Virtual Office or Brick-and-Mortar Office: Which is Better for Your Small Business?

There comes a time when every small business needs to move out of a home office, or at least have a professional business address. When that time comes for your small business, you need to decide if you want a virtual office or a brick-and-mortar office. In order to make this decision, you need to understand the value of both options and see what works best for your business.

One of the first steps in deciding between a virtual office or brick-and-mortar office is to establish your needs and your budget. Do you want to spend $30/month for just a business address, $75/month for an address and phone service, $225/month for a shared office, $350/month semi-private office, $495/month for a private office or $900/month for an upscale window office?

The next step is considering options if you need to meet clients in person. If you expect potential customers will be wanting to visit your office or have meetings at your office, you might lean towards having a physical office space. Then again, most virtual office providers can rent you boardrooms and meeting rooms on a daily or half-day basis in the same location that your clients know to be your office address.

If your budget or other needs have you leaning towards a physical office space, you then must decide if you need a full-time office or if you only need to utilize the space on a part-time basis. The option of having shared or semi-private office space can be an economical way to have physical office space, while not using up too much of your monthly cash flow.

When deciding on having a virtual office or a brick-and-mortar office, you also want to consider the professionalism you want to project. A serviced office provider, like an office business centre, can offer you more options that a raw-space office provider. Most office business centres can offer you not only the space you need, but the flexibility of being a virtual office or physical office tenant. When your needs change, you can move up or down without having to change your address or your phone number.

Another great benefit of a virtual or physical office at an office business centre is that you get a professional receptionist that greets your customers when they call or visit your office. Even if you are a virtual office client and book a boardroom or day office to meet your customers, those customers are greeted at the reception area and you are then contacted and told your visitor has arrived. This entire process reflects positively on the professionalism of your business.