Category: Blog

Co-working space

Co-working Space: An Ideal Work Space

With the advancement in the business industry, the number of startups and entrepreneurs have been growing rapidly. Many startups and entrepreneurs chose to work from a home office or coffee shop. But the problem is, do they have enough space, and does it provide a suitable environment to work? Co-working space is considered to be ideal for entrepreneurs and start-up businesses without having to pay high upfronts costs. According to an article from the Workloft, current research backs up the idea that co-working spaces are beneficial to companies of various sizes.

Co-working space unites diverse start-ups, free lancers, and remote workers in a shared working space on a daily, weekly or monthly basis. Co-working space offers various kinds of working space with different layouts such as open office, open office with cubicles, conference rooms or even private offices. There are several benefits of using co-working space such as:

Flexiblity and Cost Efficiency

Co-working space is flexible, and you have full control on what kind of environment you want to work. You can use the space when you need to, whether on a daily basis or monthly basis. You can choose to work collaboratively with other startups or chose to work individually on your own. If you like working in an open space with other startups and entrepreneurs, then a co-working space would be the best option for you and your growing business. With the emerging virtual assistants and office workspace, startup businesses and entrepreneurs do not have to bear expenses like office rent, travel cost, internet bandwidth, office equipment, hiring and training staff, etc. These spaces can be used at a very low cost for collaboration with the access to Wi-Fi, snacks, coffee and a desk. If you rented a traditional office space, you would be bound by a traditional lease, paying rent on monthly basis, even when they don’t use your office. However, in the case of co-working space, you pay for the space only when they use it.

Better Working Environment with Improved Facilities

Through working either collaboratively or individually, co-working spaces can inspire start-ups to be more productive and focused on their work. They can rent out private office space if they need to work in a quite environment, or conference rooms for business meetings with all the required amenities. Co-working space comes with everything you need like high speed Wi-Fi connections, enough desk space, and office furniture. In addition to that they also get to enjoy free tea/coffee and snacks at a co-working space.

Networking and Advice

Co-working space gives an opportunity to connect and communicate with other startups and entrepreneurs. Co-working space gives exposure to new entrepreneurs and startups by providing them a platform to get to know new people, build a network and learn about another entrepreneur’s journey. They can share their experiences and skills with one another and can learn about starting and running a successful business.

 

If you are considering co-working space, Officense is here to help. Officense has been well known in the Baltimore area business community since 2006. We provide businesses all the advantages of a large support system, without the usual expenses. For about 10% of the cost of traditional office, our members are provided with access to fully furnished Class A office space. You can avoid paying expensive monthly rent by instead paying hourly, daily or monthly your only what you need. We provide a range of office solutions for not only space, but also administrative support. Give us a call at (410)814-7500 to rent a co-working space, today!

 

Maryland Mediators Convention 2018

Maryland Mediators Convention
Plenary Session in Race Beyond Bias

Come to join us today at the Maryland Mediators Convention in the Doubletree Hotel in Annapolis, MD! Our team is a proud supporter of today’s Meditation Convention and partner with the Maryland Council for Dispute Resolution, a co-organizer of the convention. We are available during the entire event to discuss anything office space, phone services, or administrative support your firm may need in the coming new year. We had a rousing turn out for today’s Plenary Discussion on Race Beyond Bias, given by author & speaker Milagros Phillips. We hope to see you or your colleagues stop by our table in the exhibition hall, today. Enjoy the time at the Maryland Mediators Convention.

The Instant Virtual Office for the Busy Lawyer

Introduction

 Whether you’re a small firm or a large firm, lawyers are busy people and they are always on the move meeting with clients and handling cases. That being said, using a virtual office space can make running your practice both more convenient and cost effective. The convenience of using a virtual office space allows a lawyer to meet up with their clients to discuss the case at hand and also prepare for trial. Trial preparation can be quite extensive and can take weeks. Therefore, utilizing as-needed office space is beneficial to meeting with clients and having instant administrative support.

What are the Benefits to Having a Virtual Office?

