INTERVIEW: Michael Benjamin, Chief Marketing Officer at Office Freedom

We met up with Michael Benjamin, Chief Marketing Officer at Office Freedom at the Global Online Marketplaces Summit 2019 in Miami, his second conference with us in less than 12 months.

Established back in 1993, industry pioneer, Office Freedom, is the world’s first commercial office broker, matching businesses with their ideal workspace.

Starting as Search Office Space, the company re-branded last year to Office Freedom. Benjamin was brought on board to head up marketing, re-brand, and expand globally. “Our goal was to make sure that our brand is not only known in London but also in New York, Miami, Europe, and the Far East,” said Benjamin.

Since the beginning, the company has represented thousands of properties around the world, placing notable clients such as Groupon, Uber, Spotify, and Deliveroo, among many more.

“Companies come to us because they can no longer forecast their headcount, and therefore don’t want to lease an office for 5 to 10 years,” said Benjamin.

“They want an office which will give them flexible options so that upsizing or downsizing on-demand is possible. These companies also want their offices to be innovative and have the best facilities and features for their employees. In terms of finding these types of workspaces around the world, we are experts at it, and have been so for the past 25+ years,” he added.

Office Freedom’s website offers over 13,000 workspaces in six continents. When a client enquires about an property, an Office Freedom consultant reaches out to them; to further understand their requirements and then searches for other properties in the location which meets their specifications. They then generate a list of options for the client, followed by visits to the offices, sometimes attending the viewings with the client, in key locations such as New York, Miami, and London.

“After the viewing, the consultant liaises with the client and asks which office(s) they preferred. The client may say that there were a few offices which appealed to their needs. If this is the case, our consultant works hard to establish the best deal for the client, highlighting the space's features and availability. "A major benefit for our clients is that unlike conventional agents we are free – the client does not have to pay a finder’s fee – the provider pays us,” explained Benjamin.

“What is key is that we are impartial; we understand the client’s needs, their goals, their aspirations, their company's culture. Becoming familiar with their needs makes it easier for us to find the ideal space for them. Often it’s not the ‘big name’ co-working office spaces that are the best match. There are thousands of other options,” Benjamin further elaborated on Office Freedom’s role.

Benjamin says that the industry has changed dramatically over the past five years. Large corporations are taking flexible office space seriously, due to various factors, among them is the uncertain economy. Companies are squeamish about committing to lengthy contracts or paying for more office space than they need. It is because of this hesitation, especially, that Office Freedom proves to be invaluable in the process of finding just the right flexible office for corporations big and small.

Join us November 12-15 for the Property Portal Watch Conference Madrid 2019.