Businesses That Can Benefit From A Virtual Office

You may think that only start-ups or freelancers are suited to a virtual office. But when you think about it there are lots of different types of businesses that can benefit from a virtual office. A virtual office can be a great stepping stone for any business looking to grow into a new geographic area or expand its team of staff. With so many flexible features provided, a virtual office can help businesses grow and succeed. This is true no matter what stage they are at.

Why Are Businesses Moving Away From Physical Offices?

There are two main reasons to move away from a physical office. Firstly, and the one which you have probably already guessed is cost. A lot of new business owners simply don’t have the capital to rent a physical office space. Especially as these normally come on a long-term contract. Working from home is a much more financially viable option. You are already paying rent or a mortgage for your home so it makes sense to use that space. 

The other reason is that many digital-based businesses simply don’t have the need for a physical office space. For example, a new business offering digital services will be able to supply these online from anywhere in the world. Of course, the COVID pandemic has changed the way many businesses operate. This is not going to return to normal any time soon. 

Business Suited To Virtual Offices

There is no real rule as to what type of business is best-suited to a virtual office. The main question you need to ask yourself is whether or not you, and your team if you have one, need to be in the same location every day. If not, a virtual office could be a good choice.

Freelancers

Having a virtual office means that freelancers are able to quickly gain momentum within their field. By having an office address on their correspondence instantly gives them credibility, and will help to build a good reputation with their clients. Of course it is the hard work that builds the long-term relationships, but having a reputable registered business address will help in the early stages.

Consultants

Consultants are highly experienced professionals within their chosen field. This means that administrative tasks such as phone calls and emails need to be handled in a timely manner. However, the client-facing nature of this job can sometimes mean that the customer service element is lost. By having a virtual office, consultants are able to gain access to professional receptionists and administrative staff who can provide call answering services or receptionist support, depending on the package chosen. 

Start-ups

For people who are putting all their finances into developing a new business, a virtual office could be a great choice. Again, having a reputable business address will help to make the company look more established than perhaps it is. Add to that mail handling and telephone answering and you are ready to go.

Accountants

You will find many accountants start their business by having a virtual office, before moving into a physical space. Most accountants work online so they can easily work remotely.

The mail handling aspect of a virtual office is particularly useful for accountants. Scanning and forwarding services can help to save lots of time when handling large volumes of paperwork. 

E-Commerce Businesses

When operating in a competitive market, such as those looking to sell products online, there are often low-profit margins. It is therefore essential to keep costs as low as possible, and this includes rental expenses. Something as simple as a change to the market, or like we have seen this year, the pandemic, has meant that many e-commerce businesses have struggled and gone under. A low-cost virtual office is one of the best ways to keep overheads low and reduce the possibility of the business folding.

Marketing Agencies

Marketing agencies have been at the top of the list when it comes to businesses who have easily adapted to the difficulties of 2020. Many already use technology and software that is digital, allowing them to easily adapt to the challenges of remote working. There is going to be a continued shift away from in-house teams. More marketing agencies are choosing to have a remote workforce. They still need somewhere to gather and bounce around creative ideas though, which is why a virtual office is perfect for this.

If you would like to know more about the virtual office services that we provide, and whether yours is one of types of businesses that can benefit from a virtual office, please contact us today on 01205 809222, or email info@ventureoffices.co.uk. Our team will be more than happy to run through the different virtual office packages that we provide.