Five ways a virtual office can benefit a small business

The term virtual office often implies many things, which include provision of communication and address services without actually having a physical office space or meeting rooms. A virtual office differs from executive suites in that it allows a company to operate effectively without a dedicated office space.

The office space exists only in the cyberspace and the virtual office set-up allows a business owner and his staff to operate from any location as long as laptop(s), internet access, and cell phones are available to the team.

Meetings can be through video-conferencing or teleconferencing, and all relevant documents transmitted electronically. Virtually everything that needs to be done in a business can be done using a virtual office.

A virtual office has varied advantages, especially for small businesses, some of which are explored below:

1. Less overhead

One of the advantages of using a virtual office is that you spend much less than you would otherwise have spent running a physical one. The cost of leasing an office is eradicated, utility bills and maintenance of the office space is not needed, technological installations that make work easier in physical offices are not needed and you generally spend less to set up.

All that is needed for a virtual office is a personal computer, internet access, and a working phone line. This is especially advantageous for start-ups, as those extra costs are shaved right off.

2. Less commute time

Another major advantage is the commute time. Time used by employer and employees to get to the office is automatically eliminated. The two to three hours spent to get ready and get to work is spent working instead, thereby increasing staff productivity and output.

3. Access to staff anywhere in the world

Having a virtual office gives you access to good, efficient staffers from anywhere in the world. You can source for talents that fit your company’s specific requirements and have them go on with work wherever they are.

4. Flexible office hours

As a business owner, you can have time to actually live your life. You have time for family, and for various other engagements you wouldn’t have had time for otherwise. You can go to the park with your children, have more time for your partner, and generally live a less stressful life.

Employees too enjoy flexible office hours and can work at whatever time they want, as long as they meet deadlines.

5. Better productivity

Businesses with a virtual office will reasonably be more productive than their peers with physical offices. You spend no time monitoring staff’s input and output during office hours, you don’t spend time monitoring when an employee clocks in and out, and there is no office interaction and chit-chat that cuts into the time for working.

More so, when employees work remotely, it allows them to concentrate more on work and less on the drama that invariably comes with working in a close environment with many other people.

Virtual offices cannot work for every business as many companies need people together in one location to get any work done, but, in cases where the team can basically work from anywhere, a virtual office should be seriously considered as the best option.

Companies such as Infinity Serviced Offices have developed the prestige associated with actual physical offices by providing such services like an important office address, a professional phone answering service, a professional virtual assistant, and even occasional rental of office space and conference rooms when it is absolutely necessary for businesses to conduct physical meetings.

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From R 1,000 per month you have the solution to grow your business at a fraction of the cost of a physical office space. You can make use of our premium business address, as well as our executive services.

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This article is a general information sheet and should not be used or relied upon as professional advice. No liability can be accepted for any errors or omissions nor for any loss or damage arising from reliance upon any information herein. Always contact your financial adviser for specific and detailed advice. Errors and omissions excepted (E&OE)