Article written by Simon Eastlake, Developments Manager at Office Space in Town
Office Space in Town (OSiT) has grown to be one of the UK’s fastest growing serviced workspace providers. A winner of industry accolades and plaudits for its innovative and ground breaking design features, OSiT is creating exceptional office environments, which challenge the norm, providing tenants with working and living hubs which incorporate stunning designs and high-spec facilities.
Yet, the key to OSiT’s success lies not only in its eloquently designed offices and bespoke services, but also in the fact that unlike other serviced workspace providers, OSiT operates a freehold model, meaning it owns its buildings and is therefore ready to commit significant investment to ensure all of their workspace locations are well-equipped and operate at the highest standards of customer service. Below OSiT’s development manager Simon Eastlake explains what OSiT does differently to become the stand-out leader in the flexible workspace industry.
Freehold model ensures significant investment in the long-run
Operating a freehold model allows for greater flexibility to commit significant investment into the design and facilities of each building. Ownership of each property also ensures that sufficient capital is invested to allow for all properties and facilities to be well maintained and fully functional.
Ultimately, having full control over every aspect of the workspace, including on-site facilities maintenance, contributes to an excellent overall experience for OSiT’s members. In overseeing the management of each location, OSiT does not simply invest at the start of its ownership of a building when it is renovating offices, but continues to generate capital over the long term by ensuring tenant satisfaction.
There is no skimping and the emphasis for OSiT is on ‘investing in the long-term’ – not just spending at the front end – which ultimately guarantees a robust and steady income stream.
Starting from the bare basis – designing from the ‘ground up’
OSiT operates a unique approach to the build and design of its serviced office buildings. All OSiT properties are stripped down to ‘the shell’ before the design of each property is decided.
The designs of OSiT’s buildings range from 1920 Great Gatsby themed decorations in Mayfair to Lewis Carroll inspired Alice in Wonderland spaces in Waterloo; they have all been uniquely chosen to reflect specific aspects of their location.
The most recently completed OSiT property by Monument in the City is an exceptional, high-design building inspired by iconic luxury yacht company Sunseeker. The 60,000 sq. ft. nautically themed building takes a fresh, exciting approach on office space, incorporating not only stunning designs, breakout spaces, and high-spec facilities, but also a rooftop terrace café overlooking the Thames, with stunning views of HMS Belfast, Tower Bridge, and The Shard.
Ensuring comfort, flexibility and freedom
OSiT has also been at the forefront of equipping its workspaces with bespoke services available to tenants including rooftop terrace cafes, bike rooms, beauty treatment rooms, and serviced bedrooms.
Spa style treatment rooms and serviced bedrooms are just two examples of the kind of holistic features that OSiT offers to tenants. Spa treatments help people relax and cope with the stresses of the day, while serviced bedrooms accommodate the often variable hours and long days that many people experience. They also provide a much needed service in big cities such as London, which is driven by international business and where people often have to match their working day with overseas time zones. For those short on time or with early morning meetings they offer an alternative to costly and often ill-located hotels.
Providing bespoke services not only to attract clients but also to retain them
Being a successful leader in the workspace-as-a-service industry and at the forefront of innovation is not just about attracting potential tenants, but also about retaining them. A robust operating model, which not only addresses but anticipates the needs of its tenants ensures that occupancy remains high. Choosing central locations, bespoke designs, and ensuring utmost control of the facilities to deliver outstanding services put OSiT in the vanguard of London’s flexible workspace market.
