This is blog 4 in a series of blogs about the “Challenges of Working from Home Rather Than at an Office Space Toronto“.
In this blog we are discussing how when working from home, you also have challenges with support services – no place to meet and sometimes just not having enough space when you need to grow.
In a large business office space environment when your fax starts to act up you just call the office support service team. There is often someone there to fix it for you right away and soon you’re good to go. When your computer crashes two hours before your deadline, there is often a spare computer available to work on your files off the server. When you need to print a file and your printer is down, you can usually access a network printer to send your print job to. When you are working in a home office, there is not normally those same support services available to you and that makes you the support services team for your business.
While it will not fix your computer (should it crash), a great home-office solution for storing important files is on a cloud server. Before you go out to rent a cloud server, look into some of the free cloud services that are offered like DropBox, Google Drive, MediaFire, SkyDrive by Microsoft – or if you have a Mac computer there is iCloud.
Holding business meetings in your home office can sometimes pose its own challenges. Most people do not have the extra space to bring extra chairs and a table into their already small home office space. If you are lucky enough to have meeting space at home, you also have to make sure to schedule meetings at times when you are alone in the home. Most home business owners try alternatives like having client meetings over the phone or on Skype. Another good option is to rent Toronto meeting rooms at an office business centre. Whichever fits best for you is something you’ll have to decide for yourself. Just remember that there are many options available to you.
When you work from home you also have to consider the cost of office furniture and office equipment. This is something most small business owners forget to budget for when working from their home. One solution can be to use your personal computer and personal furniture, then look for good deals on used equipment. Even if you have all the office equipment you need for your home office, sometimes you do not have the extra room for all this equipment and a place to actually get your work done.
One solution is renting a furnished shared office space at a professional business centre. With Toronto shared offices you get a non-dedicated desk in a business environment to use when you need it. Along with access to office equipment such as photocopiers, network printers and faxes, you also have access to a modern telephone system. When you need to book a boardroom, you can often use a professionally furnished meeting room at no additional charge. As well, because you choose to have a shared office space, you also get to use the business address as your own and have access to a receptionist who answers your calls and transfers them to where you are working, including your home office. Your customers will think you are working in your downtown Toronto office space.
The other benefit of having a shared office space Toronto in an office business centre, is that once your business begins to grow and your need more office space, you can upgrade to a larger private office without changing your business address or telephone number.