2010 Business Centers / Executive Suites Ranking

Office Blvd has ranked business centers that we did business with in 2010.  There are a number of criteria that we used in determining where each center stand. These criteria include:

• Quality of centers and services offered . Visual appearances, diversity of products and services (Quality)
• Value.  What clients received in products and services compared to prices. (Value)
• Response time to lead (Response)
• Communication with Office Blvd on existing leads status, follow up after tours (Communication)
• Report to Office Blvd once a sale has been made (Sale)
• Paying invoice in a timely manner (Invoice)

♦ Bad  ♦♦Below Avg   ♦♦♦Average   ♦♦♦♦Above Avg   ♦♦♦♦♦Best

Premier Business Centers (www.pbcenters.com)

1. Quality:  ♦♦♦♦♦Best – over 60 centers nationwide, mostly Class A offices, excellent locations, beautiful offices
2. Value: ♦♦♦♦♦Best  – very easy to close a Premier property with clients, GM’s and Regional Managers work together with broker to find the best deals for clients, excellent value for the money, would go lower to beat competitor to get business.  Clients win in most cases.
3. Response: ♦♦♦♦♦Best – fast response, they understand the business and move fast
4. Communication: ♦♦♦♦♦Best – Some Premier managers got it down to a science, some you have to nudge but they are very responsive
5. Sale: ♦♦♦♦Above Avg – same response as #4
6. Invoice  ♦♦♦♦♦Best – once an invoice is sent, it’s like clockwork with Premier, usually received within 14 days.

Special kudos to Jennifer Miller and Remaliah Evans, two of the hardest working Premier managers.

Regus (www.regus.com)

1. Quality:  ♦♦♦♦♦Best – 1000 offices worldwide, all Class A offices, excellent locations, beautiful offices
2. Value: ♦♦♦♦Above Avg  – Prices are a little higher, on the average, but they have excellent products, so the prices are justified.  If a client is on an economy budget, it’s harder to close them on a Regus office…just by experience.
3. Response: ♦♦♦♦♦Best – fast response, they understand the business and move fast. They are the best in the biz in this category.
4. Communication: ♦♦♦♦♦Best – I think their competitors need to take notes here. Regus’ computer system sends notices to brokers when a prospect is touring.
5. Sale: ♦♦♦♦♦Best – Again, competitors need to take notes here.  Computer system sends an email to brokers when a deal has been done.
6. Invoice  ♦♦♦♦♦Best – no invoice needed, they process their checks automatically and sends out checks within 21 days.

Special kudos goes to Grant Fawcett, the Area Manager of Orange County.   He is one of Regus’ elite.

Meridian Business Centers (www.meridianbusinesscenters.com)

1. Quality:  ♦♦♦♦♦Best – a couple of handfuls of Class A offices in Dallas/Ft Worth
2. Value: ♦♦♦♦♦Best  – their office package starts at $395, and that includes office, phone, internet, telephone reception, 55 hours conference and more.  That’s hard to beat…anywhere in the county.
3. Response: ♦♦♦♦Above Avg – decent response, they let their prices do the talking, closing ration is below average.  Managers are not aggressive enough.
4. Communication: ♦♦Below Avg – no updates on tours, and hardly any follow up
5. Sale: ♦♦♦♦♦Best – They are one of the best when a sale is done. They promptly follow up with an email with the exact details of the sale.
6. Invoice  ♦♦♦♦♦Best – best of the best here.  They mail a check within 3 days that a sale has closed.

Special kudos go to Heather Johnston and Margaret Peterson.

ABT Executive Suites

1. Quality:  ♦♦♦♦♦Best – Beautiful Class A Executive Suites in Dallas/Ft Worth
2. Value: ♦♦♦♦Above Avg  – Prices are competitive with Regus, still a little higher than others but great products.
3. Response: ♦♦♦Average – good responses for tour availabilities
4. Communication: ♦♦Below Avg – no updates on tours, and hardly any follow ups
5. Sale: ♦♦♦Average – getting better, hope it keeps up
6. Invoice  ♦ Bad – All invoices go beyond 30 days

Special kudos go to Lisa Jones, very hard working manager who get the job done.  Toward the end of 2010, ABT sold 90% of their holdings to Regus, now only operating 2 centers.

Synergy Workplaces (2009)

1. Quality:  ♦♦♦♦♦Best – Beautiful Class A Executive Suites, maybe a couple dozens spread out all over US.
2. Value: ♦♦♦Average  – Average at best.  Competitors were killing them, closed down a handful of centers in CA in past 18 months.
3. Response: ♦ Bad –  nothing good to say here, there is an exception in my kudos below
4. Communication: ♦♦Below Avg – no updates on tours, and hardly any follow ups
5. Sale: ♦ Bad – other than my kudos below, nothing worth noting
6. Invoice  ♦ Bad – We had invoices that went unpaid even after Accounts Payable said that the check is in the mail

Special kudos go to James Reid.  This man works extra hard to get a deal done, great at following up with brokers, very responsive.    Synergy Workplaces is no longer doing business under the Synergy name.

