20 BUSINESS DAILY | Wednesday March 2, 2016

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION SERVICED RENTALS IN KENYA

Want to trim your business expenses? Try a virtual offi ce

By EVANS ONGWAE >>> [email protected] emerged in the recent years is the concept rooms and offi ces for meetings. Meeting fl exibility to match expenses with revenue of a serviced or ‘virtual’ offi ce. Companies space can often be rented at short notice. fl uctuations immediately, as the costs are ut-throat competition in today’s business can rent space in prime locations without As an alternative to the distractions usually variable. world means that only the most effi cient being locked into a long commercial lease of co-working or the interruptions of a Users taking advantage of virtual offi ce or having to commit huge funds upfront. home offi ce, offi ce space is available on an receptionists eliminate the traditional Cfi rms or enterprises can survive – and Business lounges can provide that extra occasional basis. This can be hourly, daily burden of health care, records, payroll, thrive. The task is especially harder for startups bit of service often missing in the startup or monthly. insurance and rent. which must avoid the trap of locking their capital stages of business. Users also have access to on-site As businesses look to trim expenses, A virtual offi ce is a combination of amenities. A full-service virtual offi ce virtual offi ce services help reduce in fi xed expenses that gobble up plenty of cash off -site live communication and address will provide broadband , - overhead while keeping professionalism without generating much in the short term. services that allow users to reduce copier-printer, advanced phone features, high. For example, by paying for space traditional offi ce costs while maintaining conference calling, video conferencing, and communication infrastructure on Leasing offi ce space for several months and business professionalism. kitchenette and a business-worthy lobby/ an as-needed basis, businesses can keep even up to a year represents such a costly Under this arrangement, a prestigious waiting area. offi ce expenses to a minimum. expense. In some places, owners demand building can be used as the business Other services may include creation of ‘goodwill’ that runs into thousands, hundreds of address. A professional address alleviates a website, business cards, and provision of thousands or even millions of shillings. the privacy and personal security concerns offi ce stationery. A full-service Startups (usually small and medium of running a home-based business. A user The virtual offi ce concept has enterprises) can especially ill-aff ord such can expand into new markets by utilising developed over time since the advent of virtual offi ce will provide expenditure. a provider with multiple locations to the and is an evolution broadband Internet, High mobility – sometimes from one part of establish a professional presence in the of the executive suite industry. the country to another but also beyond and into desired growth markets. A virtual offi ce blends home and work fax-copier-printer, other countries – forces executives to re-think Receptionists at the business address to gain effi ciencies in both. Offi ce expenses advanced phone features, the concept of maintaining physical offi ces all can receive and sign for incoming are low, while the user’s professionalism conference calling, video over. overnights, deliveries, packages and retains the image of a traditional, high- With growing numbers of travelling provide document drop-off /pick-up cost offi ce. A virtual offi ce user can conferencing, kitchenette executives, small and micro business startups, services. reduce their environmental impact, as and a business-worthy the modern workforce has a swelling tribe of These offi ces allow on-demand use well as the personal negatives of a daily lobby/waiting area. workers looking for the support and networking (hourly, daily or weekly) of conference commute. Virtual offi ce clientele have the of traditional workplaces. A trend that has

SECURE, SPACIOUS & FULLY FURNISHED OFFICE TO LET IN PRIME AREA IN WESTLANDS With technology, you can work where you choose

6,350 sq ft. of office space offices available for immediate let on a By EVANS ONGWAE >>> [email protected] walk in walk out basis. KEY ATTRIBUTES: New products and jobs are being created have all that they need in an offi ce, at a part-time employees, some of whom • Easy accessibility to central Westlands, Waiyaki Way and through an unprecedented worldwide fraction of what they would pay to lease are less interested in going up the career Spring Valley entrepreneurial renaissance. Brilliant conventional offi ces. ladder and more interested in using and • Ample parking for staff and visitors university students are inventing the They are not alone in using these developing their skills. • 24 hour stand - by generator future and some already have developed facilities. While the cubicle-fi lled offi ce will with automatic switch over • Fully secure area with CCTV and products for specifi c markets. Today more and more employees are likely never become obsolete, technology access control Media keep highlighting these young using , virtual offi ces, • Outdoor verandah area makes productive networking and virtual • Access to shared outdoor people and their amazing successes. and technology to perform typical work team eff orts possible. This is by allowing facilities and garden Heedless of boundaries, possessed of activities. people to work where they choose new technology and youthful enthusiasm, Telecommuting is where employees and easily share knowledge, a sense of they build a new company from scratch. work at home all the time or for a portion purpose or mission, and a free fl ow of Their early success allows them to of the work week. ideas across any geographical distance raise money and bring an amazing new Today, technology enables workers or time zone. product to market. They hire their friends to work any place—at home, in an Although experts predict that the and willing family members, assemble a airport, in a hotel room, or even in an use of telecommuting, virtual offi ces, superstar team, and dare the world to automobile. Simply put: The ability to and technology will all increase in the stop them. use technology—computers, e-mail, A good majority of these innovators software, the Internet, and phones— future, there are certain factors to consider that can create problems for IDEAL FOR THE FOLLOWING: are based in Nairobi, the national hub makes telecommuting and virtual offi ces • Parties wishing to expand of higher learning. Some work from a reality. employees working in a virtual offi ce. their existing serviced offices Typical challenges include feelings of offering into new locations their homes while others use the offi ce Workers of all ages are exploring • Parties seeking to set up in the serviced offices sector spaces and services off ered by modern diff erent work arrangements, such as isolation and exploitation, working • International organizations setting up their Kenyan office or seeking to too many hours, lack of support from expand their offices business centres that ooze class. At this telecommuting from remote locations stage of their development, they lack the and sharing jobs with two or more managers, inability to access needed fi les Viewing: by appointment only during week days between 8 am to 5 pm. resources to hire or lease “permanent” employees. Employers are also hiring and information, and fear of performance Contact to arrange viewing: [email protected] offi ces. But at the business centres, they growing numbers of temporary and evaluations. Tel (+254) 718 923 313 Wednesday March 2, 2016 | BUSINESS DAILY 21

