2015: the year of the big move
Newer, better equipped and let’s just say it, nicer, commercial premises can do so much for how you are perceived by customers, suppliers and other stakeholders. In the first of a series of blogs we look at the issues involved in moving up in the world, starting with why you should be trading up your commercial premises in 2015.
Is 2015 going to be your year? According to the ESRI, the index of current economic conditions shows signs of improvement, increasing from 95.7 in November to 100.4 in December 2014. Employment levels are steadily moving upwards. Private consumer expenditure is up along with other key economic indicators.
Hopefully you’re feeling the uplift too. You’ve been mulling over it for some time; perhaps 2015 is the year to expand, take on new staff, make a serious investment in that new product or market or just move to better premises? Rest assured; at O’Neill & Co, we don’t just help you find the right place – our in-depth commercial property knowledge means we can give you a realistic assessment of any property you’re looking at with a view to how it meets your business objectives.
There are numerous reasons for considering a move:
You need to be where people are
If you’re depending on passing trade, your location is one of the most important business decisions you have to make. Perhaps you can now afford somewhere with better footfall potential, perhaps in a classier area. Your business could be better located beside other similar businesses. Look at Naas – A Nice Place to Shop – as the battered brown sign on the old N7 used to say. Because it had a cluster of ladies’ boutiques – perhaps due to its location close to three important racecourses – it became a destination for ‘big occasion’ shoppers, attracting even more boutiques. Francis Street in Dublin is known for antique dealers. It’s where people interested in buying antique furniture or objets d’art go. If that’s your target market, that’s where you need to have your shop.
Do your premises reflect your brand?
If your brand is slick and professional, your place of business needs to back that up. Even if your customers never need to come anywhere near your centre of operations, other stakeholders do, not least your employees. Let’s face it, if you want to attract the brightest talent, there can’t be a mismatch between your brand values and your offices. Don’t underestimate the effect on morale that a workplace can have. So if you’ve done a rebranding exercise, ask yourself if your place of business backs up your story.
You could do with better services
Let 2015 be the year you can say ‘bye bye’ to the barely-there broadband, the pathetic water pressure that makes production impossible, the fact that your customers have to park in a field or whatever the specific headache is that you have been putting up with. A move to a better place could make your life so much easier and your productivity so much higher.
Your core business activities have changed
If you’ve refocused your activities, your existing set up may just not be practical anymore. Many businesses had to look for alternative sources of business in the downturn and many of those alternative activities have become the mainstay, requiring different sorts of accommodation.
I know of a printing business that went into large format signage as there seemed to be a demand for it. Due to the success of this new direction, they’ve had to buy new premises to accommodate the larger printing presses and workshop requirements.
If 2015 is the year in which you move up in the world, O’Neill & Co can help you find new, more appropriate premises whether it’s warehousing, a workshop, showroom, retail unit or penthouse office space with a rooftop garden!
If you need to sell or let the space you are currently occupying in order to make the move, that is, of course, our area of expertise. If we can be of any assistance, call us on 045 856604.
If your desire to upscale is a little more complicated, look out for specific blogs on valuation, commercial rates, tenant and landlord disputes and compulsory purchase orders. In the meantime, if any of these issues is topical, have a look at the services section of our website to get an overview of how we can help you.