| 09 March 2010
It's tempting to go down the path of a makeshift virtual office that you create yourself out of a number of disparate online systems and services to save on cost. For example, you can get a PO box for your address, a Skype phone number attached to a voicemail box and have your meetings at your client's offices (or Starbucks). If this sounds like your virtual office, you could be damaging your business and ultimately, selling yourself short.
I'm not saying that you shouldn't be on a budget when looking for a virtual office, especially when you're starting a new business. However, there are a few things you can look at to save on your virtual office, but overall, you might be surprised at how inexpensive a professional virtual office can be.
The importance of your business address depends on your business type and you can find a wide range of addresses in our directory, which vary in price. If you don't necessarily need a prime CBD location, you might want to opt for a less expensive address in the outskirts of a city. Just remember that the address you're at contributes to the image that your business projects.
If you're just starting a new business, you might not be getting a large number of phone calls in the beginning. Some virtual office providers can give you a local phone number answered in your company name by a receptionist but only charge you on a per call basis. This means you only pay when someone calls. This might be a great way to start with, and have the possibility of upgrading a little later. Make sure you do change your plan once you start getting more calls, otherwise it can work out much more expensive.
You also need to make sure that the receptionists that will be answering your calls sound professional and that the virtual office centre is not understaffed for the number of calls they're getting. You don't want your clients waiting forever for the phone to be answered by a lady with a voice like Rambo and the etiquette of a tramp.
Comparing the prices of different office providers can give you good leverage for negotiation. It is possible to get your phone services and receptionist from one provider and your address at another, but if you can say that a competitor is providing the same phone service for a cheaper price, you may be able to negotiate a discount.
Also don't think that you have to stay with your virtual office provider forever, especially with your communications and receptionist service. If you want to make sure you always have the same number, you can get yourself a freephone or even a Skype number that you forward to the number your virtual office gives you.
To make this whole process easier, use our virtual office directory to compare virtual offices and find the right one for your business. You can easily check each virtual office has the features that you need for your business and be assured that VirtualOfficeSales.com only uses reputable virtual office providers.
