Client elevated by arrangement
Mar 21, 2016
When Stephan Leonard arrived in Hong Kong in 2010 with the intention to set up his own company, he wasn't even sure how to go about it. He joined Servcorp for six months as a virtual client, to get the necessary office address and administrative help to kick off the plan.
Six years on, he is still with Servcorp, and making plans to expand globally. "Originally, it was a temporary solution, but we found it was much more cost effective, both the virtual and the serviced office, than getting our own offices," he says.
His company manufactures and installs elevated floors and cabling for large companies renting or owning several floors in a building. The company has its own branded building in Glasgow, Scotland. Leonard worked out of a virtual office for two and a half years in Hong Kong, until he got a serviced office in 2013. He took on a second office in 2015.
"I wasn't here permanently. I was travelling a lot, so there was no point in getting a permanent office for the company," Leonard says. "At Servcorp, I could use mailing, courier, reception, answering phone calls, setting up meetings, translation, secretarial service, day suites, business lounges and hot desks."
The business benefits from keeping the same address for an extended period. In addition, the staff have built up an intimate knowledge of his business by now, which is useful when clients occasionally want to check out if he really has an office in IFC Two. Staff are able to seamlessly answer all their questions.
Travelling around the region, it is a help to be able to use the regional Servcorp offices. Doing business in Qatar, Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, UAE and Dubai, he appreciates using a day suite, where clients can visit.
"It gives me a base to work from. I can email ahead, let them know what needs to be done and when - and the secretary takes care of the request," Leonard says. "It is also flexible, there is not always a steady flow of business, and I can decrease staff accordingly."
He is planning to take on a third serviced office room in Hong Kong, as he is expanding globally and will want to run the operations from here. In Shanghai he has a virtual office contract with Servcorp, and he is planning to register his company and install it in a serviced office there as well. Another plan for the next six months is setting up a London office, also via Servcorp.
"I always have unusual requests, I am one of the more challenging clients for Servcorp," Leonard jokes, recalling how he had made a request for staff to accompany him to Shanghai to translate, help negotiate and take notes of the meeting.
Leonard has plenty of ideas on how serviced office providers can improve their services. They could have a chauffeur service, and introduce a newsletter which links up tenants with business opportunities. He also thinks serviced offices could offer warehousing to tenants with flexibility similar to the offices and have a simple catering service with one or two suppliers.
Six years on, he is still with Servcorp, and making plans to expand globally. "Originally, it was a temporary solution, but we found it was much more cost effective, both the virtual and the serviced office, than getting our own offices," he says.
His company manufactures and installs elevated floors and cabling for large companies renting or owning several floors in a building. The company has its own branded building in Glasgow, Scotland. Leonard worked out of a virtual office for two and a half years in Hong Kong, until he got a serviced office in 2013. He took on a second office in 2015.
"I wasn't here permanently. I was travelling a lot, so there was no point in getting a permanent office for the company," Leonard says. "At Servcorp, I could use mailing, courier, reception, answering phone calls, setting up meetings, translation, secretarial service, day suites, business lounges and hot desks."
The business benefits from keeping the same address for an extended period. In addition, the staff have built up an intimate knowledge of his business by now, which is useful when clients occasionally want to check out if he really has an office in IFC Two. Staff are able to seamlessly answer all their questions.
Travelling around the region, it is a help to be able to use the regional Servcorp offices. Doing business in Qatar, Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, UAE and Dubai, he appreciates using a day suite, where clients can visit.
"It gives me a base to work from. I can email ahead, let them know what needs to be done and when - and the secretary takes care of the request," Leonard says. "It is also flexible, there is not always a steady flow of business, and I can decrease staff accordingly."
He is planning to take on a third serviced office room in Hong Kong, as he is expanding globally and will want to run the operations from here. In Shanghai he has a virtual office contract with Servcorp, and he is planning to register his company and install it in a serviced office there as well. Another plan for the next six months is setting up a London office, also via Servcorp.
"I always have unusual requests, I am one of the more challenging clients for Servcorp," Leonard jokes, recalling how he had made a request for staff to accompany him to Shanghai to translate, help negotiate and take notes of the meeting.
Leonard has plenty of ideas on how serviced office providers can improve their services. They could have a chauffeur service, and introduce a newsletter which links up tenants with business opportunities. He also thinks serviced offices could offer warehousing to tenants with flexibility similar to the offices and have a simple catering service with one or two suppliers.