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CTI Digital wanted to adapt and upgrade their office space to reflect the company’s future requirements and they sought out expert support to navigate the new Manchester office market.
Through website builds and strategic services focused on user experience, strategy and other aspects of digital marketing, CTI supports and facilitates their client’s growth plans.
The company was nearing a break clause in their 10-year lease, but the market had changed so much over that time they sought out expert advice to guide their office search.
After receiving a recommendation from a previous LEVEL Workspace client, the CTI team got in touch and started the process of finding a new workspace that was aligned with their requirements.
The COVID-19 pandemic completely changed the world of work for many businesses. Hybrid working patterns were set and that left many offices underused or even empty.
CTI Digital is a case in point. They moved into their previous space just before COVID hit and shifted their working patterns entirely.
Rebecca Davison, Executive Assistant at CTI Digital, said: “Our office had around 120 desks and numerous meeting rooms, but on most days, we were only utilising about 50% of the space.
“On mandatory office days, like Mondays and Wednesdays, we’d have around 50 to 60 percent of the space occupied. But on quieter days, like Tuesdays and Thursdays, there would often be just a few people in the office, sometimes just one or two.”
As the company approached its break clause, it was clear their office didn’t serve its purpose and an alternative space which was more conducive to collaboration was required.
They decided to break the lease and find a new space that aligned with the company’s growth plans, and also met their needs for collaboration and flexibility.
In conversation with LEVEL, CTI Digital quickly settled on what they wanted. Most importantly, a fresh new space that felt like an evolution of what they had before. Somewhere that would reflect the company’s growth and maturity.
That mindset would also be reflected in the aesthetics they wanted – clean lines, a streamlined design and less clutter. However, they still wanted to make sure they had areas for collaboration and the natural human interactions they were missing in the old space.
They also needed to have meeting rooms and the flexibility to create different working zones, for example quieter spaces for focused work alongside more dynamic areas for teams working together on a project.
Finally, they were open to a change of location. Their previous space was in the Northern Quarter close to Ancoats. When the search for their new office began, they were open to different locations to assess how a change of scenery would affect the team.
Once CTI Digital had stated their basic needs, we began refining the search process by taking some additional factors into account.
Firstly, understanding the available budget let us streamline the list of options immediately by eliminating some potential spaces that were well out of the price range.
Second, it was decided that we would need to find a space that could accommodate 50 desks. While that is a lot fewer than the 120 desks in the previous office, it’s still a large space.
Finally, the timeframe for the move was tight. From the initial contact with LEVEL in late June, the process had to start quickly.
Following the initial meetings, LEVEL’s Managing Director, Joe Averill, quickly created an initial longlist of more than 80 options. A second in-person meeting saw that list whittled down and a shortlist of workspaces with real potential for CTI Digital emerged.
From there, a small group from CTI Digital spent three days visiting offices around Manchester and narrowed it down to just six different spaces that they preferred.
Unfortunately, their initial top choice fell through which meant they had to reassess the market. However, Joe’s deep market knowledge meant that this setback turned into an even better opportunity.
Rebecca said: “We did have another office space across the road from us that we were going to move into, but unfortunately, someone else managed to secure it before we could. Joe was incredible, he immediately got back on the search with such a positive attitude.”
While it is always disappointing when your top choice falls through, Joe got to work finding new options that would be outstanding alternatives.
Rebecca said: “We revisited our shortlist and added a few new properties. We refined it again to three options, two of which were completely new and one that had always been in the running. After a final round of viewings with the leadership team, we made our decision on South Central, which we finalised pretty quickly.”
South Central by Bruntwood is a fantastic city centre location that ended up being exactly what CTI Digital were looking for.
When they saw the space it was still in construction, meaning that CTI Digital will get the brand new space that they wanted. It also offered them the opportunity to put their own stamp on it right from the start.
Rebecca said: “We were fortunate to get in early enough to make changes to the design, giving us the opportunity to customise the space to better suit our needs. We’ve merged two suites together, which has allowed us the flexibility to add an extra meeting room and extend the boardroom. It’s been really exciting to watch this space transform into something tailored to how we work.
“The space is still a work in progress, but we’re excited about how it’s shaping up. Joe has been incredibly helpful in guiding us through the entire process and collaborating with Bruntwood to finalise the floor plan.”
Once complete, the new office will meet all CTI's needs perfectly and align with their plans for the future, too.
It includes 50 set desks, informal working areas, meeting rooms and more that they specified right at the start of the process. Giving the team the flexibility and freedom to work how they want to while still providing enough structure for collaborative work is a fine balancing act – but it is one that CTI Digital have achieved with their new workspace at South Central.
Rebecca said: “In the end, we were actually glad the first deal fell through because we found something better. I’ve already recommended LEVEL to another company. Someone reached out to ask about the process we went through, and I gave her Joe’s contact details.
“Honestly, we couldn’t have found what we did without LEVEL, it would have been like looking for a needle in a haystack. They made everything so much simpler.
“Manchester is a fantastic city, but there’s so much real estate to consider. LEVEL really helped fine-tune our search and provided us with an excellent shortlist of options. It was also incredibly helpful to understand what deals could be done and to have clarity on the flexibility in the market.”
Joe Averill, founder and Managing Director of LEVEL, said: “Being able to help CTI Digital navigate the market and find a space that met every one of their requirements was an extremely satisfying job.
“Yes it was disappointing when their initial choice didn’t work out, but every door closing is an opportunity and we were so pleased to be able to find them somewhere even better – especially because they got to design the space to meet their exact requirements!
“Deep market knowledge is invaluable, and working with CTI Digital proved that beyond a doubt.”
Has your business outgrown your current office space? Get in touch with LEVEL today to discuss your needs and let us find your the ideal new workspace. Book your discovery call here.
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