Barrister Executive Suites wants to be the office space of choice in San Diego. The company just pushed out a press release on its full service office space in San Diego. Barrister’s message: our business is helping you with yours. That’s catchy. I like it. I am not sure it’s enough to compete in what appears to be a hotter-than-most San Diego office market. But then again Barrister didn’t stop its messaging there.

Barrister says: “Our full service office space is a cost effective alternative to conventional office space. Each of our offices comes with a range of services included with your monthly rent, saving you time and money. We provide the receptionist, answer your telephones, and provide conference and meeting rooms, in addition to with many other amenities. We even sort your mail and make your coffee. All of this is included at no additional cost.”

Barrister Executive Suites has three San Diego locations that promise a turn key solution for your office space requirements. The offices, for example, are already built out so you can move in right away. Like competing business centers in San Diego, Barrister’s locations come with a furnished reception area, kitchen/break room, and other common area spaces.

Barrister’s parting message: “We offer flexible lease terms and easy move in. We offer short term and longer term leases, full time and part time programs. If you need month by month, or annual terms, it’s no problem.”

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The story begins by stating how Regus had hoped the recession would drive new business as companies looked to slash office space costs. Then comes the “but.”

“But Regus has been among the multitude of companies that have been hurt by the downturn. Regus’s profit fell last year, as the recession put pressure on occupancy and pricing, and earnings are expected to be lower in 2010. While businesses are rethinking space needs, that hasn’t made up for the job losses due to the recession and the falling demand for office space in general,” The Wall Street Journal reported.

The article quoted Regus CEO Mark Dixon explaining that the serviced office business is not “plain sailing” and that the global recession is causing the company to lose customers. It’s a chink in the armor of a major executive suites brand, and could signal similar struggles from smaller privately-held companies that aren’t required to disclose their earnings.

At the same time, the serviced office industry is seeing a move toward virtual offices, which some feel could cannibalize physical office space rentals. Nonetheless, many brick-and-mortar executive office suites companies are rolling out virtual office platforms  to tap into the demand, hoping customers will graduate to physical office space.

One thing Regus has that some other serviced office companies don’t is cash – and plenty of it. The Journal reports that Regus has £230 million that could help it ride out the recession. Meanwhile, Regus continues to expand into new markets, preparing for the rebound. Dixon told the Journal, “We are always negotiating leases.” Since Regus works with industry giants like Google, GlaxoSmithKline and Nokia, it’s likely that these companies could expand their office space when the economy recovers.

I wouldn’t worry about Regus too much. The company learned plenty in the last recession that’s probably helping it make wiser decisions this time around.

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Office Suites PLUS just announced the grand re-opening of two executive suites projects in the Atlanta area. The company renovated its locations Windward and Mansell locations, both in Alpharetta. It doesn’t sound like a grand makeover. Windward office space got upgraded finishes while the Mansell project got a new high-definition videoconferencing system. But it’s an improvement, nonetheless.

James Baughman, Jr., president of Office Suites PLUS, says the company decided to invest in the upgrades in the face of recession because a high-quality appearance is vital to the brand and its consumers: “The renovation of these beautiful Atlanta-area facilities is just one of the steps we have taken to ensure that we do everything to provide our clients professional image regardless of the economic conditions.”

Marketing the Renovation
Office Suites PLUS is pulling out all the stops to get the word out about the upgrades – and leverage the opportunity to drive new potential clients through the door. The marketing program includes official “grand-reopening” events at both locations, including an ribbon cutting ceremony and an open house. The serviced office provider will offer refreshments, networking opportunities and facility tours just as if it were opening a brand new facility.

This is a smart strategy. I am not sure how significant the upgrades were in terms of a visual appeal, or how much money Office Suites PLUS invested in their Alpharetta projects, but taking the opportunity to introduce the community to its brand by sprucing up and relaunching the facilities should be a strategic investment in the end. I imagine some of the finishings were wearing old and technology upgrades were necessary to compete with other executive suites projects in the area.

Of course, the Office Suites PLUS brand is no stranger to the Atlanta area. Office Suites PLUS has projects in Class A Atlanta office buildings in Buckhead, City View, Duluth, Dunwoody, Decatur, Lawrenceville and Peachtree Corners. What bodes well for one location bodes well for them all from a broader Atlanta market perspective.  The company operates in more than 35 locations in nine states, making it one of the larger serviced office providers in the nation.

