Flexibility is Key to Managing Through Economic Rollercoaster

DUBLIN - Regus’ road map for beating recession directs businesses towards flexible workplace strategies

As the battle to beat the shaky economy rages on, The Regus Group (LSE: RGU), the world’s leading provider of fully furnished and equipped offices, says companies can leverage flexibility to drive down costs and keep their business viable during this turbulent period.

“Volatility is the only constant we can be sure of during this financial crisis,” said Regus Group CEO Mark Dixon. “The way to manage through the uncertainty is by being as flexible as possible, in all aspects of your business.”

One area weighing down companies, Dixon noted, is the obsolete workplace model many businesses continue to embrace.

“Bricks and mortar burden a company with unnecessary fixed expenses and risk. Adopting a flexible workplace strategy reduces facilities costs by up to 60 percent, enables new market exploration and allows a business to match their workplace with their business requirements.”

1. When opportunity dries up in your current market, explore new markets

“With business evaporating in core markets, companies must go after growth opportunities in new cities - generating revenue by increasing the number of markets where they can reach additional customers,” said Dixon. “Our customers are exploring markets right next door and across the globe. As a result, we are growing our network in response to their demand for business ready, cost-effective places to work with flexible terms.”

Bluefish Pharmaceutical AB, a fast growing Swedish-based company is using Regus offices to pursue new business opportunities. “For a limited cost per month, virtual offices allow us to move into additional markets throughout Europe such as France, Spain, Hungary, Poland, Portugal, Romania and Ireland, in addition to the one we already have in Austria,” said Olof Nord, CFO of Bluefish Pharmaceuticals. “Thanks to Regus solutions, we are developping in several new locations without having to waste time investigating different sites and taking any investment risks. Moreover, it offers us strategic addresses where it is good to have offices in any market.”

The Regus model allow the company to begin operations cost-effectively and enabled them to move quickly, as necessary infrastructure such as phone, Internet and office support staff are already in place. Moreover, they can leverage Regus’ flexible terms to test the market and then expand or contract the amount of space required to accommodate their business needs.

2. Align your Business Needs with your Workplace Needs

Cat Demetriades is a Molecular Scientist who runs 4 companies in London with sister companies in Cyprus, to introduce her discovery: a new scientific method of decoding a person’s unresourceful behavior or “way of life” from the DNA. She has subscribed to Regus Businessworld program since February 2009 to support the launch of a new venture in Geneva, Switzerland.

“When you do not need to be in office all the time like I do, Businessworld is the ideal solution that gives me an access to an office when needed in the best locations. It allows me to work at optimal efficiency because it gives me an access to a professional environment in which it is pleasant to work in and receive clients, giving the newly started venture the professional business edge which pleases both mine and my clienteles’ expectations. Businessworld is an access to worldwide business and is just ideal for business start up.”

“In all my travels and using facilities with a similar concept in various parts of the world, I find Regus the most attractive, convenient, professional, flexible, dependable and most of all, affordable,” she adds.

Thanks to her Businessworld Platinum card, Cat Demetriades enjoys an access to private offices, meeting rooms and business lounges on an as-needed basis, applicable in 1,000 locations in the world.

“Today’s business leaders need to have a workplace that is flexible and as dynamic as their business. By updating their workplace strategy, companies will reduce overall facilities expenses and will be in a stronger position for success,” added Dixon.

About The Regus Group

The Regus Group is the world’s leading provider of pioneering workplace solutions, with products and services ranging from fully equipped offices to professional meeting rooms, business lounges and the largest network of videoconferencing studios. The Regus Group delivers a new way to work, whether it’s from home, on the road or from an office.

Clients such as Google, GlaxoSmithKline and Nokia join thousands of growing small and medium businesses that benefit from outsourcing their office and workplace needs to The Regus Group and allowing them to focus on their core business.

Over 400,000 clients a day benefit from Regus Group facilities spread across a global footprint of 1,000 locations in 450 cities and 75 countries, which allows individuals and companies to work wherever, however and whenever they want to.

Source: The Regus Group

Nathalie Renson of The Regus Group, +33-1-70-92-39-37, Nathalie.renson at regus.com