What is the history of the company Diplomat SA, the owner of Diplomat Business Center, and of the construction now hosting an important business centre in Bucharest?
Our company dates back to the beginning of the 90s and it is 100 pct. a Romanian company. In the beginning we were among the first private owners on the Romanian office market, trying to continuously develop the quality system of the services offered to our clients.
Regarding the history of the construction, the building was completed in 1982 at the highest standards, considering that Romania was just stroke by the strong earthquake in 1977.
Situated at km 0 of the central business district of Bucharest, Diplomat Business Center offers the companies choosing it as headquarters a “different” office space. What are the ingredients of this hub, both classic and modern?
Considering our position in a zone with high interest for companies with business in different categories, we always focused on the quiet area where we are located and we are offering our clients something different.
In this respect, having a large sized garden, we made available for our clients relaxing pergolas where they can have a coffee, also meeting with their clients in the middle of nature.
Regarding our office spaces, they are both small and medium sized, partitioned, being suited for lots of medium sized companies. They include small kitchens, toilets and parking places. Moreover, the rent price includes all utilities, so the companies have nothing to do but their office activity, being no need for maintenance people.
What type of companies your property addresses, considering the range of activity and the available office area?
As I said before, there are companies within a large range of activities, from medicine to IT and even tourism. They are coming to us mainly in their first stages of development, evolving from 2-3 employees up to almost 100. When the normal growth in the market allows them their organic evolution, they are migrating towards other locations, according to their demands in perspective.
We currently have let 95 pct. of the premises, highlighting the fact that the office market is growing, which makes us happy as owners, considering the huge potential Romania has in the current developing background and of the future European outlook.
What are the financial advantages of your office offer, compared to the market?
The contractual conditions are mainly similar to the office market; we are trying to respond to the market with clear contracts and it is not our intention to bind the clients for years without being able to leave but with huge compensations.
Being a downtown location, our prices are considering the market evolution and we try to always offer the fair prices. The payment of the rent is always made on time by our tenants, no delays being registered at this moment.
How would you describe, from your experience, the relationship between the owner and the tenant?
There is generally a mutual respect based on clear contracts. Of course, we always have flexibility for different request from the tenants ‘side, helping them in most of the problems they face. In a word, there is respect between the parties, and conflicts between us never exist.
This is, for sure, a very tranquil working environment. What does from your point of view a good office building management mean?
Working in this field for over 18 years I saw the market evolution since the beginning. At first we focused on human resources. This aspect is very important, as we don’t have to teach every year the new employees in respect of our management system.
The adaptability to new trends in technology and in efficient management of our premises was always an important concern to me and my team. This means constantly reinventing the company and adapting to the office market I was talking about previously. Of course, all these are possible on the background of a healthy economic life of the legislative framework. Unfortunately there are also many sudden changes the companies have to adjust to, as things are sometimes changing overnight.
What is your opinion on the office market in Bucharest?
My opinion is that the market will continue to grow, following the global development trend of the society. This means that those following the healthy organic development path will survive in a very aggressive dynamic of different groups of interests in all categories of investors, more or less trustworthy.
