office space Kansas | Southcreek

Factors for a Small Business to Consider When Trying to Calculate Square Footage

When looking for an office space, it is crucial to consider the growth of your business and whether a smaller or bigger space would be the best fit for you at this point. In order to make this decision, it is important to consider the pros and cons of big versus small spaces. Here are a few factors to consider if you are thinking of going small, particularly if you are a new business, as suggested in the article “How to Think About Your Square Footage Needs”:

Smaller office costs – The benefit of getting a smaller office is obvious—less cost. If a new business owner has to close their doors, they will not be hurt as bad financially as if they had pursued a larger, more expensive space.
Space needs – If you are a newer, smaller business, you might just need less space to accommodate a smaller amount of equipment and a lighter staff.
Lease length – While it is wise to start small, many small business owners also like to start with a short term lease, such as only one or two years, which allows for the possibility of moving or expanding if your business grows within the next few years.
Pitfalls – There is always the possibility that your business grows quickly and becomes too large for your space. Often landlords also charge a slightly higher cost per square foot for shorter term leases in order to compensate for the cost to them of having to find a new tenant after a short period of time.

If you are thinking of renting a small space, make sure you know all of the pros and cons of that option!

If you are interested in office space in Kansas, give a commercial real estate broker in Overland Park a call at 913-685-4100!

Security Deposits for Commercial Realty in Overland Park

If you have found a commercial space that you have decided to lease, your landlord will probably ask you for a security deposit. Here is some information about security deposits that might be useful to you during this stage of the renting process, as explained in the article “Significant Drafting Issues Specific to Commercial Leases”:

What is the purpose of a security deposit?

Security deposits are the landlord’s way of protecting themselves from tenants who default. If the landlord is at all concerned about a tenant’s ability to pay rent, he or she will ask for a security deposit that will be refunded only at the end of the lease term when the client has met all of the lease requirements.

What is the amount of a security deposit?

The amount a landlord asks for varies based on both the size of the space being rented and the credit history of the potential tenant.

What are some issues surrounding security deposits?

During negotiations you will want to clear up several questions about the security deposit: Will there be interest on the deposit? Will it be credited to rental payments over the course of the term, or will it be refunded all at once at the end of the term? Will it be kept in a separate account if interest will accrue? Address all of these things before you sign the lease.

If your landlord does require you to make a security deposit, make sure that you clarify in negotiations all possible issues that may prevent you from eventually receiving this money back.

If your business is looking for office space in Kansas, give us a call at 913-685-4100 for a tour of our office suites for rent in Overland Park!

3 Questions to Ask When Looking for Self Storage Options for Your Office Space in Kansas

So you have done your spring cleaning and now you need a place to store everything you have cleared out. Utilizing a self-storage company might be a good option, but do a little research on what companies have to offer, including visually inspecting the storage unit before renting it. Here are a few questions to ask yourself when looking into self storage, as suggested in the article “Making the Most of Self Storage Companies”:

Does the storage company have pickup options? Try to find a company that will bring storage containers to your office space and then transfer them to the storage unit for you. Calculate to see if you can save some time and money by avoiding doing the transport yourself.
Does the storage facility have 24-hour access? Granted, you might never need to track down a particular file at 3 a.m., but you might need to access specific equipment or some other item after regular working hours. It might give you some peace of mind knowing that you can access what you need on your time rather than a storage facility’s time.
Do you need climate-control? Consider the items that you are storing, such as archived files, and decide whether they need to be in a climate-controlled environment. If so, make sure that both you and the facility have the same idea of what climate control looks like.

Do your homework before picking a self-storage facility to make sure you find one that meets your needs!

If your business is interested in office suites for rent in Kansas City, give a commercial real estate broker in Kansas City a call at 913-685-4100!

4 Tips for Cutting Energy Expenses in Your Office Space in Kansas

Sometimes even just simple changes can help your company save a lot of money in the long run. Take a look at your energy consumption, and see if you can implement these simple strategies to reduce your energy bills, as suggested in the article “10 Ideas for Saving Money & Energy in the Office”:

#1 Turn of the computer.

Make sure that you power off your computer when you leave the office for the day—it is one of the easiest ways to save on energy costs at the office! If you have a power strip in your office, check to see that that is flipped off as well when you leave.

