what is a virtual office?
A virtual office can be taken almost literally, it has the address of an office,
the telephone numbers of an office and the receptionist service of an office except
for one key factor, you are not actually based in the office. It provides a perfect
corporate image for your business and a complete virtual presence in your chosen
location.
A virtual receptionist is similar to a having a staffed reception in your office.
It projects a welcoming and professional image to your customers over the phone,
only unlike a real reception desk it doesn’t actually exist in your office either.
Essentially it’s just like a virtual office but without a mailing address.
We want to make sure that you pick the right service for your business so we have
pulled together a few simple explanations based on what our customers have told
us matters most to them. We hope these help you decide on what is right for you.
Virtual Office – Who makes use of one? What can you expect from your virtual office?
- Who typically uses a virtual office?
Start-ups benefit from working at home or on the move knowing that their business
image is in safe hands. SMEs extend their local appeal with regional offices that
get them ‘closer’ to customers and prospects, while overseas organisations address
the UK market through virtual offices in prestige locations. If you need to your
business to be seen to be somewhere but balk at the cost of opening an office then
the virtual office is just for you.
- How can I tell if I need a virtual office?
Have you ever handed out a business card and worried about losing business because
it just doesn’t look slick enough? Want to meet with clients at your business address
in real meeting rooms rather than hotel lobbies? Need to send out quotes and invoices
that benefit from the confidence inspired by a prestige address? If you feel the
need for a corporate image that is just a little bit bigger than your business is
right now a virtual office might just be the solution for you.
- What do I get with my virtual office?
A virtual office from Virtual Office Finder will cost your business less than £4.00
per day and you can look forward to:
- a prestige office address
- mail forwarding or collection
- access to meeting rooms
- local mainline & direct dial numbers
- calls answered in your company name
- configurable call forwarding
- all calls announced and screened
- message taking service
- company voicemail
- voicemail to email
Virtual Receptionist – Who opts for this? Would a virtual receptionist work for
you?
- Who typically uses a virtual receptionist?
Consultancy companies with employees working on the move or on site rarely have
time to answer phones as and when they ring while larger organisations often prefer
to go virtual than employ a full-time receptionist. In many cases companies who
already have some physical office space or workshops in noisy environments choose
a virtual receptionist as they need a professional telephone image but already have
a trading address.
- How can I tell if I need a virtual receptionist?
Do you ever worry about missed calls from prospects that don’t leave a message;
leaving you no way of getting back to them? Ever have customers frustrated with
voicemail and upset that they can’t get through to speak to someone real? Find it
tough to take calls professionally in a noisy work environment or can’t get to answer
because you are tied up in another meeting? If any of these ring a bell then the
virtual receptionist might just make sense for you.
- What do I get with my virtual receptionist?
A virtual receptionist from Virtual Office Finder will cost your business less than
£2.30 per day and you can look forward to:
- local mainline & direct dial numbers
- calls answered in your company name
- configurable call forwarding
- all calls announced and screened
- message taking service
- company voicemail
- voicemail to email
If you think you also need a prestige office address, mail forwarding or access
to meeting rooms then you are probably more suited to a virtual office.
Telephone Answering – Is telephone answering a better fit or you? Who takes this
option?
- Who typically uses telephone answering?
Small companies are often one man operations such as sole traders, independent consultants
and trades-people who simply cannot afford to miss an incoming call. More often
than not they receive new business enquiries during the day; just when they can’t
answer. Knowing that 9 out of 10 people are still averse to leaving voicemail on
first contact (and with the missed calls to prove it), they opt for a professional
and welcoming real person to answer the phone for them in their company name.
- How can I tell if I need telephone answering?
Are you reluctant to use a business card with no landline number and wonder whether
people are cautious of a business run purely on a mobile? Do you ever worry about
missed calls from prospects that don’t leave a message; leaving you no way of getting
back to them? When you think about your customers can you see them as resistant
to voicemail and with a preference to speak to a real person when they call you?
If you have any of these concerns then perhaps you should think about our telephone
answering service.
- What do I get with telephone answering?
Telephone answering works out even cheaper than our virtual receptionist service
and you can look forward to:
- local mainline & direct dial numbers
- calls answered in your company name
- configurable call forwarding
- company voicemail
If you don’t have a business address yet or you are reluctant to use your home address
then you may still be better suited to a virtual office. Either way Virtual Office
Finder can supply you with what you need.