The benefits of using office space include, but are not limited to, administrative support, receptionist services, and conference room availability. Even better, you have the freedom to either pay for office space on a day-to-day basis or month-to-month basis. There are major cost savings when using a virtual office space. Most attorneys don’t need to be in an office every day, so it’s both more cost efficient and smarter to only pay for only what you use.

You can come in to use the office space when you need to prepare for a deposition and the entire team can be in one professional setting. There are audio and video conferencing opportunities that allow for participation from everyone in the firm. Through our administrative staff, we can assist with setting up the equipment needed for these services. We can also assist by making copies of any important documents or simply providing catering and beverage service. When your clients come to meet with you, they will be welcomed by our smiling staff at the front desk.

The Takeaway of Using a Virtual Office

Essentially there are three takeaways from using a virtual office space:

  1.  You will save time and money only meeting in an office when you need it, and paying for only the time that you use it.
  2.  Your clients will be greeted and assisted creating a better client experience.
  3.  An onsite staff means you will have instant support available, without the cost of a full-time assistant.

instant offices

Every business owner knows finding intermittent office space can be expensive and time-consuming. Did your office catch on fire, flood, or is it being renovated? Regardless, you need office space fast. The loss of your physical premises can lead to damaging consequences. Customers may think you have closed or that your business is not real. This means lost revenue! As a business owner, you have three options: telework, a traditional real estate search, or instant offices.

Option 1: Telework

Teleworking can provide a quick fix to keep your business afloat, but it has some drawbacks. Your teams spread apart. The prolonged period of your squads’ separation can lead to idea stagnation and a lack of team cohesion. Collaborative environments bred creative solutions and team spirit. Teleworking does not provide, create, or reinforce these outcomes. Additionally, teleworking makes it harder for supervisors to effectively manage employees due to distance and a lack of face to face interaction.

Option 2: Traditional Real Estate Search

The traditional route of calling a realtor is going to be pricey and time-consuming.  Your realtor will take forever finding you short-term options. Short-term commercial office space will slam you with short-term leasing and commission fees. Additionally, negotiating a contract for commercial space means a lot of wasted time. Finally, this will cause undue financial hardship on your bottom line and waste precious time. Click the link to find out more.

Option 3: Instant Offices

Instant offices have the benefit of a quick setup, established admin staff, and other critical services like high-speed internet, printing, and conference space. With instant offices, you can choose a traditional office, co-working space, or as an office as needed. Also, the hassle of paying commission or hidden fees for your short-term office space needs are gone. Directly call, email, look us up, or drop by our instant offices to setup up your new office on the same day. Think about it; you could be listing an established address with a professional staff to greet your customers the very next day.

The Stress-Free Contractor

Contractor’s Conundrum

As a contractor, it can be difficult and distracting to answer calls while trying to get work done. You are always on the move travelling to multiple work sites, which can make it difficult to have time to answer the phone. Still, missing calls can mean lost leads and in today’s culture of instant access, customers often move on to another company if they are sent to voicemail. Unfortunately, for many contractors hiring a full-time staff to answer the phone is just not practical.

A Better Way

Officense Executive Assistants can help alleviate some of the stress of booking appointments and handling scheduling for your customers. For over 10 years, our company has been reliable when it comes to providing affordable call answering service for roofers, painters, HVAC pro’s, home improvement companies, and general contractors. Using Officense will allow you to focus on your business without worrying about missing out on potential customers due to lack of support.

With Officense, you can have a receptionist who filters your calls, and will only forward the calls that are important. Our skilled team will screen every call and you will no longer be frustrated answering calls that turn out to be a solicitor. Officense receptionists will not only answer calls from your customers, but we will also schedule estimates and appointments. Our phone answering runs 24/7, 365 days a year, so your customers will never get a busy signal or voice mail. For many of our contractor clients, we simply send text messages with caller information so you can follow up at your convenience.

Why Wait?

The Officense staff is ready to be of assistance and make your job easier! We don’t want your business to get in the way of business; and we also don’t want you to miss great opportunities to improve your company. Let us help to keep track of your leads and provide effective follow-ups! If you’re ready to have a live receptionist greet your customers and provide excellent service, call us at 410-814-7500, or click here for more information.

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Learn more about pricing and amenities by downloading our Private Office, Virtual Office, and Phone Answering Pricing Brochures!