We have talked a great deal about the benefits of having a virtual office on our various blog postings, but we were encouraged to give people more reasons to consider a virtual office solution. So, here are some more reasons for small businesses to use a virtual office.
- Image matters. Small businesses should be careful to choose the location of their office with their customers and clients in mind. The location and address of your office conveys an image of your company. It also creates a first impression as soon as you hand a prospect your business card. It really does make a difference if your business card does not have a business address because your prospect will assume that your business is run out our your residence or a P.O. Box. It is more important to them if you have a known office address in a prestigious business location, because it shows you are truly professional.
- Office expandability. So your small business is just starting to grow, but your customers and potential clients do not need to know that. You want to appear as having already arrived on the business scene with a professional address. When it comes time to move into a shared office space or even a private office, most virtual office providers also rent office space. You do not have to change your business address or your telephone number.
- Facsimile communications. A virtual office package will allow you to centralize your communication needs. Not only do virtual office providers offer telephone answering and call screening, they also offer incoming fax service for those legal documents that cannot be emailed, and need to be date-stamped by an actual fax machine.
- Ideal for not only start-ups. While virtual offices are promoted as being ideal for start-ups because of the need not to incur capital costs and overhead, they are also great for branch offices and a central location for mobile businesses. Many business centres that offer virtual offices, will also offer other secretarial and business services a-la-carte to their clients, who do not want to hire full-time or part-time staff to perform these roles.
- Meeting rooms are available. Having access to a meeting room where you have your business address is not only important for keeping up your image of having a business address, but it is also important that the meeting space offered by a virtual office provider is modern and offers the technology that you need to make the most of your meetings.
- Work space is sometimes needed. Most virtual office clients work from home or on the road, but this is not always the case. Being able to rent a physical office or cubicle for the day or half day is always a great option to have available to you. Yes, you could work in a coffee shop, but how productive will you be on your 10th cup of coffee (so you can continue to work there)? With a virtual office provider that offers day offices, you will be offered free coffee, but not required to keep drinking it in order to stay.
Just remember that not all virtual office situations are the same. Find the one that fits your small business model and needs, not just because of the location or brand name. Just because your virtual office service provider is part of a large chain does not mean that you will get the same consistent service at every one of its locations.