---

How to Find an Office for Your Business

---

Moving into an office is a big step when you run a small business or start-up, and finding the right premises in the right location and at the right price is a daunting task. Get it right, and your office premises will help you improve productivity, attract and retain good employees and give a positive impression to your customers. But get it wrong, and you could be left tied into a costly lease with premises that might not suit your needs in the future.

Philip Dodson, of Office Planet explains what businesses need to do to find the right office space to meet their requirements.

What Type Of Office Do You Need?

Before you start the search for your office, you really need to know what type of property will be suitable for your needs.

A virtual office solution will provide you with a total office experience without having to physically lease office space. A virtual office package will typically provide your business with the use of a business address, personalised telephone answering, post handling and forwarding and in some circumstances the use of private offices and boardrooms on an ad hoc basis.

The next type, serviced offices are extremely attractive to new start-ups as a first office or companies that want flexibility in a professional environment. Whether you need to move in for a day, a month or a year, serviced offices can be leased on a short term basis and as there is no capital expenditure required, it’s a low risk arrangement for your business.

There are a range of services that your business will be able to benefit from in leasing a serviced office solution, typically these include:

• Semi or fully furnished offices
• Access to sophisticated telecoms and voice mail systems
• CAT 5 cabling
• A variety of broadband solutions on terms to suit
• Reception with customised telephone answering
• Secretarial support if required
• Meeting rooms and boardrooms
• Kitchens and possibly catering services
• Mail franking and collection
• Fax and photocopying
• Office cleaning
• Car-parking

In a serviced office, your business will also benefit from access to more prestigious addresses and better communications technology than you could possibly afford alone. The growth of your business can be easily accommodated – by taking over extra office suites as you take on more staff, and thus effectively managing change within your business as and when it occurs.

The final type of business premises you might want to consider is a conventional office solution. If your office needs to accommodate 25 or more employees or you’re fairly certain of your business’s likely growth over the next few years, then renting a leased office might be the best solution. Whilst it is likely to be a major financial commitment for any small business, and a decision we recommend not to be made without professional advice, conventional office space will give you a more competitive cost per desk rate for larger requirements and the opportunity to customise your office space to match your business’s corporate image.

The Right Location

Knowing what type of property you need for your business is just the beginning. Equally important is finding the right location so that your business is convenient for your customers, employees and suppliers - without being too expensive.

Being close to customers is essential for certain businesses coupled with the ability to meet clients in an impressive surrounding, so choosing the right building can take time and it is worth considering carefully what sort of address you want.

Certain areas are associated with certain sectors so if you’re a media company you would probably consider Soho versus a niche hedge fund that would look at St James’s or Mayfair.

To attract employees for your business, the best location is to be close to good public transport links. In addition, being close to nearby shops and facilities will help to improve employee morale.

If your business needs to take a lot of deliveries, then you may need to be positioned close to good road and motorway links so that your suppliers can deliver a quick and flexible service.

Finally, with most things in life you get what you pay for in terms of locations, hence the better the location the higher the rent will be.

Know Your Requirements

Before you can start searching for your business premise, you should list all your requirements so you are clear on the priorities that your office space needs to provide. Some key requirements you may consider, include:

• How many people do you need to accommodate
• What are your likely growth plans
• How do you occupy the space – individual offices or open plan
• What meeting facilities will you need
• Size and layout of the premises
• Structure and appearance, both internally and from the outside
• Any special structural requirements, such as high ceilings, wooden floors
• Facilities and comfort for employees and visitors - e.g. lighting, toilets and kitchen facilities
• Permission; including planning permission, to use the premises for your kind of business
• Access and parking space - e.g. for deliveries or customers, including disabled customers
• Whether you need the flexibility to alter or expand the premises
• Whether the premises are suitable for your long-term needs or just for the short-term

If your requirements are too specific, you may find that your choice of premises is very limited or you cannot afford them. It's worth thinking which requirements are essential and which are merely desirable, and prioritising them accordingly.

Starting Your Search

Having decided on what type of office solution will meet your needs it is now time to start your search. Before you set off, calculate your budget including one off costs for items such as furniture and IT equipment as well as ongoing costs like rates and service charges.

There are many ways to find potential office space for your business, one place you might like to start is www.office-planet.net. Office Planet provides a free office finding service by uniquely showcasing real time availability of both conventional and serviced office space. You can search through a database of available properties and create a shortlist of solutions that meet your needs or simply call an advisor at Office Planet who will be able to offer you advice.

It is important, whatever your budget, location or type of space you want, to seek proper professional advice. If you sign a five-year or longer lease without having assessed everything properly it could cost your company dearly over the course of that lease.

Philip Dodson is Managing Director of Office Planet. To start your free search to find a premise for your business, visit www.office-planet.net

Posted February 29, 2008