Virtual offices are a great option for businesses that want to support their remote workforce while maintaining a polished image. They provide flexible work arrangements and benefit from the perks of prestigious business addresses.
Virtual offices have several benefits, but how does a virtual office work? Let's dive in.
Thanks to developments over the past few years, people can work remotely from any environment.
According to the ONS, 44% of UK workers work remotely in 2023, a significant proportion of the working population. As long as you have a mobile device and an internet connection, you can work from a cafe, coworking space, or a home office. Modern office workers don’t have to restrict themselves to the classic workspace any more.
As more and more people choose to work remotely, there are increasingly more workspace options businesses have when choosing a business address. Business owners don’t have to spend on large offices that won’t be used regularly by remote employees.
Many business owners prioritise cost and location when choosing their headquarters, as offices located in well-known financial districts are a sign of a quality company.
Office spaces in prestigious, in-demand areas are often high in price. This is why businesses have started looking into virtual offices which maintain their prestigious appeal and help eliminate renting costs.
This raises the question, how does a virtual office work?
In short, a virtual office uses a physical location that receives mail and can act as an official business address for a business. This lets companies maintain a physical office in a city of choice, without the expense of renting an office space.
We’ll cover more about what a virtual office is and how it works below. You’ll find out some of the benefits of a virtual office so you can decide if it’s the right choice for your business.
What Is A Virtual Office and How Does It Work?
A virtual office is an address a company uses for mail and reputation management. This allows them to maintain a level of prestige without paying for a physical office space.
A virtual office address can help generate and maintain the image of a typical, premium office address, which customers can find more appealing.
Virtual offices typically come with amenities like a phone number, mail forwarding and scanning, meeting rooms, and desks that can be used when needed. Some virtual offices have receptionists onsite, depending on the nature of the business.
How Does A Virtual Office Work?
A virtual office is governed by a virtual office service provider. Each office space is taken up by different businesses.
Each company is assigned a suite number to receive mail, which also acts as their business address. If mail is received at the address, the service provider will scan and forward the mail to the relevant recipient.
If there is a receptionist onsite, they can answer phone calls, take down messages, and forward calls. Mobile numbers can look informal and unprofessional, but virtual offices bypass this by giving companies traditional numbers which clients can use.
Mobile numbers can look informal and unprofessional, but virtual offices bypass this by giving companies traditional business numbers.
4 Benefits Of A Virtual Office
Virtual offices have several advantages for modern businesses. Here are some key benefits of a virtual office.
1. Increased Credibility
Trust is a huge part of creating good client relationships, which is important in marketing.
If you’re trying to grow your business, potential clients may not be familiar with you or what your brand delivers.
Businesses that have a professional address, instead of a residential one, look more credible. People will feel more positive about your company when you have an address in a well-known area, which can increase trust.
2. Improved Growth Strategy
If you own a startup or small business, you’ll know how hard it is to grow your business. You’ll have to dedicate funds to help grow a business from the ground up, which may not be possible if you’re spending considerably on office space.
Virtual offices give you the benefits of a physical office space at a lower cost, giving you more to spend on your business. You can also choose what’s best for your company, like working hours or number of employees, without being confined to one office space.
Virtual offices give you the benefits of a physical office space at a lower cost, giving you more to spend on your business.
3. Save Money
According to NerdWallet, equipment costs for startups can range between $10,000 and $125,000, depending on the size of the business and industry. A virtual office means you’ll spend less on traditional office features, giving you more to spend on growing your business.
You won’t need as many desks, storage compartments, or furniture pieces in your office space. You can also save money on amenities like fax machines or printing costs.
If you need an onsite receptionist, a virtual office can help with general admin, diary management, and answering calls. This can help you save on hiring employees to cover these responsibilities.
4. Eco-Friendly Space Requirements
As most virtual offices operate online, your office doesn’t need to take up lots of physical space. As long as you have an internet connection, you can work on business from anywhere.
Reducing the need for office space is a great way to make your business more green, as companies lower their carbon footprint. Virtual offices mean business owners don’t need to use as much fuel, gas, paper, or electricity.
How To Choose A Virtual Office
Now that you know the advantages of virtual offices, let’s get into tips to help you choose one for your business.
Here are some factors to consider when finding a virtual office:
Business Needs
Consider whether you’ll need a full-time working area or a temporary coworking space. Some providers may have month-to-month contract options, while others may need you to sign a long-term contract.
You’ll also need to consider whether you’ll be receiving regular mail or packages, as well as when you’ll be able to retrieve them. If you have a receptionist on-site, go over their working hours to make sure they’re in line with your regular operation hours.
Area
Virtual offices have the benefit of adding to a business’s professional image. Selecting a virtual office in a prestigious, well-known, and convenient location can help with this.
Look for spaces that are near your target audience, as this can improve your company’s visibility and give you networking opportunities later down the line.
For instance, if you’re in the financial sector, choosing central locations in well-known financial districts can help with your credibility and image.
Technology
According to Business.org, smaller businesses that do a little emailing and web browsing can get by with 5-10 Mbps of bandwidth.
Businesses that do more, have more employees, or carry out regular video calls will need a minimum of 25 Mbps, though constant cloud-based computing will require 500 Mbps.
Do your research and see whether your virtual office's internet is sufficient for your needs. Is their internet provider reliable and capable of delivering a speedy internet connection?
If you’ll be using the address to host occasional meetings, are rooms for in-person meetings fully stocked for regular operations? Examples include video conferencing call platforms, digital whiteboards, or mobile displays.
If you’ll be using the address to host occasional meetings, are rooms for in-person meetings fully stocked for regular operations?
Providers and Customer Service
Always research different virtual office providers and compare their pricing, services on offer, and credibility. Review customer comments and testimonials to understand the provider’s services better.
Look for any reviews that show how the office provider handles general problems, as well as reviews of their customer service. A responsive and reliable customer service team will help ensure you have a great user experience and that you can receive the support you require when you need it.
There we have it! We hope this post helped answer how does a virtual office work, as well as what to consider when choosing a virtual office for your business.
Virtual offices are a modern solution for companies looking to maintain a professional image, reduce costs, and increase working flexibility. At Tramshed Tech, our virtual memberships operate based on a virtual office model.
You can set up a registered address, benefit from mail collection services, and get your virtual receptionist. Our virtual memberships support modern businesses with their growth and give business owners peace of mind.
Browse our coworking memberships to find out more, or check out our member benefits to find out why our spaces are great for your business.
