Case Study
Countus and LTO Noord share one office premises and that suits them down to the ground
January 23, 2023
The perfect office does it all for you
Too much space
Even before everyone had to suddenly start working from home, LTO Noord and Countus were rattling around in their premises. ‘We had quite a lot of square metres for the number of people actually using it,’ Kitty van Dam, senior facilities manager at accountancy and consultancy firm Countus, tells us. ‘The building was inefficient, with wide corridors and too many traffic areas – that had to change.’ The only problem was that the company was stuck with a long-term lease with a square metre price that was on the high side.
So when the first lockdown was imposed in 2020, the subject of the Countus premises was soon up for discussion. ‘We suddenly realised that we were perfectly capable of working from home. And we concluded: we weren’t going to go back to the way things were.’ A smaller, more efficient head office was much more in line with Countus’ requirements.
Outdated office
Meanwhile the same thing was happening across town at LTO Noord. Minne Kamstra, member of staff at the Facility Services Department of the farmers’ association: ‘We were rattling around in our premises, which was spread across two floors.’ Not an ideal place for work that revolves around being in contact and dialogue. Added to that was another problem: the building had a low energy label. ‘As of 1 January 2023, office premises have to have a class C energy label, and that was not feasible for us. That’s why I got in touch with CBRE Netherlands. My question was simple: what can we do about it?’
Together under one roof
Marco Vermeer – Director Occupier Services at the CBRE offices in Zwolle – started looking around in the vicinity. The Countus premises came to the fore in his investigation. It was situated between the PEC stadium and Isala hospital, on the edge of the countryside. ‘And there is plenty of parking space,’ Kamstra adds. ‘That was an important prerequisite for our team.’ The premises was occupied, but Vermeer decided: nothing ventured nothing gained. He got in touch with Kitty van Dam at Countus and asked her: are you happy with the office space as it is now? Or could we possibly bring Countus and LTO Noord together under one roof?
A different organisation, the same DNA
On the face of it, LTO Noord and Countus appear to be completely different. The one represents farming interests and supports the agricultural sector, while the other advises individuals and businesses on legal and financial matters. But if you look a little closer, you’ll see they’re a good match. Countus also has its roots in agriculture: the company started out almost a century ago as a farmers’ cooperative. Countus’ still has many clients that are agricultural companies. What’s more, the two tenants would be in a position to share many facilities in the refurbished office building in Zwolle.
The financial side of things made sense
‘It made sense as far as we were concerned,’ Van Dam tells us. It was the perfect solution for the accountancy and consultancy firm, which needed less physical space but was stuck with a 15-year lease. CBRE sat down with the landlord and the lease was renegotiated. LTO Noord co-signed the lease, while at the same time significant improvements were made to the building. The upshot for Countus: fewer square metres, better rental and refurbished offices. ‘CBRE were a great help in that respect.’
The building already had a class A energy label, but new window frames, LED lighting and smart temperature control were the ‘icing on the cake’. This was important for the new tenants, but also great for the owner who saw its premises grow in value. So all the parties were happy with the new situation.
Great look and feel
Those who enter the building are given a warm welcome. Whether you’re there for Countus or for LTO Noord, you’ll be greeted by a friendly host. Not at a cold, unfriendly reception desk, but in a meeting room with a cosy work café right there. The café is open all day: for lunch, for meetings or simply to catch up over a cup of coffee. ‘There’s much more going on in the building these days,’ Van Dam recounts. Kamstra is very happy with the collaboration too: ‘We share a lot: the work café, the caretaker and the hosts for example. And our colleagues are constantly coming across one another. It sometimes takes time to get used to it, but we also have great conversations. We get on well, it’s as simple as that.’
Hybrid working is standard practice
A great deal has changed at Countus and LTO Noord, on CBRE's advice. Permanent workstations are a thing of the past – but both organisations have their own part of the building, of course. Staff book a place in their own part of the building, one that suits what they are going to do that day. Need to concentrate of figures without distractions? Then go for a quiet room. Need to discuss things with colleagues? Then take a conference room or go downstairs to the meeting place.
Happy with the result
‘CBRE has taken the hassle out of our hands,’ Kamstra concludes. ‘And we’re happy we went ahead with the process.’ Kitty van Dam agrees: ‘There are more dynamics in the building, while at the same time we’re saving on costs. What’s more, we managed to stick to the original schedule, although the last remaining issues are being addressed now. Plus: we didn’t exceed our budget. As accountants, we’re very happy about that.’
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