| tual office is a combination of off-site live | | | | 1.Professional Address – can be used in |
| communication and address services that allow | | | | marketing materials to imply prestige, privacy and |
| users to reduce traditional costs while maintaining | | | | build a presence. |
| business professionalism. The term is often | | | | 2.Mailing Address – used for accepting, |
| mistaken for “office centres” or | | | | sending and forwarding without the connotations |
| “executive business suites” which | | | | of a P.O. box. Also used as a convenient and |
| demand a conventional lease. A true virtual office | | | | secure location for transfer of inter-office |
| does not require such an expense. | | | | documents. |
| The virtual office idea developed from the | | | | 3.Receptionist – provides a face to the |
| meeting of technological innovation, the arrival of | | | | company when receiving and sending out |
| the Information Age and the increasing need for | | | | documents, visitors, couriers etc. |
| flexibility in the workplace. The concept could be | | | | 4.Workrooms/meeting rooms/business spaces |
| said to have roots in the Industrial Revolution, | | | | – for the times when it is necessary to |
| where similar notions of working environments, | | | | meet face-to-face with a colleague, client or |
| such as working from home, can be seen. | | | | partner. Usually on-demand and paid for hourly |
| The ‘virtual office’ term was first | | | | daily or weekly. |
| utilized in a 1983 airline magazine article that | | | | 5.On-site amenities – full service virtual |
| discussed portable computing. The concept of | | | | office will provide all necessary technologies and |
| ‘virtual office’ evolved primarily | | | | communication devices, kitchen and meeting area, |
| from the notion of the ‘executive | | | | as well as a professional lobby. |
| suites’ industry. The first recorded | | | | Cost Efficiencies |
| example of a commercial virtual office was noted | | | | It is vital to ensure that your company provides a |
| in Boulder, Colorado, when Ralph Gregory | | | | consistently professional image without forgetting |
| introduced the “The Virtual Office | | | | about important business necessities like |
| Inc”, in 1994. | | | | communications, interaction and engagement. A |
| Services | | | | virtual office will provide you with all the comforts |
| The term “virtual office” implies | | | | and efficiencies of a full-time office and support, |
| space utilization but a full application includes a full | | | | whilst cutting down on the overhead costs. |
| suite of professional live communications and | | | | A virtual office combines office and home spaces |
| support services. | | | | and tools to keep costs low and still retain a highly |
| Communications | | | | professional image. This can also reduce |
| 1.Remote Receptionist – using integrated | | | | environmental damage of commuting and be seen |
| computer telephone systems, a team works | | | | as a positive tax write-off situation. Clientele |
| remotely to deal with all communications. | | | | usually have the ability to match expenses with |
| 2.Virtual Assistant – often an individual | | | | revenue immediately, thus developing more |
| working from home, skilled in support and | | | | efficient and profitable conditions. Other |
| communication. | | | | cost-savings are seen in the elimination of |
| 3.Answering Services/Call centres – utilized | | | | traditional time-off, benefits, sick days, records, |
| by companies receiving a high level of incoming | | | | health care, insurance and rent. |
| communications. | | | | In summary, Virtual offices will help you retain a |
| 4.Voicemail – low cost service, often used | | | | professional image while enabling significant cost |
| by start-ups using virtual offices. | | | | efficiencies for your small business. |
| Space | | | | |