Services
How flexible workspace advisory works
Our flexible workspace advisory service is delivered at no cost to you, because the operator pays the fee on completion.
Using a flexible workspace advisor in Singapore costs you nothing. Knight Frank is paid by the operator on completion, in the same way an agent is paid on any commercial letting. You pay the operator's published rate. Going direct does not reduce that rate, because the operator prices commission into the rate card either way.
What you gain is the part occupiers rarely account for: the search itself. A serviced office decision in Singapore means contacting operators individually, receiving quotes structured on entirely different bases, then working out which is actually cheaper once meeting room credits, after-hours air-conditioning, IT support and renewal escalation are counted.
That work lands on whoever in your business has the least room for it — usually a founder, an office manager or a regional lead already carrying a full remit. We take it off them.
What a flexible workspace search actually involves
Most occupiers approach three or four operators, because those are the names they already know. Singapore has considerably more than that, given how mature the coworking and serviced office market here is, and the centres that fit a given brief are rarely the ones with the largest marketing spend.
Each operator responds on its own terms. One quotes a desk rate inclusive of meeting room credits, another quotes a lower headline rate and charges credits separately. Terms, notice periods, deposits, escalation at renewal and fit-out flexibility all vary. There is no standard unit of comparison in this market, which is why two quotes that look twenty per cent apart are sometimes level, and two that look identical are not.
Resolving that takes a working knowledge of how each operator builds a quote. We hold that knowledge because we run these comparisons continuously, across operators and micromarkets, as our core work rather than as an occasional task.
What we do on your behalf
Define the brief
We establish headcount, growth assumptions, term, budget and the operational requirements that narrow the field — meeting room load, client-facing needs, and the commute pattern of your team. A well-defined brief removes much of the market before a single viewing is arranged.
Shortlist and arrange viewings
We approach the operators that match the brief, including those outside the four or five names most occupiers know, and consolidate viewings into as few trips as your diary allows. You see a curated shortlist rather than a list of everything available.
Normalise the quotes
We rebuild every proposal on a single comparable basis, separating the headline desk rate from what is bundled and what is charged on top. This is where most of the value sits, because it is the step that reveals which quote is genuinely cheaper over the full term.
Negotiate terms
We negotiate rate, incentives, rent-free periods, deposit, notice and renewal escalation, informed by what operators in that micromarket are currently agreeing. Occupiers negotiating alone rarely know which of those levers an operator will move on.
Benchmark the renewal
Renewal is where flexible workspace occupiers are most exposed, because the alternative to accepting an uplift is a full relocation. We benchmark the proposed renewal against current market terms and negotiate from that position.
Occupiers do not overpay for flexible workspace because they negotiate badly. They overpay because no two operators quote on the same basis, so the cheapest-looking proposal is very often not the cheapest one.
What the search costs you in time
The cost of running a flexible workspace search in-house is rarely counted, because it does not appear on an invoice. It appears instead as senior hours: identifying which operators and centres fit the brief, arranging viewings across a dispersed set of buildings, requesting proposals and chasing the operators who do not respond, then reconciling quotes that have been built on different bases.
That time is not distributed evenly. It falls in concentrated blocks during the weeks a growing business can least afford them, and it is almost always absorbed by someone whose actual job is something else — the finance lead, the operations manager, the founder.
Engaging an advisor removes that load entirely, and it does so without adding to your occupancy cost. The comparison worth making is not between our fee and no fee, because there is no fee to you. It is between a shortlist built on market knowledge and a shortlist built on whoever answered the phone.
Considering a conventional lease as well?
Our Occupier Strategy and Solutions team advises on the full commercial property line — site selection, lease negotiation and portfolio management — so the flexible option is assessed against the alternative rather than in isolation.
Frequently asked questions
Does a flexible workspace broker cost anything in Singapore?
No. The operator pays the fee on completion, so our advisory service is delivered at no cost to you. This is the standard commercial arrangement across the market and applies whether you take a single private office or a full floor.
Will I get a better price if I approach the operator directly?
No. Operators price commission into their rate card regardless of how an enquiry arrives, so going direct does not produce a lower rate. What it does remove is the comparison, the negotiation and the benchmarking that determine whether the rate you are offered is competitive.
What can an advisor do that an operator's sales team cannot?
An operator's sales team represents one operator. We compare across the market, rebuild competing quotes on a single comparable basis and negotiate on your side of the table. An operator cannot tell you that a competitor is offering better terms for your brief.
How long does a flexible workspace search take?
Most searches run four to eight weeks from brief to signed agreement, depending on how quickly viewings can be scheduled and how many stakeholders are involved. Urgent requirements can move faster where the brief is tightly defined at the outset.
Is Knight Frank tied to particular operators?
No. We are paid on completion by whichever operator you select, and we hold no exclusive arrangements. Our commercial arrangements are stated openly, because an occupier should be able to see how their advisor is paid.
What size of requirement do you advise on?
We advise on requirements from small private offices through to managed suites and full-floor solutions for regional teams. Smaller requirements benefit most from advisory support, because they are the least likely to have in-house real estate resource.
Can you help with a renewal rather than a new search?
Yes. We benchmark the operator's proposed renewal against current market terms and negotiate on that basis. Renewal is where flexible workspace occupiers are most exposed, because accepting an uplift is often easier than relocating.
