Avoid a White Out
So, you work from a home office and love that it allows you to wear different hats throughout the day – both the “work you”, the “parent you” and perhaps the “caregiver” you.
And then it happens………. and it’s going to be one of those days.
Whether a parent needs help, kids are home sick or, like today, winter is here in a big way. Snow has to be shoveled, kids are home from school and you can’t give your full focus to anything – let alone answer the constantly ringing phone!
This is where our Virtual Offices come in!
Our Virtual Office packages allows you to maintain the benefits of working from home but shares the load on days when you really could use a second pair of hands.
Our live receptionists will answer your phone for you so you won’t miss any calls and free you up to deal with whatever the day has thrown your way.
Aside from the assurance that your calls will be answered immediately and in a professional manner, our Virtual Office packages also include perks such as:
• Prestigious Bay Street address for mail and deliveries
• Pay-as-you-go meeting and office facilities
• No leases, Mortgages and Rental Contracts
To learn more – and be ready when another one of “those days” hits – give us a call to learn how Virtual Business Offices can help.
The Advantages of a Virtual Office for Franchise Managers
Running a franchise, while having your home as your business address may not represent the best side of your business. However, a virtual office with a premier address in Toronto shows others that you mean business.
Convenience
Having a virtual office allows you to avoid all of the daily annoyances of commuting. Nobody enjoys an hour long trip where you find yourself standing squished between a wall and a group of sweaty bodies on the subway. Working from home allows you to stay inside; this way you not only save energy, but you also save a significant amount of time. This way you can yell at your employees for slacking off from the comfort of your own home! Simply dial the number of your franchise’s location and commence shouting. How exciting!
Cost-Effective
Working through a virtual office saves the cost of renting out a physical space elsewhere. Consequently, you will find yourself gradually saving money since you will not be factoring in a cost of rent.
If you are adamant on a space downtown, you will find the cost of rent is not very forgiving. Therefore, it would be most beneficial to search for smaller spaces in order to avoid spending a large amount for an extra 50 square feet.
Not only is the rent of the physical office going to rack up a large bill every month, but you must also consider the cost of commuting. Whether you take public transit or you drive yourself, you will find a significant chunk of your paycheck going towards the trip to work every day.
As briefly mentioned earlier, this idea of a virtual office is essentially the concept of saving a small piece of each paycheck and putting it into a savings account. Rather than this, you are saving pieces of your paycheck by eliminating the cost of commute.
Overall, it is simply much more cost-effective to use a virtual office rather than sacrifice an arm and a leg for a physical office in an expensive neighbourhood. If you have this opportunity for a virtual office, the only downside is if you wished to share a workspace with your coworkers.
Credibility and Legitimacy
A virtual office gives an impression that you are working for a professional business in a prestigious location. Rather than having your cell phone number as the main form of contact and an unfamiliar address, a virtual office allows you to use an address that suggests your franchise is legitimate and successful. Imagine having your business card include an address for Bay Street. This address will be easily recognized.
On the contrary, 9092 Dirt Boulevard is not going to impress any potential clients. If anything, they might have a disgusted expression on their face because your business is located on a street called Dirt Boulevard…
Morale
A virtual office will improve your mood even if you can stay home only once per week. Being able to get away from the workplace every now and then will give you a chance to catch your breath and feel refreshed for the next time you may have to go in for the day. It may also be good for your employees since they are most likely uptight when you, their boss, is around. You will find that you are not as drained as a lot of your day at work might be devoted to sitting in traffic or waiting for transit. Imagine looking out the window, seeing horrible weather, but realizing you do not have to face those terrible conditions. How satisfying is that? That will definitely have you sighing in relief and perhaps a maniacal laugh at the thought of those who are standing in the rain waiting for the streetcar that is running late as usual…
So if you’re ready to take your franchise business to the next step, then take a look at our available packages and start your Virtual Office today!
Holidays are better working Virtually
In some industries, it can be difficult to find time to enjoy the holidays. We all want to visit our friends and family, but you are needed at work. However there is a way to take the time you need for the holidays while still continuing to be productive.
The main issue with taking the holidays off is that not everyone has the same schedule. Not every country celebrates at the same time and the same events, so while you may be preparing to sit with your family about to dig in to a delicious turkey, somewhere else, it is business as usual. And they are waiting for emails and phone calls from you.
If you’re a business owner, you may have reservations about keeping your employees around for the holidays. They deserve the time off and to be with their loved ones for the season. Happy workers are productive workers, and you know that denying them that opportunity will not be beneficial to their long term prospects with you.
At the same time, you need your employees to stay active and continue to work through that season.
The solution to this is simple. You can set up a Virtual Office for your employees. So they can continue to work, while they are away for the holidays.
By running your business from a Virtual Office, you get all the same benefits as a physical location; an address for mail and a place to meet your team and your clients. But you also get the benefits of remote working, such as flexible schedules, avoiding commutes, and massive rent prices.
And with the rapid increases in technology, faster and more reliable internet connections, and more work than ever before being done on a smartphone, there is no reason why your employees can’t be with their families for the holidays.
So take a look at our available packages and select one that fits your budget, and allows your employees and yourself to take the time they need for the holidays.