Carr Workplaces (http://carrworkplaces.com/)

1. Quality:  ♦♦♦♦♦Best – Beautiful Class A Executive Suites, over a couple dozen centers concentrated on the East and West Coasts.  Very strategically located in the best part of town.  Century City center is the gem of Los Angeles, with Catalina Ocean view offices.
2. Value: ♦♦♦♦Above Average  – Not the cheapest, not the most expensive, but good value for the locations that they are in.
3. Response: ♦♦♦♦♦Best
4. Communication: ♦♦♦♦♦Best
5. Sale:
6. Invoice:

Kudos to James Reid and Amy Triscari, great experiences working with them in the past.

Newport Business Center at 110 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach, CA

1. Quality:  ♦♦♦Average – One office in Newport Beach
2. Value: ♦♦♦Average  – High rent for average product, but it’s Newport Beach
3. Response: ♦♦♦♦Above Avg –  Stephanie MacDonald is an excellent manager
4. Communication: ♦♦♦Average – good updates from Stephanie
5. Sale: ♦♦♦Average – not bad, not great, just okay
6. Invoice  ♦ Bad – Had invoices going into 90 days and numerous emails before owner paid

Special kudos go to Stephanie MacDonald.

Alicia Suites in Mission Viejo

1. Quality:  ♦♦♦Average – Nice Class B office in Mission Viejo
2. Value: ♦♦♦♦♦Best  – All Inclusive packages from $399, no nickel and diming, easy sale
3. Response: ♦♦♦♦♦Best – Michael moves fast and does very well to close the lead
4. Communication: ♦♦♦♦♦Best – Michael again communicates very well after every tour
5. Sale: ♦♦♦♦♦Best – Michael promptly informs of a sale that has been completed
6. Invoice  ♦♦♦♦Above Avg – no complaints, invoices usually paid within 30 days

Special kudos go to Michael Broderick and staff, they are always ready for a tour.

Saianvi Investments in Mission Viejo  (http://saianvi.com/)

1. Quality:  ♦♦♦Average – Nice Class B office in Mission Viejo
2. Value: ♦♦♦♦♦Best  – All Inclusive packages from $399, no nickel and diming, easy sale
3. Response: ♦♦♦♦Above Avg – Ritu is always ready for a tour, anytime, very easy to communicate
4. Communication: ♦♦♦♦Above Avg – Again Ritu is a great person to do business with
5. Sale: ♦♦♦♦Above Avg – promptly informs of a sale once it’s done
6. Invoice  ♦♦♦♦Above Avg – no complaints, invoices usually paid within 30 days

Special kudos go to Ritu Thipar, always ready to tour prospects

Regent Business Centers (http://www.regentbc.com/)

1. Quality:  ♦♦♦♦♦Best –  About a dozen offices mostly in California, very beautiful classy offices
2. Value: ♦♦Below Avg  – very expensive offices, but situated in affluent business areas
3. Response: ♦♦♦♦Above Avg – Above average response to leads
4. Communication: ♦♦Below Avg – no updates after tours
5. Sale: ♦♦Below Avg – no updates once a sale has taken place
6. Invoice  ♦♦♦Average – invoices usually paid 30-45 days

Special kudos to Bridget Villeta, she is a pleasure to work with.

Platinum Office Suites (http://platinumofficesuites.com)

1. Quality:  ♦♦♦♦♦Best –  one office in Westlake Village, very beautiful office
2. Value: ♦♦Below Avg  – very expensive offices, hard for brokers to sell, not very negotiable
3. Response: ♦♦Below Avg – below average response to leads
4. Communication: ♦♦Below Avg – no updates after tours
5. Sale: ♦♦Below Avg – no updates once a sale has taken place
6. Invoice  ♦♦♦Average – invoices usually paid within 30 days

Barrister Executive Suites (www.barristersuites.com)

1. Quality:  ♦♦♦♦♦Best –  About 20 offices in Southern Cal, gorgeous offices
2. Value: ♦♦Below Avg  – very expensive offices, hard for brokers to sell, cater to unique clientele
3. Response: ♦♦♦♦♦Best – They jump on the lead immediately
4. Communication: ♦♦♦♦♦Best – communicate mainly via emails to update brokers and other managers
5. Sale: ♦♦♦♦♦Best – communicate via email
6. Invoice  ♦♦♦♦Above Avg – invoices usually paid when client takes space

Special kudos goes to Dawn Armstrong. Aggressive and persistent, gotta love that.

Apollo Business Centers (www.ABCVirtualOffices.com)

1. Quality:  ♦♦♦♦Above Avg – Nice Beverly Hills Office on Wilshire Blvd
2. Value: ♦♦♦♦Above Avg – Very good value with all inclusive packages, prices still high but it’s Beverly Hills
3. Response: ♦♦♦♦Above Avg – Julia is very good about responding to leads and tour schedules, although it seems like she takes on many hats, so she is busy most of the time.
4. Communication: ♦♦♦Average – need more communication here after tours
5. Sale: ♦♦♦Average –  need more communication after sale
6. Invoice  ♦♦♦♦♦Best – great turnaround on invoice

Kudos to Julia, she sends us free leads whenever she can’t help them.

These are opinions expressed by Office Boulevard only.  Different brokers may have different experiences with these business centers.  Special thanks go to Search Office Space and Daniel and Jason Soffer, looking forward to a great 2011!