MEDIA CENTRE

officebroker.com Business Centre of the Month: April 2012

It’s Business Centre of the Month’s second birthday and the latest award goes to Pioneer House in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, a business centre run by serviced office providers, DBH.

DBH opened Pioneer House in the summer of 2008, from which time the centre has continued to go from strength to strength.

Pioneer House offers fully furnished serviced office space on flexible monthly licence agreements. The space is modern and provides organisations with a professional but friendly base to operate from.

Services for Local Business

All offices at Pioneer House are equipped with telephone and data connections allowing impressed customers to occupy an office within 24 hours of viewing it.

The centre also has a range of impressive meeting rooms available for hire by the hour and the team provide mailbox and call answering services along with a working package for those customers not quite ready to take an office.

“We are delighted to have won the officebroker.com Business Centre of the Month Award,” stated Peter Belfield, DBH’s Associate Director who looks after the successful centre in Ellesmere Port.

“I am very proud of what has been achieved at the centre and this award which is based upon customer and prospective customer reviews is a real testament to the hard work put in by the team over the last four years.”

‘Ideal’ and ‘Exceptional’

Pioneer House has no less than 19 outstanding reviews to date, the comments ranging from ‘ideal’ and ‘exceptional’ to ‘first class’ and ‘excellent’. Not one reviewer has been able to identify a negative aspect to working at Pioneer House.

“We have a great location being just off Junction 7 of the M53 giving our customers fantastic access to the whole of the North West coupled with unlimited free parking and the modern office facilities means that organisations find it hard not to take space with us,” explains Siân Evans, Business Centre Manager at DBH.

“We offer high specification offices with a very professional image but have a real community feel within the centre, whether it’s being involved baking cakes for charity, representing the Pioneer House football team or just chatting in the kitchens, the centre offers something to all of its customers.”

‘Means a Lot’

Managing Director, Piers Goodall, had this to say: “I think that people have realised that they don’t need to make long term commitments when it comes to taking office space and the day of twenty year full repairing and insuring leases for SMEs are gone.

“Organisations recognise that they need to increase and decrease the amount of space that they utilise through time and the flexibility offered by DBH, Pioneer House and the serviced office industry is proving to be the most attractive solution.”

Mr Goodall goes on to say:

“To receive the national officebroker.com award means a lot to DBH and I would like to thank Jim Venables and his team who have been working closely with us, namely Gerard Richards, Alastair Maloney and Tom Stiles.

“I would also like to thank the customers who have taken space with us, plus the various people who have viewed our space and posted reviews.”

Find out more about Pioneer House in Ellesmere Port online at officebroker.com, or contact 0800 111 6 444.

Further details about officebroker.com’s Business Centre of the Month award are available here.

Stay Connected: Going Social with Your Business

LinkedIn is 10 years old and today connects around 150 million members worldwide. Facebook is 8 years old and has more users than there were people on the planet 200 years ago. Twitter is 6 years old and houses over 340 million tweets every day.

Since the appearance of major social media platforms in the early 21st century, the trend has grown from strength to strength, taking people’s money, time, interest and business with it.

But despite the daily proliferation of tweets, posts, connections and pins, people have yet to fully grasp the potential and the pitfalls of bringing their lives – and more importantly, their businesses – into the limelight of the social sphere.

Prepare your business for the new meaning of ‘being online’. Approach the task with the following 5 rules in mind and tread confidently, but with care.

1. Talk or Be Talked About

It is now a commonly held view among most if not all major players in the advertising industry that the biggest danger of social media is not being involved in it.

The message is that social media is a platform for people to talk – and whether you’re talking or not, you’re bound to be talked about. So it’s important to be there and spark conversations with your customers or partners, who may be out there wondering where you are.

2. Remember Who’s In Control

In the recent case of Phonedog LLC vs. Noah Kravitz, a court heard how a social media rep left his company… taking all the Twitter followers with him by modifying the account.

When thinking of going social and gathering your resources in-house, it’s important to make it clear that any social platforms you establish are as much the property of your company as your website, and that they reflect your brand and its values with equal importance.

3. Social is Interaction, Not Distraction

Social is all about company interaction with clients, partners and colleagues. It’s not supposed to be used as a distraction from your usual business, but rather as a place for people to comment on it and ask questions or share experiences.

Remember that the nature of the interaction varies depending on the platform you’re using. For example, among the top three, LinkedIn is professional, Facebook is shareable and Twitter is a great place to post your headlines and talk about them.

4. There’s No Such Thing as Negative

One of the biggest barriers to social media usage among companies is the fear of negative commentary. If you open yourself to opinion, won’t the floodgates open? Before you know it, followers could be pouring in to complain about your terrible service!

Well, first we’d recommend that you don’t provide a terrible service. But if your fear is becoming a platform for people’s negativity, it needn’t be. The chances are that conversations will be happening, negatively or otherwise, regardless of your social activity and having your own presence is the best way to control the conversation and answer concerns proactively and constructively.

5. Going On The Record - Permanently

It’s fair to say that there’s not really a ‘delete’ button in social media, as what has been seen cannot be unseen even if you remove it. The moment you set up your profile and start tweeting, posting, commenting or pinning, you hit ‘play’ and the internet never stops recording. So it’s vitally important to think before you share.

Be prepared for the 24 hour nature of the social sphere, the fact that the ticker never stops turning, the audience never stops listening and, even if you’re not contributing every day, there’s no such thing as ‘time off’ from being noticed on the web.

officebroker.com Business Centre of the Month: March 2012

Selected from a number of highly admirable candidates, officebroker.com’s Business Centre of the Month for March 2012 is Kestrel Court in Gloucester, managed by Pure Offices.

Kestrel Court is a brand new, state of the art business centre offering a wide range of serviced office spaces to businesses in the Gloucester area.

With 24-hour access and the latest connectivity, Kestrel Court is proud to offer flexible services to small or start-up businesses.

As stated in one of several 5* reviews, Kestrel Court is conveniently located and well-presented and benefits from excellent support and friendly management: an ideal candidate for Business Centre of the Month.

‘Above and Beyond’

A strong advocate behind this latest nomination, officebroker.com Account Manager, Ian Stanley, tells us why he believes Pure Offices Gloucester is such a worthy award-winner.

“The whole team at Kestrel Court – Steve, Sue, Trudi, everyone – are all brilliant, and really helpful,” says Ian. “This provider offers incentives for start-up businesses in the local area, and people who are looking to expand, which is also very important.

“But most importantly of all, the team at Kestrel Court go above and beyond in absolutely everything they do. They go out of their way to cater for all demands wherever possible – from the standard to the unique!”

An Excellent Experience

Underpinning its many impressive services is this dedication to customer service. Even if the team are unable to address a customer’s needs, they never hesitate to recommend others who will better suit their requirements.

And yet the business centre enjoys a current occupancy level of 76% and a wealth of positive reviews, proving that their services are more than adequate in meeting the needs of Gloucester businesses.

“Browsing officebroker.com’s listings, Kestrel Court in Gloucester caught my eye as it was modern and had excellent access, parking and communal meeting areas,” says virtual tenant, Mr Freeman of APF Limited.

“I thought that these offices would give my small company a real image boost when inviting clients to meetings or conducting training sessions in the purpose built rooms.

“I submitted my enquiry and I was contacted within 24 hours. Steve took time to listen to my requirements and explained to me the idea of a ‘virtual office’ which would provide me with all of the benefits of the building at an incredible price!

“My first impression of Kestrel Court when I visited was a very modern, clean, professional set up with friendly and very helpful staff. My whole experience since making my first enquiry has been excellent and I would have no hesitation in recommending this centre to any business owner. Thank you.”

Welcome Recognition

“We are so proud to receive this award,” says Steve Preston, Area Manager for Pure Offices Gloucester. “We believe our service goes beyond what is expected from a typical serviced centre and is representative of all Pure Office locations.

“We work hard to provide both a working and social community. Many customers choose us because they recognise that the centre provides the opportunity to grow their business in a professional environment that provides the opportunity to network with other companies.

“But we also try to make working fun! There are always events taking place such as art exhibitions, dragon boat races, cycle challenges and conservation efforts. At the centre you are likely to see a Kestrel or Buzzard nesting, or a Kingfisher swooping down to feed on an unsuspecting dragonfly hovering above the stream running through the grounds.

