10 Facts About Office Business Centers
In today’s economy, office business centers (OBCs) represent a viable alternative to commercial space for established organizations, professionals and entrepreneurs. Here are 10 facts you should consider in evaluating their relevance for your business.
1. OBCs help you to focus on your core competency.In competitive industries, time becomes a valuable commodity, especially for high-level executives. By using an office business center instead of commercial space, you can focus on critical business matters instead of office maintenance and infrastructure.
2. By pooling resources, OBC clients can afford cutting-edge technology and services. OBCs offer a myriad of high-end telecommunications and Internet options too expensive for most small businesses. For example, high bandwidth capacity, fiber optics, VoIP technology, high-speed printers and scanners are readily available. Videoconferencing, also available at most OBCs, can save a fortune in travel expenses.
3. OBC clients include nearly every type of business. Our clients include international organizations and entrepreneurs, as well as professionals such as accountants, lawyers, doctors and financial consultants.
4. OBCs provide flexible working arrangements. OBCs are perfect for flextime, a concept designed to escape the straitjacket of the standard 9-5 work week. OBCs offer virtual support and office space whenever you need it under a wide variety of terms. For international organizations, this includes support staff at nearly any hour.
5. OBCs may be used for temporary staff or during office renovations. Sometimes, your headquarters needs to be refurbished, and the displacement can affect your company’s productivity. OBCs provide office space for any length of time without the commitment of a lease.
6. OBCs offer seamless integration with your company headquarters. At an OBC, you can keep your email domain or main phone number (with new extensions). Through special technology, connection to your clients will be seamless, and customers will be unable to distinguish your OBC office from your main headquarters. OBCs can even incorporate your company’s I.T. security devices to protect your data.
7. OBCs help you to learn from your neighbor. Clients of OBCs can network with other occupants. Best business practices can be improved through this interaction giving clients a substantial advantage over the competition.
8. OBCs can be customized for nearly any need. OBCs let you customize your office instead of trying to fit into a cubic box with a desk and a phone. You can decide how much space to use and change that according to circumstances. You can decide what support structure you need and change that, too.
9. OBCs provide office in elegant locations with multiple meeting venues. OBCs offer a multitude of meeting venues including conference rooms of varying sizes, seminar rooms and auditoriums. Videoconferencing enables virtual meetings, saving both time and money. OBCs are typically located in upscale buildings with attractive grounds and amenities.
10. OBCs are particularly valuable when the economy is volatile. Though a valuable resource at any time, OBCs are particularly in demand during economic recessions or uncertain business environments. The items mentioned above become even more urgent when you are unsure what tomorrow will bring.
George Russell, President of The Private Office (www.theprivateoffice.com), runs full-service office business centers (OBCs) in the New York Metro area. Clients have included Cemex, Morgan Stanley, the National Thoroughbred Association, Pepsi and the Royal Bank of Scotland. Mr. Russell graduated from Yale University and received an MBA in Finance from the University of Michigan.
George Russell
