Business demands can change on a daily basis, one day you might want to work remote, and the next day you might need your own office space. Serviced offices offer businesses the flexibility to adjust their space to their schedule while also providing them the resources required to stay competitive. Although having a spot at a serviced office facility offers a multitude of advantages, these types of spaces may not suit every business’s needs. This list of advantages and disadvantages will help you decide which option is the best fit for you.

What is a Serviced Office?

Serviced offices provide renters with fully furnished and equipped office spaces that are available to rent on a pay-as-you-go basis. This means you can choose to pay day to day, month to month, yearly, or anywhere in between. The rent you pay for the office will include, desks, chairs, access to meeting room spaces and a cafe area, WIFI, printers, T.Vs and more. A serviced office building is managed by an office provider who rents individual offices to other businesses.

A serviced office building can offer co-working spaces, private offices, executive office suites, meeting rooms, boardrooms and more.

In comparison, with regular office spaces, you would need to purchase all your furniture and equipment separately, and will normally be required to commit to a long-term lease. Serviced offices provide you with a package deal where you have access to the space, tools and support you need all for one price – without the long-term commitment.

6 Advantages of Serviced Offices:

Prestigious location and address

With Telsec serviced offices, you have access to a prestigious downtown Toronto location, without needing to pay typical Toronto rent prices. Your business’s location will set the tone for how clients percieve you, so having an office in Toronto’s Financial District works to enhance your professional image. It not only looks good to potential customers, but it can also make a good impression on vendors, prospective employees, and financiers necessary for your business’s growth.

Back-office support

Most serviced offices come with a professional staff employed to provide you with office and secretary services to keep your back office running efficiently.
These staffers provide services such as:

- A professional receptionist
- Secretarial services
- IT support
- Office and building maintenance
- Cleaning staff
- Plus other services

You will be able to utilize these services without having to hire your own personnel. Not having to hire and train your own back-office support staff leaves you with more time to concentrate on growing your business.

Facilities and support ready to go

Serviced office space generally comes with the infrastructure that is ready to use, including things such things as a:

Telephone system
High speed internet connection
Smart T.V
Shower Facilities
Business equipment like fax machines, photocopiers and network printers

Most of the equipment found in business centres is of better quality than what most small business would normally be able to afford. Frequent upgrades and updates mean that tenants have access to the latest state-of-the-art technologies. In most cases, utilities such as electricity, water and heat are included in the rent. Most also have a kitchen area for office tenants and their staff to grab a beverage (often complimentary coffee and tea) and a microwave oven to heat up their snack or lunch. This type of ready-to-go office means you can move in and get to work within hours, instead of weeks.

Simple user-friendly office rental agreements

Leasing a traditional office space often involves getting legal assistance to read and understand all the terms and conditions. Typically, the rental agreements for serviced office spaces are written in plain English because they do not need to be complicated with ‘legalese’ that the average business owner does not understand. Most business centre owners have designed leases to be user friendly and avoid unnecessary terms and clauses typically found in commercial office leases. They understand the needs of small businesses to have simple agreements that do not require legal advice and can be signed in a short period of time, allowing for fast move-in.

Length of rental agreement and flexibility for growth

Not every business can know where it will be in the future, so signing a long-term lease may not be beneficial. Most serviced office business centres allow for leases to be structured over weeks, months or even one-year or two-year terms for maximum savings and flexibility.
Start-ups and small businesses that are on the verge of growth will require the ability to quickly accommodate for rapid expansion. If a business signs a long term-lease for a small office space in October but quickly finds themselves expanding by November, they will require a larger office since their current office no longer suits their needs. However, since they already signed the lease, they will need to delay their expansion until their contract is finished. The business may choose to break the lease early, but this could come at a costly price.
Additionally, moving offices can be time consuming, and expensive, as you need to hire movers and update all official documents with the new address.
With Telsec Business Centres, tenants have been known to be in one office on Monday and be in a larger office or in multiple offices on Tuesday to accommodate for growth and increased staffing. The reverse can also be applied. If a small business needs less space, it can easily move to smaller office accommodations within the same office complex, without changing their business address or telephone number.

