The way we work has fundamentally changed. Virtual meetings and remote working have become expected in any modern workplace, however as the world continues to recover from the pandemic, we’re seeing focus shift back to the traditional office as the value of in-person collaboration prevails.
This brings with it separate challenges and confusion over budget and flexibility – with the majority of providers being less than transparent on their pricing, preferring to sell space by ‘per-desk’ rate, whereas we believe in a more holistic approach, factoring all the costs associated with your workspace, which allows you to ensure you’re comparing your options like-for-like.
In addition – to provide further clarity on where hidden charges can sometimes lurk, we’ve put together this useful guide to help you navigate the world of serviced offices to help you make more informed decisions on your workspace.
Business Rates
Business rates are a tax on property that is used for business purposes. At Gilbanks, this is fully included in the rental fee, which takes all the hassle out of having to manage this yourself with no additional monthly costs. Other providers don’t always include this in the quoted rent, so check that this won’t be an additional cost when working on your budget.
Insurance
We understand the importance of being fully insured. As such, we include all appropriate insurance for our employees as well as public and products liability insurance for you as tenants and your visitors. Building insurance is also included leaving just your individual company contents within your office for you to organise.
High Speed Internet
The majority of serviced office providers include a blanket ‘high-speed internet’ but it’s important to understand fully exactly what this covers. While most include an unmanageable amount of access with a restriction per office in terms of bandwidth, Gilbanks provide both hard-wired network as well as dedicated WiFi access. What’s more, public IP addresses (if required) are included in the rental fee and our in-house IT team is on-hand for any bespoke configurations during your onboarding. Furthermore, our workspace is serviced with a backup gigabyte line, giving us a 100% uptime guarantee.
Phone & Connectivity
At Gilbanks, we include all landline handsets that you will need in the cost of the office space, with call reporting available at no additional cost. Furthermore, if a VOIP system is required, we are happy to assist with the setup of this, whereas other providers often charge extra for handsets on top of the quoted price.
Onboarding & Office Setup
We know that moving into your new workspace can be a logistical nightmare, therefore we are on-hand to take all of the headaches out so you can just move in. We’ll help you plan floor plans, decorating, providing high quality furniture so you have a space that accurately reflects your business and is tuned to your productivity. It’s always worth checking with your chosen provider that they will help you with your office layout and setup, as this can also lead to further costs once the deal has been done.
Security
We take the security of your team very seriously, therefore you’ll always find a minimum of 2 security guards on site at any given time, 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year. The building is never left unattended, whether it’s within normal business hours or not.
Reception Services
Our 5-star service from all members of our team is what sets us apart from other office providers. We liken ourselves more to a top quality hotel than an office provider, so nothing is too much trouble. We’ll help with things like your dry cleaning to catering for your next meeting and our reception is always fully attended so you can rely on us whenever we’re needed.
Access
Our digital door access is operational throughout the building, which, as well as 24/7 access to your space with full CCTV coverage, also affords you the additional benefit of being able to report on office activity should it be required. Often, a traditional lock and key system is implemented, with no way of reporting access or accounting for lost keys.
Refreshments
Our Club Lounge is the perfect environment to pick up your next refreshment. With more than just a basic selection of tea and coffee, we have various blends of each available, with additional choices such as hot chocolate and cold beverages, too.
We could go on, but hopefully the above helps you further understand the complexity of serviced office pricing and where Gilbanks is fully transparent in our commitment to a single price with no hidden charges.
If you need any further information or would like a consultation with one of our workspace experts to explain the different options available, get in touch with us today.
