Although your business is becoming more successful, you may still be operating on a tight budget and uncertainty may prevent you from wanting to move to larger premises. Rather than take on new staff immediately, you could consider a serviced office which offers flexible terms. A serviced office will also provide secretarial services as and when required. A short term, flexible serviced office gives you access to a variety of important services.

Likewise, when you want to hold a meeting with a client, or even have a meeting with a number of your workforce in private, a meeting room which can be hired by the hour is a low cost and flexible solution.

Occasionally, it may be necessary to hold a meeting in surroundings which are conducive to productivity. Meeting rooms hired on a short term basis are furnished and equipped to encourage a higher productivity level, so you can come to a satisfactory conclusion in a shorter period of time. Rather than move to larger premises, especially if your location is in the Capital where property is generally priced higher, office space can be maximised by considering any of the short term options available.

• Review the suppliers you use. Occasionally, using the same supplier can become a habit rather than the best way of obtaining value for money. Shop around for quotes. It is possible to obtain great deals, especially when the economy is suffering and companies are looking for custom

• Is your workforce as efficient as it could be? Hold meetings with staff to look at different ways to reduce time taken to complete tasks or to work more efficiently. Perhaps you could consider outsourcing some work to freelancers

• Does the business have assets which could be sold or minimised? For instance, are company cars absolutely essential? Is it possible to use cars which have lower running costs and cost less to purchase or lease

• Consider the business premises. Are you maximising space? Very often, space is wasted, adding unnecessary costs. If you are considering relocating, think about the short term, flexible solution offered by serviced offices. They usually offer the use of meeting rooms in addition to highly trained secretarial staff

• Dealing with your own paperwork and record keeping can lead to paying more tax by not claiming all tax reliefs and due allowances. Consider outsourcing administration to an online accountant, who will be able to minimise your tax bill legitimately. You may also fall behind with bookkeeping duties, which may lead to penalties and high interest payments

Finance is arguably the main factor in business plans, reducing costs where possible and working from home. Buying property or long term leasing isn’t advisable until you are sure of the long term strategy. Starting a business during a recession may present gaps in the market for your product or service. If other businesses are struggling, or maybe even closing down, you may discover a niche to slip into.

Unemployment is typically high during a recession, which means that it will be easier to find employees with skills through increased availability. Employees may even be determined to work harder to keep their job in such a competitive economy. As you are starting a business on a tight budget and surviving in a recession, it is advisable concentrate on reducing costs, which can only get easier as the business develops.

Starting a business during a recession doesn’t have to mean you are working from a small home study or a spare room. Serviced offices on a short term, flexible basis offer an ideal solution for a small business owner in the early stages of development. A serviced office located in an affluent area of town will help build the brand.

1. You may have a number of clients who wish to have face-to-face as opposed to virtual meetings. Meeting them at your home may not portray your business in the most professional light. If you’re hoping to win new clients, holding meetings in high quality office spaces with the use of a receptionist will often create a more favourable impression.

2. If your business experiences peaks and troughs in demand, the flexibility offered by hiring office space can allow you to plan ahead.

3. The high cost of office space in certain cities, like London, can be a barrier if you want to expand your business. The cost of renting office space in a serviced office, even in the West End, is often far less expensive than you might think.

4. For more established businesses, there may still be times where you require a larger or better equipped office space for one-off or a series of meetings. Renting meeting rooms for these occasions could be one answer.

5. Holding important meetings and training sessions away from your normal working environment can have a major positive impact. It allows participants to be more focussed on the business in hand with distractions being virtually non-existent.

One of the problems many businesses struggle with online is trust. A good way to establish trust in the digital world is by establishing yourself as a real entity, one that can be contacted offline as well as on.

This is where your office comes in. Pictures of your office space help to build trust with your target market online, and likewise help build relationships:

* In social media. Businesses engaging with internet users on social media networks often find it hard to get a foothold. This is because the business tries to market as a business. Pictures of staff and of the office itself confirm that you’re real, human and contactable.

*On the site. Posting pictures of office parties and events helps turn your business from a faceless entity into an organisation with personality. This will help your customers engage with you, taking you that one step closer to a solid customer relationship.

