Virtual Offices what are they? Do I need one for my Business?

It is inevitable that, as a company, we will be judged by the place where we work and, to give the best possible image, virtual offices appear.

Despite all the progress, working from home does not project us as professionally as we would like.

And our potential customers, our market, still feel more secure if we are a company with physical offices, with a secretary and everything that gives that illusion of stability and formality.

I bet even you have doubted doing business with someone who works at home. I am sure that, when talking on the phone, when listening in the background to the sound of an environment opposite to what an office is, you did not find it very professional.

We are like this, what can we do, we like to get ahead, take advantage of technology, but we are not yet willing to accept new ways of working.

Being that, it is inevitable that people will judge us by the place where we work and so that our small business is growing and leaving benefits, the possibility of virtual offices, which are presented as the most attractive option of all, appears.

What are virtual offices?

Simple, they are virtual spaces that fulfill the same function as a physical office. They are used, mostly, to receive your mail and to give an address that is highly striking for your business.

Stop to think this, you have a business and you can hire an office that provides you with an address in a very prestigious business center in your city, don't you think that is very attractive for your clients? Yes, it is; That's where this whole idea is born.

The services that are included in a virtual office can be many. From a simple business address to a customer service center that receives messages and then forwards them so you can give them an answer.

In some cases, the business centers where virtual offices are offered may include the physical office service, or a meeting room, if your clients request a business meeting.

The idea is good, and it has many benefits. I'm going to talk to you about two because I think they are the most striking.

With these offices, you don't sacrifice your freedom

You might be thinking since we are looking for an office, the better amount one on my own? And if you want to do it, fine, but analyze this. Most likely, you are already used to being at home, managing time in your way and the idea of ​​having to go to an office is posed as a loss to your freedom.

Many of the businesses that use the virtual office service do not need to have a physical store, all the business is done from the Internet and being in that physical space waiting for something to happen is wasting time.

When you hire the service you can continue at home, being free, but with the benefit that your customers see you as a serious and formal company.

It is cheaper than a physical office

Undoubtedly, the option with which we can compare a virtual office is with a physical office, but start thinking about all the money you have to invest.

In a physical office you need:

• Computer equipment
• Maintenance of staff.
• Budget for rent, payment of services and others.
• Personnel for administrative work
• Budget for any other expenses (security, stationery, among others)

In many cases, the investment is not fair, because as I said before, you do not receive clients daily in your office.

When you take out the accounts it is very clear that the savings are very large. If you are a new micro entrepreneur, very surely, you do not have to pay for any investment that the physical store entails.

We could include in the disadvantages of the physical office that the location is not going to be so good, that is, you may not be able to pay for an office in a recognized business center.

Later we will see many more benefits associated with virtual offices, I just wanted to point out these two because I think they are the most important, seen from the comfort you have now and that you do not want to leave, just to make your company more professional.

How are the services of a virtual office handled?

At first, it was hard for me to understand how this virtual office business worked, and that of the management I understood, but not the receptionist.

The idea is simple, you pay for the service, assuming it includes receptionist and call attention. The company assigns you to a person on your team to do the job, you should not look for anyone.

I know what you are thinking, and if the receptionist or the one who answers the telephone does not meet my expectations? Well, that is always a risk, but in general, if you hire a serious and responsible company that is not going to be a problem.

The people who offer this service are trained in customer service, so your company will give that feeling of professionals. Also, over time, the person becomes familiar with your company and can provide a better service, it can even solve problems without consulting you.

The rest of the services will depend on the plan you take, but it will vary depending on the company you hire. I've seen some that even rent you a cubicle for hours, in case you have to attend to someone in those offices.

More benefits of virtual offices

In general, I have told you about the freedom to manage your time and maintain your lifestyle, I have told you about lower prices and the possibility of positioning yourself in other cities without physical presence. Let's see now what other benefits stand out.

Offices worldwide

This is a prominent benefit of using this service. As you should not go anywhere, it is a virtual office, you can request the service in an important city for the business you have. The good thing about this is that they give you an address and a number for that city, and the customer feels that it is a more local company.

As I said, to win the trust of your customers is ideal. Of course, in the case of a meeting in a city other than where you live, you will have to move, but they would be very punctual sacrifices that do not affect your new life dynamics.

This is an option that many small and medium businesses are taking.

Your customers see your company as an organization of several

When you have a virtual office in a well-known business group and working under a brand, it is thought that many people work there, even when you are alone or with some other collaborators.

Fewer worries, more time to devote to what matters

Surely when I listed the needs of a virtual office you have imagined the problem of having one. With these virtual offices, you just have to worry about paying the price of the service and that's it; they take care of the rest. For me it is like having an assistant that takes care of the most tedious tasks of a business, maintaining a high degree of quality.

When we don't care about small things, we have more free time to run the business, to get new customers, even to rest.

Flexitime

If several people work in your company, choosing a virtual office over a physical one has benefits for your employees. They will be able to work from home, like you, and at the time they want; That is always attractive.

Being very sincere, that schedule of the work schedule of 8 to 5 will cease to exist, because there are activities that do not require that rigidity, in fact, the new employee no longer wants to work like this and you, being the owner, can save money and energy spent on keeping an office open even when nothing is being produced.

Happier employees

This is a consequence of schedule flexibility. And if today I decided to take the morning off and work at night, without affecting my performance, I will be the happiest man in the world. It is not only that we work when it suits us best, but that we will work in the environment that we like the most.

It may not be a matter that we like our house more than an office, but if we have the possibility of caring for our family, for example, and that makes us happier.

Significant improvement in customer service

If your clients are served by a person who knows about their work, in a professional environment, they will feel better treated than if they were taken care of by you, in your home, with the noise of children running, don't you think so?

That they can call a fixed number, and that a person answering them by stating the name of a company strengthens their positive perception about the company.

Greater money efficiency

If you have a virtual office, you already know that you will pay less than in a physical office. In addition, if your employees will receive the benefit of working from home and do not incur additional expenses such as transportation or food away from home, you could reach a salary agreement that is favorable to the company; I am not saying that you are going to pay them much less, but something is going to save you.

If the cost structure of your company is optimized, the profits will grow and you can offer more competitive prices to your customers (although I always advise you to bet on quality and not on price).

Your company can grow everything you want

The problem with physical offices is that their space is finite, and if you hire many more people you would have to move from where you are. With virtual offices, you can improve services, if the business warrants, but you don't have to worry about space because nobody works in the office. You can spend 20 to 100 employees without any problem.

Improve your brand

I have already explained it, but I remind you. That the client has an address and a professional number for your company, to be attended by an educated and helpful receptionist, who has the possibility of making an appointment in a prestigious office, among other things, speaks very well of your brand. The best thing is that you are not paying much for everything you receive.

Without a doubt, it is a service to consider, above all, if you feel that your company or venture does not advance because your market still needs to feel the confidence that only a company with a physical presence in the real world gives you.