Technology has changed the way in which start-up businesses are run. Business owners can now communicate with their clients and employees – no matter where they are based. Many new businesses are started from home, which has the benefit of avoiding the high costs of renting a traditional office space. But despite its many advantages, running a business from home can be difficult – especially when you want to expand and grow.
Many start-up companies are choosing to use virtual office providers to help get their businesses off to the best possible start. Here we share five reasons why virtual offices are a good idea.
1. Cost effectiveness
The cost of setting up a traditional office can blow your start-up budget before you’ve had a chance to succeed, what with the expense of renting an office space, buying office equipment and hiring staff.
Short-term contracts
By using a virtual office you can grow your company in a cost-effective way. You don’t need to commit to a long-term lease – most virtual offices have short-term contracts which can roll forward to suit your requirements.
Ready-trained staff
When you work with a virtual office, you’ll have access to a fully-trained team of virtual administration assistants and receptionists to answer your calls and handle customer services. There’s no need to hire your own staff – so you save on the cost of recruiting and training employees, as well as the cost of paying salaries.
2. Enhanced company image
Home-based businesses can still carry stigma – and making a good first impression is vital for a start-up. Customers may be put off by the fact your home address makes you sound unprofessional – or worry that as a ‘one-man band’ the quality of the services you provide may not be as good as a bigger company.
Prestigious city-centre address
When you use a virtual office, acquiring an address in a prestigious city-centre location immediately enhances your company’s image. Clients will associate your business with other successful organisations located in the same area – and if you look more professional, more people are likely to want to work with you.
High-quality city meeting rooms
You can also use book a meeting room for client meetings – ensuring you can meet them in a high-quality office building to further enhance your brand image.
3. Improved customer service
As a start-up company director you may be struggling to handle all of your administration needs on your own while trying to expand the businesses. By using a virtual office you can delegate time-consuming tasks such as answering the phone and dealing with mail to a team of trained receptions. As well as lifting this admin burden, having a virtual reception makes your company appear more professional and bigger than it actually is.
Calls dealt with efficiently
Your clients will have their call answered quickly and dealt with by someone fully trained in customer services. The fact they don’t have to leave a message or wait on hold for ages will ensure your customers don’t get frustrated.
4. It will save you time
Rather than drowning in a sea of paperwork and constantly juggling customer calls, by using a virtual office you’ll be able to outsource daily administration tasks to a professional team. You’ll also save time by not having to supervise new staff as virtual employees are already fully trained and efficient.
This will free you up to concentrate on growing your business – and help you to have a social life rather than going through paperwork in the evenings!
5. Make your business more competitive
By keeping your costs and overheads to a minimum and having more time to concentrate on expanding your business – you can boost your competitiveness. Using a virtual office enhances your image so you’ll no longer be seen as a home-based start-up – meaning you should be able to compete with bigger city-centre companies.
Find out more about virtual office services by looking on our services page.
Posted by the Secret Businessman