“Working with officebroker.com is an invaluable partnership, helping us to get the message out that Pure Offices is the place to be. We work closely with the team who know our area well, offer detailed enquiries and whose support has made this possible.

“On behalf of my team, I would like to thank officebroker.com for this wonderful award and look forward to many more successful negotiations. We would also like to take this opportunity to thank our customers, who have taken the trouble to tell us how much they like being here at Pure Offices.”

Find out more about Kestrel Court in Gloucester online at officebroker.com, or contact 0800 111 6 444.

Further details about officebroker.com’s Business Centre of the Month award are available here.

officebroker.com Business Centre of the Month: February 2012

Spring has sprung at last and here at officebroker.com we’ve selected our Business Centre of the Month for February 2012: and the winner is Calls Wharf in Leeds!

The beautiful period building at Calls Wharf offers modern, superbly renovated and fully serviced office space, complete with the latest technology and a choice of three stunning outfitted meeting rooms available for hire.

Offices on the south elevation feature exposed brick walls and river views for a unique look and feel, and with plenty of parking in a popular location, Calls Wharf is enviable office space for any local business.

‘A Great Centre’

officebroker.com Account Manager, Alex Williamson, who has worked with the Bracken Business Centres team at Calls Wharf on a number of occasions, had this to say about the centre:

“Calls Wharf is a great centre which always receives good feedback from clients we’ve placed. The quality of the office space and the work of Denise, the General Manager, is really helping to maintain market rates in the area.

“The centre basically offers a great product to local clients and Denise has so much knowledge about Leeds and the market, it never fails to benefit enquiring customers. The building itself is in a very stylish and popular area, so overall the impression is fantastic.”

Quality, Service and Integrity

A recent survey at Calls Wharf reported that every customer found that services either met or exceeded their expectations.

The best attributes of working at the centre were identified as the people, professionalism, location, services, first impressions, family feel, building style, atmosphere, staff and the modern corporate feel.

It is this formidable list of positive feedback and the consistency of service that helped Calls Wharf to become Business Centre of the Month for February 2012.

For General Manager, Denise McGeachy, and the rest of the team at Calls Wharf, the most important elements of running a successful business centre are ‘quality’, ‘service’ and ‘integrity’.

“Because of this we maintain excellent retention levels with our customers, but also with our staff which provides a huge amount of added value to all our customers,” says Denise.

'Thrilled'

“We opened Calls Wharf almost 4 years ago and we have established some great long term relationships,” Denise continues. “Calls Wharf is exceptional in its design and appearance, but it is also a superb place to locate a business.

“The entire team – both at Calls Wharf and Bracken Business Centres – are thrilled to become Business Centre of the Month.

“To be recognised by a significant business partner within such a competitive market is a great achievement, particularly as we are an independent provider.”

Find out more about Calls Wharf business centre in Leeds online at officebroker.com, or contact 0800 111 6 444.

Further details about officebroker.com’s Business Centre of the Month award are available here.

Eurozone Crisis to Impact Commercial Development

A chronic lack of funding combined with few advanced lettings is putting up to 53 million sq.ft. of potential commercial development in London at risk, EC Harris has declared.

Around 50% of 150 or more projects due to increase total office space in the capital by 2016 could never see the light of day.

But what’s causing this potential development collapse? EC Harris cites elements such as ‘diminishing optimism’ and lower overall funding available… and the Eurozone Crisis.

In a tightly-controlled environment, bombarded with phrases such as ‘austerity measures’, ‘massive pay cuts’ and ‘bleak outlook’, it is suggested that gun-shy businesses will be more inclined to stay put.

While this will potentially make a dent in the projected 25-70 million sq.ft. worth of office lease set to expire before 2017, it’s unlikely to do much for projects still in the planning.

Will the realisation of iconic developments, once designed to meet demand, eventually be threatened by fear of a global backslide into recession?

Report author and Head of Commercial Development at EC Harris, Richard Taylor, thinks the danger is exactly that:

“On paper, the development pipeline for London offices shows massive potential and investment. However, in reality the market is very different, with a large number of these projects unlikely to be delivered as they struggle to find pre-lets and external funding.

“To stand a chance for success, projects need to differentiate and create a significant market advantage if they are to maximise their chances of completion.”

Refurbishments are also recorded to have slowed down in recent times, as the rates of improvement to existing offices reached just 15% of total London developments in the pipeline – a figure which drops to 12% in the City.

But it’s not just a message of doom and gloom from EC Harris. The company follows up its report with a series of recommendations that could see future office space take-up rally against the recession despite the grim media messaging.

These measures, aimed at commercial property developers in London, include more flexibility to meet user and funding requirements, maintaining competitiveness in a more reserved market, and getting on with the job, as the sooner developments are finalised, the more likely it is that City businesses will be willing to jump ship for a new location just around the corner.

Source

Brook House: Business Centre of the Year 2011

Brook House, a Ranola Properties Limited Business Centre based in Uxbridge, Greater London, has been awarded officebroker.com’s Business Centre of the Year Award for 2011.

For those of you who don’t know, winning officebroker.com’s Business Centre of the Month Award automatically enters businesses across the UK into a draw for the best contestant of the year.

Our 12 fantastic winners from 2011 weren’t easy to choose from, as each of them offered a unique level of customer service and support. But, as the year came to a close, we steeled ourselves to the challenge and looked over 2011’s impressive selection...

And we are delighted to announce that the winner of 2011’s Business Centre of the Year is Ranola Properties Limited’s Brook House in Uxbridge, Greater London!

“Very Well Deserved”

Brook House was our Business Centre of the Month in October 2011, when we celebrated the people who worked at the centre, the services that were on offer and the stunning presentation of the building.

Senior Account Manager, Marcus Shelton, explains more about what makes Brook House stand out above the rest:

“Photos of this building just don’t do it justice; it really is a stunning venue,” says Marcus. “The friendly staff are an absolute pleasure to work with. Thanks to their approach, they’ve been incredibly successful to date, and have already kicked off 2012 fantastically with two new clients for the New Year.

“Competitive prices, high standards and fantastic staff make this among the very best in the Greater London area and for these reasons, and many more, the Business Centre of the Year Award is very well deserved.”

Brook House was initially refurbished in 2010 to provide space for 22 offices and then a further 19 new offices were added in 2011 to meet high levels of demand for its high quality, cost-effective office space under the capable site management of Centre Manager, Delia Baverstock, and Commercial Manager, Jay Dave.

5* Client Reviews

The Brook House business centre operated by Ranola Properties Limited has been consistently rated 5* on the officebroker.com website. Their most recent testimonial gives an idea of the impression the staff and services have left on enquirers.

Sam Baker of ITV Studios set up in Brook House Business Centre in May 2011:

“Having lost our previous accommodation suddenly and unexpectedly, Jay and Delia very quickly arranged for us to view this property and on Good Friday Delia came in especially to oversee the viewing. We were shown and offered various options to accommodate our production team and once agreed, arrangements were made extremely quickly and efficiently over the bank holiday weekend to enable us to move in the following week.

“Since arriving, Jay and Delia have been extremely helpful, flexible and accommodating in dealing with our various requests for additional rooms, additional parking, repairs and the sudden and various filming requirements that arise unexpectedly but so frequently in our business. Nothing seems to faze them and they deal with all requests in such a friendly and efficient manner.”

Various other clients have offered equally glowing reviews, referring to the Ranola team as ‘lovely’ and ‘flexible’ and the venue itself as ‘fresh’, ‘modern’ and ‘ideally suited’.

“A Real Sense of Achievement”

Upon receiving the award, Brook House Commercial Manager, Jay Dave, had this to say:

“It is a real sense of achievement for us to win Business Centre of the Year 2011.

“We would like to take this opportunity to thank officebroker.com, particularly Marcus Shelton and Andy Bilson and the rest of the team, for helping us win the award! Without them we would not have been able to increase the occupancy here at Brook House.

“We believe that our fresh, clean office space, level of service and flexibility have helped us secure and retain tenants on a regular basis and get us closer to that magical 100% occupancy!”

