Instant Office

Mee Kim, President and owner of CEO SUITE Group, told Chris Hanrahan how renting a serviced office can help a company move smoothly into Jakarta and hit the ground running from day one.rnrnu0026nbsp;rnrnOpening a new office can be a nightmare for any company, whether it’s a one-person start-up or a multinational moving into a new market. But much of the aggravation can be avoided if the company moves into a serviced office. Such an u0022instantu0022 office comes with full secretarial staff support and complete IT infrastructure and meeting facilities.rnrnu0026nbsp;rnrnu0022A serviced office suite provides a very convenient and costu00ac effective option for new market entrants who are unlikely to know the property market or are uncertain about their future manpower needs,u0022 says Mee Kim. u0022And the greatest advantage of the serviced office option is its flexibility for companies to base their longeru00ac term manpower and space requirements on the growth rate of the business.u0022rnrnu0026nbsp;rnrnMee is the attractive, dynamic and hardworking South Korean founder, President and owner of CEO SUITE Group. Her company’s mission is to provide one-stop business solutions for companies requiring operational support and technology solutions without incurring major capital investment and lease commitments. Its client list includes Exxon Mobil, Freeport Indonesia and Etihad Airways.rnrnu0026nbsp;rnrnAfter marrying Indonesian businessman Joseph Siswanto, Mee founded her company in Jakarta in 1997 and has since expanded into Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Shanghai and Beijing. u0022I am so lucky with my husband,u0022 she smiles. u0022He sets me free to follow my dreams.u0022rnrnu0026nbsp;rnrnIn Jakarta, CEO SUITE has a total of about 300 clients (70 per cent of which are foreign companies) at two locations on Sudirman : the 39th floor of Wisma GKBI, from where u0022on a clear day you can see the seau201d, says Mee, and the 17th floor of Tower 2 at the Jakarta Stock Exchange building. Both office locations are of world class standards – immaculate and tastefully appointed with brand new designer furniture – and rents range from US$700 for a small one-person space to $4,000 per month for a space big enough for 20 people.rnrnu0026nbsp;rnrnServices provided include personalised bi-lingual telephonists, call forwarding, copywriting and editing, executive secretarial services and translation. Equipment provided include standard audio-u00acvisual and presentation facilities to laser color printers, scanners, digital copiers, desktop publishing facilities.rnrnu0026nbsp;rnrnAt the Wisma GKBI center, Mee’s assistants proudly showcased to PRESTIGE a luxurious boardroom clients use for business meetings, video-conferencing and three- and five-way teleconferencing. Also available: an elegant lounge with panoramic city views, a Zen lounge and stylish cyber cafe, a fitness centre, and even a helipad.rnrnu0026nbsp;rnrnu0022We set out to provide our foreign clients with an environment where culture shock is non-existent the minute they step into CEO SUITE,u0022 says Mee. u0022We help them set up their business here instantly and without trouble, ensuring an uncomplicated assimilation into the city. Within minutes of walking in, they can organise an office just the way the want it. Why spend days or weeks looking for an office or for efficient staff support?u0022rnrnu0026nbsp;rnrnMee admits that serviced offices are expensive in terms of cost per square meter. u0022But considering that the rent includes management fees, utilities, general office maintenance, full secretarial staff support, complete business and IT infrastructure and meeting facilities, it provides a very convenient and cost-effective option for new market entrants,u0022 she points out.rnrnu0026nbsp;rnrnShe says it is crucial for companies to be clear about their longer-term strategic goals and business plans, as excessive space commitment or shortage of space in a conventional fixedu00ac-term commitment can be a limiting factor for future business considerations.rnrnu0026nbsp;rnrnu0022Among other office planning factors, the strategic ability to identify the right office building, test-fit potential office space, engage a specific design theme for the right corporate identity and space configuration will ensure higher chances of creating a highu00ac performance workplace environment,u0022 Mee goes on.rnrnu0026nbsp;rnrnu0022We are the ideal choice for businesses that are looking for flexible lease terms, and our facilities are perfect for representative offices and operations with small staff counts. In mature markets characterised by tight office supply and rising rents, serviced offices provide a realistic option for all considerations in an office move. As a lower-risk, shorter-term commitment, the serviced office suite option enables a firm to hit the ground running from day one.u0022rnrnu0026nbsp;rnrnWhat should a company be looking for in a serviced office? Mee says location is the most important consideration. u201cIdentifying a serviced office in a Grade A building in a central location in the cityu2019s central business district will ensure overall accessibility, convenience and prestige for your company,u201d she adds.rnrnu0026nbsp;rnrnIt is also important to assess the quality and commitment of the management and support team. u201cFrom the receptionists to the secretaries, they will be your extended support team to work with on a daily basis,u201d notes Mee. u201cPresentation, qualifications, efficiency: those will be the first impressions your company makes on clients.u201drnrnu0026nbsp;rnrnMee has a Bachelor of Arts degree from Yonsei University, one of the best universities in South Korea, and a Master of Commerce degree from the University of New South Wales in Australia. u201cMy dad is my driving force,u201d says Mee.rnrnu0026nbsp;rnrnu201cHe wanted me to go to the best university and then marry a rich man. But I had my own ideas, and chose to pursue further education in Australia.u201d She worked for Servcorp, which operates a global network of serviced offices, for six years. She was based first in Thailand, then in Indonesia and Australia before breaking away to start her own company.rnrnu0026nbsp;rnrnMee describes herself as a hands-on manager who takes special care when choosing her staff. u201cNone of our people is a fresh university graduate,u201d she says. u201cEach one is unique in terms of their experience in this industry. Even the receptionist has at least 10 yearsu2019 of working experience.u201d She observes that the serviced office business requires a huge capital investment and is an extremely competitive industry. u201cI must say, we have worked hard every day for the past nine years to be where we are now.u201drnrnu0026nbsp;rnrnIn the end, she says, itu2019s the quality of her management team that counts. u201cThey should have the survivor quality u2013 not forgetting, of course, the tried and tested attributes of hard work, optimism and being an opportunity catcher,u201d she adds. u201cBut above all, the most important factor is their high level of education, which, combined with their rich experience in dealing with multinational companies from different countries that will make them highly resilient.u201drnrnu0026nbsp;rnrnAside from business, Mee is investing much of her companyu2019s resources to social causes. In association with the World Education organization, CEO SUITE has launched the Learning Farm, an innovative programme specially tailored to provide education and learning opportunities for children and vulnerable youth on the streets. Implemented by the Karang Widya foundation, the programme encourages self-sustenance in an organic farm environment in Puncak. u201cI am very proud of this programme because it has taken 40 kids off the streets,u201d says Mee.rnrnu0026nbsp;rnrnMee plans to add two more centers to CEO SUITE next year, one in Bangkok and the other in Vietnam. u201cI am confident that we can manage this expansion,u201d she says. u201cItu2019s too much for one person to handle, but I have three good directors to assist me now.u201drnrnu0026nbsp;rnrnConcludes Mee: u201cI can claim two achievements in my life. One is my-eight-year-old boy, Eugene; and the other is CEO SUITE, which to me is like a child I have brought up and nurtured through thick and thin.u201d