Ready to Use Instant offices
offer great convenience
By Deepika Mital
Need a virtual office, actual office or no office –
just a phone number? All of this is available at a price,
naturally. While starting up a new business venture all
the hassles of setting up an office in a new location
can be avoided by contacting the experts in the field.
The instant office is a ready to use space in a prime
location, with minimum restrictions on the lease. These
are fully furnished and equipped ready-to-use offices,
with on-site facilities including high-speed internet
and digital telephone services, meeting and conference
room facilities, and on-site business and IT support.
It can be hired for as short or as long a time as required.
The target customers range from the businessman who
operates from home to even governmental agencies. Hiring
out just a phone number and postal address adds a certain
cache o the business. There are obvious benefits to
working from home until the needs of your business eclipse
them. Even than committing to a long-term lease, purchasing
expensive equipment or hiring a full-time staff can
be avoided with this kind of an arrangement.
Small businesses don’t have the luxury of shopping
around for supplemental workspace, much less the hardware
and IT support they need to bring it online. Outsourcing
makes it easy and painless to find and book offices
on terms that fit your budget and schedule by providing
you with state-of-the –art equipment and support
services.
For the average corporate this solution translates
into a saving on the capital investment on the real
estate requirements. This can then be directed into
the business. With property constituting more than 40%
of the total investment of many of the Indian companies,
workplace outsourcing has become a strategic component
of their business plan.
According to Mr. Madhusudan Thakur, Commercial Director
– India, Regus Business Solutions, “Business
property in India has witnessed extreme swings in the
last 10 years. Enterprises are keen on outsourcing their
real estate requirements as means of mitigating financial
and property. By partnering with Regus, companies can
now save an office space cost of 78% which will automatically
reduce the Total Cost of Occupancy by eliminating up-front
capital expenditures and redirecting that money into
propelling the company’s core business forward.”
All of these services are rendered for a price tag
which, if not astronomical, definitely are not cheap.
The toss up is always between the price paid and the
problems surrendered. The average cost for a 100 square
foot office in a prime business location, kitted out
for one person, would cost anywhere in the range of
Rs. 22,000 to 25000 per month. This may seem high but
it comes inclusive of infrastructure like an office
boy, secretary, security services, maintenance of public
areas etc.
Doing a point for point comparative estimate Mr. Shamsunder
Aggarwal, Director DBS Business Centers is convincing
in the arguments for taking up a ready-to-use office.
He says, “Purchasing/renting an office is normally
done on super built up area, after providing for interior
layout amenities, such as reception, washrooms, corridors
etc. To use 100 sq. ft of space, one has to buy/rent
at least a 400 sq.ft of super built up area. Also, the
capital required for security deposits (equal to 10-12
months rent) property, equipments, real estate commissions,
decoration, furnishings, maintenance, electricity etc.,
is huge. Moreover, it takes a long time to complete
all formalities and decorate the space for use.”
On the other hand he points out, “it saves time,
money and the hassle of processing legalities. You pay
only for what you use, without engaging into lengthy
contracts or pay extra charges for electricity, furnishings,
equipment, etc. In fact, 100 sq.ft of office space can
be utilized fully ,and other amenities such as reception,
security, washrooms are separately available. A one
month’s cabin charge, a refundable security deposit
(equal to 3 months only, as against the 11
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