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The British Property Federation, or BPF, has accused the serviced office space giant of a “cynical move” and is calling for changes to insolvency rules. Apparently, Regus is trying to get rent reductions from some property owners at its “loss-making” sites” and even secure rent-free periods and get cash from landlords to fund refurbishment work.

The Telegraph reports: “The company, led by chief executive and founder Mark Dixon, has warned that if its demands are not met then the vehicles holding the leases could go into administration, leaving the property owners, which include some of the biggest commercial landlords in the country, with an empty building.”

No Peace with Property Managers
This appears to be a cynical move by a highly regarded company, and is the first time a part of the property industry has used such tools against the rest, according to Liz Peace, chief executive of the BPF.

“Landlords are caught between rock and a hard place when it comes to bailing out occupiers at the expense of their shareholders or facing the prospect of empty space and the costs that come with it,” she says.

Peace is most disturbed that, as she explains it, despite the cuts in margins Regus has obviously had to face in recent times, they have a strong cash position and a profitable business. Then Peace asks a question: All firms have suffered in the recession so why should the shareholders of property firms – many of whom are likely to be pension funds – be bailing out badly negotiated leases or underperforming parts of another’s business?

“We need to see the insolvency rules tightened up to stop this kind of abuse and landlords need to think about asking for some kind of clawback if they make concessions to enable them to obtain some benefit from the upturn when occupiers they bail out come back,” Peace says. “Any firms looking to use these kinds of methods to restructure should remember that the industry is cyclical and what goes around comes around. They could find it difficult in the future to secure they kind of terms they want when landlords are in a position to get tough.”

Regus Speaks Out
What is Regus’ response? Regus is holding its line on the matter. In a published statement attributed to a Regus spokesperson, the company said: “As we stated at our half year results in August the UK is the toughest business environment of our geographies.

“Like many other companies with operations in the UK we are seeking to regear a small number of leases. However we remain fully committed to our operations in the UK where we have approximately 150 centers. We will continue to grow our leadership position in the UK and are contracted to open six centers in the next two months.”

How will the story end? Will Regus make peace with Peace, the British Property Federation and the property managers in question? Or will the stir cause bad blood between Regus and its landlords?

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The global serviced office company just opened the doors to its first-ever U.S.-based executive suites project. The first location is (drum roll, please) Chicago. Servcorp is introducing itself to entrepreneurs and businesses in the Windy City at a location on North Wacker Drive in the West End of the Loop precinct of Chicago’s downtown business district. Servcorp will reside on the 42nd floor of a 46-story building on the Chicago River’s banks.

Should Regus be worried? Hardly. Regus has 15 locations in Chicago, and another 14 serviced office locations in Chicago suburbs. But this is definitely a sign that Servcorp is throwing down the gauntlet in the U.S. executive suites arena. There’s been talk that the company will open 12 new business centers this year. That’s a blip on the radar screen, but it’s a start. And if it goes well, Servcorp could be in position to expand much more rapidly in 2011.

If you visit Servcorp’s Web site, you’ll notice the “Find a Location” pull down menu now includes “Chicago, IL.” Here’s the company’s description of its newest location:

“Situated in the West End of the famous “Loop” precinct in Chicago’s vibrant downtown business district, the brand new 155 North Wacker is a prominent 46 floor tower, and an exclusive business address. 

Located close to major banks, businesses, finance and lifestyle amenities, 155 North Wacker is in an elite neighbourhood of high-end retail, boutique hotels and fine dining options. 

This highly-sought-after location is conveniently located on the northeast corner of North Wacker Drive and Randolph Street, and just minutes away Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) trains, Metra, subway and bus transport services. Servcorp’s 42nd floor boasts breath-taking views of the Chicago city skyline and Lake Michigan.”

A savvy Servcorp is offering an opening special. If you sign up for a virtual office online in March you get two months at half price.

Will Servcorp hit a homerun in Chicago? Or will driving brand awareness be a major challenge in a city where Regus dominates?

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Let’s look a little bit closer at what We Work has to offer from its newly-minted office suites project in the city that never sleeps. When we do, we’ll find the location tucked away at the intersection of Grand and Lafayette in Soho. The specific address is 154 Grand Street.

We Work clients have four options:

1. You can rent a virtual office space for $99 a month. This gives you mail and package delivery, access to a conference room and a Manhattan address.
2. You can also opt for hotdesk coworking. That will cost you $250 a month and lets you work in a café-like work space with high-speed Internet access and other basic amenities.
3. Climbing up the price scale, you could also choose a single desk workspace. You’ll get a desk, chair, filing cabinet and desk lamp in a room you can lock for $375 a month. You’ll share this room with two to five other people who also opted for a single desk workspace.
4. At the top of the heap, you can get a private office for one to six people. This is a full furnished and completely closed private office with everything but a computer. It will run you $550 to $2,400 a month.

