What is a Managed Office?

A managed office is an ideal solution for today’s business owners.

What exactly is a managed office? Think of them as adaptable workspaces with access to essential amenities. They’re a flexible workspace option at a monthly rate, with reduced commitments compared to a traditional office lease. Crucially, they also eliminate the long-term commitment and other drawbacks of a conventional office lease.

The services typically include a staffed reception, telephony systems, high-speed internet access, IT support, utilities, security, and shared areas.

At Regal Court, our offices are fully furnished and prepared for immediate occupation. Our team can assist you in configuring the layout to match your requirements. Following this, they’re on hand to address any concerns during the tenancy quickly.

How Managed Offices Operate

Whether you are an entrepreneur or an established business owner, managed office space is perfect for your business requirements.

A conventional office space solution requires a substantial upfront financial investment, accompanied by a multi-year commitment to the location. Beyond the time-consuming and inconvenient office search, these requirements price many emerging businesses out of the market.

In contrast, a managed office is an adaptable workspace solution. The office space is equipped and ready for immediate use, with the adaptability to modify the layout to match your working preferences.

We will collaborate with you to organise the desk and furniture arrangement that best fits your team’s requirements, ensuring your workspace operates seamlessly for your business.

The procedure is significantly faster than configuring and furnishing a leased office.

There are numerous services provided as an inclusive feature of managed offices. This differs depending on the office provider.

The Regal Court Advantage

At Regal Court, we provide a staffed reception during business hours (9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., Monday to Friday) and access to meeting rooms and conference spaces. The facilities include VoIP telephony systems, high-speed fibre broadband, IT support, breakout spaces with kitchens, utilities, and secure round-the-clock access.

Plus… with our premium High Street location just 17 minutes from London Paddington, along with over 100 parking spaces and EV charging facilities, we’ve covered all aspects for contemporary business requirements.

Advantages of Choosing a Managed Office

Here are the main advantages of opting for a managed office rental:

Budget Transparency – Managed offices operate with a transparent monthly fee structure, which creates reliable financial forecasting for your business planning.

Scalability – Initial contract terms typically offer various duration choices. Office providers are often open to negotiating alternative timeframes. Space requirements can be adjusted up or down as your business evolves. Regal Court, for instance, features workspace solutions across four building levels, accommodating teams ranging from solo entrepreneurs to those with 60-person operations, providing exceptional scalability.

Administrative Relief – Managed environments eliminate the requirement for dedicated facilities management. This frees up your team to focus entirely on core business operations.

Security and Branding – While custom renovations aren’t typically offered, workspace layout adjustments and limited branding options may be negotiated. Complete security coverage protects sensitive business information while maintaining operational confidentiality and ensuring data integrity.

Perfect Candidates for Managed Offices

The primary audience for managed offices includes SMEs, startups, and companies needing moderately sized regional offices. For instance, the Regal Court business centre accommodates up to 60 workers in an office (with options spanning from single-person offices to larger team spaces).

Established companies may need temporary office space separate from their main facility. These might be for project work, as an office overflow workspace, or as a transitional space before a complete relocation nearby.

Managed offices do not need an extensive search, contract negotiation, or fit-out period. The workspace is equipped and ready to occupy.

Comparing Managed Offices with Alternative Office Types

When initially considering a managed office and other alternatives, it becomes clear that there are significant differences between managed offices, traditional leases, and coworking spaces.

Which suits your business best? Let’s examine them.

Serviced (Managed) Offices

Also known as “managed offices,” these are prepared for immediate occupation. Typically, there is adaptability to configure the interior space to meet your specific requirements. The lease terms are generally adaptable to suit different business needs.

The workspace provider covers the utilities and building maintenance. Meeting rooms are accessible. Also, there is a reasonable expectation of privacy.

Traditional Leases

These are long-term commitments, with a minimum of 3 years, and some landlords prefer a 5-year commitment. The upfront costs are considerable.

Locating a suitable office in a preferred location can be discouraging, especially with an extended fit-out period. A minimum of 12 months is not unusual to find, secure, and fit out a new office.

The tenant is responsible for providing utilities, lighting facilities, telephony installation, IT network and configuration, security, and other related services.

Coworking Spaces

As the most adaptable workspace solution, coworking spaces offer several benefits but also significant downsides.

Whether a hot desk, renting a day office, or a coworking space for a month, it’s all temporary.

These are shared working areas, which are noisier environments with additional distractions. They lack the exclusivity of a managed office and are neither brandable nor configurable.

What to Consider When Selecting a Managed Office

Several key considerations should guide your selection process for a managed office. These factors ensure alignment between your business needs and available options.

Strategic Position: Premium locations make powerful business statements. Client conversion rates improve when operating from prestigious professional environments. Superior transport connectivity remains equally crucial. Regal Court, for example, offers excellent Slough station connectivity (17 minutes to London Paddington) plus direct access to key motorways including the M4, M25, and M40.

Capacity and Configuration: What workspace size suits your current team structure? Is your business experiencing rapid growth requiring expansion possibilities within the same commercial complex?

Financial Planning and Hidden Expenses: Thorough understanding of complete office costs for your required space. This encompasses initial deposits, ongoing monthly fees, and any potential early termination charges.

Value-Added Services: Available extras differ significantly between providers. These include business networking opportunities, electric vehicle charging stations, secure cycling facilities, or other location-specific benefits.

Steps to Securing a Managed Office

The initial step is to establish your business requirements for the office space:

• An adaptable office rental for a fixed number of employees?
• Sales team members who visit the office only once a week.
• Or remote employees who’ll only visit the office occasionally.

Once the location is determined and you’ve chosen a business office provider, it’s time to make the final decision.

Before committing to the space, a managed office requires a walkthrough. While a virtual walkthrough is feasible when not present in the area, nothing replaces experiencing it in person.

Before signing the lease, ensure the duration aligns with your business needs. A managed office lease typically has a flexible duration, allowing for options to accommodate various business needs. If telephony, internet, IT support, or other services are to be supplied, these must be outlined in the contractual terms. Also, ensure that all other requirements, such as access to meeting rooms, breakout rooms, kitchens, and any necessary amenities, are also covered.

Request to see recent testimonials from tenants. Are they satisfied there? Were there any issues they failed to identify before signing their lease agreement?

FAQs

Is a managed office superior to a day office or a hot desk?

For businesses that require consistency, privacy, and excellent teamwork, a dedicated managed office space offers a significant improvement over shared workspace.

Is a managed office an excellent choice for a startup?

Absolutely. Startups require a flexible approach to office selection, lease duration, and location. Managed offices deliver these benefits without the upfront expense of a traditional leased office.

Do I still need an office manager when renting a managed office?

An office manager role remains useful to help streamline productivity, manage office supplies, and handle other essentials. However, it could be a part-time or shared role, rather than a dedicated one.

Conclusion

The office experience is enhanced through a managed office. As a professional solution, these offices feature a range of included services, nearby amenities, and other advantages. Office space is pre-equipped, with the adaptability to arrange layouts to match your business needs.

Regal Court provides office spaces across four floors with accommodation for teams from 1 to 60 people. Our reception services and comfortable meeting areas welcome new visitors. Conducting business professionally is effortlessly achieved at our business centre.

Please contact our customer services team at info@regalcourt.co.uk or 01753 910 900 to discuss your requirements or to book a tour of the facility.