Serviced office sector gaining traction in South Africa

South African President, Jacob Zuma, highlighted the need to empower small-, medium- and micro-sized enterprises (SMMEs) in his State of the Nation Address. Increasingly SMMEs in the country are embracing fully-serviced office space, as it provides a flexible and cost-effective alternative to traditional commercial property rental. Cube Workspace is a local provider of serviced offices space with offices in Cape Town and Gauteng, competing with Regus, which has twelve locations in South Africa.

 

In his 2016 State of the Nation Address, President Jacob Zuma stated that we as a country need to empower SMMEs (small, medium and micro enterprises) to accelerate their growth. “Access to high-quality innovative business support can dramatically improve the success rate of new ventures,” he said.

“Our experience has shown that entrepreneurs and small-business owners want to mitigate both cost and risk in today’s volatile economy,” says Wayne Windell, Managing Director of Cube Workspace, which provides fully serviced office space for businesses and entrepreneurs in “Our experience has shown that entrepreneurs and small-business owners want to mitigate both cost and risk in today’s volatile economy,” says Wayne Windell, Managing Director of Cube Workspace, which provides fully serviced office space for businesses and entrepreneurs in Gauteng and Cape Town . “As a result, more and more professionals are choosing the flexibility of rental when it comes to office premises and working environments, as opposed to high mortgages.”

An industry offering vital support to the South African entrepreneur and SMME marketplace is the commercial property letting sector. And an increasingly attractive option, and one that is fast gaining traction within the commercial property rental industry, is that of fully serviced office space.

“Our experience has shown that entrepreneurs and small-business owners want to mitigate both cost and risk in today’s volatile economy,” says Wayne Windell, Managing Director of Cube Workspace, which provides fully serviced office space for businesses and entrepreneurs in Gauteng and Cape Town. “As a result, more and more professionals are choosing the flexibility of rental when it comes to office premises and working environments, as opposed to high mortgages.”

Passionate about both business and South Africa, Windell and his team – who began as a small business – are committed to delivering sustainable business solutions. In addition to customising the space to suit the client’s budget, Cube Workspace offers a sought-after business address, access to an in-house café, a receptionist answering in the company name, modern conference rooms and collaborative meeting spaces. Provision of the very latest in video-conferencing technology, telephony and internet access are naturally part of the deal. Additional offerings such as a virtual-office and a Café membership are also available should an office not be required. “Together, this provides the flexibility required by the smaller businessperson, but with the professional foundation essential in today’s business world,” says Windell.

Owned by a commercial interior designer, Cube Workspace is dedicated to delivering on its mantra of “where workstyle meets lifestyle”. It offers an on-trend choice of materials, décor and layout. “It’s important to feel as at-home in your work environment as possible,” says Windell.

With a high regard placed on the health and wellness of their tenants, Cube Workspace’s standard offering includes a number of value-adds, from access to gym facilities and corporate massages through to crossfit, pilates and yoga offered on the rooftop of its Bryanston offices. “Our tenants trust us to provide them with an effective and efficient professional infrastructure. We believe in taking this to the next level, providing as holistic an environment as possible.”

Cube Workspace follows environmentally conscious practices, with each property designed and furnished with practical, easy-to-apply green thinking. These include solar-panelled roofs, insulated concrete, LED lighting, gas cooking in the communal café-dining space, recycled materials for the tables, chairs, desks and carpets, and chemical-free paint on the walls. In addition, Cube Workspace has been involved in the collection and distribution of clothes and toys for local charities.

“We believe in providing a professional work environment that pays cognisance to the world in which we live,” says Windell, and it’s a philosophy that’s clearly paying dividends, as evidenced by the recent expansion plans of Cube Workspace. Early March will see an additional two floors become available at the Cube Icon facility in Cape Town, with plans underway to open a Cube Workspace facility at the bustling V&A Waterfront later this year.

“The commercial property letting sector, and in particular those outfits providing holistic, cost-effective and convenient full-service office space, has a key role to play in supporting today’s business landscape,” stresses Windell. Utilised effectively, rented and fully serviced office space provides the businessperson with everything needed to run and maintain a professional working environment and image.

But while there may appear to be many options in this niche property-letting sector, Windell cautions that it’s important to have a clear understanding of exactly what your requirements are, and which provider is best able to meet them. “The key to effective commercial rental, particularly within the full-service office space sector, is to be smart and do your homework and ensure you compare all aspects of the fully serviced offering when making a decision,” he says.