Modern business can happen anywhere. Many of today’s businesses have employees across the world working in a range of spaces, from serviced offices to hot desks to their homes. Although this flexibility brings lots of advantages to workers, it can be a challenge for small businesses who don’t have access to the services of professional offices.

They may not have the high costs of an office base, but entrepreneurs end up juggling their own work with answering client calls, booking remote meeting rooms and running their business from their home address.  This leaves little time to do what they do best - run and grow their business.

However, virtual offices are a flexible remote option that gives small business owners access to the best bits of a residential office, without the overhead costs.

What is a virtual office?

Virtual office packages enable entrepreneurs and small business owners to build their own set of services and support to benefit their enterprise. The main services that are offered as part of a virtual office package are:

• A business address
• Mail and call handling
• Professional reception services
• Flexible access to meeting and coworking space
  
  

By building a package of these services, small businesses can quickly build a presence in new markets, create a professional image for clients and access full-equipped spaces for meetings and workers who prefer to be office-based. For larger businesses, virtual offices can help executives to access new global markets without the commitment of purchasing a physical address space.

How do virtual offices work?

There are plenty of providers, from local to international, who can offer you a virtual office package. Essentially, your provider can offer you the services of a traditional office whilst you run your business from elsewhere.

The modern workforce is no longer tied to their desks, so whether you have a global or a small home-based startup, a virtual office package can benefit your business. From sorting your mail to answering calls and providing a professional mailing address, the virtual office offers it all, without the cost of physical office space.

Although you don’t pay for the building itself, some packages offer the added benefit of desk spaces in central locations. So if your employees want a break from their home office or a space to meet clients, they can simply turn up and use fully-equipped workspaces, without the worry of booking ahead.

How can they support my business?

There are a range of virtual office services for business owners to choose from depending on their needs and budget. Here is a rundown of the most common support packages available.

Professional business address

If you run your business from home, you can end up sending out your personal address to clients and mailing providers. This not only means you can’t escape work deliveries but has potential repercussions on your security. With a business postal address option, you can select a virtual office address in a prime location that can be used to send any company packages and mail.

By having a virtual mailing address, you no longer have to worry about receiving your company’s post at home and can impress your clients with an address in a prime location. Our business addresses can also be set up instantly, with a team on hand to secure and handle your mail should you wish them to.

Reception services and call handling

When your clients turn up for a meeting or call your business, you want them to be greeted by someone friendly and professional. By choosing receptionist and call answering services, this can all can be handled by your provider’s own team. Rather than handing out a personal mobile number, you can choose a local of a national phone number that goes through to a team of professional call handlers. These receptionists will answer as if they are part of your business and filter calls so only the most important get passed onto you. They can also take messages and arrange callbacks, so you can travel or attend meetings without the worry of missing clients.

This professional service extends to the reception of your chosen business address, where a team can meet and greet your clients so they’re impressed from the moment they step in the door.

Mail Handling and admin support

At busy times, tasks like managing your mail or getting the admin done can fall to the bottom of the list, meaning you have lots to catch up on later. Most providers will offer regular or ad-hoc mail and administrative services, so a reliable team can keep an eye on things while you focus on growing your business.

Office space access

Choosing your virtual business address doesn’t restrict you to a single office space. With bigger providers, your membership will give you access to a range of virtual office spaces. Fully-equipped with the latest technology, these collaborative spaces and meeting rooms give your workforce the opportunity to network, connect and meet with clients.

From comfortable business lounges to video conferencing rooms and state-of-the-art meeting spaces, providers can give you easy access to a range of workspaces across the world. Whether you want to book in advance of just turn up, fully serviced spaces will always be clean, maintained and ready for you to work, with the best equipment and facilities available.

What are the benefits?

The main benefit of virtual offices is that they provide the services of a professional office environment, without having to pay for the maintenance, utilities and security of a physical address. This makes them a flexible and cost-effective option for a range of businesses.

For remote workers or entrepreneurs

The growth of remote workers has been integral to the increase in virtual office services. By helping entrepreneurs to free up their time by getting their admin done and their calls answered, virtual offices have all the benefits of a serviced office, with flexible, low costs.

For small businesses

If you’re a start-up or a growing business, virtual offices can give you extra team members, such as administrators, receptionists and call centre employees, without worrying about having to pay wages. Plus, small business teams can access dedicated desks and meeting rooms whenever they need them, so they can be productive even on the move.

For large businesses

For businesses looking to expand into new parts of the world, virtual offices are a great option, as they allow companies to set up an established base in a new country quickly and easily. Without the worry of hiring new employees or finding the right office space, large businesses can access a new location and the opportunities that are waiting there.

Are virtual offices the future?

The arrival of coronavirus has increased the speed of the growing remote working trend. Having forced many businesses to take the leap into moving their workforce online, virtual offices have now become a more viable option in the eyes of business owners.

As well as holding obvious benefits for employees, such as a better work-life balance and ability to access otherwise distant job roles, a virtual office can help businesses to reduce their costs and increase their opportunities too. Whether it’s finding new talent, reducing overheads, or seeking out new clients, the future trend seems clear, with office sales dropping by 50% and virtual office sales increasing by 50% in the first quarter of 2020.

How much does a package cost?

Depending on the level of support you need, you’ll be able to find a virtual office package that will suit your budget. We offer businesses three different packages, from an instant professional address to access to  business loungers and inclusive desk spaces.

We also give our customers the added benefits of a DragonPass Classic Membership for premium airport lounge access, exclusive service discounts from global suppliers and the change to attend community networking and personal growth events. This means that with our packages, you get a real value-add to your business that will inspire growth.

How can I find the right one for my business?

Whether you want a registered office address, a space for a team that’s working remotely or a PO box, our dedicated team can help you to find the best virtual office solution. By talking through your businesses’ needs with us, we can make sure that your virtual package is giving you all the support you need, so you can focus on taking your team and work to the next level.