Office Productivity
Bluegreen Office Competes with Executive Office Suite Admin Services
Published October 1st, 2009 by Jennifer LeClaire
Executive office suite companies from coast to coast make a pretty penny providing administrative services to their tenants. From appointment setting to graphic design to paralegal duties, serviced office brands are making it possible for entrepreneurs to avoid hiring full-time administrative staff by filling in personnel gaps.
In a down economy, this administrative support has been a welcomed service. Not surprisingly, more virtual administrative groups are rising up to compete for their share of the virtual assistant pie. The latest company to throw its keyboard into the virtual office is Bluegreen Office Virtual Administrative and Creative Group. Perhaps ironically, if the company takes off Bluegreen might find itself in need of serviced office space to run its operations more cohesively.
“Everybody is struggling in this economy. I researched and considered many of these home-based businesses on the Internet, but I couldn’t find anything that would put my mind at ease,” says Serra, a wife and mother of two who decided to start a home-based business to help pay her family’s bills. “Who wants to purchase makeup and candles when many are struggling to feed their kids? I would feel guilty peddling these items.”
Serra decided to take her 15-plus years experience in office administration, teamed up with paralegal and creative professionals, and created what she sees as a practical way to help other businesses around the country. The result is Bluegreen Office. The start-up offers independent support to legal professionals, as well as entrepreneurs and established business owners that need administrative, paralegal or creative services but don’t want to take on the expense of hiring and maintaining staff, including overhead and non-productive time.
Like most other companies in the virtual assistant space, BlueGreen offers flexible working hours and varied rate packages depending on a client’s level of commitment. But, also like other companies in the virtual admin space, the prices are steep, starting at $35 an hour with work billed in 15-minute increments. Bluegreen is specifically targeting companies that have had to downsize their staff, entrepreneurs and attorneys who are in need of support but can’t take on employees, and anyone else in search of general clerical or creative services.
“Virtual support fulfills traditional on-site, core administrative and creative business-related tasks in a remote setting, eliminating the costs and inefficiency associated with the training and maintaining of permanent staff, and meets the client’s needs for productivity and flexibility,” Serra says. “So often, business professionals find themselves working over lunch, at home in the evenings and even during their leisure time over a game of golf. Why not have virtual support staff standing by who can work with their schedule?”
While physically located in North Carolina, virtual office technology allows Bluegreen Office to support businesses across the country and even globally, including cities like Cleveland, Atlanta and Las Vegas.
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Bill Brookshire October 1st, 2009 at 7:55 am
I see these services springing up more often in this economy. The prices always amaze me. Virtual assistants aren’t worth $35 an hour, even though you don’t have to pay them insurance or overhead. I just think that’s outrageous, especially considering you don’t know what you are getting. When you tap into the administrative services at an executive office suite at least you know you are working with professionals. Maybe I’ve just had too many bad experiences with virtual assistants.
Maggie Correta October 1st, 2009 at 8:00 am
I think virtual assistants usually give you a better deal if you are an ongoing client. But I would think people who are renting office space from a Regus or a Office Suite PLUS would be better off using the administrative services they offer. It’s on site, it’s convenient, and they have a stronger incentive to keep you happy. I have also seen a lot of these VA services popping up. You definitely have to check references.
Melanie Jones October 1st, 2009 at 8:12 am
Sounds like a stay at home mom looking for an opportunity to earn a living. That’s not the kind of situation I would trust my business tasks in. You can probably hear screaming kids in the background and you could be paying for diaper changes. I don’t know. I don’t mean to sound harsh, but it’s just too important. That’s why I think entrepreneurs, especially at that rate, would be better off using the administrative services that are available as tenants of serviced office space.
Marcus Hester October 1st, 2009 at 8:17 am
I know executive suites also charge quite a lot per hour and most of the, as I understand it, also charge in 15 minute spots. But at least you know you are working for professionals. A stay-at-home mom isn’t the image I’d want for my business. Don’t get me wrong. There’s nothing wrong with stay-at-home moms launching businesses, but I think that was the wrong PR for her to come out with. Where’s the qualifications? That would have been a better peg.
Anyway, I do think the premise that companies can use virtual administrative services instead of hiring full-time employees is the right one in this economy.