All of real estate is becoming experience-led. → Hotels have led the way → Experiential retail and serviced living have built momentum → Offices are about to have their moment Why? In a world where competition is fierce, you have one of two strategies: 1. Compete on price 2. Compete on experience COVID has rendered a price-driven strategy terrifying. Not only are you competing against thousands of empty, bang-average offices, but you are also competing with every single person's kitchen table. That's not a fight I can stomach. Competing on experience isn't just a nice idea. It’s the only defensible strategy.
I would argue the actual strategy is competing on both fronts - creating the ‘best experience at the best price’. One doesn’t work with out the other.
If the experience is worthy then people will be willing to pay a premium. I've argued since 2022 that 'Hospitality will eat the office'. Covid was the macro black swan that will enable a new type of office to evolve. One where high touch service is valued. Not just cost p/sq and desk pricing. Give people a reason other than 'a desk' to come into the office.
Steve Coulson I would be even more specific. 😉. If our backbone is the specialty we have, our ability and geniality to see problems that others don't see and create solutions that others don't have the courage to solve we are on the edge only for the edge clients. That makes the whole difference. Because really the majority stays in the middle and it's a war.
Steve Coulson, great insights on the shift in real estate! How do you see offices evolving next?
There's a reason the high-end providers in serviced offices are doing well and the low-end/budget driven providers aren't (and in many cases, are losing their building or getting them taken off them by the landlords). You can't compete against homeworking on a lot of requirements, so you're offering has to have benefits to the client that working from home doesn't (plus justify the commute, which is the most overlooked factor).