How Richard Rheme Built Strong Sales and High Occupancy at Two Georgia Locations

When Intelligent Office Sandy Springs, GA and Roswell, GA came under Richard Rheme’s ownership, he quickly took their performance—and potential—to new heights.

In 2017, Richard, a former Vice President in corporate finance and business operations, was in search of a new venture, and franchising felt like the right model. 

Coworking wasn’t initially on his radar, but when a broker introduced him to Intelligent Office, he saw the low-employee model, business-hours schedule, and scalable service mix as the balance he wanted from business ownership.

“I liked that I could be as involved or uninvolved as I wanted,” Richard says. “ I could work where and when I wanted to. I could be home more. That flexibility was a huge draw for me.”

Instead of building from zero, he bought two existing locations from a retiring owner. The move gave him a running start: real revenue, real customers, and real systems to improve faster.

Backed by Vast Coworking Group, Intelligent Office equipped Richard with the structure and tools to run a lean, high-margin operation. 

He quickly put those tools to work.

Optimizing existing and missing systems from day one

When Richard took over his two locations, he conducted a process audit and developed an action plan to start boosting revenue from day one.

“We realized there were some simple steps that we could take to make sure our centers reached their full potential—and quickly,” he says. “So, we went to work on optimizing our existing processes and systems and implementing new ones designed to fill our offices and maximize our most scalable revenue opportunities.”

He changed the rhythm immediately, implementing:

• The systems provided within the Intelligent Office franchise model
• Same-day follow-ups on every inquiry
• Owner-led tours to build trust fast
• Consistent networking to bring people into the space
• Right-sized marketing paired with strong client relationships

Those simple, repeatable moves created momentum in sales and retention, and then referrals amplified it.

Leveraging phone answering to drive margin and speed

While doing his due diligence, Richard took a tour of the space he was considering acquiring. 

During his tour, he sat in and listened to live calls being answered on behalf of members by the on-site team. 

One caller said they’d tried to reach four other local firms, and this one—an Intelligent Office member—was the first to pick up.

That told him two things:

1. Responsiveness wins business
2. Office demand is geographic, but phone services scale anywhere

With phone answering services being a core element of the Intelligent Office model, it all made sense for Richard. Office space was in high demand locally and would lay the foundation for his business, but phone answering added virtually unlimited potential because: 

• It isn’t tied to square footage
• It carries strong margins
• It scales without adding new offices or desks

“It unlocks the amount of revenue you can generate per square foot,” he says. “I can quadruple phone revenue without adding more space. I realized there was massive upside potential baked into the Intelligent Office model by offering office space plus phone answering services.”

He adds, “I can offer the latter for any business, anywhere. Today, we answer calls for a trampoline parts manufacturer in England. I’ve never met them and never will, but they’re still a client.”

That’s when he knew this was the right business for him.

Offering a suite of services that support one another 

Both of Richard’s Georgia locations run at or near full occupancy with office space, but he sees occupancy as a lever.

“Since our phone answering services are such a high-margin offering, it gives me flexibility in other facets of the business,” he explains. “For example, I can offer reduced rates on offices to help sell those spaces and keep them full.”

That approach does three things at once:

1. Keeps offices full and stable
2. Protects retention with fair, competitive pricing
3. Frees up time to pursue high-margin phone answering revenue

This was Richard’s Intelligent Office play: provide high-margin virtual services, use them to support office space memberships and retention, and create consistent, scalable revenue.

Reducing churn by right-sizing service 

Members don’t always need the same thing forever. Richard plans for that.

“Our members may eventually realize they don’t need an office anymore,” he says. “But they often find they still need a business address and phone answering services, and retain these services for the long run.”

That’s not churn—it’s right-sizing. 

When this happens, the office becomes available for a new member, while the original member stays in his ecosystem on a sticky, recurring plan.

Richard also sees movement in the other direction: virtual clients who later need a physical workspace. 

Either way, revenue stays in the building.

