Fugitive Recovery Network (FRN)
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Office selection
https://ftp.fugitiverecovery.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=11066		 Page 1 of 1
Author:  MSTFLocklear [ Fri 11 Jun 2010 14:02 ]
Post subject:  Office selection
Recently I have been looking for office space. I think I have finally found the right place. Its smack dab in the middle of down town and it has an underground parking garage included. I think this will be great for keeping a low profile. The FBI as well as Appalachia HIDTA has offices there so I figure that would be an exceptional connection to make. Not to mention our marketing guy has an office there and he has some good connections with the local media. My question is how did you go about selecting the "home" for your business?
Author:  tsuggs [ Sat 12 Jun 2010 09:58 ]
Post subject:  Re: Office selection
For a a bail bond office, I would look for

High visibilty
High foot and car traffic
24 hour access
No zonig restrictions
Plenty of local businesses ( restaurants )
Secure building

Now for a bail recovery office,

24 hour access
Ability to sit on a defendant if you can't surrender them right away, like overnite
Low visibilty because you are not really looking for walk in clients
Ability to securely store weapaons / equipment
Secure parking

Many agents work from home. Is that not an option for you? It cuts down on the overhead expenses.
Author:  speezack [ Sat 12 Jun 2010 11:28 ]
Post subject:  Re: Office selection
My office is located in my den about 75' from the steps to my in-ground pool.... desk, cabinets, gun case, file cabinets and all the other essentials, including a large refrigerator and a 50" LCD TV with direct TV sports channels is within arms reach. Of course my phones and FAX and all the stuff that goes into this business are all in place.............. my place.... and I write off the costs and deduct from my home as an office space..... rather than pay someone else rent.

Save your money, unless you figure your gonna immediately set the world on fire....... start out real, real little and work your way up... I have seen many small business owners go down the tube when trying to start big...

... but of course, you may be totally different and already have a large clientele and access to many jails and inside lines on FR and Bonding.... but unless you are in that category already......... save your money and your effort for more useful stuff... like a new Harley.

Unless you are located in front of the jail and have a really nice setup.... it has been my experience in this business that the two best places to locate an office is your home or your car... and let the big boys have all the store fronts they want.... work smarter, not harder.

You would be very surprised at the guys that are knocking down big bucks with very little overhead by doing what I am touting.... of course, I am retired so I don't need to make a lot of money anyway.... As long as I can pay my direct TV bill I am happy... :shock:

You can certainly smile at what I am saying but don't discount my advise too much... it may be your ticket.

good luck.
Author:  FRSofAZ [ Sat 12 Jun 2010 13:45 ]
Post subject:  Re: Office selection
Locklear, my thoughts exactly. My opinion to you would be to office out of your home, or find a bond company willing to rent an office space to you for reduced skip rates, but otherwise skip the overhead liabilities. Youre a new company and youll benefit more by putting the profits back into your pocket and meeting your payroll and fuel bills. I would also highly recomend you take your home address off you website....its easily found if someone wants it, but no need to post it. But if youve got tons of business and you can handle the overhead of rental space, make payroll, insurance, fuel, all the costs of doing recovery work, then by all means go out and get yourself a secluded space. We have an office, but we are rarely there, and even more rare than more than one person is there at a time. We typically work from home or are in the field together.....only one time over the past year have we brought a defendant back to the office to house until the jail was ready to accept him. Weight it very carefully. Once you commit to a lease, youre on the hook. Good luck!

S OConnell
FRS of AZ
602.705.7947
Author:  MSTFLocklear [ Sat 12 Jun 2010 15:38 ]
Post subject:  Re: Office selection
FRSofAZ wrote:
Locklear, my thoughts exactly. My opinion to you would be to office out of your home, or find a bond company willing to rent an office space to you for reduced skip rates, but otherwise skip the overhead liabilities. Youre a new company and youll benefit more by putting the profits back into your pocket and meeting your payroll and fuel bills. I would also highly recomend you take your home address off you website....its easily found if someone wants it, but no need to post it. But if youve got tons of business and you can handle the overhead of rental space, make payroll, insurance, fuel, all the costs of doing recovery work, then by all means go out and get yourself a secluded space. We have an office, but we are rarely there, and even more rare than more than one person is there at a time. We typically work from home or are in the field together.....only one time over the past year have we brought a defendant back to the office to house until the jail was ready to accept him. Weight it very carefully. Once you commit to a lease, youre on the hook. Good luck!

S OConnell
FRS of AZ
602.705.7947

Yeah that is true. About the adress...Its been "getting done tonight" for a few days...He is a busy guy thou so I dont really bug him to much lol..
Author:  ChuckJ [ Sat 12 Jun 2010 17:10 ]
Post subject:  Re: Office selection
If your only doing recoveries and your still trying to build a client base then having an office in close proximity to bail bonds offices would be good. And, if you also do process serving having an office in close proximity to lawyers would be good. Fortunately in the bigger cities there usually tends to be an area where bail bonds and attorney's offices are concentrated. That's the area where you want to be.

Having an office near the FBI might be nice but I doubt it will bring you much in the way of business or even contacts. They usually let the Marshal's do the fugitive work.
Author:  DSI [ Sat 12 Jun 2010 18:05 ]
Post subject:  Re: Office selection
I agree with Mr. Marx, I run my Private Detective business out of the home. Why pay someone else for space that I will never use. When I need to meet with a client at other then his/her home or office, I use the Law Library at the local courthouse. When working for attorneys I use their office space for interviews.
Author:  ChuckJ [ Sat 12 Jun 2010 20:14 ]
Post subject:  Re: Office selection
Very true, if you don't need an office don't have one. A dollar saved is a dollar earned and you don't have to pay taxes on the dollars you save.

The overhead doesn't go away even if you do. So with an office your still paying rent while your on vacation or otherwise not using it.
Author:  DMARTZ [ Mon 14 Jun 2010 02:02 ]
Post subject:  Re: Office selection
We use to have a office by all the attorney's it ran $2000 a month plus utilitys. I had an office built on my property it has 3 offices and a smll break room and payed 985.00. in two years it was paid for. now i walk about 500ft across the yard to go to work.
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