Home --- Topics --- August 2023 5th: Where to set up office
Where to set up an office is an important issue for business owners. The future of a company can be greatly influenced by the location of the office. Managers should not choose an office based on what they like or don't like. In order not to make a mistake in choosing an office, it is important to consider the perspective of customers, employees, suppliers, local people, investors such as banks and venture investors, and the government office that grants licenses when conducting business. It is important to consider the local economic situation, maintenance costs, and, if possible, future prospects.
It is said that the office should be located close to the customer. If the office is far from the customer, it will take time and money to visit the customer. If there is an office near the customer, the customer may rather feel free to drop by.
It is also important to choose an office where employees can easily commute and work. Even if you recruit people, it is difficult to attract people, or even if you hire people, they will not last long and quit immediately. If you have such a problem, you may be able to improve it by changing the office.
Whether there is a convenient supplier nearby is also an important point when choosing an office. Just having good suppliers nearby makes a big difference in how easy it is to do business.
When choosing an office, be sure to research the surrounding area as well. Is it an office area or a residential area? Are there factories or distribution warehouses nearby? What types of companies are there? Is there a school nearby? Is there a government agency or administrative office nearby? Is there a commercial street or shopping mall nearby? Is there a dense area for entertainment business nearby? Is public transportation convenient? What about the availability of parking and the convenience of road traffic? What kind of people live in that area? Do you think you can communicate well with the locals?
If there is a school or residential area nearby, you may need to take preventative measures to avoid trouble with the locals if your job involves a lot of trucks or cars coming in and out, or if your job involves a lot of noise at night.
It is also necessary to review the office from the perspective of investors such as banks and venture investors. An office that is too splendid for its size, or a dirty and shabby office, may be negative from the investor's point of view. To attract investors, it's important to keep your office simple, clean, and branded.
Certain requirements may be imposed on the office (place of business) when conducting licensed business such as temporary staffing. If you plan to do some licensed business in the future, it seems better to choose a property that meets the requirements when choosing an office.
Also take a good look at the local economy. Is economic activity brisk? Is there room for further growth in the area?
Simulating maintenance costs is also important. Costs such as rent, parking, utility costs, communication costs, and transportation costs may vary greatly depending on the office you choose. Also, if the business expands or shrinks more than expected, whether the office can expand or contract flexibly is also an important point when choosing an office.
Where to place the office is an important issue for business owners. Never make a decision based on your preconceived notions or momentum. Consider multiple aspects and choose a better property.