Choosing where to base your business is a crucial decision. Not only
do
you want it to be convenient to get to, but it may be necessary to be
close to your clients, or even your competitors. In addition, there are
certain amenities that it may be important to be based near if you
envisage frequent visits. This article addresses a number of different
amenities and why basing your business near them could be extremely
beneficial.
The 5 major types of local amenity we are going to address are:
• Transport links
• Banks
• Post Office
• Shops / bars / restaurants / cafes
• Gym
|
Transport Links
Whether you want to base your company in an out of town business park,
or in a central city location, transport links are probably the most
important factor to bear in mind. Having a smooth and reliable commute
to work will not only improve employee retention, but is one of many
factors which affect staff morale.
Strong transport links also encourages visits from clients, and ensures
that as little time is wasted as possible due to travelling to day time
meetings. Within a large city, for example London, ideally businesses
want to be located within 400m of a tube station. |
Out of town business
parks need to have sufficient parking space available for
all
businesses, their employees and visitors, or at least a
reliable shuttle
bus service to the local town centre. If your company does a
lot of
international travel, then proximity to a major airport may
be
important, or similarly, to a major train terminus to have
easy access
to different parts of the country.
It’s important to remember that you will be making this trip
every day,
so don’t over estimate the difference a 5 or 15 minute walk
to the
nearest public transport link can make.
Banks
Being located close to the bank your company holds accounts with can have major benefits. Not only is it easier and quicker to pay in money and cheques from suppliers, but you are also on hand for meetings with the bank manager when necessary. Most major banks are clustered together, so where there’s one, you’ll generally find the others, but it’s worth checking proximity to the one your business banks with before you commit to
renting office space.
Post Office
Unless you take space in a
business centre, where your ingoing and outgoing post is handled for you, being near to a Post Office is quite often crucial to small businesses. Posting letters and parcels are an inevitable part of any business and not being close to a Post Office could cause major time wastage of personnel in the long run. In this vein, it’s obviously preferable to time visits to the post office outside of normal lunch time as usually this is one of the busiest times of the day.
|
Shops / bars / restaurants / cafés
Whether it’s for client entertaining, or just being able to pop out at
lunch time to buy a sandwich, do not underestimate how important it is
to have a good selection of shops, bars, restaurants and cafés in the
local vicinity of your business base. Not only does it help with
employee retention as well as client entertaining, but working in a
vibrant area with plenty of choice of retail outlets promotes a far
better image for your business. |
Gyms
For some employees, having a good gym close to work is imperative, and keeping a fit and healthy workforce results in fewer sick days and better staff attendance and motivation. Many out of town business parks may have a gym on site and City central locations will no doubt benefit from one of the many different brands being located nearby. It can also be beneficial to negotiate for preferential rates for your employees, depending on how many you have, as well as giving the option for staff to go to the gym in their lunch hours etc.
As you can see, choosing office space in an area with major amenities has huge benefits for both your employees and your business. It’s often the case that if you choose somewhere near to a major transport hub, then more often than not the other amenities will be close by. Choosing your business location is a big decision, but taking the time to do your research can help you in the long run.