#2 Consider switching to laptops.

Not only are they more mobile, but they also use less power than desktop computers, which means lower electric bills. If you cannot part with desktops, consider upgrading to more energy efficient models.

#3 Shop for green office supplies.

Major office suppliers have entire sections of catalogs dedicated to green products—and not just paper.

#4 Recycle, recycle, recycle!

The most obvious thing to recycle is paper, but you can do more than just toss paper in the recycle bin. Use both sides of a sheet and turn old envelopes into scrap paper than can be used for to-do lists. You can also recycle office equipment, such as computers, monitors, or even used ink cartridges, and sometimes office supply stores even offer discounts or rewards for recycling these things.

Consider starting a committee in your office to try to implement these easy ways to save money and energy!

If you are interested in executive office rental in Overland Park, give a commercial real estate broker in Overland Park a call at 913-685-4100!

3 Tips for Improving Your Business’s Customer Service in Your Overland Park Office Space

Here are a few simple tips that can help your business improve your customer service and build a positive rapport with your clients, according to the article, “5 Ways Small Businesses Can Boost Their Customer Service“.

Respond Promptly. It is important to respond to clients’ requests and concerns as quickly as possible to make them feel they are being heard. Even when you do not have an answer for them at the moment, sending them a brief note explaining that you are looking for an answer and when you expect to have it for them can reassure the client that their needs are important to your business.
Go Above and Beyond. It seems that so often people dread working with a business’s customer service department as an unpleasant experience. Prove to your clients that your business really wants to help them by being friendly, working diligently, and keeping them updated. In addition, if a client asks you to do something you would not normally do for them, consider taking the time to do it. Take it as a compliment that they trust you to help them.
Acknowledge Mistakes. Take responsibility for mistakes you made with a client and let them know how you will fix them or what your new plan of action is.

Taking simple steps to improve your customer service can lead to more positive feedback from your clients!

If your business is interested in moving to an office space in Kansas, give us a call at 913-685-4100 to set up a tour of an office space for lease in Overland Park!

When Can You Terminate a Lease for an Office Space in Kansas?

Whether you are looking to relocate or just negotiating your lease, it is important to know if terminating your lease is possible. Here are a few possible conditions that could lead to the termination of your lease, as listed in the article, Advantages to an Early Commercial Lease Termination:

Agreement between the two parties – The length of a lease can be changed at any time as long as both parties agree to the modification.
Violation of the lease – one party might be able to end the lease before the term is over if the other party has majorly violated a lease agreement.
Break Clause – This clause states that a lease can be broken under certain conditions, such as the payment of a fine, after a fixed date, or if there is a beneficiary involved in the situation. If you are unsure of what your break clause includes, talk to a commercial real estate attorney
Assignment Clause – This clause states that you can transfer your lease to another party before it expires, provided that the new party agrees to all of the terms and ideally with the permission of your current landlord. However, if this clause is in the original lease, a lawyer might be able to help you get around the express permission of the landlord.

Check with a lawyer if you need more guidance on whether it is possible to terminate your lease early.

If you are interested in affordable office space in Overland Park, give us a call at 913-685-4100 to set up a tour of one of our office suites for rent in Overland Park.

No-Cost Ways to Make Your Employees Feel Valued in Your Kansas City Office Space

Did you know that one major cause of employee dissatisfaction according to surveys is lack of recognition? Your business might not have the budget to lavish perks and benefits on your employees on a regular basis, but there are a few cost-efficient steps you can take to make people feel more valued, as suggested in the Forbes article, Six Ways to Boost Employee Morale That Won’t Cost You a Dime:

Work with local businesses to get deals. Local businesses might depend on your employees stopping by as they run errands after work or frequenting a certain restaurant for lunch. Talk to these local retailers about deals or weekly specials. It is a win for them as business and gives you something positive to offer to your employees. Go a little further to show that you care about the families that your employees are working to provide for by calling a few local movie theaters, pools, bowling alleys, or other family-friendly entertainment venues to see if they would be interested in partnerships or discounts.
Encourage hobby sharing during lunch or breaks. Start a book club, bring in an expert to speak on gardening, or find other small ways to show people you are interested in what they enjoy outside of work.
Bring the services they need to them. If you have extra space around your office or even just a section of a parking lot, your employees might appreciate you making an effort to bring amenities they need to them. Ask nearby restaurants, food trucks, dry cleaners, or other service providers to come to your business—they get the opportunity to sell their products and your employees benefit from the convenience.