Find out more about Brook House online at officebroker.com or give us a call on 0800 9777 770.

officebroker.com Business Centre of the Month: January 2012

The results are in for 2012’s first Business Centre of the Month and the winner is the Forsyth House Business Centre on George Street, Edinburgh.

With 5* ratings across the board, the Grade A listed Georgian Forsyth House Business Centre has repeatedly provided a first class service to dozens of officebroker.com clients. The Centre provides businesses with a central location which includes access to local transport links and a wealth of nearby bars, cafes and restaurants.

Having worked closely with Forsyth House Business Centre on a number of occasions, officebroker.com Consultant, Alastair Maloney, has a first-hand experience of the services on offer:

“Forsyth House is a great centre in a great location. Forsyth itself is a very good provider operated by good people who are just brilliant on customer service. With a fantastic infrastructure that runs all the way through the business, Forsyth are first class at supporting a range of clients from small start-ups to major organisations.”

Forsyth House Business Centre was selected as January’s Business Centre of the Month thanks to the central location of the visually stunning offices, not to mention the wealth of services on offer to all clients. However, it is the role of Centre Manager, Heather Conkey, and Customer Service Representative, Debra Baird, which has set the George Street office space apart from the rest.

Project management specialists, Burnley Wilson Fish, have been based in the Forsyth House Centre for over 10 years. Senior Associate, Ken Brown, insists that the customer service provided is second to none:

“Heather and Debra are extremely helpful and go above and beyond the call of duty to ensure my business needs are met. Nothing is too much trouble for them.”

Dozens of clients have gone on to echo these enthusiastic sentiments, impressed not just by the qualities of the centre itself, but of the staff who operate the services within.

“My confidence (in renting this office) has been repaid many times over as the centre staff, in particular Heather and Debra, have been nothing short of first class,” says Paul Manson, Manager of the Vital Smile Clinic. “They could not be more helpful and regularly go above and beyond the call of duty to be honest.

“Finding the balance between being extremely warm and friendly whilst maintaining high levels of professionalism is easier said than done. Well, it’s standard practice here. On behalf of all within our company, I would like to take the opportunity to publicly thank Heather and Debra for running such a steady ship. I would highly recommend any company to use this centre.”

For Centre Manager, Heather Conkey, customer satisfaction is a vital component of the service provided at Forsyth House. The recognition she and her staff have achieved through this award is a welcome sentiment that reflects their culture of excellence.

“We at Edinburgh recognise that in a truly people-oriented customer service industry such as ours, where competition is high, to be recognised in this way is a tremendous achievement,” says Heather. “We feel very proud to have received this award as it underpins all our hard work and commitment.

“Building relationships with our clients, exceeding their expectations and treating everyone as we ourselves would like to be treated are our main areas of focus. The feedback received in our client reviews would indicate that this is indeed the case and we will continue to use this feedback to build on our success.”

Heather goes on to say: “I cannot commend highly enough the officebroker.com team responsible for the Edinburgh area. The team, comprising of Alastair Maloney, Alex Williamson, Daniel McLeod, Gerard Richards and Tom Stiles, go out of their way to provide assistance and support and are always on hand with advice and guidance. Their level of professionalism is second to none, as is the quality of leads provided. The team are always very friendly and approachable and nothing is ever too much trouble.

“I would not hesitate to recommend officebroker.com and being chosen as Business Centre of the Month by such a prestigious dedicated office space expert is a fantastic accolade, not just for the Forsyth Edinburgh team but for all the Forsyth Centres who work hard to offer the very best in customer care.”

Find out more about Forsyth House Business Centre in Edinburgh online at officebroker.com, or contact 0800 111 6 444.

Further details about officebroker.com’s Business Centre of the Month award are available here.

Graduating Workforce Sets New Career Goals

An international survey undertaken by financial auditors, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), has revealed the ambitions and desires of young people who have graduated between 2008 and 2011.

Over 4300 so-called ‘Millennials’ (the generation born 1980 - 2000) in 75 different countries reveal that, despite the state of the economy, it isn’t necessarily money that makes their world go round...

Benefits in the Workplace

It appears that coming of age in an economic recession has encouraged the majority of young people to limit their expectations of the world.

An estimated 72% of the graduating workforce has already sacrificed something (location, wages, industry or job title, etc.) for the sake of landing a job in a tough working world.

But once they’ve got that job, despite the rising cost of living, it’s not money that appears to inspire the Millennial mind.

Training and development has been voted the most valued benefit of office life, followed by flexible options to help maintain a healthy work/life balance.

In fact just 4% of respondents said they’d take more money in place of similar benefits and, while 44% were attracted to offers of a big pay-packet, wages aren’t considered the most important factor in choosing a job.

Long Term Career Prospects

Over half of the Millennial Generation are reported to be most attracted to long term career progression in new employers, although a quarter of those surveyed expect to change jobs often enough to have six or more employers in the course of a lifetime.

“Millennials want more than ‘just a job’,” explains Jon Andrews, Partner at PwC. “They expect rapid progression, a varied and interesting career and constant feedback.

“Employers need to work harder to understand this generation and appeal to their needs to make sure they keep them when market conditions improve. However, employers may also need to accept that a rate of ‘Millennial churn’ is inevitable.”

So how can employers keep graduates interested for longer? Well, accepting the role social media and the internet plays in the average Millennia lifestyle is certainly a start, as 40% gripe that their need for technology is not understood.

Three quarters feel that access to the technology they like makes them more efficient and 41% of survey respondents actually prefer electronic communication to face-to-face or phone conversations, which will almost certainly impact the future of the working world in some way.

What Does the Future Hold?

These latest statistics from PwC join the influx of related research into a generation that is currently flooding the struggling workplace.

As the first generation to grow up with technology, Millennials entering the workplace appear to be making demands that would have been unheard of by their Baby Boomer parents.

Crucially, however, the numbers have shifted in their favour. Not only will Millennials make up 50% of the global workforce by the year 2020, but they will outnumber their parents’ generation by an estimated 7 million.

Are we watching an inevitable shift towards flexible working contracts and social media allowance? Or are Millennials going to inherit a working world that doesn’t allow for technological reliance?

Source

officebroker.com Business Centre of the Month: December 2011

The final winner of officebroker.com's Business Centre of the Month Award in 2011 is Manchester's Imperial Court, operated by the Serviced Office Company.

One of two business centres operated by the Serviced Office Company, Imperial Court is housed within an impressive glass-fronted building in Salford Quays, Manchester.

Opened just two years ago following the completion of an extensive £2.5 million refurbishment, the centre is stylish and contemporary with a very high standard of space. The environment has been left unbranded and would appear to the outside eye as any other conventional office building; but what sets this centre apart is their flexible approach, excellent fit-out (complete with Herman Miller furniture), and the dedicated team of Tracy Vickers, Amy Richman and Ann Connell.

The team have impressed their officebroker.com Account Managers as well as Chris Meredith, Head of UK Sales at officebroker.com, who recently had the chance to catch up with Tracy at last month's BCA event.

"Tracy is just brilliant," said Chris. "She works really well with our team and is very committed to the centre, always working hard to bring in new business and maintain a high level of customer service for her clients. This is really paying off now as they have seen demand increase over the past year to the point where they are expanding their space and opening another new floor next year.

"As well as a very positive sign amidst all the economic gloom, this development and expansion is great news for both Serviced Office Company and our industry as a whole. Imperial Court is a first-class centre with a fantastic team to match, and they really deserve this recognition for all of their hard work and success."

The team has received numerous endorsements from clients who echo these sentiments, among them Phil Sheridan of POWER Engineers Inc.

"When POWER Engineers picked Greater Manchester as the location for our new UK office there was an overwhelming number of serviced office locations to choose from," said Phil. After visiting numerous office locations, he said that they eventually chose Imperial Court for its combination of "clean, modern facilities, great location and competitive pricing", adding:

"What really made the decision easy for us was the customer service. The staff is very friendly, accommodating and willing to go the extra mile to ensure their clients are well taken care of. They are continually looking for ways to increase the value they bring and the options and services they offer."

The retainment rate of the centre currently stands at 95% and according to Centre Manager Tracy, the 5% loss has only been down to relocation or funding loss by companies. She believes that this is down to numerous factors, the most significant being the professional unbranded work environment along with their exemplary customer service.

