In developed countries, service offices are trendy. In T&T, it's still a novelty. Rachel Lee Young has been busy trying to change that. "You can just walk in here with a laptop and you're in business," she told the Business Guardian in an interview last week. The manager of ESG Business Suites in Fitt Street, Woodbrook, explains that a big part of selling office space is marketing. And that's the charm of ESG: from start-ups to established companies, office space is available for the right price. "A big part of this business has been educating potential clients on the advantages of forgoing traditional office rental, which they will have to outfit, and utilise one of the units we have here," she explained. ESG provides serviced offices, virtual offices, meeting facilities as well as a boardroom area for meetings.
A single unit office rents for $3,850 a month. That comes with wireless Internet, a receptionist and access to kitchen space. "This is a turn-key solution. Everything's provided. The furniture, a private phone line, all for one monthly price. Our biggest selling point is parking. Unlike a lot of office spaces around Port-of-Spain and Woodbrook, we have parking," Lee Young said. "There's break-out areas for groups and there's even an area to receive guests," she pointed out, as she gave the Business Guardian a walked through of the two-storeyed facility. "There's also a shower for those who want to enjoy an hour in the gym during lunch," she remarked.
ESG, a family operated business, was opened in October 2009. Lee Young admits that business has been intermittent as it's really tied to how the economy is doing. With the budget's boost for entrepreneurs, she's hoping there'll be some uptake in the coming months. "The nature of the business is very interesting. If the economy is growing, there's always demand for space. What's ideal about ESG is that you don't have to commit to a long lease. You can rent from month to month or as long as you need," she explained. "For people who work at home and need to meet clients, it's a good opportunity to rent a office for a day. We also rent for the hour," she said. Hourly rental is $250. "What we have here is a hub of different businesses, which is actually great for networking. What we try to do is understand the customers needs before we give them a quote," Lee Young said.