Looking to reduce your business expenses by up to 75%?
Keep your employees connected, collaborate more effectively, and regain control of your finances.
Doesn’t sound too farfetched, does it?
That’s because virtual office platforms can actually deliver those results. In fact, they are.
One of the greatest business trends of the last few years is the gradual migration of companies to virtual office services.
But here’s the thing…
While you may know about it in theory, a lot of business owners haven’t quite got the hang of how these platforms can transform their communication.
What We’ll Cover:
- Why Are Virtual Office Platforms So Popular?
- Hidden Savings You Can’t Afford to Miss
- Productive Communication Tools and Features
- How to Set Up a Virtual Office System
- Selecting the Best Platform for Your Team
Why Are Virtual Office Platforms So Popular?
First of all, to be honest, virtual office services are not really “virtual” these days.
The term has more or less evolved into a bygone stage in the progression of companies toward being 100% remote-capable.
Studies show that the businesses that have switched to a fully remote setup pay as little as 25% of the overheads that their office-occupying competitors do.
In other words, you can halve or even slash by three-quarters your costs of running an office!
Whether you’re trying to find – virtual office space near me – or expand into multiple states or cities, you can rest easy in the knowledge that professional service providers can accommodate all your needs.
That, as you can probably imagine, is not a small cost-saving metric.
Hidden Savings You Can’t Afford to Miss
And there’s more.
Truth is, aside from the instant overhead reduction when you ditch that expensive office space lease, virtual office platforms help you save in ways you probably haven’t even considered.
Yes, the obvious expenses they cut costs on include:
- Office rent
- Utilities
- Furniture
- Cleaning services
But did you know that employees working from home save on average 72 minutes a day commuting to and from the office? That’s 6 hours per week!
Also, by not having to go into the office every day, hybrid workers can save up to $5,000 per year.
Impressive, no?
And then, the clincher… remote employees are 13% more productive than their in-office peers. That means more work done for less cost.
Productive Communication Tools and Features
Hold on.
Back to the main topic.
While that cost cutting is very important, what really matters is how to keep people connected.
This is the bottom line.
If your communication tools suck and your team can’t get the hang of using them, your virtual office is a goner.
Don’t sweat it.
Communication platforms have finally solved this problem for you.
The features that can make or break your remote collaboration include:
- Video conferencing with screen sharing
- Instant messaging and group chat
- Virtual phone system with call forwarding
- Shared calendars and scheduling tools
- Real-time document collaboration
These features have moved from being “nice-to-have” to “absolutely-necessary-for-business-survival” status.
Just think about the time and money it costs your business when something falls between the cracks due to miscommunication.
Virtual office platforms not only allow you to avoid these inefficiencies but also to centralize all communication in one place.
Breaking Down the Virtual Office Ecosystem
Speaking of which.
Here’s what a lot of companies get wrong with virtual offices…
They think it’s just a mailing address. Kind of like saying a smartphone is just a device for making calls.
It’s actually a lot more than that. Take a look at this:
- Professional business address in prime locations
- Mail handling and forwarding service
- Live receptionist services
- Access to physical meeting spaces
- Local phone numbers in major cities
Everything interlocks to form a powerful remote working system.
The beauty of this package is that you can scale it up or down instantaneously according to your needs.
How to Set Up a Virtual Office System
Ok, fair enough.
Now that there’s a better understanding of what this all means. How do you actually get set up?
The process is not as complex as you might think. But it does need to be done with some discipline.
Start with a needs assessment. What exactly are your bare-minimum requirements? Don’t get side-tracked by some flashy feature your business will never use.
Second, set up your communication workflow. How and when will your team need to communicate? When will you need virtual meetings? Who is responsible for what?
The key here is to have a clear process right from the start.
Your setup checklist should therefore include:
- Selecting your virtual address and location
- Configuring mail handling preferences
- Setting up phone systems and call forwarding
- Booking procedures for meeting rooms
- Communication guidelines for your team
These are the kinds of fundamentals that you absolutely need in place if you are to use any platform to its full potential.
Advanced Features That Drive Results
Ok, let’s take things to the next level.
Here’s where things really get interesting. The bells and whistles that are going to supercharge your virtual office.
AI-powered call routing means customers will always find the right team member. Automated scheduling means fewer emails back and forth to fix meetings.
Virtual waiting rooms to make your business look the professional powerhouse it is.
And honestly, integrations with all your existing business tools and systems is where the rubber meets the road. Your CRM, project management tools, and accounting software now function together as one smoothly-oiled machine.
These are not nice-to-haves. They are growth multipliers.
Selecting the Right Platform for Your Team
Now the million-dollar question…
How on earth do you go about finding the right virtual office platform for your business?
First things first, forget marketing spiel. Focus on what your business needs to run efficiently and effectively.
Consider your headcount. A start-up has very different requirements than a business of 50 or more staff.
Look at your industry. Legal firms have different security needs than a digital marketing agency, for example.
Some of the criteria you should use when sifting through options include:
- Uptime guarantees and reliability
- Customer service response times
- Integrations with other tools
- Scalability options
- Pricing transparency
Opt for value and never the lowest price. A poor platform will cost you much more in productivity lost than it will save you in monthly fees.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Ok, to help you steer clear of some of the more common pitfalls people encounter when setting up virtual office platforms, here are a few things to avoid:
Jumping the gun. Your team needs time to adjust to new tools and workflows.
Security protocols. Just because you work virtually doesn’t mean you can be lax about security.
Company culture. Working remotely is all well and good but you have to make extra efforts to build that team spirit.
The Future of Virtual Office Platforms
Hang on.
There’s more to consider.
Virtual reality meeting rooms. Holographic video conferencing. AI assistants to run the mundane parts of your business.
This is not science fiction anymore. That’s where things are headed and developments are already in the works as we speak.
Businesses that embrace the use of virtual office platforms now will be in pole position for tomorrow’s innovations.
Making It All Come Together
Ok, that’s enough ground covered.
Virtual office platforms have come a long way from being the temporary solution to having to go into the office during the pandemic.
In fact, with the right features and a competent service provider, remote platforms are actually transforming into becoming a permanent business setup for many companies.
Flexible like never before. Cost-efficient to levels that amaze even the most seasoned businessman. And offering communication functionalities that put traditional offices to shame.
So the question is no longer “should you get a virtual office platform” but “how soon can you make the switch before the competition overtakes you?”
Remember those savings mentioned earlier? Remember the 75% reduction in your operating costs?
All that extra cash you will be getting? You can reinvest it in growing your business and remunerating your employees.
The benefits have been well-documented.
Virtual office services for your business are not just about cutting costs. It’s about being more agile, more productive, and a happier workforce.
Employees get better work-life balance. You get better output. It’s a win-win.