What should you look for when searching for a flexible workspace solution?

Having been in the flexible workspace industry for almost ten years, I wanted to put a simple guide together as to what you should be looking for if you are thinking about moving to flexible workspace in order to maximise your chances of being successful.

1) A premium location - A business address in an A Grade building will give your business an instant boost in terms of creditability. The best part? You pay a fraction of the cost that would be incurred if you were to take your own floor in the building. Your landlord is the one who takes the long term lease, fits out the floor, pays several months security deposit etc. so it is risk free for you and saves you time!

2) As the name suggests, you need to look for flexibility. Can you get a solution that suits your needs on a flexible monthly lease or are there hidden terms that lock you in for a longer period? Can you upgrade / downgrade your package easily as your business needs change? Can packages be tailored for you based on your individual requirements?

3) A dedicated on-site account manager to attend to any queries / concerns and provide a fast resolution on the spot. A professional manager will also keep in touch with you regularly to see how your business is going and be there for you as and when your needs change.

4) A well trained, experienced, multi-lingual team to delegate every day tasks to, enabling you to focus on the core of your business.

5) A dedicated landline telephone number with a professional, multilingual receptionist to act as the face and voice of your company. A missed call is a missed sale in any business and research has proven that prospective customers want to speak to a person when they contact your business for the first time. They don't want voicemail or the phone to ring out.

6) IT support - A highly trained on-site support team is a must in order to keep your business running efficiently. A professional provider will employ an IT team to work around the clock to keep theirs and your business secure and minimising downtime.

7) Global access - An international provider who allows you to utilise their services globally and with whom you can grow your business through their international network as your needs arise.

8) Work from home / hybrid office options - remote business support from virtual assistants, mail management, call handling, coworking / office space enabling you to work from literally anywhere, yet still maintain a corporate image.

9) You need to tour the premises and try before you buy, check the internet speed, ask for a demonstration on how your calls will be handled, ask how long it will take to set you up on your chosen package, challenge the team on their capabilities, ask to see work they have done for other clients etc. A five star provider who invests constantly in their offerings will always be proud to demonstrate their capabilities.

10) Value for money - now, don't confuse this with affordability. What are you actually getting for the money you handover? In this industry, if something sounds cheap, it generally is, and you will not be getting anything other than an office with basic furniture, shared internet, and a generic phone number. More often than not when you opt for a cheap solution, you will end up paying more for the services that are not included, such as hiring your own team, arranging your own IT infrastructure, arranging your telephone line through a local telecom provider which takes time to set up. In addition to the extra cost, you also have several invoices that need to be paid rather than just the one you would get with a professional provider who includes all your business needs.

11) Unbranded! 9 times out of 10, the premises will be branded with the provider's name meaning all of your clients / prospective clients know you are in shared working space - making you look cheap! An unbranded environment gives the impression that the whole floor, team and infrastructure belong to you which is a huge credibility boost.

12) Modern technology in line with the market to ensure your business calls, meetings etc. run smoothly.