As a start-up, you either have zero or very limited resources to amenities such as a mail forwarding services or a professional meeting room space, much less a receptionist. You will be presented with two options. The first would be turning your closet into your office or getting a commercial office space. Despite running a home-based business, you will find the need of owning a traditional physical office.
The ideal location is in the heart of the business district where it conveys a strong message not only to your clients but about your business as well. There is no issue if you are using your home address but do bear in mind that not everyone is open to having a meeting in the comfort of your living room.
If you are keen about having a commercial business address but not the idea of renting out a physical office space, you might want to consider signing onto a virtual office. It is becoming the number one option for many startups but there are a few things you may want to consider before signing up.
The Downside of Virtual Office
Be it a corporate business or a home-based business, a virtual office does have its disadvantages. It can be a great solution but it might not fit the bill.
Space
The option for booking a meeting room or a coworking space is readily available but you can’t truly make it your own. The virtual office might not be feasible when you have a large team that requires constant communication as well. While other times, your client might show up unexpectedly at the acquired address and this will cause a major setback when they are not being attended properly.
Resources
As a start-up, this is a convenient alternative and it is the most cost –effective approach. However, once you get your business up and running, it requires a dedicated team and stable resources. This would also lead you to having your own physical location and getting all the manpower you need to focus on all upcoming projects.
Creative Block
Gone were the days where you could have the occasional water cooler talk and catch-up with the latest news. The more time you spend alone, you tend to loose motivation faster and be trapped in your thoughts frequently. You struggle to find answers and thinking outside the box doesn’t really help you. Again, communication is vital as it helps you understand and be influenced by the right people. Being reclusive will make you a very difficult person to deal with and this will only complicate matters with your team.
The Upside of Virtual Office
The benefits of virtual offices are the low overhead, cozy home office and the change in productivity level while working remotely.
Efficient
Getting hold of a virtual office space is easy. It can be done within an hour through a phone call or over an email. You can setup from anywhere with an official mailing address on either a monthly or yearly basis with minimal amount of money. You can be based overseas and still get hold of a local virtual office plan to expand your business.
Supplementary Services
Aside from the professional mailing address, virtual offices provide services such as phone answering, fax number and booking of meeting rooms. It is possible for you to now conduct a formal business meeting with clients as the meeting rooms are fully furnished and an ideal environment for discussions and presentations.
Increased Productivity Level
You can finally say goodbye to long commute hours and schedule your tasks more effectively. Flexible working hours is something to look forward too. Now you would not even hear anyone complaining about their car breaking down in a deserted street or blaming the traffic or public transportation for everything.
At the end of the day, it all comes down to the nature of your business that would help justify the needs of a virtual office. Assess your situation and weigh the advantages and disadvantages it has for your business and respond accordingly.