What is a Virtual Office and Do You Really Need One?

When your business needs flexible hours, a virtual office creates an environment for your remote employees to remain productive and work anywhere. 

A quality virtual office offers many resources and capabilities that a regular office will, except with much fewer overhead costs. You can host meetings, streamline administrative tasks, and get a legitimate business postal address if you do not already have one.

So, would it be right for your company? We dive into what it is, how it works, and who needs one. This article provides you the necessary information to make a sound business decision.

As remote working styles become more popular, virtual offices will play an essential role in accommodating these teams. In detail it is a full service that allows business owners and employees to operate remotely, and these setups deliver a collection of business functions via the internet.

Virtual offices are cost-efficient because it gives organizations the flexibility to establish a presence in an ideal location without the high rent costs for a standard commercial space. Basically, they provide the benefits of a physical office, without any desks or space. You can organize meetings, answer telephone calls, and receive packages and mail.

The main difference is that virtual office workers typically serve as office support staff. Everyone else, like the teams and businesses, utilizes this office as a resource center, shared office, and address.

So, how do they work, and what do they allow businesses to do? Below are some of the capabilities and offerings of a virtual office.

A business wants to brand itself as being professional. Your virtual office provides a standard address that makes your company seem more established. Rather than listing a personal home address, this postal address will be an ideal spot to receive mail and list it out on the company website.

You may not have a personal desk to use full-time, but you can utilize this space for meetings. Whether these are 1-on1 coaching sessions or cross-functional team meetings, a they provides plenty of space to brainstorm and accomplish goals as a group.

If you host meetings within the this type of office with clients, it might make sense to have a professional to greet guests and make it more official. A receptionist also serves as a reliable resource to receive mail and packages.

As mentioned earlier virtual offices are an excellent place to receive mail. Most have software that will allow you to get your business mail and receipts scanned and sent straight to you.

Virtual offices also don’t require you to dish out your phone number. Instead, you can use an established landline to make your business look more professional, plus are also voicemail and phone answering services available when you’re tied up.

You can anticipate paying between $50-$100 monthly for a standard price plan. This figure will depend on how nice the surrounding area is. 

If the real estate values are higher, these rates will clearly be passed on to the virtual office. A basic plan will typically include a small additional fee for receiving your mail, providing you with a business address, or pick-up locations.

The business must choose carefully whether a fee-only or free virtual office is the right move. Although the costs might seem low for the benefits you receive, you will have to weigh up the pros and cons for your company over the long-term. 

So, how do you know if signing up for this type of service is the right decision? Here are some situations where a virtual office is an excellent solution.

If you can’t handle your business mail due volumes that are too large for your one person operation or maybe you’re an entrepreneur who travels for days at a time and frequently. 

This type of office allows you to position your brand with a better foundation. Having a physical address in a city shared by your clients will mean you’re not only relatable but it will also show you have a stronghold in the area. A virtual office gives you the option to engage with the surrounding community.

Clients and vendors may not be as willing to do business with you if the company operates from a different town, or maybe even in a different country.

A physical address makes your business look much more established. Many entrepreneurs operate within their homes, but this address may not appear as professional. 

If you want to win over more clients, the virtual office address will allow you to gain trust with them quicker.

Many times, businesses will need you to have a business address to register for various products and virtual office services. While you can utilize your home address, most companies might need a business address to confirm that you are a legitimate business.

There is no doubt that virtual offices reduce overhead costs, commute time, and technology expenses. Virtual offices also offer many resources that regular offices do, such as a postal address, receptionist, meeting rooms, mail receiving service, and phone answering capabilities.

For under $100, you can establish a reliable presence in an area close to your target customer. You can add a level of professionalism to your company. If you already have remote workers and these virtual office benefits will elevate your business performance, it is worth the investment. 

Think carefully about whether your goals align, but a virtual office can provide positive long-term business effectiveness.