by Shane Henson — October 3, 2011—Facilities managers and building owners know the laundry list of amenities and items important to their tenants, but some may be surprised to know that having access to high-speed network connections may be their tenants’ chief concern.
Comcast Corporation, one of the nation’s leading providers of entertainment, information and communications products and services, recently announced the results of its 2011 State of Communications Services in Commercial Real Estate Survey.
The company polled nearly 500 U.S. commercial real estate building owners and property managers, all of whom are members of the Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA). The survey asked for their opinions regarding the importance of advanced communications services, such as Metro Ethernet, broadband Internet, voice, video and related services, for attracting and retaining tenants.
Respondents confirmed that access to advanced communications services has surpassed on-site gyms, cafeterias and other building amenities as a top priority for tenants when choosing office locations. In fact, 90 percent of respondents say that access to advanced communications ranked as top on the list only after price, parking and location.
Furthermore, more than one-third of respondents stated that the topic of access to advanced communications services is raised in 75 percent of negotiations with prospective tenants. As a result, many property owners and building managers are expanding their network infrastructure options and using these technologies to give them a competitive edge and marketing tool for attracting and retaining tenants in today’s challenging economic conditions.
