Set up your Workplace – Business Start-up Corner

	Location of your Workplace
	Fitting out your Workplace
	Setting up your Computer System

Location of your Workplace

	Consider the following when choosing the location of your workplace:
		Budget: Depending on your company’s financial situation, you should decide whether to lease or buy the office. Business property mortgage loans are available from many banks. Some even come with additional banking products as a package to allow your company to earn attractive interest returns while meeting your financial needs during the mortgage period.
		Transport: Does the location enjoy convenience of access? Is there public transport and / or parking facilities nearby?
		Location: Is your workplace close to your business partners, such as buyers, vendors, suppliers, your bank and perhaps your competitors? If you need to meet with a business partner frequently, you may consider setting up your workplace in its neighhourhood.
		Space: Estimate how many staff members and what equipment is required in order to size up the actual office space needed and ensure that your office has sufficient space to provide a safe and healthy work environment for your staff.

	Business Mortgage-Link is a 3-in-1 financial package, which includes mortgage, deposits and trade finance services while meeting the financing needs of your business
	Hang Seng Real Estate Management Limited provides one-stop solutions to help you take care of various property-related matters
	Call 24-hour Business Partner Direct 2198 8000 and we will help you to decide which financial solutions best suit your company

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Fitting out your Workplace

A workplace with the right equipment is not only the foundation of a comfortable work environment, but also a driver for good operating efficiency. To make the most of your resources, carefully estimate the number of employees and the work space required and then draw up a list of equipment this will require. This list will help you calculate the necessary budget. In particular, you should be aware of the following:

In the early stages of a new business, it could be too much of a burden to buy all the equipment at one go. If this is soothe case, the new start-up may consider lease financing:

Advantages:
	Leaves more cash on hand for working capital
	Less pressure on your company’s balance sheet position
	If your business has to keep up with the latest technology, lease financing will also spare you the capital expenditure required to regularly upgrade your equipment
Disadvantage:
	In case of early termination, you may be bound to pay a penalty or even the remaining instalments of your lease
	If the lease period turns out to be longer than the technology cycle, the equipment will become obsolete before the end of the lease

If you choose to buy equipment, the SME Loan Guarantee Scheme – set up by the HKSAR Government - can help SMEs to secure loans from participating lending institutions (PLIs) for acquiring business installations and equipment, as well as meeting additional operational expenses. Currently, there are over 30 PLIs in Hong Kong. For details, please check with your usual banker.

Before equipment purchase, you may look around for discount offers available in the market. Many credit card issuers have signed special offer deals with office equipment suppliers. Some credit cards even give away office equipment as welcome gifts for new customers.

You may also consider how to protect your office contents and equipment. Insurance cover will help minimise potential financial losses caused by theft, robbery or accidental damage to your office furniture, fixtures, office improvements, electrical appliances, computers and accessories, etc.

	Hang Seng SME Loan Guarantee Scheme can provide you with additional funds to buy new office equipment and additional working capital
	Hang Seng Commercial Card offers discounts on office equipment and business services to help cut your financial burden
	Office Protection Plan provides you with an all-in-one insurance solution covering office contents and equipment, business interruption, cash, personal accidents and public liability
	Call 24-hour Business Partner Direct 2198 8000 and we will help you to decide which financial solutions best suit your company

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Setting up your Computer System

In this information age, an efficient computer system is often crucial to a company’s daily operations. Running your system with the right software can make a big difference to operating efficiency. Hence, in starting up your business, you need to make wise choices in shopping for software and IT appliances that fully meet your business requirements.

Software can be divided into two types:

Off-the-shelf Software
Standard software readily available in the market, including office suites and accounting software. Advantages include low price, ready-to-use operating environment and widespread technical support. Such software is used by most companies to handle ordinary office documents and accounting.

ii)

Built-to-order Software
Custom designed for the unique requirements of individual businesses, this type of software is more expensive and usually run in an operating environment specifically tailored for the individual’s needs. Relies on technical support from the software supplier and may require multiple test runs by users. Normally, such software is used to satisfy the special data processing requirements of larger businesses or the unique information management needs of highly professional sectors.

In selecting software, you may consider these factors:

	Will the software package add value to the organisation and efficiency of your company’s information management? Are the configurations and functions in line with your practical needs?
	Is the software package compatible with your computer system? Is there likely to be any problem in compatibility that could drag down the efficiency of your information management?
	Do your company’s circumstances make it worthwhile to invest in built-to-order software?

Network security is another factor to consider in setting up your computer system. Networking is crucial in enabling the transmission of data and maintaining communications within the company and with outside parties. Hackers, computer viruses, spam and internet scams can result in huge damages to business operations. To minimise the risk of any loss, network security should be at the top of your agenda. In particular, pay attention to these issues:

-	Install anti-virus software. Most anti-virus software is preset to automatically download updates and latest versions once available to ensure maximum protection for your computer system.
-	Check your network security settings and make sure your firewall is enabled to avoid the attacks of hackers.
-	Only open e-mail attachments that you know are safe and are from trusted sources.
-	Do not install any unknown programme.

Integrating a server into your network can tighten security and streamline your workflow. A server is designed to allow many users access at one time. By centralising databases and files, it is easier to manage and share information between workstations. You may consult a technical consultant or buy a server bundle specially designed for SMEs from a reliable IT solutions service provider.

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