Networking opportunities

Serviced offices give you the unique opportunity to network and cross-sell with a variety of other businesses residing within the same facility. Often the networking is not so much structured networking – it is meeting that guy from the office down the hall from you when you are getting your morning coffee in the shared kitchen facilities, or when you are picking up a printing job from the printer room. But it is not just those chance encounters that facilitate networking. Many office business centres who offer serviced office facilities have formal networking events that are often organized by the tenants themselves in order to grow their contacts and their business.

4 Disadvantages of Serviced Offices

Some people will tell you that using serviced offices can have some minor disadvantages. Here are some examples that we have heard and how we addressed them.

You may not be able to extend your personal brand and corporate style to your office space

While this may be true, not being able to feature your brand at the reception area is not usually seen as a major concern. Some serviced office spaces allow for some type of identifying signage on the interior of the individual office that a business occupies, but that usually requires consultation and approval.

There is less visibility for your business as it is unlikely to appear on the building’s main lobby directory

This is no longer true of serviced offices that are located in buildings with digital directories in the main lobby of the building. In fact, some business centres are able to have virtual office clients listed on the main directory.

Shared facilities may not be available when you need them

Yes, sometimes shared facilities such as a boardroom may not be available when you need it, but this is the exception and not the rule. By advance booking one of multiple boardrooms or meeting rooms that the facility has, you are assured that it will be available for your use at the time you need it.

Rental costs may be more expensive over the long-term for larger companies with more than 30 staff

This may be true, depending on the individual serviced office provider and the available space. However, if an office space provider has large team space and other offices available, the provider may indeed be able to accommodate a company with over 30 employees while keeping costs low. Considering what services are required – such as photocopying and network printing – the reduced capital cost savings could offset the cost of rent. In other words, with a serviced office, you only pay for the space you need and the services you use. Unlike some conventional leases (where you also must pay for your electricity, cleaning staff and hire a person to manage the facilities), all fixed costs of your serviced office are covered in monthly rent.

While there may be other perceived disadvantages, these are the ones our blogging team has encountered.

GREAT QUALITY NEIGHBOURHOOD

18 King Street East is a quality boutique Class A building – East
of Yonge Street: easy street parking, less traffic, excellent restaurants and lovely treed parks – St. James Park @
Church & King and Berczy Park @ Wellington East, Scott and Front Streets – Very high energy and engaging
area.

RESTAURANTS/TAKE OUT

Leave it to TELSEC. Let our staff take care of the catering for the important business meeting room rental or
training seminar! Just let us know what types of food you prefer and for how many people and let us do the
rest. For breakfast, lunch and dinner, Telsec can provide anything from assorted sandwiches to a high-quality
hot sit-down meal. We’re always happy to take care of our clients! https://telsec.net/boardrooms-meeting-
rooms/

1. CRAFT BEER MARKET (OUTDOOR COURTYARD)
Courtyard backs onto our Telsec building, 18 King St. E
1 Adelaide St E (enter on east side of Yonge St., south of Adelaide)
Toronto
Ryan Halsall
info@craftbeermarket.ca
Tel: 437-922-BEER (2337)
www.craftbeermarket.ca
Toronto’s first chef-driven food hall, perfect for lunch or team outings, with a wide selection of seasonal
dishes and local brews.

