10 Myths About Serviced Offices 

Serviced offices are known for their convenience and flexibility, but how much of this is actually true? Many people have questioned what serviced offices have to offer their business, and there has been a lot of hearsay about what they can provide. Here we aim to debunk some of the classic myths and legends, and sort the fact from the fiction.   

 1)     You End Up Paying For Things You Don’t Use 

Serviced offices offer a range of basic mod cons for you and your business to function as normal. However, some people are lead to believe that they are paying out for more services than their company actually needs. In recent years most offices have started outlining any extras you may or may not want, so you don’t have to pay out for things that won’t be of benefit to the business.   

 2)     Serviced Offices Are Only For Start Up Companies 

Due to their high levels of flexibility and convenience they are known to be the perfect solution for many young starts (see why here), but that’s not to say that they are exclusive to them alone. It’s thought that the ratio between start up’s and PLC’s within a standard serviced office building are around the 50/50 mark.   

 3)     Serviced Offices Are Ultimately A Short Term Solution 

As handy as they are many companies feel as if they have to ‘fly the nest’ and set up shop in a premises of their very own. This is certainly one way of going about it, but no one is saying you have to. Serviced offices can provide you with everything your business needs, and many businesses stay long term, so you should only move if you really want to.   

 4)     They Have Limited Day Time Access 

Being your bog standard office space many people assume that they run during normal office hours. This is not strictly the case as most offices have 24 hour access. Most serviced office companies know that some businesses may have to work at unusual hours to get their work done and thus have given them more freedom.   

 5)     They Charge High Phone Rates To Gain More Profit 

This is probably the biggest myth surrounding serviced offices. If anything, they charge much less than your standard phone line as they are able to discount it where appropriate, plus corporate serviced offices don’t charge a penny for local calls or faxes and you are able to choose you own provider.         

 6)     Serviced Offices Are More Expensive Than You Think 

At first it can appear as if you are paying out a lot of money, but when those costs are spread out over the contract you have with them it all levels out a bit. Remember you are not just paying for the rental itself, but also for all the services such as utilities, insurance and repairs.   

 7)     They Only Offer Short Contracts 

It is true that they offer many short term contracts but they are not bound to it by any means. Some companies have been known to stay for anywhere from 3 to 5 years. Short term contracts are simply there as a get out if you find your company is suddenly not doing so well, and means if you decide to move elsewhere they can fill the gap quickly.   

 8)     Serviced Offices Take More Time To Move Into 

Moving from place to place will always take a bit of time and planning, no matter how big your business is. The beauty of serviced offices is that they tend to have many of the things you would need already in place such as desks and filing cabinets. All you need to do is bring along your computers, your paperwork and your charming selves.   

 9)     You’re Tied Down To One Location 

You would usually be forgiven for thinking that your contract means you are stuck with the same office for a while, however most serviced offices are part of an entire network of other offices. If you talk to the owner it’s possible for you to hot desk at a different location, be it to a neighbouring town or perhaps even across the pond.   

 10)  Serviced Offices Have Poor Quality Amenities

If you share a building with several other businesses it’s likely that there are going to be shared toilets, canteens, internet and so forth. Some fear that due to the amount of bodies that you may be getting less service than you should be receiving, but the office owner will always make sure that each and every company has the tools they need to be at their best.   There are many plus points to serviced offices, and they should certainly be part of your consideration when you sort out your business plans. There are many offices and locations across the globe, so remember to have a good look around and do your research.