Exporting Instant Office

Who does not want to have an office in Sudirman Central Business District ?. The room is modern, spacious and comfortable, the equipment is state of the art technology with interior design that reflects a high taste of aesthetic. One thing is for sure: The price is expensive.

No,” Mee Kim would say. The leader of CEO SUITE, a Korean-born Indonesia citizen has the answer because her company specializes in renting office spaces that is fully furnished, complete facility for flexible term usage. The tenants can just pay and work. The instant office concept entered Asia in the end of 1989, while U.S and Europe have been familiar with this kind of service.

What makes the difference between instant office and conventional office is that the payment arrangement only requires a one month deposit and one month rental in advance, while in conventional office the tenant must pay at least one year in advance, not to mention furbishing (floor, wall and electricity) or furnishing (table, chair and other equipment). Instant office is suitable for foreign companies who just enter Indonesian market. Combination of strategic location, prestigious address, and communication would support the business.

With 1 million dollar capital Mee Kim opened CEO SUITE in Jakarta Stock Exchange Tower 2 before the crisis. That was the time when office space demand was high and the tenants were lining up to lease office there. When the crisis attacked, many foreign investors closed the business and returned to their country. Some of the tenants were leaving too. “But I convinced them to stay otherwise people would forget their names when they decide to reopen,”.

The crisis did not prevent CEO from growing. Many foreign companies downsized their business and moved to CEO where they rented smaller office for less staffs. That was why Mee Kim bravely opened another fully instant office by the end of the year 1999 at Wisma GKBI. The time was at CEO side. In the middle of demonstration in that area, newborn dotcom companies came to CEO.

CEO is now the biggest serviced office in Jakarta, just as Mee Kim expected. Other advantage of renting office space in CEO are “Unsurpassed IT services,” said Mee Kim. All the latest technology systems are there. The current economic crisis does not deter CEO from expanding to other major cities in Asia as CEO is getting ready to branch out and sells franchises to Kuala Lumpur, Makaty City, Bangkok and Seoul.

Mar 25, 2013