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Thanks to modern technology, the business landscape is changing faster than ever before. You can network with clients all around the world with the click of a button or the tap of a smartphone screen. Business meetings can take place from the comfort of your home, in coffee shops or on a sun lounger on the beach if you’d prefer. As long as you have a Wi-Fi connection and your laptop, tab or smartphone, you can work from anywhere, if your business model is one which can be carried out online of course.

Digital nomad, remote work, location independent, virtual assistant or VA, are the new in-vogue buzz words of the business world. So too is the term virtual office.

Yes, it may be fast becoming the future of work but what exactly is a virtual office and how can it help your business?

What Exactly is a Virtual Office? 

A virtual office is exactly as its name suggests, a virtual space where you conduct your business, with access to everything a real-life office would provide, without the physical office space being your responsibility. The only catch being it is very much a real place – a virtual reality. You simply rent or lease virtual office space from a service provider that you don’t physically use on a daily basis, or even ever if you so choose, with all the benefits of a traditional office.

Premium virtual office providers usually offer amenities such as a dedicated landline number, a bilingual receptionist to answer and forward calls and an actual physical mailing address. All the essentials for running a physical business in a remote, virtual package.

What are the Benefits of Virtual Offices over Traditional Office Space?

They Create a Great Impression

Virtual offices allow businesses to launch themselves in a new marketplace in a premium office location, something that a start-up business would never afford off the bat due to outrageously high rents and leases. Prospective clients and customers will be suitably impressed by correspondence and business cards with an address in Jakarta’s prestigious CBD location. This sets your business up on the right foot with a great impression from the get-go.

They Offer the Utmost Flexibility

Premium service providers offer virtual office solutions on a month to month rolling basis, so you’re not locked into a long-term lease or contract as you would be with traditional office space. Convenience and flexibility are the names of the game and there’s a range of packages on offer tailored to suit your business needs so you only pay for what you need when you need it. You can also terminate the contract at any time you need to.

No Waiting Around – Instant Access to Highly Trained Team of Staff 

Timing is crucial in business and when you utilise the services of a virtual office, there’s no waiting around. You have instant access. A virtual office comes ready to go with a fully functional office environment and a dedicated team of highly trained secretarial and IT support staff at your disposal.

An added benefit is that there’s also no precious time spent on mundane tasks like setting up internet connections or phone lines and interviewing and hiring admin staff, leaving you free to concentrate on what matters, growing your business.

They’re Cost Effective 

Virtual offices are extremely cost-effective as everything is packaged in one convenient bill. With a traditional office space, you would have more overheads like electricity, phone and internet as well as paying admin and cleaning staff and maintenance. With a virtual office, all of this is taken care of leaving you more time and money to put into your business.

The Future’s Made of Virtual Reality 

It’s a given that a virtual office can benefit your business in a range of ways from keeping costs down to offering flexibility and creating a great first impression for potential clients. They will only continue to grow in popularity as more people begin to work remotely to create a positive work-life balance. They will certainly be a bigger feature in the future of the workplace.