A Unique Workplace
We Work offers many of the same standard amenities you’d find in most other serviced office projects. But there are some unique differentiators worth nothing. For example, the conference rooms are dressed with entire-wall whiteboards. The company also offers a podcast recording booth and a private phone booth, as well as fresh fair trade organic coffee every morning and aquavo ovpur water filters, a new book and magazine library, indoor bike storage and discounted zipcar membership.

Beginning with the Web site all the way through to the podcasting booths, this company has taken pains to put a different twist on the traditional serviced office experience. We Work even sets up events like “Thursday afternoon drinks” and book reviews. This community-oriented workspace is also concerned about sustainability, taking extra steps to ensure energy efficient lighting, using recycled furniture and donating to social and environmental causes.

All in all, We Work is one of the most unique shared office projects I’ve written about in the last couple of years. All that’s left is for We Work to get the word out – and I’m glad to help in that regard. If the company can communicate its uniqueness, then it should be smash hit office complex in Downtown New York City.

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There’s no specifics on the U.S. cities yet, but Servcorp did just open the doors to its 14th location in Tokyo on March 1. Servcorp chose to launch its latest serviced office project in the city’s Shinjuku skyscraper district. By way of comparison, Regus has 12 locations in Tokyo, and no executive suites in the new building Servcorp chose for its latest project. Servcorp settled in the Nittochi Nishi-Shinjuku building.

“We’re proud to announce Servcorp’s fantastic new location Nittochi Nishi-Shinjuku Building. This building has a striking blue-glass façade, complimented with magnificent views of Shinjuku City from our level eight floor,” says Olga Vlietstra, general manager of Servcorp’s Japan operations. “It’s the perfect location to establish your corporate presence. Servcorp is now in all the prime areas of Tokyo, giving our clients wider options to base their business large or small.”

According to Emporis.com, Shinjuku has been an important district for hundreds of years. It’s strategically located on the main walking road to Osaka, Koshukaido and has more recently become known as the main station for the Yamanote train loop that surrounds Tokyo. The Shinjuku skyscraper district was the Tokyo’s first major skyscraper.

Servcorp said the new office space in the Nittochi Nishi-Shinjuku building gives businesses that deal with the Tokyo government a prime position because the area is home to both the administration center for the government and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building. The commercial hub also puts clients within walking distance to Shinjuku’s largest shopping malls.

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That’s because in the face of layoffs, pay cuts and tax hikes, many Americans are more stressed out than ever. Unfortunately, it shows in work-life imbalances such as working longer hours trying to stay employed. So says a just-released Regus Group survey.

The Regus survey reveals that 35 percent of Americans have felt what they describe as an “extreme increase” in workplace stress in the last two years. But it’s not working harder or longer hours, necessarily, that’s causing the extreme increase. Nearly 40 percent cited fear of unemployment as the culprit.

I take that to mean that folks are working harder and longer in hopes of keeping their job – and that’s leading the stress and work-life imbalances. It’s one thing to work harder and longer to reach a goal, such as a raise or a promotion. It’s another thing altogether to work harder and longer just to keep food on the table. With fewer staff, remaining employees tend to have to shoulder more work – and if they won’t someone else will.

Remote Control Work
How does this all fit into the Regus angle? Flexible work arrangements. Regus reveals that many employees are afraid to ask employers for the flexible arrangements they need to bear the brunt of longer hours. I can see how this could create more tension in the workplace because employees need a break, some may be approaching burnout, and the overall company morale could suffer. That’s bad for productivity and ultimately bad for the business, which could lead to more layoffs. It’s a vicious cycle.

“One of the most significant factors in improving employees’ work-life balance is offering the flexibility to work remotely,” says Donna Scott, east region vice president for Regus. “Flexible workplace solutions allow companies to offer employees the ability to work full or part-time from home, along with a breadth of alternative workplace arrangements. By taking advantage of such measures, businesses will be better positioned to attract and retain talented personnel, increase overall productivity and job satisfaction.”

Boosting Productivity
The problem is so severe that Mrs. Obama recently urged companies to implement policies that will help their employees balance their work and personal lives during a visit to the Department of Labor. The First Lady also offered advice to employers to boost productivity through work-life balance, including offering flexible time, part-time telecommuting and paid time off. (Regus and other executive office space providers must have eaten that up.)

