SMART SOLUTIONS FOR BUSINESS

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1 SMART SOLUTIONS FOR BUSINESS AS FEATURED IN BUSINESS IN FOCUS FEBRUARY 2013

2 In an increasingly competitive global marketplace, both start-ups and long established businesses need all the competitive advantages they can get. No provider realises this better than Servcorp Limited. Written by Robert Hoshowsky As the world s second largest provider of managed workspace solutions, Servcorp offers a diverse range of smart, flexible and professional solutions and advanced technologies to businesses of all sizes. With 26 sites across Australia and 124 locations globally, Servcorp offers both serviced offices and virtual offices to meet the needs of all clients. Often, those preferring physical office space are predominantly branch offices of multinational companies. Involved in sectors such as software, mining, banking and other activities, these are project-driven clients who desire a global presence but prefer to have Servcorp facilitate office space for them. Customers who prefer to take advantage of Servcorp s virtual offices largely offer professional services, and include financiers, accountants, and lawyers. They are two very distinct markets, and we have a broad range of clientele, comments Marcus Moufarrige, Chief Operating Officer at Servcorp. Started by his father Alf 35 years ago who serves as the company s Chief Executive Officer the Servcorp story remains as unique as the many clients the company serves every day. Prior to forming Servcorp in 1978, Alf was working in the liquidation of property developers. He observed that many of the big property

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4 MICROSOFT DYNAMICS Servcorp, the world s leading provider of Serviced and Virtual offices, turned to Microsoft s cloud-based Dynamics customer relationship management (CRM Online) and esavvy, Microsoft Australia s 2012 Dynamics CRM Partner of the Year, to help deliver better customer experiences, lower churn and provide a more comprehensive view of its business. When Servcorp s inhouse-developed CRM system reached a point that it no longer made sense to maintain or invest in the platform, the company made the decision to adopt Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online. Microsoft Dynamics CRMOL is the first part of a multi-year modernisation program to ensure that our business processes and information systems are current and continue to be a strong source of competitive advantage, said Matthew Baumgartner CIO, Servcorp. Servcorp is a great example of how Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online has helped their employees be more productive by enabling greater collaboration and streamlining of processes, said Thomas Gudman, Director of Dynamics, Microsoft Australia. Customers consistently tell us they select Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online over competing solutions because of its broad capabilities, powerful process management features and familiar user experience. developers in Australia at that time through boom and bust would go from deal to deal and borrow money; sometimes the deal worked out, other times it fell through. Wisely, Alf thought that if he created a cash flow income, he could run a property company that would be essentially bust-proof. He couldn t find a decent office, decided to lease a whole floor and sub-lease the rest of the floor, says Marcus of Servcorp, which grew and expanded to occupy office rental space in Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Singapore and throughout South East Asia, France and Japan. Ever entrepreneurial, the senior Moufarrige investigated the shared office space concept further to include a shared receptionist, secretary, and costs to keep overhead to a minimum. The concept was simple and practical: provide clients with optimum city office space at a reasonable cost, foster a professional environment, and offer support services with the latest technological innovations and a solid team, all without customers needing to make massive capital investment and other commitments. In this way, companies using Servcorp s services were free to focus on their Number One priority: their business. Serving Global Business Needs Pioneering the Virtual Office concept in 1980 which enabled businesses to have the support and facilities of a serviced office without the cost of full time office space Servcorp

5 continued to grow and add services. Marcus, who had worked in property development following his university studies, joined the business in 1997 at a time when Servcorp required additional technologies. Two years later, the company was publicly listed on the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX:SRV), with the Moufarrige family remaining the majority shareholder, and remains an impressive global network, with centres across Australia and New Zealand, and in locations such as China, Turkey, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, Belgium, and France. No matter the location or the type of business, Servcorp has the tools, technologies, support staff and office solutions for all applications. No matter the location or the type of business, Servcorp has the tools, technologies, support staff and office solutions for all applications. Servcorp Serviced Offices allow businesses not only workplace flexibility but the ability to run critical projects in fully furnished, stylish office suites. Along with a dedicated receptionist, secretarial services and a multilingual

