Is a Virtual Office an alternative for a Home Office or is it more of a value add to a home office?
As I look to answer questions about business related items I start my research by looking for a trusted source of information about the topic. This usually comes from communities or organizations that are set up to discuss such topics. It can also come from the market leader in this type of service. As I look to unfold the answer of what the best alternative is to my home office I have found a company that I will use as one of my major resources for information. Regus, a company that specializes in providing office and meeting solutions for businesses of all sizes meets my criteria for being a market leader. They provide Offices, Virtual Offices and Meeting Rooms as either your land lord or by providing some very diversified solutions. The lead the market in office solutions with more than 1000 locations throughout the world in 450 cities across 75 countries worldwide.
Research shows that "Virtual Office" has many definitions in the marketplace today. A Virtual Office can represent anything from an online office space with online tools to a virtual phone answering service to a more physical office address with a live receptionist to answer the phone along with mail collection and occasional office space at shared locations. For the purpose of this research I will focus on the later. We need the physical space where we can get away from the home office to bring structure back to an "at work" appearance.
As far a Virtual Offices the reason I like to look at a market leader for my research is the clear advantage that a market leader has in the number of solutions. If the goal is to start to remove myself from my home office and get out more often into a product office space environment, the virtual offices by Regus is a cost efficient first step. Regus has 4 types of Virtual Offices.
Starting with a solution called Mailbox Plus where you have the advantage of a prominent business address to show on business cards, return addresses etc. immediately improving your business image. When mail arrives at your address it will be collected and packaged for forwarding to you. If a package arrives at your address there is always someone available to sign for it and it like your mail will be forwarded by first class mail or you can pick it up daily. On top of those mailbox services you get a complimentary Businessworld blue card that entitles you to discounts on day offices, meeting rooms and videoconferencing services.
Another starter service that can be purchased by itself or added to Mailbox Plus is Telephone Answering services. With this virtual service you get a dedicated business phone number that when called will be screen and forwarded per your specifications. Messages can be sent to you by phone, text, email or online systems. And with this service you also get the complimentary Businessworld blue card.
There are actually two other virtual office packages that Regus offers which I will cover in future posts. The two above are great virtual office options but do not really fit the requirements that allow me to get out of my home office into a office solution so we will end this post here.