For commercial agents, collaborating with a client to find the office space that meets what they need now – but that can also adapt to what they’ll need in the future – isn’t an easy challenge. This can become even harder when you factor in constraints on space, cost and location.

Keeping your approach simple, with five main factors following the ‘SPACE’ acronym, will help to keep you aligned with your client’s expectations and distill the USPs of the ideal space.

S for Saving

• Look for shorter leases and lower deposits – like the ones found when using flexible workspace – to drastically cut overheads.
• A ready-furnished office can save your client up to 60% compared to an empty one.

P for Productivity

• Consider how your clients use their current workspace. Are there employees who could work from home? The majority of desks are unused for 55% of the time. You can present a smaller, more efficient office space by highlighting the benefits of co-working spaces for workers who only need a desk half of the time.

A for Address

• Addresses close to your clients’ key customers can reap dividends. Regus research shows over 71% of companies globally find that proximity drives customer retention rates and customer satisfaction.
• Proximity’s also a big advantage in-house – 65% of businesses worldwide report that it increases their own team’s productivity.

C for Clauses

• Emphasise the fine print to your clients – flexible spaces, for example, can have shorter notice periods.
• If you've found an office with less costly maintenance requirements or fewer limitations regarding its use, this can be a big advantage for fast-growth companies who may pivot and change regularly.

E for Expansion

• In such a charged market, expansion is on everyone's mind. Over half of businesses in the Netherlands, Germany and Brazil say it's one of the core drivers of less rigid ways of working.
• If you're presenting a flexible working space or a short-lease property, draw out the benefits of being able to quickly change the space as your client scales up or down, without having to actually find a new property.