2. Beerbistro restaurant and bar
Outdoor patio next to our Telsec building, 18 King St. E.
18 King Street East, Main Floor
Toronto
Omid Azad
info@beerbistro.com
Tel: 416-861-9872
www.beerbistro.com

3. CONVIVIUM DINING – HIGH-END (SOME TABLES BACK ONTO OUTDOOR COURTYARD)
Courtyard backs onto our Telsec building, 18 King St. E.
83 Yonge Street
Toronto
Soumini Agate
sa@myconvivium.com
General Manager
Sarah Watson
sw@myconvivium.com
Floor Manager
Tatiana Frelik (Events)
tf@myconvivium.com

Tel: 416-691-9909
www.myconvivium.com

4. RESTAURANT 20 VICTORIA – MICHELIN 2025 APPROVED
20 Victoria Street
Toronto
Declan
20vicreservations@gmail.com
Tel: 416-804-6066
Instagram for reservations: https://www.instagram.com/twentyvictoria/

5. JOEY KING STREET
20 King Street West
Toronto
Nora Elhanafy
nelhanafy@joeyrestaurants.com
Tel: 647-678-5639
www.joeyrestaurants.com
If you want to wow your business partners or clients, then grab and go from this contemporary dining
spot with a menu featuring international and regional dishes. Order their upscale east like sushi, salads,
steaks or that wagyu beef carpaccio. Yum!

6. DACASTO (take out)
37 King Street East
Toronto
Enrico Dacasto
enrico@dacasto.com
Tel: 416-214-0986
www.dacasto.com

7. DEB BREAKFAST. CO (take out)
20 Toronto Street
Toronto
Sade Henry
torontostgm@eatdeb.com
Tel: 347-880-8291
www.torontostgm.com

8. THE POKE BOX (take out)
36 Toronto Street
Toronto
Jeremy
info@thepokebox.ca
Tel: 416-929-0363
www. thepokebox.ca
For business teams that love to indulge but want to feel good about it, consider ordering from The Poke
Box. Their individual boxed meals are prepared with fresh ingredients and packed with protein! Great
for sushi lovers but without a mess.

9. CARISMA (ITALIAN)

15 Toronto Street
Toronto
Michael Pagliaro
info@carismarestaurant.com
Tel: 416-864-7373
www.carismarestaurant.com

10. NAMI (JAPANESE)
55 Adelaide Street East
Toronto
Mana
namirestaurant1984@gmail.com
Tel: 416-362-7373
www.namirestaurant.ca

11. TERRONI (ITALIAN)
57 Adelaide Street East
Toronto
Patti Shaw
info@terroni.com
Tel: 416-203-3093
www.terroni.com

12. SWAAGAT – THE REAL TASTE OF INDIA
36 King Street East
Toronto
swaagattoronto@gmail.com
Tel: 647-943-9754

13. WOODS RESTAURANT AND BAR
45 Colborne Street
Toronto
Robin Singh
info@woodsrestaurant.ca
Tel: 416-214-9918
www.woodsrestaurant.ca

14. aKin – Michelin 2025 approved
51 Colborne Street
Toronto
Mike Birdsey, Genral Manager
Eric Chong, chef + owner
info@atkintoronto.com
Tel: 416-363-0151
www.atkintoronto.com
aKin is a modern Asian-inspired fine dining restaurant located in the heart of Toronto. Offering a
meticulously curated 10-course blind tasting menu that highlights local and seasonal ingredients, with
influences from diverse Asian cuisines.

15. CANTINA MERCATTO

20 Wellington Street East
Toronto
Niam H
info@cantinamercatto.ca
Tel: 416-304-0781
www.cantinamercatto.ca

16. UNCLE TONY’S
38 Wellington St E
Toronto
Siva Sathasivam
uncletonyssiva@gmail.com
Tel: 416-455-6650
https://uncletonys.ca/

17. FRESH KITCHEN + JUICE BAR – vegan restaurant
47 Front Street East
Toronto
Lindsey Dauilmar
ldavilmar@recipeunlimited.com
Tel: 647-693-7556
www.freshkitchens.ca
This plant-based restaurant is so good you won’t even miss meat. It’s a great choice for delicious and
health-conscious food and a top pick for those with dietary restrictions. Choose from their lunch and
dinner menu or opt for their takeout bundles and get appetizers and entrees for multiple people.