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION SERVICED OFFICE RENTALS IN KENYA

Productivity: Heaven or hell? Flexible working practices pose challenges and solutions ising numbers of people worldwide are now • Just 34 per cent of respondents say working from home is good opting to work outside the main offi ce for at for productivity outside the offi ce Rleast a proportion of their business hours. A although this rises to 63 per cent for recent report by global workplace provider Regus the lucky few who are able to invest in that surveyed 22,000 workers across more than a professional home offi ce. • Professional group or association 100 countries reveals that globally, 70 per cent of lounges score surprisingly low at professionals say fl exible workers have increased 11 per cent, suggesting that these compared with just fi ve years ago. locations are better for networking than for getting work done. However, while this is the case, productivity • Cafés, with their associated issues is being hampered by the diffi culty many fi nd of lack of privacy, unreliable Internet in locating a suitable spot to work in outside connection, and background noise, of the offi ce environment, with noisy and also score low at just 12 per cent. disruptive settings proving a real issue for busy professionals. Respondents to the survey A Regus spokesperson states: “Having the option to work from diff erent locations can be enormously benefi cial A Boardroom at Regus Eaton Place, Gigiri. Facilities such as meeting rooms are for many workers but the challenge is in Having the option to work from provided to clients for use at a cost with Serviced offi ces. fi nding the right environment outside of diff erent locations can be enormously the offi ce to allow people to remain just identifi ed the top productivity killers to professionals wishing to adopt a more as, if not more productive.” benefi cial for many workers but as traffi c jams (56 per cent) to get into fl exible approach to working, business “For those without a professional home the challenge is in fi nding the right the offi ce or to and from meetings, and centres score most highly with more than offi ce, business centres such as those environment outside of the offi ce to IT glitches (43 per cent) in alternative half of professionals globally believing Regus off ers, with their professional, work areas such as cafes. So where can these to be a safe haven for productivity productive working environments and IT allow people to remain just as, if not these workers fi nd a productivity heaven when working outside the offi ce (53 per security provide an answer, allowing busy more productive. outside the offi ce? cent). professionals the peace and functionality In fact, while many options are available Further key fi ndings: they need, when they need it.”

About Regus Toshiba and GlaxoSmithKline choose Village Market, Delta Corner in Regus so that they can work fl exibly Westlands, both in the PwC tower Regus is the global workplace and make their businesses more on the 6th and 7th fl oors, as well as provider. It has a network of successful. the Oracle tower on the 13th fl oor 3,000 business centres globally in The Regus network in Kenya is and the 7th fl oor Purshottam place 900 cities and 120 countries, and comprised of seven locations in along Museum hill, Westlands Road. provides convenient, high-quality, Nairobi, including the 17th fl oor The Landmark branded, Regus owned fully serviced spaces for people to ICEA Building on Kenyatta Avenue, centres are located both at the 4th work, whether for a few minutes or 2nd fl oor Eaton Place, Gigiri behind fl oor Cavendish block, 14 Riverside a few years. Companies like Google, on Riverside Drive and the 4th fl oor Laiboni Centre, along Lenana Road in A Regus Reception at Kilimani, Nairobi. Delta Corner The Regus network extends across in Westlands- East Africa with three centres in Dar- Clients get es-salaam in Tanzania, three centres access to in Kampala, Uganda and one business professional centre in Kigali, Rwanda. administrative The key to fl exible working is services, phone convenience and so Regus is opening A Regus Business Lounge at the Delta 2 Centre; Clients get access to answering wherever its 2.1 million members common areas and workspaces at the Business lounge once signed up and mailbox want support - city centres, suburban with Regus. services in districts, shopping centres and retail addition to the outlets, railway stations, motorway Founded in Brussels, Belgium, in Exchange. For more information, serviced offi ce service stations and even community 1989, Regus is based in Luxembourg please visit: www.regus.co.ke space they rent. centres. and listed on the London Stock 22 BUSINESS DAILY | Wednesday March 2, 2016