Kate Tabatadze
The global office services leader Regus has delivered a positive assessment of its first year of operations in Georgia, and is set to open a new business centre in BCV on Vazha-Pshavela Avenue. This will be the company’s second office in Tbilisi after 1 Tabidze Street. The company’s regional manager in Georgia, Rusudan Chakvetadze, spoke to Property Georgia about the development of the local market.
- One year after entering the Georgian market, Regus is about to open its second business centre in Tbilisi. How would you assess the local market?
- Our expectations have been fully realized. The dynamics of our company’s development on the Georgian market is impressive. Our Georgian office delivered considerably better results in its first year than preliminary forecasts suggested. We must also bear in mind that Georgia represents a new market and a specific environment for Regus. However, the Georgian business community adapts well to innovations, and we are an example of this.
- Your first office is located in the Tabidze #1 business centre, which is one of Tbilisi’s best office buildings. What will your office on Vazha-Pshavela Avenue (BCV) look like?
- Regus tends to select the best locations in the city. Our offices are tailored to business people, and you can feel this in each and every detail. The building housing our office has to comply with western standards regarding safety, technical features, location etc. Additionally, we offer the best service, an administrative team composed of professionals, as well as an opportunity to benefit from our unique global network. The business centre on Vazha-Pshavela Avenue will further expand the said network and provide an additional location in Tbilisi.
- What does Regus’s pricing policy in Georgia look like? Are there differences in rent prices between Tabidze #1 and BCV?
- Regus is for everyone. Businessmen who pay attention to the prestige factor choose expensive centres in the heart of the city, close to branded hotels, cafes and restaurants. Freedom Square is one such place in Tbilisi, and that is where we opened our first centre.
Saburtalo is an ideal business location. A large part of the city’s population lives there, and having your office close to your home is a comfort for everyone. Furthermore, prices are cheaper in Saburtalo, but the standards are the same in all our centres across the world.
I can tell you that prices for the Vazha-Pshavela location have been halved, and Regus is no longer positioning itself as an expensive business centre. We also took the wishes of our customers into account and built a much larger business lounge and co-working space.
- Office space, virtual office, co-working space, meeting rooms, business world, business lounge, organisational support – which of these products are in demand in Georgia?
- We can say that all products are equally in demand, and it would be difficult to highlight any one of them. However, there is a notable growth in demand for meeting rooms. Conference rooms can be booked easily through an application, and most importantly, they can be booked by the hour. Good locations, professional service and affordable prices ensure the popularity of Regus’s products.
- How big is demand from individuals?
- We are trying to attract and create a comfortable environment for freelancers, teams working on individual projects, consultants and everyone else whose productivity depends upon their working environment. An office close to home, a beautiful interior, tasty coffee and attentive service personnel constitute key benefits for mobile individuals. The price of 230 Lari per month, which includes access to Regus’s more than 3000 business centres, is most attractive. This is truly a great offer. Regus gives people the opportunity to work in business centres such as London Monument, Park Avenue in New York, Down Town in Dubai, and others.
- Does Regus have more local or foreign companies as its clients?
- The majority of our lessees are international companies, because they know and trust the Regus brand. In this regard, we must highlight the foreign companies that are seeking to establish themselves in a new country. Regus provides them with office services. This is a kind of an outsourced office which offers clients the required services everywhere. Corporate client even refer to Regus as their embassy. They know that they can conduct their business easily and effectively in a country where Regus is represented. Our clients in Georgia include famous brands such as H&M, Mastercard, Chronograph, ICC, Women for Tomorrow, Baker Hughes, DAC service solutions, Fircroft, etc.
- Does Regus plan to expand to other locations in Tbilisi or other regions in Georgia in the near future?
- We require a unique network that enables customers to work anywhere they need. If you have an office or membership at one location, you can use any of our 3000 offices. Tbilisi is smaller than many other cities where Regus is represented. However, its busy roads make it difficult to travel to meetings during the day. That is why we are opening offices close to your home and your business, to ensure that you can work in comfort and plan your meetings without wasting time on travel. Regus will open many new branches in the near future. We are considering locations in Batumi, Kutaisi, Poti and Rustavi, among others.