18. THE FLAT IRON: A FIRKIN PUB
49 Wellington Street East
Toronto
JC Trujillo
Jctrujillo3@gmail.com
Tel: 647-561-7224, 416-362-3444
www.firkinpubs.com/theflatiron
If your team likes pub grub, then the Firkin’s traditional English food is for you. Order from their party
platter menu for large groups, which includes all your classic pub favourites like fish and chips, sliders,
skewers, tacos, nachos, charcuterie boards and more.

19. SCORE ON KING (Sports Bar)
Outdoor Patio + Heated
Church & King
107 King Street East
Toronto
Tel: 416-519-4654
www.scoreonking.com

20. RESTAURANT LUCIE
100 Yonge Street
Toronto
info@restaurantlucie.com
Tel: 416-788-9054
www.restaurantlucie.com

21. PIZZAIOLO
(no e-mail)
104 Yonge Street
Toronto
Tel: 416-860-0700
www.pizzaiolo.ca

Restaurants

1. Ryan Halsall

CRAFT BEER MARKET (OUTDOOR COURTYARD)

Courtyard backs onto our Telsec building, 18 King St. E

1 Adelaide St E (enter on east side of Yonge St., south of Adelaide)

Toronto, ON

M5C 2V9

Tel: 437-922-BEER (2337)

Website: www.craftbeermarket.ca

2. Michael Pagliaro

Carisma (Italian)

15 Toronto Street

Toronto, ON

M5C 2E3

Tel: 416-864-7373

Website: www.carismarestaurant.com

3. Patti Shaw

Terroni (Italian)

57 Adelaide Street East

Toronto, ON

M5C 1K6

Tel: 416-203-3093

Website: www.terroni.com

4. Declan

Restaurant 20 Victoria – Michelin guide approved

20 Victoria Street

Toronto, ON

M5C 2A1

Tel: 416-804-6066

Instagram for reservations: https://www.instagram.com/twentyvictoria/

5. Mana

Nami (Japanese)

55 Adelaide Street East

Toronto, ON

M5C 1K6

Tel: 416-362-7373

Website: www.namirestaurant.ca

6. Restaurant Lucie

100 Yonge Street

Toronto, ON

M5C 2W1

Tel: 416-788-9054

Website: www.restaurantlucie.com

7. Niam H

Cantina Mercatto

20 Wellington Street East

Toronto, ON

M5E 1C5

Tel: 416-304-0781

Website: www.cantinamercatto.ca

8. Siva Sathasivam

Uncle Tony’s

38 Wellington St E

Toronto, ON

M5E 1C7

Tel: 416-455-6650

Website: https://uncletonys.ca/

9. Pizzaiolo

104 Yonge Street

Toronto, ON

M5C 2Y6

Tel: 416-860-0700

Website: www.pizzaiolo.ca

10. Robin Singh

Woods Restaurant and Bar

45 Colborne Street

Toronto, ON

M5E 1E3

Tel: 416-214-9918

Website: www.woodsrestaurant.ca

11. Amadeusz Domyslawski

GUSTO 501

501 King St. E

Toronto, ON

M5A 1L9

Tel: 416-477-5647

Website: www.gusto501.com

Health and Wellness

1. Thom Tullo

Morpheus8 by Inmode

47 Colborne Street

Toronto, ON

M5E 1E3

Tel: 416-863-6564

Website: www.amanspa.ca

2. Altitude Athletic Training

56 Colborne Street

Toronto, ON

M5E 1E3

Tel: 416-366-3838

Website: www.altitudeathletictraining.com

3. Physioheath Studios

33 Victoria Street, #130

Toronto, ON

M5C 2A1

Tel: 416-368-2525

Website: www.physiohealth.com

Hotels

1. Jennifer Smith

General Manager

The Omni King Edward Hotel

37 King Street East

Toronto, ON

M5C 1E9

Tel: 416-863-9700

Website: https://www.omnihotels.com/hotels/toronto-king-edward

2. Mark Perry

General Manager

Executive Hotels and Resorts (Boutique)

8 Colborne Street

Toronto, ON

M5E 1E1

Tel: 416-350-2419

Website: www.spazen.ca or www.cosmotoronto.com

3. Emeline Boul

General Manager

Hotel Victoria (Boutique)

