Servcorp and the Office of the Future
According to a 2017 survey conducted by KPMG, women make up only 26 percent of CIO and portfolio management roles, 17 percent of corporate boards, and 14 percent of CEOs in the real estate industry. Those are numbers that are due for a 2018 upgrade—but for Australian-born company Servcorp, the glass ceiling has long been surmounted. So while most commercial real estate executives are male, Servcorp’s leadership is 90 percent female.
In addition to being an industry pioneer when it comes to representation, Servcorp is also a major player when it comes to shared workspace. Today, Servcorp offers office spaces, virtual offices, co-working, and IT solutions in over 160 locations across 54 cities in 23 countries.
To get a better idea of Servcorp’s tech-centric offerings, Mann Report sat down with Michelle Burnell, who started her career as a receptionist at Servcorp. Since then, Burnell has grown to lead one of the company’s premier locations—One World Trade Center.
Tell me about Servcorp—how did the company get to where it is today?
Servcorp has promoted from within, seeing the value in each and every employee. As a meritocracy, Servcorp has done a great job in allowing its employees to take ownership and control of their career paths. This model is essentially designed to encourage employees to strive for growth based on the level of effort they put in, developing skills that can translate into more senior roles later on.
What differentiates Servcorp from its competitors?
Servcorp is the premier luxury provider of shared workspace. Servcorp differentiates itself by bringing a higher level of service to the co-working experience. The work spaces we offer, for example, are conveniently located in prominent business districts around the world, such as One World Trade Center.
What are some of Servcorp’s core values? What is its mission?
At its core, I believe Servcorp operates with a “can-do” attitude. Overall, its mission is certainly to deliver the highest quality, seamless services to our customers—all while being a great company to work for.
Tell me more about Servcorp’s technology initiatives.
Servcorp is committed to delivering the utmost quality experience to our customers, and technology is a major component of that. Major corporations invest millions of dollars in providing their employees with technology needed to work efficiently and stay connected, whereas smaller companies and executives operating on their own have to make do without these resources. However, Servcorp actually defies this reality by creating a global network and a user-friendly suite of apps designed to empower virtual entrepreneurs. From our lightning-fast communications network to our innovative call routing system, Servcorp invests in technology that allows our clients to make lasting impressions and focus on their businesses.
Tell me more about Servcorp’s virtual office spaces. Do you see virtual office space as a big player in the future of real estate?
In today’s society, more people are seeking increased flexibility in their roles and work environments. Virtual offices give people the benefit of the prestige and the impression of an elite location without a long-term commitment, allowing their business to be flexible and nimble. This flexibility ultimately allows businesses to select a customized solution and operate more efficiently and effectively.
Servcorp’s virtual offices provide everything an established business needs, such as an address in a premier location; a local phone number answered by a polite, professional receptionist in your local office; access to boardrooms, meeting rooms, co-working space, and private offices in your home office or around the world; and experienced support and IT teams to meet all your requirements.
What technology do you foresee will impact the real estate industry the most in the coming years?
More companies are increasingly leveraging property technology to give their businesses a competitive edge. Smart building technology—for example, machine learning technology combined with software to control heating/cooling units in the corporate environment—can reap tremendous benefits by amplifying companies’ cost savings and improving sustainability footprints. The use of smart building technology will also allow commercial real estate companies to access data that could be used to increase productivity and efficiency.
What new developments do you have coming down the pipeline?
Currently, Servcorp provides premier office spaces, virtual offices, co-working, and IT solutions in some of the best locations across 54 cities in 23 countries, from the Middle East and Asia to Europe and the U.S. I’d like to see the company continue to expand globally and grow our co-working and dedicated desk products.
Given the outlook and climate at Servcorp, do you see women occupying more executive roles in the real estate industry in the future?
I can only hope that women feel empowered to take on more executive roles in the real estate industry, and am proud to say Servcorp is taking part in leading that charge.
What advice would you give to women hoping to break into real estate?
My advice is to paint a picture of what a successful career looks like for you, assess your skillset, and be honest about your strengths and weaknesses. Keeping this in mind will arm you with the knowledge and confidence you’ll need to take on any career path.
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