Choosing the right company for your corporate housing needs is the first and possibly most important step in finding comfortable, affordable housing for your short or long-term stay.
Obviously, choosing a reputable company with a history of successful relationships with their clients will likely ensure that your accommodations are clean and well kept, but there are several other important factors to consider.
Does the corporate housing company fulfill your basic requirements? What is your budget and does the company have flexible payment options? Does the housing company provide a range of amenities that suit your needs? In the end, choosing the right company for corporate accommodation involves ensuring your needs are met.
Whether they refer to themselves as serviced apartments, extended-stay housing, temporary furnished rentals or corporate housing, you will still want to know what exactly is being offered.
Basic Requirements Regardless of whether you are dealing with a property owner, property manager, or company specializing in corporate housing, you are certain to have a few basic requirements that must be met.
Clearly, you want to ensure your housing provides adequate weather proofing, heat, water, electricity, and other amenities.
For example, your corporate housing should feature functioning appliances, and should be free of broken windows, roof leaks, and other structural issues.
Moreover, you may want to find out about one-off features that would set them apart from other corporate accommodation providers when it comes to meeting your needs.
Does the company provide 24/7 guest support; mobile front desk, or advanced check-in services? In order to guarantee that your corporate housing provider meets and exceeds your expectations, you should always conduct a thorough review of references from past clients and customers.
Speak to colleagues and clients about their experiences and even ask potential companies for a list of references.
After all, your corporate housing should serve as your home-away-from-home, and in many cases it must be presentable to potential clients and business partners.
These days, you should be able to find a wealth of information on the provider's website.
Most companies will post photographs of their properties and the best will catalogue all the choices that might be available to prospective new guests.
Look for websites that promise "what you see is what you get.
" This will simplify your decision-making process and make it easy to choose your extended stay accommodation even ahead of arrival.
Price and Location Another factor to consider in choosing the right company for your corporate housing needs involves finding a company that offers a range of appropriate apartments or homes that fit your budget.
The cost of accommodations will vary depending on the services included as well as location.
Ultimately, you want to work with a corporate housing company that can meet your budget while satisfying your preferences for location.
Some people prefer to stay out of the city and save a bit on cost, while others want a central location with access to city services.
Make sure you choose a company that works with you to meet your budget and location preferences by offering a range of payment options, short or long-term stays, and competitive perks.
Flexibility and Customer Service Obviously, you want to choose a housing provider that is flexible with amenities while offering exceptional customer service.
For example, you may find it is more convenient to have the corporate housing service provider invoice your company for their services.
In that case, you will also want to know if there will be a security deposit.
What forms of payment do they accept? If you are travelling with your pet, you'll want to make sure that they are pet-friendly and find out in advance if there are any special pet fees.
Depending on your accommodation needs, you may find there are a range of services available to you.
Some corporate housing units will be furnished, but not all.
Furthermore, you cannot always expect to find services such as internet access, local and long-distance telephone services, or free parking.
And if there is parking, best make sure ahead of time that your vehicle will fit the space provided.
These days, parking in condominium buildings is not always flexible and you'll want to be sure.
As such, you need to have an in-depth discussion with potential accommodation companies about the kinds of services they provide and whether you are getting what you need.
Make a list of your expectations and narrow potential corporate housing companies by whether they can provide these services while maintaining a high standard of customer service.
Ultimately, choosing the right company for your housing needs involves defining those needs and reviewing potential companies and whether they can satisfy those needs.
With a wide range of corporate housing options available in most major cities, you should be able to find the right fit for you regardless of your budget, length of stay, or required services.