"Our clients are our business and therefore we always do our best for them," said Tracy.

"We offer a very high level of customer service to all of our clients and always have time for every person in the building, whether it's finding solutions to little problems or attending the office at weekends if there has been a problem, so that their businesses are not affected the next working day.

"I am very proud of our centre and the staff who help me run it," Tracy added. "We have worked hard for the past two years to get the centre on the map and occupancy increased, so it was great to hear that Serviced Office Company, Imperial Court had won Business Centre of the Month and a pat on the back for the staff."

Find out more about Imperial Court online at officebroker.com.

Further details about officebroker.com's Business Centre of the Month Award are available here.

2011 Round-Up

It's been a busy year both for officebroker.com and the wider serviced office community. We take a look back over the past 12 months to re-live the highs and lows of another eventful and successful year.

January

We kicked off the New Year by announcing our Business Centre of the Year winner for 2010, which was awarded to The Office Group's superb business centre, 3 Lloyds Avenue, for their "impressive" offering to clients, quality of space and the team’s "proactive and efficient approach". The shortlist was collated from all winners of our Business Centre of the Month Award in 2010 who were then put forward for the overall 2010 title.

January also saw the announcement of 2011's first Business Centre of the Month winner, which went to Orega's excellent Gatwick-based business centre, The Beehive.

February

officebroker.com attended BCA meetings in Manchester, Birmingham and Central London and followed this up by confronting several core issues raised at the meetings between office providers and the broker community. Among the topics raised by BCA members were unqualified leads, no-shows, enquiries for incorrect areas and brokers going out on centre visits - read our thoughts on these issues here.

February's Business Centre of the Month winner was The Old Rectory in Glenfield, Leicestershire - a Grade II* Listed office building with an "ultra-professional" team, according to officebroker.com Account Manager Craig Stewart.

In other news, we created our own YouTube video to introduce our team; announced the launch of the forthcoming City Focus series, which provide in-depth statistics and research on 7 UK cities, and embarked a day of paintballing and team building at Europe’s biggest paintball venue.

Finally, the results of a survey of 180 serviced business centres found that officebroker.com was given a resounding 'thumbs up' for service, performance and conversion. 8 out of 10 UK centres had found more than half of their clients via officebroker.com during 2010, with the team providing 62% of all enquiries during the year - which Chris Meredith attributes to our "straight forward, no-nonsense approach".

March

March kicked off with a landmark legal case involving officebroker.com competitor Instant Offices Ltd. The High Court ordered Instant Offices to delete comments it made on social networking site Twitter, which had unlawfully created web content by copying parts of the website of officebroker.com. The content was subsequently removed from their website.

On the subject of news, we launched the 'officebroker.com in the news' section of our website which keeps a track of all the online material published about officebroker.com, including appearances on such publications as The Telegraph, Estates Gazette, The Times, BBC News and The Independent.

The winner of our Business Centre of the Month Award in March was Liverpool Business Centre, located in the grounds of Liverpool Airport. Following a visit there earlier in the year, Account Manager Gerard Richards recommended the centre and commended the on-site team as well as their excellent offering to small businesses.

April

April was all about milestones. officebroker.com's very first office space enquiry was received in April 2002, and it was Jo Davey - who reached a birthday milestone in April 2011 - that made it happen all those years ago. Jo has been with the company since day one and according to founder Jim Venables, officebroker.com simply "wouldn’t be here if it wasn't for Jo", adding that she "has been the cornerstone of the business from the start."

April saw the arrival of the Royal Wedding and an unwanted Bank Holiday from officebroker.com's perspective, which MD Jim Venables says is contributing to additional "unexpected and unaffordable pressure" on fragile UK businesses. officebroker.com was open for business on the day of the Royal Wedding and encouraged others to do the same.

In other news, Fasset's Caswell Science & Technology Park in Northamptonshire was crowned Business Centre of the Month in April 2011; officebroker.com's Serviced Office reviews series was updated with Q1 2011 stats, coinciding with the launch of the new City Focus reports; and Account Manager Rebecca-Jane Strawford visited Landmark's new centre in Heron Tower in the City of London.

May

Account Manager Jade Edwards made headlines in May for receiving an endorsement from Dean Withey of London Stone Trading Ltd, who praised every aspect of his recent office search at officebroker.com. Dean said: "Unlike other companies, Jade never sent me to a space that didn't meet my requirements and never wasted my time," adding that she "struck the perfect balance between sales, professionalism and rapport... She went above and beyond what I believe her normal duty to your company would be."

Liz Yorke made an appearance on our News pages in May as part of the 'Spotlight' series; Gareth Smith joined the locals of Sutton Coldfield for the annual Great Midlands Fun Run, raising money for the Saracoma Trust; while Simon Jones received a stylish send-off from his officebroker.com colleagues for his birthday trip to New York.

May's Business Centre of the Month Award winner was Temple Court in Cardiff, a 19th century former synagogue which now offers a supportive business environment for start-ups and SMEs and an excellent level of customer service to match.

June

As part of a programme of office visits to office providers all over the UK, we send a post-visit survey to each Centre Manager for feedback on the appointment, how they value face-to-face contact and what improvements we can make in the process. In June we analysed the results of the surveys to date and revealed the overall findings.

City Spirit St Pauls, an independently operated business centre located in Birmingham, scooped officebroker.com's monthly award in June and won plaudits for running a "tight ship" and for their "excellent team, who run the centre and support their clients with very high levels of customer service."

In other news, Chris Meredith shared a few pearls of wisdom about sales and selling, and we took a light-hearted look at some of the more unfortunate website domain names which may lead browsers to misinterpret what they are only one click away from.

July

Ally Maloney made ICON status in July - officebroker.com's challenging internal award recognition scheme - and became only the second person to do so since it was launched the year previously.

With the publication of our Q2 stats earlier in the month, we put our Marketing Manager Simon Jones under the spotlight and asked him how the UK's serviced office market is shaping up. We also looked at cycling as a method of commuter transport and weighed up the pros and cons of cycling to work.

July's Business Centre of the Month winner was the lovely No.1 Cornhill in the City of London, operated by Executive Offices Group, which was singled out for its 'wow' factor, high level of interior fit-out and stellar service - described by one client as "total wrap-around care" which "exceeds expectations".

August

We delved into the wonderful world of Sarah Geary - aka Mrs G - who took part in our regular 'Spotlight' feature in August. Our news pages were also full of birthdays - including MD Jim who turned 40, and Chris Meredith - who were both lucky enough to receive a visit by officebroker.com's famous mascot, 'The Bear', who clearly enjoyed hoovering up all the leftover birthday cake.

Speaking of cake, we took a moment to raise the importance of lunch breaks during the working day - are you taking yours? - and reported on the impressive Taipei 101, the world's tallest green building. Finally, August's Business Center of the Month was Lester House in Bury - a lovely centre kept in impeccable order by Gaynor Stanley and Elana Solomon.

September

Rebecca-Jane Strawford made headlines in September for making ICON status - our challenging internal performance and recognition scheme - and has now claimed her place on the 'wall of fame' at officebroker.com HQ.

The online review facility at officebroker.com also reached a milestone in September by smashing the 1000 review mark. Since its launch at the end of 2009, the online feedback system has grown steadily as business centre tenants have chosen to express their views and opinions of the office space, with the overwhelming majority of reviews being positive and often of 3, 4 or 5 stars out of 5.

Finally Oxford's Prama House, operated by Clarendon Business Centres, won the Business Centre of the Month Award following a recommendation by Account Manager Dan Mcleod, who says that the centre and the team are simply "fantastic".

October

In October we released our Q3 2011 update of the Serviced Office Review and City Focus reports, and kicked off the first in a new regular blog series, the Insider Weekly. The blog delves into the lives of the officebroker.com team outside of the 9-5 and shares their shenanigans with the world every Friday afternoon. Keep up with the Insider Weekly here.

Becci Strawford made officebroker.com history by becoming the first ever double ICON, having smashed her targets to reach ICON two months running, and October also saw the results of officebroker.com's Green Office Survey, which suggests that one of the biggest factors holding companies back from improving their green credentials is a lack of finances.

