There are many reasons why people opt for remote working. Lack of resources and differences in time zones are among the top ones. Recently, COVID has become the biggest reason for choosing to work from home. But after trying it out as a compulsion during the Pandemic, many of us liked this method better than the conventional physical office.
Using the office and its services physically is pretty simple. Developing a virtual workspace that works as efficiently is where the challenge begins. But with experience, the virtual office has become even more efficient and cost-effective than the physical office. It has all elements that make working as smooth as in the physical office.
It is a very useful workspace model for new businesses and businesses with limited funds. The virtual office service mixes both the physical office work time and remote work time. This service is a complete win-win.
The reasons why remote working is popular:
People prefer to work from home for various reasons. Recently the popularity graph for this service has increased a lot. COVID has taught us that many of the departments can work from home without compromising the quality of the work. Some even perform better after giving this option to the employees. Many employees feel more productive working in a comfortable environment in their home rather than in a strict office one. Following are some of the popular reasons for choosing remote working:
- Lack of funds is probably the top one. Whether it is a startup or an old business, limited resources can cause all sorts of problems. Remote working can cut down many running and utility expenses. This can help them manage funds better.
- Another huge reason is the distance of commute. When your employees have to travel long hours, their working capacity reduces. They waste a lot of time and energy while commuting and bearing the traffic stress.
- Sometimes you have to work with people from different time zones. This can make you work into the wee hours of the night. Virtual offices are the only solution in such situations.
- Sometimes, the nature of work is such that daily face-to-face interaction is not required. In such cases, you can efficiently work from anywhere and collaborate with the rest of the team online.
Benefits of the virtual office:
Other than the obvious benefits there are many hidden benefits that you get once you start using the virtual office service:
- You can cut down on your expenses and save funds that can be used for other things that your business requires.
- You get a respectable business address for your official documents. You don’t have to follow any legalities to get the address.
- The virtual office also gives you access to office equipment and services. These services include mail and call handling. The equipment includes printers, scanners, fax machines, Wifi, etc.
- You also get access to the conference rooms with all the needed fixtures. The virtual office also gives you the right ambiance for professional work.
- The virtual service offers easy usage terms. Even novices can use it easily. Setting it up is as simple as ending it. You don’t need technical knowledge for that.
- It helps you scale your business and try out new things. You can open branches in new areas very easily as well. In other words, it lets you spread your wings and discover new markets for your business.
- The virtual office also gives you a good opportunity to hire from the global talent pool. You can hire freelancers and contractors from anywhere in the world. You can even hire people from different time zones and the virtual office will still ease the workflow.
The four types of virtual office service:
If you categorize them into groups, there are mainly four types of virtual office services:
The physical office space:
The first category is the office premises you can access by subscribing to the virtual office. The physical office space comes with a business address and office facilities. These facilities include a furnished office with equipment. It also includes the pleasant yet professional environment you get because of the latest design and interiors. The physical office includes amenities like cafeterias and coffee shops. You also get fully functional meeting rooms to meet team members and clients.
The mail forwarding service:
The second important service that you get with the virtual office is mail forwarding. Since you will be using the virtual office address as your business address, most of the mail you get will be sent there. It can be forwarded to your address as per your instructions. If you are awaiting urgent mail, you can get it scanned and emailed to you instantly. Of course, all of this is handled with utmost care keeping your privacy in mind.
Telephone center:
Another important service that defines virtual service is the telephone center. There are experienced receptionists available, they answer all your business calls and forward them to you. The caller can’t differentiate whether his call is answered by a virtual office receptionist or a physical office receptionist. This feature alone gives your business credibility.
Support staff:
This category of virtual office service includes all the professionally trained staff that facilitates you. It includes the front desk service staff as well as the administration staff that manages the physical premises. It also includes customer support, office admin, technical staff, housekeeping staff, etc. They are an essential part of the setup that keeps the ship running.