56 Yonge Street

Toronto, ON

M5E 1G5

Tel: 416-363-1666

Mobile: 647-574-5832

Website: www.hotelvictoriatoronto.com

4. Omkar Sawant

Reservations Manager

One King West Hotel

1 King Street West

Toronto, ON

M5H 1A1

Main: 416-548-8100

Reservations: 1-866-470-5464

Website: www.onekingwest.com

5. Van Nguyen

General Manager

Cambridge Suites Toronto

15 Richmond Street East

Toronto, ON

M5C 1N2

Direct: 416-601-3757

Hotel: 416-368-1990

Website: www.cambridgesuitestoronto.com

Our Amenities

We are by far the most experienced and best coworking team in the market – established in 1980

We are the highest Tech centre in the market

We have a very modern, high quality, brand new facility located at:

18 King Street East, Suite 1400

Toronto, Ontario M5C 1C4 Canada

- 18 King Street East is a boutique Class A building – East of Yonge: easy street parking, less traffic, excellent restaurants and lovely parks – St. James Park @ Church & King and Berczy Park @ Wellington East, Scott and Front Streets – Very high energy and engaging area
- A few steps (a few seconds) to the Yonge Street subway/underground PATH network and streetcar available outside building
- Building is located in Toronto's vibrant financial district
- Plenty of parking available in the area including street parking and reserved parking in the 18 King building
- Adjacent to the building huge outdoor food courtyard - Beer Bistro www.beerbistro.com and Craft Beer Market www.craftbeermamrket.ca restaurants and bars with onsite catering services
- Onsite amenities: Tim Horton's, Beer Bistro, Convenience store and Starbucks across the street
- Nearby amenities: underground PATH network, numerous restaurants, banking, Starbucks plus a wide array of nearby shops and services
- New modernized office layout fully furnished with meeting spaces and training rooms plus café lounge area
- We are leaders in the service of training/meeting rooms with full conference facilities, high quality hot and cold catering
- Largest training room and conference facilities accommodate up to 60 people classroom style
- Ultra-high-speed - 1 GIG pipe = 1,000 x 1000 fiber-optic network, which will deliver internet connection speeds faster than most North American services
- Private shower room
- Indoor Reserved Parking at the current building rental rate
- Bicycle parking
- Rent a space to accommodate your team for meetings, training sessions, corporate events or coworking space or flexible office space for one day, one week, one month or one year, or whatever term suits your business
- Telsec has over 650 locations in 40 different countries worldwide available for their clients. Office clients receive up to 8 hours of meeting space per month at no charge at any ABCN member location. Plus, Office and Virtual Office clients may rent a space from any member location at special member rates which varies depending on the location
- King Edward Hotel is located across the street - recently completed a $40 million renovation and boutique hotels close by within walking distance

Dining and entertainment at high quality restaurants only minutes away – Carisma, Terroni, Woods Restaurant & Bar and Michelin Rated - Restaurant 20 Victoria. Plus numerous lunch and takeout eateries nearby

Please check out our 70 second video, click below:

Take a look at our facilities www.telsec.net

Telsec will Customize Your Client’s Office(s) Layout to Meet Their Requirements.

You are welcome to drop-in any-time, a quick call would be appreciated to ensure our availability Vanessa 416-574-1112 or Josie 416-606-4349 or e-mail josie@telsec.net.

What are the Advantages and Disadvantages of Serviced Offices?

What is a Serviced Office?

6 Advantages of Serviced Offices:

Prestigious location and address

Back-office support

Facilities and support ready to go

Simple user-friendly office rental agreements

Length of rental agreement and flexibility for growth

Networking opportunities

4 Disadvantages of Serviced Offices

You may not be able to extend your personal brand and corporate style to your office space

There is less visibility for your business as it is unlikely to appear on the building’s main lobby directory

Shared facilities may not be available when you need them

Rental costs may be more expensive over the long-term for larger companies with more than 30 staff

Looking to Learn More?

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