If you’re looking for a virtual office package, it’s a good bet that you have or are planning to:
- Start an online business; or
- Open a new branch office in another city.
Either way, the idea of signing up for a virtual office package is that it saves you the costs of renting, opening and running a full-time physical office space. You’re definitely going to save over 90% of the office space costs, but not all virtual offices are the same. There’s a lot to choose from, in terms of location, features, price, and the facilities available for physical expansion, if and when required in future.
So you should know what to look for while comparing packages from different providers and office space companies. Here are the top 6 desired features you want to look for in a virtual office package.
Virtual Office Desired Features #1 – Location
If you’re looking for this service in a metropolitan city like Bangalore, the location makes a huge difference. There are virtual office Bangalore packages available in every corner and nook of the city. You can get a prestigious address in a great location close to the tech hubs for the same price as one that is way out in the suburbs.
So find out which provider is offering you a virtual office in the best location, out of all the options you have.
Virtual Office Desired Features #2 – Business Address
This is a related issue, but not from a real estate or location point of view. This is more of a legal benefit – you get a business address that you can put on your visiting cards, on your letterheads, on your website, and anywhere else you want to. More to the point, you can use this address for registering your firm with the local regulatory bodies.
Virtual Office Desired Features #3 – Mail Forwarding
Again, this is one of the key benefits of getting a virtual office or address. You’ll get mail at this address, and it gets forwarded to your real location. Anything you get, from letters to courier packages, is automatically forwarded by the provider to your real address.
Virtual Office Desired Features # 4 – Calls and Faxes
People call you at the number you have given on your visiting card, in your email signatures, on your website, and on other marketing materials. The package may include a dedicated phone number for you, or it may be a reception number. Either way, the call is then transferred to you, so that your customers know you are available at the number provided, and it matches with the address given. It’s a sign of authenticity and trust, which is hard to achieve for a new online business.
Virtual Office Desired Features # 5 – Hotdesks
You may have signed up for a virtual office package, but you may still occasionally need a physical workspace. Does your virtual office provider have hot desks that you can pay for by the hour or day? Anytime you need working space with WiFi and other facilities, you can just walk into your virtual space office and pay for use.
Virtual Office Desired Features # 6 – Meeting Rooms
On a related note, you may also need to meet with clients, employees and business partners to whom you have given your business address. It makes you look a lot more professional if you have a high-end meeting room at your virtual space. This has to be a proper meeting or conference room with all the A/V equipment and other features you need to make presentations and discuss projects with your group in complete privacy.
If your virtual office space provider is able to fulfill these desired features, then you can look at the price and sign up procedure to see which one you like best.