Similar to the points above, posting pictures of your office or building, and a map pointing out your location, establish trustworthiness on your site.

It doesn’t matter what sort of office space you operate from, whether it is a serviced office, home office or remote office – establishing your real-world credentials gets you ahead online.

A business will typically have a budget for office space and optimisation of this space is the key to success.

A small business or a start-up will probably be able to afford minimal office premises, maybe with basic furnishings and equipment. This could have a detrimental effect on staff and clients who will spend time in the office. However, there are methods which can be used to maximise available space and create an efficient work area. Adequate storage for documentation and files will keep paperwork secure and out of sight, creating a clutter free environment. Online storage is preferable for most documentation, especially if it contains confidential information. A clear desk policy makes for an open space without distraction, presenting an organised structure to staff and visitors.

Selecting furniture and equipment which is suitable for the office size is crucial to maximising space, along with effective lighting. Likewise, arranging furnishings and equipment so that office space appears clutter free, with clear space for access to other areas, is important.

If a company is nearing the time when expansion becomes necessary, or premises are required for meetings with clients, serviced offices are a cost-effective, flexible solution, especially in more affluent areas like central London. Serviced offices in London provide suitable office space on a flexible basis, which creates a professional and efficient image for a company.

Often, a business will be run from home or small premises and employ staff on a flexible basis. Working remotely may suit the employees’ lifestyles, while the business operates on a lower budget and with greater flexibility. However, it is often necessary to hold meetings with a workforce, or deliver training and guidance which requires a suitable office space. Hiring office space on a flexible basis provides the freedom to use an office as and when required. Rather than having to rent office space in an area which is lower cost, the flexibility of a serviced office around the London area is much more affordable and will maximise business potential.

Operating a successful business involves managing expectations and realising the costs involved is crucial to long term success. A flexible workforce, along with the flexibility of a short term meeting room or office space, will ensure a business can cope with the fluctuation of seasonal demand.

Many of these businesses start out as home-based enterprises, and this is a practical solution on both financial and childcare grounds. Emergent businesses rarely have money to spare and can be very successful as home-based ventures, but sometimes they need to operate from somewhere a little more professional and businesslike for important appointments. For small firms in the South East this is particularly difficult, as this area suffers from higher office rents than other parts of the country. Using serviced offices in London can provide the businesslike office space that is required. Also, services such as meeting rooms and receptionists that can be booked as and when needed are ideal for new businesses that are not yet making substantial profits.

Small businesses often start up in this flexible fashion in order to create a good foundation for the long term. As family responsibilities lessen over the years, small businesses can be invested with more time and often provide opportunities for creativity and growth for their owners. Starting small at the kitchen table has led to many successful ventures.

One answer is to have an office in each geographical area but even this is not ideal, as taking on the lease of an office and responsibility for buildings maintenance and insurance, as well as health and safety issues, can be a considerable drain on time and resources.

Another answer, particularly in large cities such as London, is to take on a serviced office, which will provide all the benefits of a local office with none of the disadvantages. In this way, staff can meet up in a central location that is not too great a travelling distance for any of them. They will then enjoy the advantage of a cohesive group, so that local problems can be discussed and resolved and new members have the assistance of more experienced members of staff to assist in their induction.

Serviced offices mean that there is a local company hub for staff, which assists in keeping up morale and observance of the codes and standards of the organisation. Businesses that provide such opportunities for their staff gain from the higher standards and commitment that follow from an investment in staff morale and motivation.

Whether you deal with individuals with small orders or with large corporations who buy infrequently but in bulk, you can use technology to ease communication and maintain your relationship with them, always remembering that impersonal and universal emails may put off more people than they please.

Both small scale customers and large purchasers benefit from the reassurance of professional surroundings that confirm the reliability of your business, which you can provide by using serviced offices in a large city such as London. Maintaining an internal system that prompts you when an order is due, so that you can send out a reminder, will help to bring in repeat business, especially if allied with individual attention and occasional special offers.

Holding on to the dual nature of business with technology and personal knowledge can provide a good growing medium for small businesses. Ensuring that information is regularly updated and that there is a system for tracking regular clients will improve customer satisfaction and more than pay for itself in repeat custom.