Elsewhere on our news pages we launched the first of a 6-part 'Profile' series, which analysed the fame and fortunes of six major businesspeople. October's Profiles included property and entertainment figurehead Donald Trump, and well-known business expert and TV celebrity, Lord Alan Sugar. October was also remembered for the infamous Blackberry blackout, which left millions of frustrated users without access to email and messaging services.

Finally, October's Business Centre of the Month winner was the independently operated Brook House in Uxbridge, managed by Ranola Properties Ltd, a stylish and contemporary base offering an excellent standard of office space and an outstanding customer support team.

November

Better known as 'Movember', the month of November brought forth a series of hairy upper lips and neglected razors in the name of charity - and seven officebroker.com employees took part to help raise much-needed cash for men's health initiatives.

The BCA's annual awards evening took place in November, and our very own Becci Strawford - who was named the first double ICON at officebroker.com in October - scooped the award for Broker Representative 2011. According to officebroker.com Head of Sales Chris Meredith, what Becci brings to the table is "exceptional", adding: "The BCA judges summed Becci up perfectly - she is exactly what a broker should be and an example to everyone in the serviced office industry."

Continuing the award theme, MWB's superb Knightsbridge property won officebroker.com's Business Centre of the Month title in November, and a number of individuals from the serviced office community were singled out by officebroker.com as 'Sales Stars' - those who work hard to help us find the best and most suitable arrangements for the client. We named them and sent a little gift in the post by way of a special 'thank you'.

Elsewhere on the blog in November, we rounded up our 'Profile' series by delving into the business lives of Sir Richard Branson, Mark Zuckerberg, Sir Philip Green and Michelle Mone, before releasing the results of a survey conducted by officebroker.com that saw how ruthless office workers would rather see a colleague lose their job than take a pay cut.

December

What a year it's been! December is now here and our very last Business Centre of the Month winner of 2011 has been decided - but you'll have to wait until next week to find out who won! We’ll also be announcing our overall Business Centre of the Year 2011 in January - so keep an eye on the officebroker.com blog for further details over the coming weeks.

How did your 2011 pan out and what are you hoping for in 2012? Leave your comments in the box below.

officebroker.com: The Insider Weekly

Join us every Friday with the Insider Weekly - and find out what the team gets up to outside of the 9-5.

Everything you ever wanted to know about the officebroker.com team, but were afraid to ask...

The Insider Weekly is a blog post that's all about the people of officebroker.com, but not as you know them. Published every Friday, the Insider Weekly blog is an excuse for us to pick the brains of the OB people and find out what they're getting up to outside of work - whether it's good, bad or just plain ugly.

Naturally, we then share the news with the world via our blog, giving you the chance to get to know the people of officebroker.com that little bit better.

So don't forget to check up on the blog every Friday afternoon for the latest instalment, and to join in with your own news or mishaps, leave a comment on the blog or email us on news@officebroker.com.

You can also email us to get on the distribution list and have the Insider Weekly delivered to your inbox every Friday.

December 2011

#10) Friday 16th December: The Insider Weekly: The Insider Weekly: Festive Frolics & Cats in Hats

#9) Friday 9th December: The Insider Weekly: The OB Movember Result, Gin & a Onesie Party

#8) Friday 2nd December: The Insider Weekly: It’s All About Christmas Trees

November 2011

#7) Friday 25th November: The Insider Weekly: Dungeons & Dickens

#6) Friday 18th November: The Insider Weekly: Gluhwein, Bulldogs & The Darkness

#5) Friday 11th November: The Insider Weekly: Mo Bros, Tin Tin & Sirius Black's Tache

#4) Friday 4th November: The Insider Weekly: Hellboy, UFC & Fireworks

October 2011

#3) Friday 28th October: The Insider Weekly: Bangers, Miss World & Whitney Houston

#2) Friday 21st October: The Insider Weekly: Tiggers, Apes & (Chicago) Bears

#1) Friday 14th October: The Insider Weekly: Camping in October?

officebroker.com Business Centre of the Month: November 2011

MWB Business Exchange has won November's Business Centre of the Month Award with their superb location in Knightsbridge.

A company that needs no introduction, MWB Business Exchange is one of the largest serviced office providers in the UK with a prestigious portfolio of business centres providing over 18,000 workstations, the majority of which are located in Central and Greater London.

Pictured right: General Manager of MWB, Mark Grant, with Matt Fielden (2nd from left) and Paul Swift (far right), receiving the Business Centre of the Month Award from officebroker.com's Head of Sales, Chris Meredith, & Simon Jones.

November’s Business Centre of the Month Award winner is MWB's prestigious Knightsbridge location, a top of the range business centre based within a period property dating back to 1910 that was formerly home to the 4-star Basil Street Hotel. Elegant, stylish and exuding class at every level, the building has been sympathetically refurbished and the office space conforms to the highest of standards.

Central London Account Manager Rebecca-Jane Strawford nominated the centre based on the efficient working relationship she has with the team, their high level of fit-out and the consistently positive feedback she receives from clients about the Knightsbridge location.

Following a recent visit to the centre she described the space as "boutique high-end offices" and praised the "dedicated and committed team" who look after their clients with attentive but non-intrusive service. "They have penthouse space and even their own personal concierge service," she added.

Rebecca's sentiments are echoed by clients who have visited or relocated to the centre.

One client wrote to thank the team for their "kind hospitality and professional service", while Alka Patel from Asante Capital Group LLP said that the offices are "professionally run, creating an excellent working environment", adding: "We have found the staff to be extremely helpful and very friendly with a consistent standard of service provided throughout, from reception staff to finance department."

Chris Meredith, head of UK Sales at officebroker.com, selected the centre as this month's winner for a number of reasons but in particular because he was particularly impressed with the efficient nature of the Knightsbridge staff, as well as the wider MWB sales team.

"They're always very efficient and our London team have developed a very strong and productive relationship with the MWB team, meaning that communications flow freely and our clients get the best possible result quickly and easily. They always provide feedback promptly and will work with the client to accommodate their requirements.

"MWB Knightsbridge is a classic example of how it's done," he added. "Well done guys - you deserve it!"

This ethos is shared by MWB and according to Mark Grant, General Manager at MWB Business Exchange, this level of communication is vital to ensure that clients have the best possible experience and ultimately find the most suitable workplace for their business.

He says it is also a reflection of the "great working relationship" that MWB share with the officebroker.com team.

"Our regular communication and close relationship with the team at officebroker.com ensures that the client journey is an easy one, with everyone involved aiming to exceed the client's expectations in a friendly, professional and efficient manner," said Mark.

"We aim to be the most desirable provider in this area by ensuring our clients' experience from enquiry to move-in and beyond is attentive, above expectation and consistent in putting their business at the forefront of everything we do."

Commenting on receiving the award, he added: "This is a fantastic accolade from one of our key business partners and we're delighted to receive this recognition. It compliments feedback from our existing clients and confirms our position as a key provider within the Knightsbridge and West End serviced office market.

"Our Basil Street property delivers an exceptional balance of quality, professionalism and value within this high end market and our dedication to service and attention to detail makes this centre an example of 'excellence' within the industry."

The Knightsbridge centre is also part of MWB's new 'Signature Office' scheme, an initiative that responds to clients' wishes to take control of their space and 'wow' their visitors, by allowing them to design and create their own bespoke space. The approach brings a new level of flexibility to the Knightsbridge centre and enables clients to break out of the 'one size fits all' approach. Read more about the new Signature Office scheme here.

As Business Centre of the Month winner in November 2011, the Knightsbridge centre will receive a free Video courtesy of officebroker.com along with a certificate, award logo and homepage promotion.

Find out more about MWB - Knightsbridge online at officebroker.com, or contact 0800 111 6 444.

Further details about officebroker.com's Business Centre of the Month award is available here.

Top 5 Tips: Get More Out of Us

Office providers: Get more out of the officebroker.com service with this Top 5 Guide.

Did you know that we write unique descriptions for every office building? Or that we have a marketing team dedicated to our office providers? Find out more in this Top 5 Guide to getting more out of officebroker.com.

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1) Take Control of Your Building Profile

When was the last time you checked your officebroker.com profile? Are your photos up to scratch? Have you added new services or facilities recently? Check your profile and if you wish to make any changes, you can either log-in and make amendments yourself, or contact our Marketing team who will action the changes for you.