Trying even just one of these options is a good way to show employees that you care!

If you are interested in office space in Kansas, give Kathy Woodward at DDI Commercial a call at 913-685-4100.

5 Steps to Leasing a Good Commercial Office Space in Overland Park

Whether you need more room for your business or a better location, the current market is a good time to find and negotiate for a new business space. In case you have not embarked on this search in a while, here are a few initial steps, as seen in the Forbes article How to Lease Commercial Real Estate Space: Part I, to take care of when beginning your quest for the perfect office space

Find two or three potential options. Do not stop looking for spaces until you have at least two or three that you know could work. Creating options for yourself will pay dividends later.
Wait to sign the lease. Do not sign a lease until you have established exactly what the expenses will be, including maintenance.
Do not get attached. Avoid emotional attachment until you get to a point where you have terms you can live with. You should only be considering whether customers or clients will be excited about the location, and not discarding your business sense for your feelings about a space.
Get a copy of the lease. Ask for a pro forma copy of the lease as soon as you can get it. Read it carefully—each commercial lease is unique.
Compare. Create a comparables analysis in a spreadsheet that will allow you to look at the details of each potential space side by side. Include categories such as square footage, unit lease price, lease term, added expenses, and any other pros and cons.

Approaching the search in a systematic and detached way will help you make the most logical decision for your business.

Interested in office space in Kansas? Give a commercial real estate broker in Overland Park a call today at 913-685-4100!

Tips for Being Professional at Meetings in Your Office Space in Kansas

If you are new to a job, navigating meetings can be an intimidating part of the workday. It is important to maintain a professional image in all meeting settings, whether you are with colleagues, clients, or supervisors. Here are some tips for practicing etiquette at meetings:

Never be late. Never arrive late if possible. If it is unavoidable, try to let someone know so that other people are not waiting for you to arrive.
But do not be too early. It is a good rule of thumb to arrive 5 minutes early to a meeting, and 10 minutes early to an interview. If you are meeting in someone’s office, never show up more than five minutes early, because they might be working or in another meeting, and your early arrival could make them uncomfortable.
Offer explanations. If a meeting is running late and you have somewhere else to go, be ready to explain where you are going to others present at the meaning. Think carefully about where you are most needed before deciding to leave.
Do not interrupt. Avoid this bad habit.
Avoid confrontation. Confrontation might be a healthy, normal part of a work environment, but a meeting is rarely the place to do it. Confrontation in that kind of group setting could anger or embarrass people and reflect poorly on you, so allow people a little space and resolve those issues outside of meetings.

Be a good coworker by being respectful at meetings!

If you would like to learn more about office lease rates in Kansas City, give a DDI Commercial real estate broker in Kansas City a call at 913-685-4100!

4 Tips for Reducing Daily Stress at Work in Your Office Space in Kansas

Often the simplest solution to relieving stress is looking at how you are caring for your own body. Here are a few suggestions for relieving stress at work by taking care of yourself.

Eat Healthy. Overeating can drain your energy, while low blood sugar can make you moody. A good way to maintain consistent healthy eating and stabilize your mood and energy is to eat smaller meals frequently throughout the day.
Avoid Alcohol and Smoking. You’ve heard it before—both of these things may be temporary stress relievers, but the effects can wear off in the long run and overuse can potentially cause dependence issues.
Sleep. It is a vicious cycle: lack of sleep can cause more stress, and additional stress can trigger insomnia. Staying well rested keeps you emotionally balanced and more prepared to take on the day. Ideally try to aim for 8 hours a night.
Exercise. Not only is it healthy, but it is a major stress reliever. Doing cardio exercise (increasing your heart rate), can help relax you, improve your mood, and give you more energy for focusing and being productive at work. The best scenario would be getting 30 minutes of cardio exercise most days, but this can even be broken into smaller workouts depending on your schedule.

None of these tips are revolutionary, but being more cognizant of these area of your life can have a major impact on stress reduction at work!

If your business is considering relocating to an office building in Overland Park, give us a call at 913-685-4100 to set up a tour of one of our office suites for rent in Overland Park!