finding virtual office

The concept of a “Virtual Office” is not new, however you as a new and enthusiastic entrepreneur may not be too familiar with this type of service. Instead of paying out large sums of cash to rent an office, hiring staff, purchasing furniture and equipment, and entering into a long-term lease agreement, small business owners may make use of a shared office environment. Such shared space can even be further broken down to actual small permanent office rooms vs. part-time office space and workstations on an as-needed basis.
Often, workstations and single-person offices can be rented hourly or by the day. So, if you are starting a new project or don’t need (or want) the expense of permanent, full-time office space, you can easily find a service in larger cities in nearly every country worldwide. Most such services provide Virtual Office packages which include options for telephone answering, call forwarding and voicemail, mailing and FedEx, use of copy machines, fax and scanners, kitchen area, conference areas and reception area.
What are the major Virtual Office services?
Barrister Suites, Davinci, Premier Business Centers, Regus, ServCorp are most well-known. You may do a search on Google using keywords: “Virtual Office” plus your city, to find listings.
How do you evaluate and choose the best service provider? Why does it matter?
A poorly run service provider can directly affect your own business. Examples of quality issues include lost or delayed messages from callers, misplaced mail or deliveries, shoddy facilities and machines in disrepair, unprofessional or overburdened receptionists and staff, billing errors, to name just a few.
Here are my Top Eight factors to evaluate when deciding on which Virtual Office provider to sign up with:
1) The business address:
Is the actual office building in a desirable or prestigious area or on a well-known street?
2) How is interior decorated?
Is the reception area well appointed, nicely furnished and flooring or carpets overall looking new, clean, inviting tasteful and makes a good impression?
3) Employees’ appearance and dress:
The first impression needs to be best, for your new clients visiting your office for the first time, and each time afterward.
4) Signage:
Is there signage advertising the virtual office provider’s name placed everywhere? If so, this is misleading and is confusing your visitors. Whose office is it really?
5) How do their employees greet you, greet your visitors, and answer the phone?
Has the service provider’s receptionist(s) been well trained and instructed on how to be pleasant, smiling, speak effectively, carry them confidently, and can handle issues professionally?
6) Overloaded responsibility:
Some Virtual Office providers cut back the number of employees to save money, and overburden those remaining with multiple tasks, leaving little time for your needs individually.
6a) Ratio of Employees to Clients:
Does the service provider increase the number of employees as the number of clients increases?
7) The employee’s capabilities, experience, education and CV:
Are you allowed to chat with the receptionists and assistants prior to signing up for services, learn about their background, experience, and training, or review a CV or Resume?
Do a quick search on Google with keywords
(ie: “Regus Fraud”): Are there numerous negative experiences reported online about the service provider? Some Virtual Office providers maintain just a few locations in a few cities regionally. Others may have a presence in many US states, and some are large multinational services. Just because a provider may be the largest doesn’t mean it’s the best. Research, visit, chat with employees and read reviews to get the best overall evaluation of a Virtual Office service
@RGreenberg is a startup advisor in San Francisco CA and Paris, France, and founder of SeedPort. He has over 20 years experience of small business formation, Startup procedure advisement, management and speaking