You only pay for what you actually use: this principle is a constant for customers of COLLECTION Business Centres. Whilst competitors sell club memberships – and access to discounted offers is often only available through such commitments, which are frequently long-term – COLLECTION’s range of services remains open to everyone even without such ‘memberships’ – at attractive and highly competitive prices.
“We made a very deliberate decision against club memberships,” explains Dr André Helf, CEO of the Collection Group, “because we want to leave it up to our customers to decide where their limits of flexibility lie. Our tenants decide how long they wish to stay and how much space they require. This applies to all our locations. And, of course, customers can also switch to the ‘Virtual Office’ at any time if their business activities or budgets require it. Similarly, should expansion be necessary, it is always possible to switch from the ‘Virtual Office’ to larger spaces with a permanent presence. Our customers should be able to make these decisions completely free from any commitments – which is why we view club memberships as more of a burden than a benefit.”
Many club memberships offered by competing business centre operators are no longer particularly transparent or easy to understand for potential customers – some resemble the tariff jungle of mobile phone providers, and often the advertised benefits are not apparent. For Dr Helf, one thing is certain: “This tends to put business owners and professionals off – for us, that’s not an option. Our pricing models and rental terms are simple and very clearly structured; moreover, our staff are, of course, more than happy to help over the phone should any questions arise.”
In Dr Helf’s view, club memberships also run counter to the principle of cost optimisation – one of the main arguments for becoming a customer at a business centre: “If I first have to take out a long-term club membership to enjoy the benefits of a business centre, I have to accept restrictions on my capital flexibility – and that is precisely what many companies do not want. Instead, they want to come and go as and when they need to, without having to pay for something they no longer use. This applies to young companies such as start-ups, whose capital reserves are often limited at the outset – but also to many experienced businesspeople and branches of international corporations. After all, nobody has money to spare. We are addressing this need among our tenants by ensuring that there will be no club memberships – and therefore no associated costs – at COLLECTION Business Centres.”
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