Viewing serviced offices is about more than just being wowed by the way they look. We have created a guide to help you make stronger choices.

It’s easy to get overwhelmed by visual information when attending lots of viewings, especially if they all happen on the same day.

Consider keeping a running score as you go around. You should pay close attention to things which will impact you day-to-day if you decide to take an office there.

Viewing serviced offices – guide for shortlisting

You can use the below printer-friendly guide to score buildings on things that matter:

What really matters?

You should consider six main categories when viewing serviced offices. We’ve split each one into four sub-questions. Grade each question on a score of 1 to 5, then tally up the grand total.

Do you have a clear winner?

Team:

• How strongly do you grade front-of-house / welcome?
• How big is the onsite building management team as a whole?
• Do people ‘muck in’, or is there a clear division of responsibility?
• Can you easily identify someone that works for the building management team?

Community:

• Does the customer mix in the building match your company goals?
• Is there a calendar of professional events that interests you?
• How strong is the social event calendar to bring tenants together?
• Is there a tenant app that helps you interact with other businesses or helps you make new connections?

Space, Light & Air:

• How crowded are the communal areas? Can you easily find a sofa or chair?
• Are you feeling cramped, or is there a sense of space overall?
• How many sides does the light come from? How big are the windows?
• Inhale and exhale… are you happy to breathe here day in, day out?

Aesthetics & Cleanliness:

• Does the design of the space provoke an emotional reaction from you?
• How thorough is the daily cleaning & maintenance schedule?
• Have a peek into the toilets. Would you be happy to use them?
• Kitchens and bins: is there a lot of discarded stuff to be cleaned?

Functional Layout:

• How easy is it to get around the building? Are you lost?
• Is there a balance between private, communal and open-air space?
• If I took this office, how far would I be from kitchens / toilets etc?
• How many times do I have to swipe an access card to get to where I need to go?

Technology:

• How much bandwidth goes into the building as a whole?
• How many broadband pipes support the building’s infrastructure?
• Is there a connectivity up-time service guarantee?
• How does tech support work and how can I access it?

As you can see, there are many considerations. So hopefully our useful guide helps!

Would you like help with finding the right broker for your serviced office search? Head over to our unique directory to help you choose right, first time.