Marketing can help with:

>> Profile amendments - description, list of services, photos, transport details;

>> Adding new centres;

>> Change of ownership;

>> Removing a centre.

Contact Marketing: marketing@officebroker.com | 0870 112 3667 (opt 2)

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2) Grow your Market Knowledge

Keep tabs on your region's performance in the serviced industry by reading our free market reports. Both the 'Serviced Office Review' and 'City Focus' series are updated quarterly and are available to view or download for free via our Knowledge Centre page. The reports feature detailed information including average workstation costs, license lengths and deal trends across the UK.

Visit the Knowledge Centre.

If you are planning an expansion, launching a new location or if you need to explore the market in greater detail, try our Insight Report service. Download a free sample here and if you like what you see, speak to our Marketing Manager Simon Jones for further information.

Contact Simon Jones: simon.jones@officebroker.com | 0870 112 3667 (opt 2)

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3) Pictures Speak Louder...

... and videos speak louder still. Bring your building to life and give potential clients a detailed insight to your property with a video. Professionally filmed, edited and matched with a voiceover, our Video Listing represents great value for money and also comes with a guaranteed top 10 listing on the officebroker.com search results.

View some examples here:

>> Birmingham

>> Leeds

>> Glasgow

Contact Jo Davey: jo.davey@officebroker.com | 0844 412 8709

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4) Endorsements

Customer reviews are everywhere - you only have to look at eBay or Amazon to see that customer feedback is now a huge part of the online marketing experience. According to a YouGov survey last year, 81% of consumers use reviews when shopping online.

It's easy to add endorsements to your officebroker.com profile page, as it comes with a free built-in client feedback system. All you have to do is steer your clients towards the orange 'Write your own review' button and you're well on your way to enriching your profile with positive, unique feedback straight from the horse's mouth - the best form of marketing there is.

How to write a review:

>> Go to your officebroker.com profile page;

>> Scroll down and click the orange 'Write your own review' button;

>> Fill in the online form and click 'Submit';

>> The feedback goes through an approval process, and is then published.

Contact Jo Disney: joanna.disney@officebroker.com | 0870 112 3667 (opt 2)

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5) Become an Award Winner

Fancy referring to your centre as an "award-winning" building?

Impress your clients, gain a little extra positive PR and bag yourself a free Video Listing by winning our Business Centre of the Month Award. We don't care how big or small your centre is, whether you're an independent or part of a chain. If you've got great customer service, a strong business community and an all-round positive environment for clients, then tell us how good your centre is by entering our Award.

Read the guidelines and criteria here.

Contact Jo Disney: joanna.disney@officebroker.com | 0870 112 3667 (opt 2)

officebroker.com Business Centre of the Month: October 2011

Brook House in Uxbridge, an independent centre operated by Ranola Properties Ltd, scooped officebroker.com's Business Centre of the Month Award in October 2011.

Stylish and contemporary, Brook House is located in the heart of Uxbridge and provides a top-flight work environment for clients with exceptional support from the on-site management team.

Following a recent refurbishment, the centre has attracted higher levels of demand and as a result, a further 19 new offices were constructed - which are now filling fast.

According to officebroker.com's Marcus Shelton, who visited the centre earlier this month, the centre is smart, professional and of the very highest standards, offering a superb yet cost effective option to clients and befitting a Business Centre of the Month Award winner.

"It's easily one of the best in the area," said Marcus, following his visit to the centre earlier this month. "High standards, ultra-modern, unbranded, ample parking... they've got it all, and friendly staff who are all lovely and will happily bend over backwards to accommodate clients in any way."

"What more can I say?" he added. "Can we move there?"

The team consists of Commercial Manager Jay Dave and Centre Manager Delia Baverstock (pictured right), and it is their commitment to their clients that not only helped the centre to secure this month’s award, but also leads to a successful business environment with content, long-term clients.

A number of clients have volunteered feedback on their tenancy at Brook House, including Sam Baker from ITV Studios, who says that the customer service and assistance offered is "extremely helpful, flexible and accommodating".

When Sam's team had to move suddenly and unexpectedly from their previous office, she says that the Brook House staff reacted quickly and Delia even came in on Good Friday to meet Sam and oversee the viewing.

"Arrangements were made extremely quickly and efficiently over the Bank Holiday weekend," she said. "That service at such short notice was impressive. Since arriving, Jay and Delia have been extremely helpful, flexible and accommodating in dealing with our various requests and the filming requirements, that arise unexpectedly but so frequently in our business.

"Nothing seems to faze them and they deal with all requests in such a friendly and efficient manner," she added.

So committed are the team that, according to Commercial Manager Jay Dave, it doesn't stop at weekends or Bank Holidays. "We've come to the rescue in our pyjamas on a couple of notable occasions!" he said.

Commenting on the relationship with their clients, he added: "We know every person in our properties by name, and we're more than happy to do whatever it takes to help them develop the perfect working environment.

"We get a real sense of satisfaction seeing our clients grow and expand their operations, and we're not averse to rolling our sleeves up to help them with the physical aspects of business growth - rather than moving on, most of our clients simply expand their space as and when they need to."

Commenting on becoming officebroker.com's Business Centre of the Month Award winner in October, he added:

"We are delighted to be named Business Centre of the Month. Ranola Properties Ltd is a small independent centre operating in a competitive market. We have various sized companies at Brook House, we treat everybody the way we'd like to be treated ourselves and we're totally dedicated to looking after our clients.

"You can't get much better customer service than that."

Find out more about Brook House online at officebroker.com, or contact 0800 111 6 444.

Further details about officebroker.com's Business Centre of the Month Award are available here.

Office Space Reviews Reach 1000 Milestone

officebroker.com's online feedback facility reached a milestone in September, with the addition of the 1000th review.

Since its launch at the end of 2009, the online review system has grown in popularity as clients and business centre tenants have taken advantage of the facility to express their views and opinions of the office space.

The overwhelming majority of reviews have been mainly positive, with clients often assigning an overall rating of 3, 4 or 5 stars out of 5 and accompanying this score with pleasing comments.

One of the recurring themes of the feedback is the quality of service, with reviewers regularly praising business centre staff for their care and support.

"Everywhere you look - whether you're buying DVDs or booking a holiday - you're now faced with feedback from past customers and in many cases, consumers now actively look for feedback from total strangers before committing to buy," said Liz Yorke, Head of Global Operations at officebroker.com.

"It was a natural step for us to launch our own review platform back in 2009, and since then it has grown massively. We get reviews from clients up and down the country, some who have toured an office or used a meeting room, while others have gone on to take space and then write a review based on early experiences in their new office.

"We do get some poor feedback - it's inevitable - but we always pass this onto the office provider as it's often constructive and something that they can work on. Even so, the vast majority of the feedback we get is positive which is a great reflection of the industry."

The 1000th review came from Anita Harris of Advocating Excellence, who toured a business centre in Lichfield following a recommendation from officebroker.com's Kaz Yaqub, and gave it the full five out of five rating. Writing her review after the tour, she said that the offices had a "lovely buzz" and paid particular attention to the staff.

"I recently toured a couple of offices here," she said. "There is a warm welcome from the reception staff as soon as you enter. Guy Gibson the facilities manager was friendly, informative and has been extremely helpful throughout the process.

"The whole building is lovely - modern, bright and airy with lots of green space around it and Lichfield town centre just next door."

Positive client reviews are now a prerequisite for any office provider wishing to enter officebroker.com's Business Centre of the Month Award, with the criteria calling for at least three client reviews and supporting case studies of good customer service from the on-site team.

The online review form can be found on every building profile page on officebroker.com via the orange 'Write your own review' button, and over recent months improvements have been made to the online form to make it quicker and easier to use.

This has helped to encourage yet more reviews and as a result, feedback is sent on a daily basis. Up to a dozen reviews can be received in any one day which just goes to show how the importance of honest, genuine feedback certainly is catching on across the industry.

Read Anita's review in full here.

Related articles:

• officebroker.com Business Centre of the Month Award
• officebroker.com Launches Online Customer Reviews
• officebroker.com Reaches Office Review Milestone

officebroker.com Business Centre of the Month: September 2011

Prama House in north Oxford has won officebroker.com's Business Centre of the Month Award in September 2011.

