How To Choose The Ideal Serviced Office in the Philippines
5/14/2019 | By Kyle Edriel Tomagan
Today, serviced offices have become popular with many companies both new and old because of how these spaces free up administrative tasks while bolstering productivity. The corporate advantage companies have by focusing only on operations and less on maintenance also provides cost savings, making serviced offices perfect for today’s fast-paced and highly competitive business landscape.
But with numerous private offices for rent in the Philippines offered by numerous workspace providers, clients need to look at several factors to secure the perfect office space for their needs.
Location
Location is always the first consideration for any real estate decision. Logistics, internet connectivity, quality of infrastructure, and even talent pools are linked to location, so choosing a workspace that checks all those boxes is important to most companies and potential tenants.
When looking for a serviced office for rent in the Philippines, certain locations are usually more strategic than others. Metro Manila is the obvious choice, given the volume of PEZA-accredited and LEED-certified office buildings throughout Alabang, Makati, Quezon City, Ortigas and other cities. What’s more, top talent in the Philippines and the different ISPs can be found in Metro Manila.
The three CBDs are the top-of-mind options for potential clients. BGC is perhaps the most popular office space destination, with multiple LEED-certified and PEZA-accredited buildings such as ORE Central, Sun Life Centre, Uptown Place Tower 2, and SM Aura Office Tower. Makati is also a preferred location, with modern buildings such as Frabelle Corporate Plaza, V Corporate Centre, and Rufino Pacific Tower.
Metro Cebu, on the other hand, offers cheaper office leasing rates but infrastructure and talent are understandably less than that of Metro Manila’s. Regionally, Central Visayas (where Cebu is located) collectively produces 61,000+ college graduates annually, which is considerably less than Metro Manila’s 143,535 yearly graduates.
Despite the large difference in potential talent, Cebu is still a popular office space destinations. Notable office buildings in the area include Skyrise 4 and Skyrise 4B, both located at the Cebu IT Park.
Other noteworthy business destinations in the Philippines include Iloilo, which has been named an IT-BPO Center of Excellence, and Clark, Pampanga which will soon have a new master development called Clark Global City, a direct answer to Bonifacio Global City in Taguig. As such, both locations also have quality office buildings, such as Festive Walk Office Tower in Iloilo and One Aeropark in Clark.
The Right Features
KMC has recently finished a study documenting what both incumbent and future employees look for in a serviced office. According to the study, one of the the first of its kind in the Philippines with two samples of respondents from across the Philippines, sample A comprised of recently graduated college students aged 19-22 and the second sample was of currently employed respondents already members of the Filipino workforce.
The respondents, both students and employees, all come from Metro Manila's top business locations which include Taguig, Makati, and Pasig. Out of the 200 respondents, 79% were Millennials while 31% belonged to Generation X.
Locations included in the survey, type of roles of respondents and other insights that will be release this piece will be used to drive sign-ups for the ebook, as a teaser.
- Large windows with a good panoramic view outside
- Green features such as indoor and outdoor plants
- Wide spaces to move around in, more spaces between desks to improve mobility
- Less clutter, minimalist designs
- Natural lighting
- Bright interiors with warm colors
Modern serviced offices need to adhere to these standards to stay competitive. While most flexible workspace providers are capable of providing offices with these kinds of features, few can help clients to customize private offices. When choosing the best serviced office, clients should also look for a provider capable of build to suit office solutions.
Coworking space is the best option for startups and small teams given the low rental costs and flexible work environment that it offers. On the other hand, private offices are ideal for corporates with medium to large teams that require a plug-and-play, furnished workspace for enclosed operations.
Strategic And Competitive Lease Terms
Flexible lease terms depending on whether teams are scaling up or down are important not just for startups that don’t want to pay large upfront costs, but for established corporations as well. At the end of the day this affects a company's bottom line and can often be the most important factor in determining the serviced office provider which the client could choose.
Most workspace providers streamline their services by offering fixed rates, but with the changing nature of business, flexible rates are a must now.
Modern businesses require modern office solutions. KMC offers serviced offices for lease that are not only pre-built to suit the tastes of today’s companies but can also be revamped. From customized private offices to made and managed office suites throughout Metro Manila, Cebu, Clark, and Iloilo,
KMC can provide the ideal headquarters for companies of different industries. For more information, click on the CTA below.