6 personal assistant, Servcorp Serviced Offices allow businesses to take advantage of fully equipped corporate boardrooms, meeting rooms and day suites, leading edge IT and communications technology (including Servcorp Online), and other amenities such as modern kitchens with a fully stocked fridge and coffee machine. In terms of location, Servcorp selects optimal real estate sites, many boasting impressive city views. Realising the importance of creating a positive first impression, boardrooms and meeting rooms are fully equipped, furniture is top quality, and even details like artwork and decorations are first class. When it comes to technology, Servcorp s Serviced Offices stand head and shoulders above other providers. Along with a range of AV equipment, businesses are linked to high speed Internet connections, which are monitored 24/7 by Servcorp s in-house IT specialists, while Cisco IP phones are supported by a global communications network, which gives businesses the latest in connectivity. Servcorp is becoming a leader in Cloud technology. Our circle of global networks sets us apart from the competition, says Marcus. Servcorp has made a significant investment in technology to provide a seamless level of global roaming for companies that want to operate across geographic markets; even if they re not globally roaming, that platform is a very robust platform for somebody to walk in and work, and I think that our online services are absolutely unique. You can be in an airport lounge and log on and book a meeting room in real time; you can change your calls around to tell everyone you are in a meeting for the next three hours, or you are on a flight. And the technology platform that we ve put in to service our clients and make it easier for them to control and manage their outsourced services is second to none. Servcorp Virtual Offices Along with Serviced Offices, Servcorp provides clients with Virtual Offices, which are, literally, everything but the office. A Servcorp Virtual Office enables businesses to work from anywhere with all the necessary tools, but at less cost than a physical office space. Clients are able to choose packages that suit their needs and budget while benefitting from the professionalism, infrastructure, and facilities that come with a multinational corporation. For customers, there are countless benefits to a Servcorp Virtual Office. Able to choose a prestigious address in any of Servcorp s locations around the world, companies can utilise a local business telephone number, have a dedicated receptionist manage calls, gain worldwide access to boardrooms, meeting rooms and day offices for as little as 10 minutes or the entire day, and make secure, instant online bookings. With a host of other services, such as complimentary use of a day suite office in any other city for up to three days per month, mail and courier management, and access to Servcorp Onefone and Servcorp Onefax, clients are provided with call savings and mobility via the company s global communications network, and with access to secure fax to mail technology. With no long-term contracts and only a month to month commitment, the only fixed cost is a monthly Virtual Office membership fee. Cloud Technology Servcorp is becoming a leader in Cloud technology increasing in popularity, to be sure. To some, the Cloud refers simply to Internet-based computing with shared information and software; for Servcorp clients, the Cloud is much more. Incorporating telecommunications, voice services and Cloud computing, Servcorp pioneered a Cloud-style billing and management

7 system back in 2004, which was a centralised database. We developed that ourselves, explains Marcus. We found that trying to get others to service a global platform seamlessly has been difficult, and this has given us a unique competitive advantage. Creating a great deal of the technology in-house over the years, including the Servcorp Global Network, the company also works with industry leaders including Cisco and Microsoft, and is currently looking at a third party to distribute services to almost 40,000 clients. No matter the location or the type of business, Servcorp has the tools, technologies, support staff and office solutions for all applications. The Cloud is everything from hosting in a data centre through to delivering services from a centralised point, and I think that it is going to become more and more prolific, comments Marcus, who recently spoke at a conference about Cloud technology. The Cloud is not all that new, but it is a better way to do things, he says. There will be Cloud services, Cloud data, Cloud storage, and more it is definitely not a fad. Providing flexible, professional Serviced Offices and Virtual Offices, Servcorp doesn t believe in locking clients into longterm commitments or lengthy contracts, but rather in providing high-quality office space and all the services necessary to help make clients old and new successful. Our aim is to help businesses succeed either entering new markets, or for small businesses, to succeed by keeping their overheads low and giving them access to great technology. I think that every business can succeed, if they use the right tools, comments Marcus of Servcorp, which recently won the Large Services Export Award in Australia. At the end of the day, our aim as an Australian company is to excel and to be a world leader there are a lot of Aussie companies that punch above their weight, so we want to be one of them and we think that our way of doing business is a great way of doing business, so we re very proud to be Aussie exporters. There are a lot of opportunities ahead with mobile workforce and computing, and I think it s going to be a good year.

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