Operated by Clarendon Business Centres, which manage 11 business centres around Oxford and the South East, Prama House is a popular serviced office property and the company's flagship location.

The business centre joined the officebroker.com portfolio back in 2006 and offers a professional work environment in the Summertown district of Oxford, just north of the city centre. The space is contemporary and stylish, supported by an efficient in-house team who are "fantastic", according to officebroker.com Account Manager Daniel Mcleod.

"I love working with Clarendon - all the girls across the centres are fantastic and I have a great relationship with them, especially Leah and Ammisha who are so helpful," he said.

The centre has built an excellent reputation and is rarely less than fully occupied, which Dan says is a "huge testament" to the Oxford team and "just goes to show the professionalism and quality" of the centre.

"Area Manager Natasha (who cracks the whip) is proactive and an absolute joy to deal with - she is also very approachable which has enabled us to build a fun yet professional relationship," he said. "Even on Natasha's days off I can still contact her by mobile which enables me to provide a more professional service to my clients.

"A massive thumbs up. Keep pushing the boundaries guys!"

Chris Meredith, Head of UK Sales at officebroker.com and award judge, echoed Dan's sentiments and said that he singled out Clarendon for their proactive approach and prompt feedback, as well as the huge steps they have taken to building a strong relationship with the officebroker.com team.

"Led by Natasha, the Clarendon team have worked incredibly hard over the past few months to build a solid relationship and improve the way we do business together," said Chris.

"They have taken the time to get to know their Account Managers and they now share a great working relationship, helping us to do more deals together over the past year and to close those deals quicker. This is a fantastic achievement and they thoroughly deserve this award. Well done guys - keep it up!"

A number of clients have recommended Prama House via officebroker.com's online review and feedback system, expressing their satisfaction of both their office space and the high level of service they receive from the on-site management team.

Among those who have praised the business centre is Simon Fisher, who runs property company Simon Fisher Residential Letting & Property Management. Come December he will have been in Prama House for five years, and is as content today as he was when he first moved in.

"The set-up is still as impressive as the day that I walked in, and I am permanently reminded of this by the comments of the vast majority of visitors who come to my office," he said. "Candy and her team continue to excel and over-deliver on my expectations!"

Commenting on winning officebroker.com's Business Centre of the Month Award in September 2011, Area Manager Natasha believes that the "exceptional customer care" offered by the team have set them apart.

"When people ask me why they should choose Clarendon I have no hesitation saying that we will do everything possible to ensure that we not only meet but exceed client expectations," she said. "We have clients that have been with us for over 10 years and this clearly supports our claims.

"As Clarendon continues to grow at the speed it is we ensure that all new team members understand the ethos of our company and I am delighted that this enables us to continue to grow the company, and still be certain that we do not lose the values that have led to our success.

"We are so pleased to have won Business Centre of the Month and know that working with officebroker.com has enabled us to be introduced to so many of our fantastic clients."

Find out more about Prama House business centre online at officebroker.com, or contact 0800 111 6 444.

Further details about officebroker.com's Business Centre of the Month award are available here.

Rebecca-Jane Strawford Becomes an ICON

Central London consultant Rebecca-Jane Strawford achieves ICON status at officebroker.com.

Becci, an experienced consultant in the Central London office market, successfully shattered her targets in August to reach ICON status - officebroker.com's challenging internal performance and recognition scheme - and has now claimed her place on the 'wall of fame' at officebroker.com HQ.

Since the launch of ICON in July last year, Becci is just the third person to reach the elusive ICON status, which is designed to push each individual to raise their game and reach their full potential, as well as lifting the bar on standards and service delivery.

The scheme is meant to be challenging and requires that each consultant hits a number of specific targets within the same month, focusing on different areas of the search process including tours, placements and revenue.

According to Chris Meredith, Head of UK Sales at officebroker.com, Becci's consistently high performance at officebroker.com meant that it was only a matter of time before she gained ICON.

"Becci treats officebroker.com like it is her own business," said Chris. "She answers the phone with energy and enthusiasm and always goes the extra mile to ensure that she closes a deal.

"She gives every client and office provider the highest standard of service and without fail, she gives 100% to the role 100% of the time.

"She truly deserves to achieve ICON."

As well as a glowing endorsement from Chris, it is Becci's drive and commitment that has earned her one positive report after another from both office providers and clients alike. Among the positive endorsements she has received since joining the company two years ago are references to her "dedication and hard work", efficiency, and her "thoroughness in every aspect of her job."

Gareth Wilby, Divisional Director of JLES London Limited, got in touch with Becci to thank her personally for her "refreshing, candid and inspiring" business insight during the company's office search, adding:

"You were able to quickly grasp our market space and sales challenges to efficiently help locate our offices. Your passion for what you do is evident in every call, meeting and email. I really feel like you are one of the team and that makes all the difference."

It is these traits that create an ICON at officebroker.com and Becci has shown that she is a first-class consultant; capable of delivering a great service and consistently performing to high standards day in, day out.

As a reward for making light work of her targets and achieving ICON in August, Becci will now receive a number of privileges including a cash prize and a certificate on the 'ICON Wall of Fame' at officebroker.com HQ. She will also have the opportunity to travel First Class during her next round of visits to office providers.

To date, only two other people have attained ICON - Central London Account Manager Kirsty Lees, who was the very first ICON in September 2010, and Alastair Maloney, who became the second in June this year.

To keep the status, Becci must now repeat the challenge and hit all of her ICON targets at least once within the next quarter.

Contact Rebecca-Jane Strawford (Becci) online via officebroker.com, through LinkedIn, or on 0800 111 6 444.

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Becci is up for nomination in the BCA's 2011 Broker Representative of the Year Award. If your business centre is registered with the BCA and if you value Becci's help, please remember to vote for her for the 2011 award before 5.30 pm Wednesday 28th September!

>> Click here to vote for Becci

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Related articles:

• Alastair Maloney Achieves ICON Status
• Kirsty Lees Becomes officebroker.com's First ICON
• Stars of officebroker.com go for ICON Glory

How to Win Business Centre of the Month

Want to win our Business Centre of the Month Award? Here are some cheeky tips to put you right under our judge's nose...

Since April 2010 we have selected one winner each month for our Business Centre of the Month Award.

The award celebrates centres that we believe are true advocates of the industry - that offer a strong business community with excellent customer service, and fantastic people who go the extra mile without a second thought.

Our list of winners is a superb example of the innovative nature of the serviced sector. From a converted stable block and a BREEAM rated property to a former airport terminal; our winner's list celebrates centres from every corner of the industry, in every size and shape imaginable.

But it's not all about flashy architecture or heritage listings.

What we're looking for in each winner are the sorts of things that keep your tenants signing month after month, year after year. We're talking about good customer service, a quality business environment and those little extras that keep you competitive - such as sustainable thinking or innovative marketing tactics.

Given the quality and sheer number of centres, there are a few simple rules that we use to judge each entry. Here's a break-down of the criteria and a few tips from award judge Chris Meredith (Head of UK Sales) to get you started.

>> Each centre must submit an entry to qualify for the Award, or be recommended by their officebroker.com Account manager. See below for further details.

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1) Customer reviews... Before you can be considered for the Award, we need at least 2 or 3 reviews from your clients. They don't have to be referrals from us and can be past or present; we will also post the feedback on your officebroker.com profile page so remember to let us know if your client wishes to remain anonymous.

Chris says: "Nowadays client feedback is commonplace so it should be second-nature for Centre Managers to think about collecting feedback and posting it online. When judging the award it also gives us a good idea of the day-to-day service and what your centre is like from the client’s perspective."

>> Action #1: Collate feedback from your clients and send it to Julia Fox, or post it online yourself by clicking the orange 'Write your own review' button on your officebroker.com profile page.

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2) Customer service... Naturally customer service in a business centre is key, and this should be evident from the client feedback you send to us. But you can also draw attention to your quality of service by making us aware of those times when you have gone the extra mile, or examples of how your staff help clients on a day-to-day basis.

Chris says: "There are always times when a client needs extra help or support that goes beyond your normal role. If you have ever found yourself staying late or generally going above and beyond the call of duty, we want to hear about it. We also want to know about your 'normal' day-to-day service - it all helps to strengthen your case."

