In today’s business world, there is no cookie-cutter job description. The way people work varies vastly depending on their field and the nature of their work. In fact, from entrepreneurs to salespeople, freelancers, frequent business travelers and beyond, many modern professionals rarely even require a physical workspace anymore. But that doesn’t mean they don’t need some of the physical office fundamentals.
Enter: the virtual office. A non-cookie-cutter solution to a non-cookie-cutter challenge, “virtual offices” offer the ability to maintain a professional business image – like a fixed corporate address and mail management, a solid and professional phone system and access to ad-hoc meeting spaces – without incurring the costs of a physical workspace. So, why use a virtual office and how can it help your business?
Virtual offices offer professionals a cost-effective way to work more flexibly, maintain a professional image and multitask more efficiently. Here are 5 key ways a virtual office can benefit you and your business.
Eliminates Unnecessary Overhead Costs
Acquiring traditional office space is not only cumbersome, it’s expensive. There’s no two ways about it. From the cost of a lease to utilities and supplies and the cost of technology, the overheads associated with locking down a physical office can be high. And if you operate in a business where you need certain aspects of a traditional office, but you don’t truly need the entire space, then it can be an even harder pill to swallow.
Virtual office services offer the best of both worlds, without the hefty price tag, and allow for a much more flexible option. And if your business includes employees or contractors, you can both reap the benefits of telecommuting – time savings for them, and cost savings for your business.
Projects Professional Optics
In business, the reality is that the optics of your company have an impact on how potential clients and customers perceive you. A virtual office can help bolster the reputation of your business by providing it with a credible and prestigious business address. Let’s be honest – a business address in a big and cool city can go a long way for a small company. It allows your business to maintain a credible, professional and legitimate image.
And a virtual office also addresses the challenge of finding a professional and private meeting venue for when you do need to get together with clients or your team. Because the reality is that a coffee shop doesn’t look anywhere near as cool as a boardroom.
Boosts Productivity and Maximizes Efficiency
These days, work is more about what you do than where you go to do it. But according to a Stanford professor who conducted a two-year study on the subject, telecommuters and work-from-home employees experienced a weekly productivity boost equivalent to a full day’s work. Let that sink in. One full day of additional productivity.
This means that, by shifting away from traditional office space and opting instead for a virtual office, you can get more focus and greater output from your employees, all the while creating happier staff, reducing break times and sick days and scaling back the amount of time off your team takes.
Empowers Professionals Through Increased Flexibility
We’ve all heard of work-life balance, but for many entrepreneurs, that’s not always a reality. But work-life integration can be an awesome alternative. The ability to work from anywhere allows you to enjoy a level of flexibility which isn’t always available in a traditional office dynamic. Who says you can’t spend a month away in California and work on the beach?
Work-life integration is made much easier with a virtual office because it offers the ability to work flexibly without having to worry about administrative details like receiving your mail and answering their phone when they aren’t available.
Allows for Easier Multitasking
Have you ever felt like you could use another four hands? Would it be helpful to have somebody to handle your tedious and time-consumer administrative tasks, but you don’t have the means to hire an assistant? You’re not alone. But, luckily for you, you can opt for a virtual office assistant instead and get the support you need without having to hire somebody full-time and set them up with office space. From virtual receptionists to call answering services, call routing and extensions and mail forwarding, a virtual office assistant allows you to multitask effortlessly and focus on the most important parts of your business.
A virtual office offers professionals the big key benefits of a physical office space while allowing them to eliminate the hassle and cost of unnecessarily having to take one on.
At iQ Office Suites, we offer a range of virtual office solutions to meet any business need. To learn more or to schedule a tour, contact us today.
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