Regus says some companies in New York are responding to the plea for a more balanced, productive workforce. Scott is seeing more and more companies, particularly small businesses, taking advantage of the company’s flexible work arrangements. She concludes, “Having employees work remotely a couple days a week and using business centers that are located closer to where they live instead of traveling to the city not only improves morale and productivity, but also keeps overhead expenses low.”

Although this is a clear plug for Regus’s executive office suites, I can see some truth it in. The only problem is it’s an extra expense out of the company’s pocket. With so many companies looking to downsize the office space they already have, I can’t see them renting more office space they really don’t need. It’s all about ROI. If the productivity went through the roof at a remote business center, it might catch on. But that’s a hard case to prove with any consistency.

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VirtualOfficeSales.com bills itself as a centralized global online resource for virtual offices. It officially launched just days ago and its on a mission to help businesses find the right virtual office in the right place for the right price.

“Current online resources for office space have a heavy focus on serviced offices and there is a definite lack of resources developed specifically for the virtual office market,” notes Liam Murphy, Editor-in-Chief for VirtualOfficeSales.com. “VirtualOfficeSales.com has been created to fill that gap to become a complete online resource where businesses can find information, advice, reviews and listings of virtual offices.”

Growth of Virtual Offices
VirtualOfficeSales.com points to some statistics from “industry analysts.” Specifically, the company is touting the “massive growth for the virtual office market in 2010.” The company also points to industry analyst predictions that suggest the availability and ability to find good quality services at an affordable price will determine the amount of growth.

I don’t dispute that at all. Clearly, virtual offices present one of the fastest-growing opportunities in the alternative office market. I am always a little curious, of course, when folks cite broad generalizations from unnamed industry analysts. (If any of the industry analysts who are predicting this can stop by and share some specifics, we’d welcome it.)

Anecdotally, I can point to Davinci Virtual’s recent headquarters expansion in Salt Lake City Utah. The company’s stated reason for expanding was to accommodate rapid growth in the virtual office solutions industry. Davinci didn’t offer any specific statistics on industry growth in its December announcement but the company is clearly seeing an increase in the demand for its services.

Virtual Office Directories Rise
Generally, the growth of virtual office space has been attributed to the economic downturn and the cost-saving benefits of virtual offices. But when the recession is over, I expect this industry to continue growing at a rapid clip, partly because of all the media exposure virtual offices are getting and partly because this alternative to leasing office space is viable in any economy.

I also expect to see more online resources directed to virtual office space. Traditional serviced office brokerage sites like aBetterOffice.com, of course, help entrepreneurs find the best virtual office to meet their needs. But expect to see more dedicated online directors that target virtual offices specifically in the months ahead.

For VirtualOfficeSales.com’s part, the company says it has started with a number of virtual office partners around the world and will work to continually add new ones to the site in the coming weeks.

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So here’s the deal: The Boardroom Executive Suites signed an agreement to open a new executive suite business center at the intersection of Colorado Boulevard and I-25.  This makes serviced office facility number two for Boardroom. (The company also has a location at 3773 Cherry Creek Drive in Denver.)

The new center will be located on the 7th floor of the Denver CenterPoint I office building at 3900 E. Mexico Avenue. With 10,300 square feet of office space, the executive suites project will feature 25 individual offices, four 500-square-foot office suites, two conference rooms, advanced VoIP telecommunications, on-demand administrative services, and six virtual office plans. The company also offers meeting rooms and virtual offices.

A member of the Alliance Business Centers Network, The Boardroom Executive Suites chose a well-known location for its second venture. Denver CenterPoint I is a 14-story building located minutes from downtown Denver and less than five miles from the Denver Tech Center.  The building is also surrounded dining, shopping and entertainment opportunities, which should help The Boardroom Executive Suites attract tenants.

But The Boardroom Executive Suites is doing something else right – it’s using social media to its advantage. As I mentioned earlier, Nathan found me through LinkedIn and reached out, which is what got him the virtual ink you are reading right now. But Nathan also blogs fairly regularly on a blog entitled, “Denver Office News” which surely helps drive traffic in his local market. His blog feeds into his LinkedIn page (nice touch) and Nathan is also on Twitter.

Other serviced office operators could take a clue from The Boardroom Executive Suites and bolster their social media efforts in their local markets – and reach out to me through LinkedIn with serviced office news in their city (hint, hint).

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