Save yourself at all COSTS!! Karachi Dolmen Executive Towers
Taking an office space with Regus has been one of the biggest business regrets we've ever made. The marketing and branding may portray them as a global company with over 3k locations, but in our experience, the customer service simply does not match that image. During the sales process, everything seems smooth. The sales team is attentive and accommodating until you sign the agreement. After that, the level of support changes dramatically. We found the sales process to be lacking in transparency. Important information regarding the contract terms, cancellation policy, automatic renewal process, VAT, and additional charges for services such as kitchen amenities and internet was either not clearly explained or not emphasized before we signed. Once the agreement was in place, we began receiving invoices that we disputed, including charges made to our card that we believe were incorrect. Recovering our retainer has also become an ongoing struggle with no resolution.
The lack of empathy and customer service has been one of the most disappointing aspects of our experience. Regus promises every client a dedicated point of contact, known as an Associate, to assist with day-to-day support. Unfortunately, our experience with this service fell far below expectations. We often found communication to be unhelpful, dismissive, and lacking the professionalism you would expect from a global company. There also appeared to be a high turnover of staff eventually leaving, resulting in inconsistent support. The condition of the Executive Towers centre in Karachi was equally concerning. Throughout our tenancy, we experienced recurring issues with mosquitoes, rats, and cockroach infestations. On more than one occasion, we even found cockroaches in our coffee, which was both unhygienic and unacceptable for a serviced office environment. Our experience became even more frustrating when we discovered that the office we had signed for did not have a functioning internet connection. Instead of resolving the issue, we were moved between different offices, forcing us to repeatedly reconfigure our equipment and systems. This caused significant operational disruption and financial loss to our business.
We had agreed to a three-month term, yet our contract was renewed for another three months despite us communicating through multiple emails that we did not wish to continue. We received only one renewal reminder, and despite making our intentions clear, the renewal still went ahead. The billing process has been equally chaotic. We were charged for a renewal and an additional deposit, only for those invoices to later be cancelled by Regus as part of what they described as an "internal process." We were left with no option but to initiate a chargeback with our bank. Following this, six separate credit notes were issued, further highlighting the confusion surrounding our account. Despite these repeated billing errors, we have continued to receive payment demands for charges we dispute, while our retainer remains unresolved. Based on our records, Regus still owes us money . Perhaps most disappointing has been the lack of accountability. Even after copying the City Manager and Country Manager on numerous emails, we received little to no meaningful response and were repeatedly directed to raise support tickets.
The most alarming incident was a fire in the centre's kitchen. During the evacuation, there were no audible fire alarms, visible security staff, CCTV, or illuminated emergency exit signs. Another client helped evacuate my team; without them, the outcome could have been much worse. The smoke was so severe that one of our employee lost consciousness.
Afterwards, instead of receiving support or clear communication, we were asked to provide evidence of the incident despite there being no CCTV coverage at Regus!
Overall, our experience with Regus involved poor communication, repeated billing disputes, inadequate customer support, operational disruptions, and serious concerns about the centre's management and safety. I strongly recommend reviewing the contract, renewal terms, billing practices, and the condition of the specific centre before signing up. Our experience fell far short of the standards we expected.
This review reflects our genuine experience and is based on events as they occurred. It is intended to provide a factual account of our experience, not to spread negativity about the business.