Regus, WA, Bothell- Canyon Park West

Jacqueline H. a month ago

I have been at this Regus location since late 2020, though I've occupied space at other Regus locations since 2012-ish. Overall--I would give this specific location 5 stars BUT given the corporate policies that have been rolled out without notice, I cannot in good conscience give more than a 1 star. The GOOD: The offices are clean and tidy. The staff are invariably friendly and professional. The furnishings are of high-quality furnishings and offers an extensive range of add-on services. This location has "Refresh bar" with coffee, tea, ice, and a water dispenser. There are two conference rooms available for reservation and a "community space", essentially a day office, which you can book for free for a limited duration. The staff promptly address maintenance issues; whether it's a burnt-out lightbulb or a significant building concern, the appropriate personnel are dispatched without delay. Office spaces come with a phone and desk set up to your preferences. If you rent multiple offices within the same center, they offer the convenience of re-keying doors so that you require just one key. Expanding or upgrading your space is also hassle-free. Multiple internet options are available, all secured and protected, ranging from shared wi-fi/ethernet to personalized networks (additional fees apply). Out of all the Regus spaces I've ever used, this one is by far the most organized and tidy. The BAD: Coffee/tea is charged monthly per person, opting out can be difficult. Lots of add on fees that you won’t expect. Staffing seems pretty consistent whereas other locations seem to have higher turnover. The staff seem to really care about tenants and overall go above and beyond to ensure things are in order and running smoothly. But, on 9/14/23, this center abruptly e-mailed notice that effective 9/25/23, the center's doors would remain locked during business hours. Visitors, including couriers, would need to call the respective parties for access and that tenants have to "self-serve" 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm so reception can have “a proper lunch.” Notably, this has never been a concern in the past as they just staffed appropriately. Starting September 25, some of my customers reported access issues (at all our Regus locations)--mainly because the signs telling them to call the front desk are only in English-again this is a corporate decision that has failed this and other Regus locations. What's irksome is the scant week's notice provided by Regus before implementing such a pivotal change. Their promotional material invariably highlights the presence of a "friendly staff to meet and greet your guests" and a staffed reception operational from 8:30 am to 5 pm on weekdays. This sudden policy deviation, especially after auto-renewing my office lease, feels unprofessional and unacceptable. Regus' response so far has been dismissive--I get that this decision is not the fault of this specific location BUT Regus also makes it very difficult to get to get help via the help desk. I do commend this City Manager (formerly the Community manager) as she always promptly responds to questions and concerns. In fact, this location is THE ONLY LOCATION to respond to my concerns expediently. Ironically, every Regus office displays a sign that reads, "Everyone has an opinion. We'd love to hear yours." To that, my reply is clear: It's inappropriate and disingenuous to promise services (consistently provided over a decade) and then cease them suddenly, especially after auto-renewing leases, without offering any prior notification.