Business Centers

0

Business Centers Let Small Businesses Run With The Giants

by Nigel Crombie

Smart, small businesses can compete against bigger, better-established firms.

How?

By using a business center.

Business centers provide furnished, equipped offices with support staff

on an as needed basis quickly and without a major investment. In short

time, a business center can help a small enterprise look big. More

importantly, business centers offer big company resources, and many

customers expect nothing less. Business centers also allow you to take

your office on the road in a professional manner, meet a sudden demand

for expanded services, and even help you test a new market

cost-effectively.

Entrepreneurs are getting more attention than ever, but that doesn’t

mean top executives and purchasing managers are going to be any more

sympathetic to a small business owner. People feel most comfortable in

familiar surrounding. The bigger accounts will be watching for any sign

that shows you’re not ready for their league.

Customers are probably taking a risk in selecting your products and

services, rather than staying with what they know. A prospect may even

be unhappy with a supplier, yet stick with them at least they know

exactly how they’re going to be unhappy, and can plan accordingly. There

is an undeniable appeal to this approach in a fast-changing world. So

you’re not only selling against the competition, but against the way

your prospect has always done things.

Still, by using a business center properly getting the most out of

your investment you can reinforce your key sales messages in a number

of ways. Establishing a comfort level takes much more than an impressive

address. How you can best use a business center to your competitive

advantage can serve as a guide for deciding which business center to

choose. It should leave your prospects with absolutely no doubts as to

your professionalism, attention to critical details, responsiveness, and

to your ability to adjust to their rapidly changing needs.

First, determine that you are dealing with an experienced management

team. There’s no hard and fast rule to how a company’s personnel should

be organized. What is basic, however, is having knowledgeable,

articulate representatives work as your contact with the business

center. They should be familiar with all aspects of daily operations, so

you’ll have to make only one call for prompt assistance.

Be certain of the breadth and depth of the support team. In today’s

high-tech office, support staff jobs are more demanding than ever. Ask

what the ratio of staff-to-clients is because a high staff/client ratio

results in better service. Compare that ratio with other business

centers you’re considering. You want to have a sense that a business

center’s administrative team contains a considerable amount of

specialization.

Finally, observe how the staff treats visitors. Ask yourself if you’d

like to have your customers treated that way.

Nigel Crombie is an independent Commercial Real Estate Analyst based in San Francisco.

No posts to display