Even if you’re running your start-up from home, you can create an entirely different impression for your customers’ benefit.
With a virtual office you can appear to be situated in a prime location in the heart of London, should you wish, rather than out of your dining room.
A virtual office is a business location simulated by telecommunications and address agents
Simply speaking, a virtual office is a business location simulated by telecommunications and address agents. The main services offered by these agents are mail forwarding and telephone answering.
According to recent research by Yac, the communication management specialist, 36% of start-ups have a preference for virtual working. These businesses identified flexibility as the primary benefit of opting for this style of working.
Of those owners that preferred virtual working, 75% felt they would probably be moving location within six months of trading so didn’t want to be tied down, and 85% could not afford to set up a permanent office so preferred to use technology that allowed them to work anywhere.
Professionalism
The virtual office offers a range of services.
Mail forwarding is where your post is sent to an address given to you by the provider, usually in a prestigious location. It is then forwarded on to you wherever you are on a daily basis. This means you maintain a level of professionalism associated with established, larger firms that can afford expensive office spaces.
Similarly, they can forward faxes to you, via email.
Another service offered by providers is telephone answering, whereby trained receptionists handle calls on behalf of your organisation. When you sign up for the service you are allocated a telephone number.
Callers are greeted by your virtual receptionist, who greets them with your company name. Like any traditional receptionist they can get important calls through to you while also filtering out cold callers.
You can also hire a virtual PA or secretary to handle part of your business. They can compose letters and emails, and keep your diary updated for meetings and reminders.
Usually independent or contract workers, virtual PAs and secretaries can be hired on a project-by-project basis or in the short or long-term.
Once you have registered with a virtual office provider, you can drop in to the physical office whenever you choose. They generally have desks, meeting rooms, storage space, IT support, a common area and office furniture, and are usually situated in prime locations, particularly city centres. If you’re running your business from home, it’s nice to have somewhere to work in between meetings with clients or colleagues.