Remote Working into the Future
The future of remote work will be knowledge and service based. While there will always be positions available in manufacturing and the trades, a lot of those jobs are being shipped overseas. New and emerging technologies are enabling positions and duties to be fulfilled online. In fact, a large percentage of workers are finding themselves in the “gig” economy, completing work from home or from a coffee shop.
In fact, these remote workers may very often be more skilled, more knowledgeable in their specific tasks, and some in far under budget than hiring someone who is more local. Who cares if they’re vacationing in Cabo if all their work is done on time, with attention to detail, and under budget?
As an employer, or a worker trying to expand their role, you need to be aware of this. Opportunities are no longer just limited to the downtown core of your particular city. (Even though we absolutely love our downtown core). Many workers now just “work out of a laptop”. Working remotely with a smartphone, a laptop, and a good Wi-Fi signal, companies are built.
Many start-up entrepreneurs live out of their suitcases. Travelling to meet potential clients and investors, and only calling in to check on their team occasionally – and why not? Depending on their position, the CEO does not have to be in the Office with all your workers. Remote decisions can be made in any location.
That does not mean we are advocating for a totally remote experience. You’ll need to meet your team occasionally. All these remote workers are still people, not just the sum of their work output.
But not only is it possible, but in fact is the way forward, to hire remote workers and let them work at their pace, from their location. You’ll retain the talent you need, and have a happier, and more hardworking staff.
If you’re preparing a new venture, or would like to try going remote, take a look at the packages that Virtual Business Offices has available for you, and take the next step into the future of work.
Bay Street is the Hottest Business Address in Toronto
Bay Street has always been one of the best addresses in Toronto. It is known Globally as the Financial center of Toronto, and all of Canada.
We’ve long been offering the ability for any company, from the newest startups, to the largest corporations to get a virtual address with us at 20 Bay Street, and be recognized amongst industry leaders.
And that’s not just boasting. Microsoft has just announced they will move from their Mississauga Campus here to Bay Street. Right across the street from Scotiabank Arena. All about 3 minutes from us, and the TOWaterfront on foot.
And they’re not the only ones: Amazon, Apple, Google, RBC Cloud, Salesforce, VMware, and many more large companies are all located within a short walk of WaterPark Place, or a quick subway ride.
Your company deserves to be amongst leaders of the industry. So take a look at our available packages, and start today!
Cloud Virtual Office
Why do you need the Cloud to get your Virtual Office?
There are certainly advantages when looking at Cloud based system: It’s constantly updated with no need for your input, and it may be more efficient.
But of course, we need to look at the disadvantages as well:
It’s automated, there are no humans in most of the process, so if something goes wrong, it can go really wrong. Bugs in the system can go undiscovered for days or weeks, and some things may just not be possible for an automated system, like they can be for a person.
It also lacks personality. We are all just so sick and tired of speaking to machines all day, and unlike how Google is trying to push Duplex as the future, we think the future will continue to be based on human interaction. It’s just so much more pleasant to get a human on the other side of the phone, rather than a machine. No matter how smart it may be.
Additionally, when setting up a Virtual Office, it is just as if it was on the Cloud anyway. It works for you remotely. But you can rest far more assured that there are people on the other end making sure that everything is running correctly, and that your clients have the best experience possible.
In the end, “the cloud” is a very nebulous term. It has undeniable and positive attributes, and can help businesses grow at an unprecedented rate. But just as any other form of progress, it has it’s drawbacks. You’ll have to decide whether a simple robotic voice can be the thing that helps your business, or if the human touch just can’t be replaced.
When you finally you want your customers to have the best experience when they call in, then take a look at our Virtual Office packages, and don’t leave the future of your business up in the clouds.
The Virtual Mailbox
A Virtual Mailbox is exactly what the name implies: A Mailbox that you can redirect your mail to. Whether that may be simple letters or packages, you can trust that they will go to a physical location, where they can be tracked and delivered to.
They go beyond the standard PO box. They have live people collecting and sorting your mail, and notifying you when letters arrive that you need to run your business smoothly and effectively.
Furthermore, the beauty of a Virtual Mailbox service is that they are located Worldwide, and you can use it to establish addresses in any region, to help your local customers reach you more effectively.
Virtual Mailboxes addresses are commonly found in premier addresses, like Bay Street in Toronto. They show the world that you mean business, and that your home address isn’t the place to receive mail and clients.
And of course, as your business grows, that premier address becomes more and more important. Impressions matter a lot, probably more so than they should. But as long as you know that, you can take advantage of that fact.
Make that address the corner stone of your business. Lead your clients and customers to an address they can trust, and more importantly, send their mail to a place they know won’t be neglected. It can be stressful for a client to not know whether their documents or cheques will arrive safely. In a residential address, there is always the risk of theft, not to mention you may not be home to receive and sign for important mail. For a business just starting up, one missing cheque can be the difference between continuous growth, and a shut down. To have all your hard work be for naught just because you decided that your home address was “good enough”.
Thankfully, you don’t have to go through that. Take a look at our virtual plans and get your Virtual Mailbox address on Bay Street in Toronto today!