly inflation report warned that the UK economy still had some way to go before it recovered from the effects of the financial crisis.

So how can your business survive the economic downturn?  Businesses need to be flexible and responsive to their customer’s requirements, whilst still being able to keep the business afloat and their staff employed.

The recession is affecting businesses large and small and both are looking for effective cost cutting solutions. The answer could come in the form of serviced offices.

Serviced offices are flexible, short or long term leased offices, whereby all utility bills are included for a set fee per month.  Your business will still portray the image of a larger company at a fraction of the cost of owning your own building.  It also gives a more professional image than working from your spare room at home.

Many serviced offices also offer additional services, for example, mail collection and cleaning services at no additional cost.  They also provide 24 hour security that would be an extortionate cost if you had to provide your own security provisions.

Traditional lease options tie you in for 2-3 years and initial set-up can cost up to £14,000 in the first month.  This figure includes legal fees, stamp duties, fitting out and furniture and equipment.  This is a cost that very few businesses can afford even when business is booming.  That doesn’t include the general cost of running the office on a day to day basis with costs such as water, electric gas etc.

Serviced office is a far better solution to save money in times of decline.  The solution provides a fixed monthly cost that you can adequately budget for without any hidden extras.  Serviced offices are also designed with the business user in mind, so the office sizes are not too big or too small, providing adequate working space for your employees.

After working in several businesses, smaller businesses generally don’t have the money to be able to replace worn out desks or desks that break due to their age.  However, most serviced offices provide the furniture as part of the package and will replace damaged desks chairs etc.  This is not only keeps employees happy but also ensures your company is not likely to suffer from health and safety issues.

The modern office environment is designed to get the maximum light into the office, this is not just a cost saving exercise on the part of the serviced office supplier but it also enhances the working environment for the staff.  Remember happy staff work harder than disgruntled staff.

Office design

Serviced office

Offices, the sheer concept of owning your own office is a prestigious one, especially when you’re located in the heart of a business community.  The cost of owning a small office is usually prohibitive and causes a lot of businesses to think twice about expanding.  It’s not just the cost directly but also there is the associated cost of having a lease for a lengthy period of time.

With i2office there is none of this fuss.  They are state of the art, provide a one stop shop for all your office requirements and have a fixed price which is very competitive within the serviced office market.  The price doesn’t just include the cost of an office; it encompasses all your landline costs, your internet charges and your furniture.  This is great for a start-up business as they can be assured of one fixed charge per month rather than a series of increasing charges.

Signing up for long lease periods can be daunting and off putting, however, i2office also offers a short term office lease which means you’re not tied in for years on end.  Again, this reduces the costs for any potential small business looking to start up.

Corporate businesses also look to serviced offices for assistance.  Whether it’s long term expansion in a new region or whether it’s a short term location for a project team, the advantage of having office space to hand with the infrastructure already in place is perfect for businesses of any size.

Technology and innovation play a big part in serviced offices.  The technology aspect is ever changing and needs to be state of the art for any business.  The costs associated with ensuring your office is technologically sound can be crippling, which is why i2office have packages that suit all businesses and technological requirements.  100/1000 Ethernet throughout the building, along with a 100MB internet pipe into the building means that you’re assured of top quality service.

Serviced offices also have the advantage of a great reception service.  This means that your clients will be greeted professionally and this will give your business the look and feel of a bigger company.  All in all, serviced offices can provide you with an all round professional service whether your business is big or small.

More Serviced Offices

Office Space in Milton Keynes

Offices throughout the UK are on the increase.  The percentage of office space in the commercial real estate sector is on the increase but is nowhere near the percentage in the USA.

Small businesses see the need for an office and the market is currently well positioned to accommodate the new demand.  Occupancy in office buildings has decreased over the past 12 months and this is because of the recession, however, the seeds of recovery are now sprouting.

Inherently in the past people have felt undervalued, overworked and have felt that they are under paid.  But as with so many people they become comfortable that they are receiving a salary doing what they know.  But when the recession bites and people are made redundant then this gives them the motivation to do what they know, but reap the rewards for themselves.  The redundancy payment gives them the start up cash they need for the business and doing it for themselves gives them a great moral boost.

Getting an office away from the distractions of home is one reason serviced offices are ideal for any new business.  They are generally cheap and don’t have a long lease that commits you to 3+ years.

These small businesses rely on serviced offices as they supply a fully fitted office with network connections and phone systems that are all included in the price, so there is no major setup costs for equipment.

Serviced offices are opening all round the UK, some more innovative than others.  Milton Keynes has some of the best-serviced offices in the region.  The demand in the area is high and in a recent post Easy office failed to highlight i2office as a serviced office supplier in Milton Keynes who provide state of the art serviced offices, with the latest technology.

Clean Green Cycle Scheme

Serviced Offices - www.i2office.co.uk

There is a government-backed scheme which could help alleviate your parking problems.  The scheme is designed to get employees to ride to work rather than using the car.  This will alleviate the parking problems that many businesses find and will also go towards the employees fitness.

Cyclescheme is the UK’s number one provider of tax-free bikes for the Government’s Cycle to Work initiative. It’s a brilliant programme where everyone wins – employees make big savings on new bikes, employers get a healthier workforce and save money too! Cyclescheme has a great track record in helping employers of all sizes to set up and run successful Cycle to Work schemes. The innovative online system is simple to use, and they have decades of industry experience and a vast supplier network of over 1,200 independent bike shops.

The scheme works well with serviced offices.  Why?  Because most serviced offices have the facilities such as showers and changing rooms which means that the employee is likely to take up this scheme allowing them to get a shower after a good ride into work.

How does it work.

The employer will buy a bike (VAT free) of the employee’s choice and any equipment through a cycle shop and then hire it back to the employee over a period of time. The employee then pays the employer a monthly rental for the bike; usually the price the employer paid divided by the amount months the loan is for. The rental comes out of the gross salary, which saves on income tax and national insurance contributions. At the end of the rental period the employee will be able to buy the bike for a fraction of its original costs (typically 5%).

Example:

1) Under his employer’s scheme, John chooses to have the loan of a bike retailing at £450.

2) His employer reclaims the VAT – reducing the cost to £383.

3) This net amount is met by John agreeing to a salary sacrafice whereby his gross pay is reduced by £21.28 per month over 18 months.

4) The monthly net cost to John will be £14.26 because he doesn’t pay tax or national insurance on the gross pay (£21.28) that he has sacraficed.

5) At the end of the 18 month period John’s employers offers the ex-loan bike for sale at a fair market price, say £50.

6) The cost to John is: Net salary given up £14.26 x 18 months = £256.68. Cost to buy the bike at end of period = £50. Total cost to John = £306.68, a saving of £143 or 32%.