Highland-March Executive Suites at 20 Cabot Boulevard in Mansfield provides a common-sense business solution for many smaller companies and regional offices.

Finding the right commercial space for a start-up or an established business can be challenging. A drive through Greater Boston may reveal an abundance of commercial space available for lease or for sale. But these spaces often require a long-term commitment, are larger than needed, or are priced too high for a small company or an individual who needs an office and accompanying support services.

But many smaller businesses, and even larger companies in need of remote field offices, have found a suitable solution in a concept called the office business center (or executive suite). Office business centers have proven to be a popular alternative to the stand-alone independent office and they meet the needs of a large and growing market of business professionals. Property managers, developers and investors who understand the concept of the office business center stand to gain from this trend.

Why would businesses eschew traditional office space for an office business center? The reasons are many. Often, business owners or managers who rent or purchase freestanding office space find themselves performing tasks they hadn’t envisioned. There’s an old joke about the small-company CEO’s job description including “emptying the trash at night.”

But it’s no joke for many small-business owners and executives. When the administrative assistant is out sick or on vacation, these businesspeople must scramble to answer phones and complete busywork when their time would surely be better spent otherwise.

In the name of cost savings, some small businesses forego administrative assistance altogether. As a result, clients are often greeted by answering machines when the principals are not available.

This office business center, however, offers turnkey, professional offices and staff at a price that compares very favorably to renting and staffing space independently. It is ideal for the entrepreneur who has outgrown a home office or who perhaps wishes to avoid the isolation that accompanies home-based business.

It is also a great fit for a regional sales arm of a larger corporation or one that is testing a new geographic market and needs the flexibility to expand or contract as the market dictates. Virtually any company requiring space and support services for fewer than a dozen people is well served in such a setting.

Office Business Amenities

The office business center’s organizational structure may vary from location to location, but most offer similar amenities. Offices are furnished. Some business centers charge for the furnishings, while others include them in the monthly fee. Phone, voice mail and answering services are all provided. A receptionist greets clients, and an administrative staff is available for word processing and spreadsheet projects. Some will even make travel arrangements or reservations.

Most suites will have several conference rooms, and may include a specified number of hours of monthly usage in the agreement. Training and seminar rooms can be found in many suites. High-speed Internet access has become standard, as has equipment such as copy machines, postage meters and fax machines. Videoconferencing services are available at many locations, as well.

Most executive suites are located near other service providers frequented by busy executives. As one might imagine, a nearby gym or daycare center are added attractions. Banks, restaurants, hotels and shopping centers can often be found nearby. This adds another dimension of convenience to the executive suite experience.

These fully staffed, equipped and furnished office facilities range in size from 10,000 to 75,000 square feet. Individual units might be as small as an 8-by-10-foot room, or as large as a multi-office suite. The typical monthly cost for the office space can range broadly from $500 to several thousand dollars. Suites located in large cities are generally much more expensive than those in the suburbs. The more elaborate the space, the higher the price. Typically, a window office will draw a higher monthly fee than an inside office.

Executive suites offer tenants more than just cost savings. Image is key to a business, whether it is a large company, or a start-up. The office business center concept is sometimes used as a stepping-stone for companies as they grow.

These centers can appeal to a wide range of clients. For example, a South Shore restaurant used an office business center as its headquarters during its development phase, while many mortgage brokers and lenders find office business centers a convenient and beneficial arrangement. These facilities also are well suited for consultants, manufacturers’ representatives, real estate companies and many other types of businesses.

Renting this kind of space offers businesses the chance to have all office amenities at their fingertips. Providing this space can be a lucrative business for property managers.

The Virtual Office

The office business center even provides options for the home-based businessperson who is not ready to make the leap into an office, or the larger company that is content with their own space but in need of additional support services. Called “virtual office” or “business identity” programs, these plans offer varied combinations of services that support an individual working from home or a company working from a remote location.

Among these services are phone answering, conference room usage, copying/faxing, word processing, clerical services and a business mailing address. They lend home-based businesses a more professional image and a larger companies greater efficiency, time management, and geographic placement. Individual services may even be purchased a-la-carte.

Birth of the Concept

The office business center as an institution dates back about 30 years, with some executive suites popping up in the late 1960s. The industry expanded in the early 1980s and then leveled during the real estate recession in the latter part of that decade. The industry is currently made up of local, regional and large international firms. The concept is growing with 4,400 centers in the U.S. and 5,500 worldwide.

There is an increasing demand for office business centers or executive suites. Their position as a competitive alternative to freestanding office space is becoming more widely recognized by a host of companies worldwide. These facilities can serve as primary offices for startups, small businesses and other organizations, or as sales and field offices of larger companies. All of these businesses benefit from the professional image and the wide array of services business centers provide at a considerable cost-savings over traditional space and staffing.