In The Spotlight: Andrew Beck
Long story short, Andrew is in charge of our account managers and heads up sales for the entire APAC region. He is an all-round team player with whom prospective tenants, workspace partners and other members of staff love working. Rumour has it that he also makes killer breakfast smoothies.
Hear all about what it's like to work for us, an innovative and forward-thinking commercial real estate disruptor, the highs and lows of being part of such a high-stakes, fast-paced industry, and his forecasts about the future (spoiler: it looks pretty promising).
Andrew, give us a short introduction on who you are and what you do at Office Hub?
I'm Andrew but the team calls me Andy. Born and bred in Sydney!
As Senior Account Manager at Office Hub, I head up sales for our APAC region and manage a team of account managers. Together, we help prospective tenants find the perfect workspace and on the flip-side, we assist business owners and serviced offices in finding the right tenant for their excess office space, so there's a core business development component to the role.
Working closely with marketing, customer success, and research teams, we can onboard more spaces, grow our reach and achieve our goals. This level of teamwork spells for more pins on maps, more inquiries, more sales, and more fun nights outs with a triumphant Office Hub team.
Working closely with marketing, customer success, and research teams, we can onboard more spaces, grow our reach and achieve our goals.
What do you love most about your job?
Oh I can list more than one thing! Overall, the global nature of what we do drives and motivates me.
I enjoy working across multiple domestic and international markets, liaising with some fantastic partners who've built incredible spaces and worked hard to redefine modern offices.
Of course, none of this would be possible without working for a truly innovative business (Office Hub) that has disrupted the commercial broker/agent sector. What exists at Office Hub is a beautiful merge between technology and human expertise backed by some of the most passionate people I know!
What does a day in the life of a Senior Account Manager at Office Hub entail?
In short - doing multiple things at rapid speed! And ideally having a laugh in between the tours, emails and phone calls. Success in our industry is defined by who acts first. My days at Office Hub, as a result, overflow with activities needing my attention.
From the qualification of new inquiries to closing deals, my dedicated account managers are involved with every step of the sale's cycle. It's not just about numbers for us but building trust and rapport with clients by delivering the best customer experience possible.
Working closely with our workspace partners is another massive part of my role. I’m responsible for advising them, providing support and keeping their listings updated and attractive to viewers looking for office space.
The only guarantee in our industry is the unexpected. For me, this means dealing with various ad-hoc tasks simultaneously. Anyone that works with me knows that I'm always on the go, holding strategy sessions, negotiating enterprise deals, problem-solving or collaborating with other teams.
The only guarantee in our industry is the unexpected. For me, this means dealing with various ad-hoc tasks simultaneously.
What are the most significant challenges/stressors you face daily?
We're a business built around transparency, which means we need to be kept in the loop about changes. Unfortunately, this doesn't always happen.
Thankfully, our systems are advanced enough to plug holes and move on from problems quickly and efficiently.
We run excellent, user-friendly platforms loaded with helpful information for our workspaces and tenants. Although designed to make the process seamless for our clients, these platforms are constantly changing and evolving, making training and engagement sometimes tricky.
But what makes these challenges worthwhile are partners who are fully engaged in the process, open to change, and ready to work deals and succeed with us.
In your opinion, what does the future of office space look like?
The future is bright and the possibilities are endless.
It's hard to believe how much Office Hub has achieved in a short period and what we still plan to accomplish. Five years ago, we were operating in Australia and New Zealand with a narrowly defined client base.
Today, we're an international business with a strong track record of success in Australia, NZ and Asia, respectively. We now have teams on the ground in both UK and South Africa, and we just launched in the US. We are part of an industry that’s rapidly evolving and progressing and as a company, so are we!
Several factors drive us and our industry forward. We have more service providers providing various workplace solutions. Coworking is no longer synonymous with open offices and no lock-in contracts but has become a viable option for big-name companies requiring business homes in different forms.
Another is office design. By taking cues from flex space sectors, landlords and managed space providers are redefining office space with bigger, brighter, more functional and fun office environments that align with people's different working styles.
We are part of an industry that’s rapidly evolving and progressing and as a company, so are we!
What changes can we expect to see in a year or two?
Two things: an increasing convergence of commercial office sectors and the rise of coliving.
Traditional offices are already evolving; expect to see more of that down the track with flexible lease solutions and fully fitted solutions.
Although a niche concept, coliving is on track to becoming the next big revolution in commercial and residential real estate. Coliving aims to make decision making of future consumers easier by bringing together working, living, shopping, and socialising. Watch this space!
