The beginner s guide to the virtual office

Transcription

1 The beginner s guide to the virtual office 1

2 Contents Introduction page 3 The benefits of the virtual office page 4 Choosing the right virtual office provider page 5 2

3 Introduction The rapid development of the digital world and the use of cloud technology has enabled many professionals to take a more flexible approach to their business model, with more and more employees working almost entirely from home or elsewhere. Not only can this save money, but provides the worker with a more satisfying work/life balance. Whilst flexible working laws have made it more common for employees to work from home, how do you run your business away from an office successfully without compromising on that professional image that clients expect? Enter the virtual office. Allowing a third party to take care of your calls and mail from a serviced office with a business address can free up precious time and ensure you never miss a single client call. With many self-employed professionals and small to medium sized companies now realising that the age old working pattern of 9-5, Monday through to Friday is not ideal for many employees, the virtual office is on the rise. 3

4 The benefits of the virtual office The virtual business model has many benefits for professionals that either work entirely from home or spend much of their working day out on the road. Professional Image Whilst working away from a more conventional office based environment can save many selfemployed or small to medium businesses money, the virtual office provides their brand with the same professional image their larger competitors have. By allowing a reputable serviced office to take care of incoming calls from clients and potential customers, you can get on with your day to day business safe in the knowledge you haven t missed a single call. Furthermore, simply being registered to a professional address projects the right image to your clients, whether they need to send you mail or not. Save time Whilst the old saying that time equals money is something of a cliché, it really is true. Picking up calls all day can be particularly time consuming and not always practical if you are in and out of client visits. By allowing somebody else to pick up the phone for you, you can choose who to call back and when, thus freeing up your already busy diary. Cost minimum Many small to medium start-up s will simply not be able to justify the cost of buying or renting an office, and so the virtual office is an affordable alternative that is also much cheaper than hiring a full-time receptionist. The money saved can then be spent elsewhere, on things such as marketing, I.T and entertaining clients. Low risk As the costs associated with the virtual set-up are so minimal, it gives you access to an office without the usual monetary risks involved. A medium sized company can expand their territory by having several virtual offices dotted around the country, without having to invest in a permanent office and additional staffing. Environmentally sound As the use of utilities and petrol associated with a traditional office environment are dramatically cut down, so is your carbon footprint. According to The Guardian, a small nozzle manufacturer with 10 employees named Bete saves approximately 8.4 tonnes of CO2 per year through its virtual office business model. 4

5 Choosing the right virtual office provider Whilst there is now abundance of virtual office providers on the market, the quality and amount of benefits on offer vary from provider to provider. Carrwood Park provides grade A serviced space to a variety of clients and that same level of quality extends to our virtual office too. Here are the ideal facilities you should look out for when selecting your provider. Professional Image Whilst shopping around for your perfect virtual office space provider, it s important to choose an office which can mirror the same level of professional image that you or your business have worked hard to achieve. Wherever possible, look for reviews and recommendations on the service offered by a provider; the last thing you want is a provider with an understaffed or unreliable reception space. Registered address It goes without saying that having a professional address is vital in projecting the right image for your business, but make sure you choose a provider that can go the extra mile too. Carrwood Park forwards all mail to clients via Royal Mail using standard Royal Mail prices, as well as having the convenience to collect directly from us. DDI number Having a landline attached to your professional address is another way of letting clients know you mean business. As this number can be forwarded to your personal voic or mobile number, it means you can run your daily schedule on the go without missing out. Reception answering Having a professional front of house receptionist answering your calls means that you need never worry about missing a potential client. Carrwood Park guarantees to answer each and every call within three rings to give you that extra peace of mind. Optional meeting rooms Whilst utilising the virtual business model does have its many benefits, one of the downsides is that you may be left short should you need to host a client meeting. Choosing a provider that has a range of stylish meeting rooms with all the latest technology gives you the option to book rooms on an ad-hoc basis. Carrwood Park provides discounts to all virtual office clients. If you d like to learn more about the virtual office packages provided by Carrwood Park, head over to our website where you request an online quote. 5