>> Action #2: In your entry, include real-life examples of great customer service from your team.

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3) Relationships... Before we can endorse your business centre we need to have a good level of trust and a solid working relationship with you. Chris explains:

"Communication is a vital ingredient in how we do business together. We can't help fill your space if we can't contact you, or if you don't keep us informed of availability and contact details. There should be open channels of communication so we can stay in touch with you, get tours booked and keep business flowing."

>> Action #3: Keep your Account Manager well informed on changes and availability. Always provide post-tour feedback and report any updates as soon as possible.

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4) Online profile... Key to attracting interest from potential clients is an effective marketing campaign, backed up by strong visual aids. Keep your officebroker.com profile page up to date and update your building photographs once every six months or so, to keep your page looking fresh.

Chris says: "Our website can take up to 12 photos per building so you can really go to town on it. A lot of providers now call in professional photographers which really makes a difference."

>> Action #4: Check your building profile on officebroker.com. To update the description or list of services, or to refresh your photographs, send your updates to marketing@officebroker.com.

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5) Publicity & Promotion... Although not essential for the Award, we like to see centres that are forthcoming with news and promotions. This helps us to better market your centre and raise the profile of the industry as a whole.

Chris explains: "We have a dedicated news team as part of our marketing strategy who publish daily news stories and raise awareness of the industry through PR and online promotion. Whatever is happening at your centre - such as a new client or an expansion - send your stories to us and we'll do the rest."

>> Action #5: Send your stories to news@officebroker.com or call 0870 112 3667 (opt2).

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How to Enter

To be considered for the Award you must first enter the competition or get your officebroker.com Account Manager to recommend your centre. To enter, please follow these guidelines:

• 1) Collect Client Feedback: Gather 2 - 3 client reviews and either publish them yourself via your officebroker.com profile page, or send them to Julia Fox who will upload them for you.
• 2) Prepare Your Entry: Make sure you have covered as much of the criteria above as possible. In a Word document or in an Email, explain why you think your centre should win the Award and include any supporting information - such as examples of customer service.
• 3) Submit Your Entry! Send your email to news@officebroker.com containing the name of the centre you wish to submit, your reasons why it deserves to win, and any supporting information.

If you have any questions please contact Julia Fox on 0870 112 3667 (opt2) or on Julia.Fox@officebroker.com.

Good luck!

All UK centres currently live on our database are eligible. You can enter more than one centre at the same time, but client reviews must be centre-specific.

Further information:

Award Guidelines (PDF)

Press Release & List of Winners

officebroker.com Business Centre of the Month: August 2011

August's winner is Lester House, a popular business centre in central Bury, that has already reached full occupancy despite opening just six months ago.

One of three business centres in the North West operated by the Lester House group, this is a contemporary centre offering five-star service, housed within a local landmark in the bustling centre of Bury. Located opposite a public square, Lester House Business Centre has become hugely popular with local businesses and has now reached full occupancy just six months after opening.

This swift success is a direct result of the excellent package on offer - which combines professional, newly refurbished workspace and top of the range facilities with an accessible location, a thriving business community and a flexible approach to clients' needs.

But the real gem in the crown of Lester House is the staff. Run by a small but efficient team of two, consisting of Gaynor Stanley (Business Centre Manager) and Elana Solomon, the centre has been transformed into a thriving community for clients, where nothing is too much trouble and new businesses are lining up to take new space as it becomes available.

Following a rapid rate of rentals that filled the first phase of the business centre, phase two is now underway and is set for completion in December 2011. Three more clients have already made arrangements to relocate to Lester House when the additional space is ready.

This comes as no surprise to Alastair Maloney, who handles office space enquiries at officebroker.com for Bury and the North West. Despite only working with Lester House since March, he soon recognised the high standards of both the team and the centre environment and put Lester House forward for officebroker.com's monthly Award, saying it would be a "perfect Business Centre of the Month candidate".

"They are a great centre to work with and I always get great feedback from clients for them," he said. "They have only been open a few months but already we have done a lot of business with them. Gaynor and Elana are fantastic - they're very efficient and really make things happen."

Within its short lifespan to date, the centre has already clocked up impressive five-star feedback from clients, which has been published via officebroker.com's online review facility.

Oliver Lipson from Nationwide Claims Bureau says that "everything has run like clockwork" since moving in, adding that he would "highly recommend Gaynor and her team as an asset to any business."

Commenting on the service, he said: "I have personally recommended the offices to four other local companies that I know are looking in the near future for alternative offices, (which) just goes to show how good service can go such a long way and is such an integral part of any sized business, even in this economy.

"Gaynor and the team are an asset to the business. It really is 5-star service!"

Richard Bodycoat from Sense Investments continued the high level of praise, saying that he and his team are "extremely grateful" for the professionalism and customer focus of Gaynor and Elana.

"Most of all they have consistently made us feel our custom is valued and that nothing is too much trouble," he added. "We simply cannot praise them highly enough. This has been by far our most positive experience of dealing with a business centre and we wouldn't hesitate to recommend Lester House."

Commenting on becoming officebroker.com's Business Centre of the Month winner in August 2011, Centre Manager Gaynor Stanley said: "We are very proud to have been awarded Business Centre of the Month and it is a great compliment to see that all our hard work and commitment has been recognised by this award.

"Lester House has only been opened for six months and already our first phase is full, comprising of start-ups and established companies. We have another three companies ready to join us on our second phase which will be completed in December.

"Lester House is a professional business environment for all our clients - but with a very friendly and approachable atmosphere. Our main focus is on customer service so we are delighted with the testimonials that have recently been provided as they confirm that our efforts are appreciated."

Find out more about Lester House Business Centre online at officebroker.com, or contact 0800 111 6 444.

Further details about officebroker.com's Business Centre of the Month award are available here.

Spotlight on: Sarah Geary

This month we point the spotlight on Sarah Geary, also known as "Mrs G", who heads up the Finance department and has a firm grasp on the officebroker.com purse strings.

Sarah, who has been with the company since 2007, is responsible for all financial processes at officebroker.com. She manages a team of credit controllers who take care of invoicing and payment, ensuring a healthy cash-flow within the company, but her remit goes far beyond her official title of Financial Controller to incorporate other responsibilities such as building facilities, health and safety and HR.

Find out more about Sarah in our two-minute interview, or get in touch with her direct via email, LinkedIn, or by calling 0870 112 3667 (opt 1).

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What do you do at officebroker.com, and what do you enjoy most about working here?

My role within officebroker.com is Financial Controller; I am responsible for overseeing the finance teams in the UK and the USA, and dealing with all accounting and financial reporting within the business. I like a challenge and some days are more challenging than others but no two days are ever the same.

Describe your corner of the office...

We have two pods of four and paperwork coming out of our ears! We are quite a chatty bunch and thrive on getting the money in.

What are your pet hates?

Spotlight interviews! Not really. Old people on the motorway, seriously they should be stopped. They sit so close to the windscreen holding onto the steering wheel for dear life and then they get overtaken by a caravan! No, they should be kept off the roads or at least until after dark when people in a hurry have finished their journey.

Also fast-scanning at supermarkets - there is nothing fast about them!

Who or what makes you laugh?

I usually laugh when I am not supposed to, which is amusing in itself unless you are at a funeral.

What do you do in your spare time?

With two teenagers and a husband I don't get an awful lot of spare time but I do like good food accompanied with some nice wine.

What is top of your wish list?

Mmmm... this is a hard one as I change my mind like the weather. I like to travel so I think it would be something along those lines.

Tell us something that we don't know about you...

Being born in the 70's and having a creative mother let loose with crêpe paper and papier-mâché I was frequently dressed up and paraded for whatever the current event was. She once dressed me as a petrol pump during the fuel shortage - "no flow petrol for striking performance". I promptly won the competition but there were no arm-holes in the costume to collect the prize!

In fact some years later I was dressed as the angel Gabriel in the nativity play, my mom made the wings so big I had to walk down the aisle sideways and blocked out most of the cast whenever I turned round. Thanks Mom!

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Contact Sarah via email, LinkedIn or by calling 0870 112 3667 (opt 1).