Office Space Advice
The pros and cons of virtual offices
Published November 26th, 2008 by Jennifer LeClaire
Virtual offices can be the most professional officing option for many entrepreneurs and low-risk start-ups. Virtual offices have a proven track record, with reputable companies offering dependable services at a low-cost. But there are also some downsides to consider before you take the cyber-leap into this distributed office enabler.
Let’s look at the pros and cons of virtual offices:
First the benefits. On the technology front, virtual offices typically offer a premiere suite of services at your fingertips anywhere you go around the world, including unified messaging, online fax, remote receptionists that answer phones for you, Web 2.0 applications, virtual PBXes and more. On the business operations front, virtual offices can collect and forward your mail from a prestigious address and set up 800 numbers for you.
From a practical standpoint, virtual offices cut out commuting time and expenses, the investment of leasing and equipping a traditional office rental, and the hassle of hiring personnel to staff it. That means you can invest your time and money into the core aspects of your business instead of in officing. Virtual office packages start at as little as $100 a month. Even the most robust packages cost only about $250 a month in most areas. Indeed, you can set up a virtual office in a matter of hours instead of weeks with little effort on your part.
Now the downside. To be sure, virtual offices aren’t for everybody. Virtual offices can’t give you a home base for your company. Virtual offices can’t give you the same level of professionalism as a posh office downtown. And virtual offices can’t give you the discipline that serviced offices may breed by virtue of their concrete location.
The bottom line is this: with more virtual teams, virtual offices are gaining momentum. If you need a temporary solution for officing, or if you employ a distributed workforce, virtual offices can meet your need for communications and collaboration at a fraction of the cost of other solutions. And if you need a bricks-and-mortar home base, serviced office rentals can offer many of these same benefits in a standard location.
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About the Author
Melanie Jones November 26th, 2008 at 9:39 am
There really are no downsides to virtual offices — if you are among the target audience who they were designed for. The bottom line is, some companies are ripe for long-term leases; others are fitted for shared offices; and still others are best suited to home offices. But virtual offices have a clear value proposition for mobile professionals, start-ups looking for a low-risk venture, companies expanding internationally and others who need to test the waters before committing. Virtual offices will continue to gain momentum in a global economy.
Bill Quimby November 27th, 2008 at 9:32 am
I started and ran my business as a lone eagle back in 1995 until 2004, and I have to say that moving up from a one man operation to a virtual office phone system has allowed my business to grow to three people much easier than I had expected. We all work from our homes in different states, and essentially a virtual organization.
This gives me more flexibility and more control over my life than any other situation ever could and I love it. It’s the perfect situation for a lot of small internet based businesses.
I found this article and read it because it mentioned 800 numbers and I’m in the 800 number business. But I wanted to add my personal feedback on the virtual office concept too.
Bill Quimby
TollFreeNumbers.com
“The Internet’s Toll Free Search Engine”
Maggie Correta December 3rd, 2008 at 8:27 am
There are any number of collaboration tools on the market, like GoToMeeting and WebEx… even Google has collaboration tools that are free. But a virtual office offers much more. While all those tools are needed in a distributed workforce, I think the virtual office adds professionalism, reliability and a laundry list of benefits that home-based businesses miss out on. For $100, it seems a no-brainer for entrepreneurs who want to make a good first impression
Bill Brookshire December 5th, 2008 at 9:36 am
Bill offers a good testimony for virtual offices. I see he’s in the 800 number business, which is one of the many benefits of renting a virtual office. I also like what Melanie said: virtual offices only have upsides for their target audience. If you are in a city without a serviced office provider, this may be your only option. And even if you are in a big city like Atlanta or Nashville, this is still a good way to get your feet wet before renting an office.
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