Leveraging multiple revenue streams has built resilience

Before 2020, remote work was a trial balloon. Then it became normal. That shift expanded the market for virtual services quickly.

“We weren’t heavily exposed to industries that took the hardest hits during the pandemic,” Richard says. “Home services surged because people were investing in their houses. They needed more help, more phone coverage, more of what we offer.”

When meeting and office space demand returned, Richard’s mix was stronger across the board. 

Today, the space side and the services side reinforce each other.

Utilizing systems that create daily momentum

Richard doesn’t claim a sales pedigree. He credits consistency for his success—and a CRM that makes consistency possible.

“With our business management software, I track every contact—who they are, what they need, and when to follow up,” he says. “Even if you use 10% of the platform’s capabilities, it keeps you on track. This is a service that’s included within my Intelligent Office franchise package.”

He adds, “You’d be surprised how many franchise owners across every industry fail to do this basic thing.”

Richard also commits to giving tours himself.

He explains, “As a fellow small business owner, I can talk to prospective members in an authentic, like-minded way. That connection matters.”

One more note on speed: when Richard acquired the locations, they sat around 75% occupancy. 

He was able to reach and maintain 100% occupancy within 12 to 18 months and scale his phone answering business significantly, exponentially boosting revenue beyond the walls of his spaces.

Capitalizing on franchise tools that remove complexity

Intelligent Office’s technology stack, delivered through Vast, took the technical burden off his team, especially with phone answering.

“The phone software is fundamental,” Richard says. “It’s web-based and customizable for each client, including appointment scheduling, intake forms, outbound calls, and voicemail to email. You don’t need phone answering expertise. You can set up numbers, map transfers, and staff can handle calls with clicks.”

He points out that no two clients are the same. 

Some want appointment scheduling. Some want specific intake questions. Some want immediate outbound call-backs on web leads. 

But for owners worried about the learning curve, he adds a practical note.

He explains, “Intelligent Office provides turnkey systems and solutions, which makes them easy to unbox and implement. You also get access to a network of other franchise owners who are incredibly helpful. You don’t have to learn everything the hard way.”

Hiring for phone presence, not resumes

While it may seem daunting to hire skilled employees, Richard begs to differ. 

He has one hiring rule for phone answering staff: hire people clients want to talk to. Prior phone experience is optional.

“You can teach the software,” he says. “You can’t teach sounding happy and being engaging on the phone. I’ve found that people with acting or restaurant experience are usually great with this.”

His screening process is simple and efficient:

1. Post the role with clear instructions 
2. Ask candidates to research Intelligent Office
3. Have them call a dedicated phone number and leave a voicemail explaining why they’re a fit
4. Listen first, and check resumes second

He shares, “Don’t worry about the resume. Just listen to the voicemail. Within 10 seconds, you’ll know if they can represent your business well.”

Why two locations made operations stronger

Richard bought both Georgia locations at once. It wasn’t just a growth decision—it was an operational one.

“All client calls, from both locations, route to both teams,” he says. “Six people answering is more efficient than three. If someone’s out, or in the worst case scenario where there’s a power outage at one site, calls still get answered.”

Pooling staff across two centers improved coverage and reduced headcount needs compared to running two fully independent teams.

5 tips for coworking franchise success

When it comes to building strong sales, boosting retention, and building a successful Intelligent Office franchise, Richard shares a few key tips:

• Run a CRM from day one: Follow up. Every time.
• Lead the tour: Owner presence builds trust and shortens sales cycles.
• Lean into phone services: That’s your scalable, high-margin revenue.
• Price offices competitively: Keep them full and invest your time where margin scales.
• Hire for personality: The right phone presence outperforms “years of experience.”

“The Intelligent Office coworking franchise model is a model that works,” Richard says. “With the systems provided to you fused with the right approach and mindset, you can reach full occupancy and build strong revenue streams fast.”

Curious if a coworking franchise might be the right business for you? Discover opportunities with Intelligent Office today.