For new business start-ups, working from home and arranging your meetings in coffee shops can seem to make perfect sense.
No additional overheads, no commute, no travel expenses.
But more often than not, the entrepreneurs I’ve spoken to have told me that running a business from home has proved to be extremely problematic, The money saved in not paying for professional office space or office services has often been far outweighed by decreased productivity and missed business opportunities.
As a new business start-up, you may not yet have the capital or revenue to secure a full time managed office space, but working from home doesn’t pay. Here are ten reasons why virtual office space can help your business to grow.
(1) Professional meeting space
Your regular clients will soon tire of meeting in the same Starbucks every day, and inviting them into your living room is unlikely to give the right impression. With a virtual office comes managed and clean meeting room space that will give prospective clients the right first impression.
(2) Keep Home and Work Separate
Having the same home and work address blurs the line between work and home, and could create potential security issues. Using a virtual office service keeps home and work separate, and places you mentally in a more professional position.
(3) Professional Image
Giving out a home address on invoices does not give the impression that you are an established business with large project capabilities. By using virtual office services and a business address, you can send clients and prospects that right kind of professional image.
(4) No distractions
If you have a spouse, children or pets, you will know that they often have no understanding of ‘do not disturb’ and business hours. Most virtual offices offer a communal working space or break out meeting rooms with free wifi, where you can sit down with your laptop and grab some time to concentrate on work away from the distractions at home.
(5) Increased productivity
Our virtual office clients tell us that the time they spend catching up on work in the atrium here is often much more productive than the same time spent working at home. Finding an area to work for a couple of hours away from home can give you the calm space to concentrate in really productive short bursts, without distraction.
(6) Less time on administration
Many virtual office packages come with additional services, such as personalised call answering and voicemail services, post collection and electronic post delivery. Having someone to scan your post and deliver it to you on email will not only reduce the time you spend managing your post, it also cuts down on your paperwork and provides electronic copies of documents, ready for emailing on to other organisations. Think of all the time and money you will save on photocopying, stuffing envelopes and finding stamps!
(7) No telephone interruptions
It is a situation we are all familiar with: you need to concentrate on your work, but you don’t want to miss a call that may lead to new business. Answering calls breaks your concentration and reduces productivity. Many virtual office services come with a telephone answering service, allowing you to pick up all your calls and respond at your convenience, ensuring you get all your work done but don’t miss out on any new business.
(8) New Business opportunities
Working from home can be isolating, and you are likely to miss out on new business opportunities. Regular visits to your virtual office space gets you out and about, gives you the opportunity to network with other business owners and could mean you are in the right place at the right time for a new business venture.
If you are thinking of making the move from a home office to a more professional way of working, do give us a call. We would be happy to chat to you about needs and see if our virtual offices are for you.
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But more often than not, the entrepreneurs I’ve spoken to have told me that running a business from home has proved to be extremely problematic, The money saved in not paying for professional office space or office services has often been far outweighed by decreased productivity and missed business opportunities.
As a new business start-up, you may not yet have the capital or revenue to secure a full time managed office space, but working from home doesn’t pay. Here are ten reasons why virtual office space can help your business to grow.
(1) Professional meeting space
Your regular clients will soon tire of meeting in the same Starbucks every day, and inviting them into your living room is unlikely to give the right impression. With a virtual office comes managed and clean meeting room space that will give prospective clients the right first impression.
(2) Keep Home and Work Separate
Having the same home and work address blurs the line between work and home, and could create potential security issues. Using a virtual office service keeps home and work separate, and places you mentally in a more professional position.
(3) Professional Image
Giving out a home address on invoices does not give the impression that you are an established business with large project capabilities. By using virtual office services and a business address, you can send clients and prospects that right kind of professional image.
(4) No distractions
If you have a spouse, children or pets, you will know that they often have no understanding of ‘do not disturb’ and business hours. Most virtual offices offer a communal working space or break out meeting rooms with free wifi, where you can sit down with your laptop and grab some time to concentrate on work away from the distractions at home.
(5) Increased productivity
Our virtual office clients tell us that the time they spend catching up on work in the atrium here is often much more productive than the same time spent working at home. Finding an area to work for a couple of hours away from home can give you the calm space to concentrate in really productive short bursts, without distraction.
(6) Less time on administration
Many virtual office packages come with additional services, such as personalised call answering and voicemail services, post collection and electronic post delivery. Having someone to scan your post and deliver it to you on email will not only reduce the time you spend managing your post, it also cuts down on your paperwork and provides electronic copies of documents, ready for emailing on to other organisations. Think of all the time and money you will save on photocopying, stuffing envelopes and finding stamps!
(7) No telephone interruptions
It is a situation we are all familiar with: you need to concentrate on your work, but you don’t want to miss a call that may lead to new business. Answering calls breaks your concentration and reduces productivity. Many virtual office services come with a telephone answering service, allowing you to pick up all your calls and respond at your convenience, ensuring you get all your work done but don’t miss out on any new business.
(8) New Business opportunities
Working from home can be isolating, and you are likely to miss out on new business opportunities. Regular visits to your virtual office space gets you out and about, gives you the opportunity to network with other business owners and could mean you are in the right place at the right time for a new business venture.
If you are thinking of making the move from a home office to a more professional way of working, do give us a call. We would be happy to chat to you about needs and see if our virtual offices are for you.
Other blogs you may be interested in:
