The pandemic taught businesses one critical lesson: the commercial landscape can change in a heartbeat, and only those that can adapt can survive.
As companies were forced to shut their doors for a significant part of 2021, many realized they could still execute their regular business operations while working from home.
Why spend thousands of dollars on overhead costs such as renting office space if possible? Cost savings have always been a critical strategy for SMBs and startups to stay afloat, which often comes at the detriment of their operational efficiency.
Interestingly, businesses can now become even more efficient while saving costs.
With a virtual office, your team can work remotely, avoid the overhead cost of owning and maintaining an actual office space, and still have access to world-class tech, helping you scale faster.
What is a Virtual Office?
A virtual office is a service provided by a third-party, giving companies real business addresses in prime locations all around the globe while working remotely.
A virtual office offers you access to flexible workspaces and cutting-edge infrastructure to help you scale without investing in larger spaces or technology. Even when you hire more workforce as your business expands, you need not worry about space as you do not operate within block and mortar.
How Does Virtual Office Work?
By purchasing a virtual office, you automatically get access to professional call answering, conference halls on-demand, and a host of other office-related services at a fraction of the cost of renting a property.
So you can have your business address in any prime industrial location, promoting your company image and reputation while working from home.
Services typically offered by virtual offices include:
- Call answering and voicemail services
- Business address
- Mail handling and forwarding
- On-demand meeting rooms
- Videoconferencing
- Live receptionist
In addition, your agreement with your virtual office service provider is flexible, meaning you can scale as your business needs change.
70% of businesses say working from home is the same or even better for their team performance than gathering in a fixed location.
So why not you?
SEE ALSO: 5 Main Features of Virtual Office Your Business Needs
Benefits of Virtual Office to SMBs and Startups
1. Significant Cost Savings
This one is a no-brainer. By leveraging the virtual office, you avoid spending on furnishings, equipment, computers, and other office essentials. There is also the maintenance cost saved in addition to commuting.
2. Improved Company Credibility
Investors and clients may be excited about your services until they come across your home address: “No.1, My Mom’s Basement, Sitting On A Sofa, NY.” This shrinks your reputation, putting off prospective customers.
Thanks to the virtual office, you can now own a commercially recognized business address in a prominent location, which boosts your credibility.
Furthermore, you can open company bank accounts and incorporate your business with a virtual address, as PO boxes aren’t recognized.
3. Expand Your Presence in Other Locations
Without a doubt, a virtual office is just what you need when you want to expand your reach without spending much. For example, you might be located in New York but desire to provide services to California and Florida residents. The solution? Virtual offices!
By purchasing virtual offices in various locations, you stamp your commercial presence and win more customers without setting up any physical business center.
This is most beneficial to businesses that offer digital services without distance limitations. And knowing that most customers prefer looking for services that operate in certain areas, you want to be where the action is.
Indeed, a virtual office helps you save costs tremendously while scaling faster.
4. Access to Live Receptionist Service
As your small business expands, the volume of official calls you receive increases, meaning you’ll spend a lot of valuable time on the phone.
Virtual offices usually offer live receptionist service, in which a professional attends to your calls on your behalf, giving your callers quality customer service. This helps you free up time and reduce burnout to become more productive on what truly matters.
5. You Pay According to Your Needs
It is often problematic for startups to run an office and pay fixed monthly rents even when underusing the property. It can be frustrating.
But with a virtual office, you pay for precisely what you use. You do not pay for a conference room if you did not use it for a month.
6. Privacy for Home-Based Entrepreneurs
If you are a home-based entrepreneur, you might be concerned about displaying your home address on your website. Unfortunately, in addition to hurting your credibility, this opens you up to criminal or cyber-attacks.
Consider subscribing to a virtual office rather than renting a physical or shared office space you do not need. This keeps your home address away from the public.
7. Access to On-Demand Meeting Rooms
You might be asking, what if a client requests to meet and discuss face to face? Not to worry; virtual offices reserve conference rooms you can book on-demand.
That is, you get to pay and use it only when you require it.
Such conference rooms are also helpful when you desire face-to-face meetings with your team to create that traditional workspace appeal.
SEE ALSO: 13 Virtual Office Benefits for Startups and Small Business
Final words
Of course, some operational costs are necessary for every business, but if working in a traditional office space doesn’t improve your efficiency, there’s no reason to spend on it.
Innovative, cost-effective solutions like the virtual office are designed to help you save costs and become more productive. So why waste time and money setting up offices and furnishing them?
Get things up and running by purchasing a virtual office today.
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