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Business Park Office
Rural business park office for a professional appearance if clients visit. Rent and service charges affordable for a decent sized single office. No business rates for the last few years due to small business rate relief. Free parking for clients who visit and they seem to prefer to travel the 4 miles from town to us because the parking is a nightmare there.
No passing trade but we get word of mouth referrals and people find us on Google easily enough. Business park is close to a main road so easy to find us and convenient to drop off or collect records when passing. When I've had enough I can just shut the door and go home. I live in the same village so not much of a commute. Much better than working from home which I did for 20 years until the office came along. Been here 10 years and no regrets.
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Business Centre visibility
Our business increased by 50% . There are 62 other business in the center and everyone looks after each other and passes work on to each other.
Health wise I think it is healthier to leave your house. I enjoyed working and running a large office for us at the house. We were all mums so it suited, but 10 years on we all wanted to be in a office and feel healthier for it. We have a large offices and use it as a show room for clients . They do seem to be impressed. It is a local Business centre 20 mins walk from my house and the school so it works out well. I think it is important you do not lose too much traveling but a 20 min walk twice a day is good for you.
Controling you
You do not have to be at your office all day . You can still go and play golf if you want to. We are not at our offices all day. Some clients maybe happy meeting in Hotel lobby. I see it as unprofessional unless someone is on the move and it is the only time they can see you. I certainly would not like take on for a example a lawyer who had a virtual office. I like to know the companies I deal with have a proper abode or even a house. I am not keen on virtual offices I think you will find a lot of businesses feel the same. So many rave on about virtual offices but I hear loads of businesses who say they will not deal with a virtual office.
But surely that comes down to the person they are dealing with?
I've met plenty who have a virtual office as part of their set up and it makes no difference to me as long as they understand the work that is proposed. Yes, an office helps and I'd rather go into a Virgin Media store (for example) than have a representative come up to me in the street, however if that representative knows how to communicate with me, understands my issues and has a genuine solution for me, I'm not going to worry about where I'm being approached.
To add, if you're not at your offices all day, you have solid and well planned marketing concepts arranged for your firm, you have great customer service and sector knowledge - do you really need an expensive office to deal with each quarter? Offer to go to office/home - that way you're selling yourself in their environment and come across as someone who is taking the step up to talk with them (which is normally only a short car journey)
The simple fact is
Firstly my office is not expensive and the huge increase to business from having a office that clearly pays for itself. Secondly and lot of people do not want to go to someones home. There are issues here for safety.
As a woman one of my clients for over 10 years suddenly told me after moving into our office that he did have a problem and that he as a gentleman much preferred to visit a office especially if lady was on her own. A nicer man you could not meet.
Whether you like it our not you can argue till the cows come home the simple fact is there is a huge number of other business that will not deal with a company who has a virtual office.
Anyway your virtual office can actually be your office if your virtually there. Loads of our clients want to visit our office and we also visit offices so I am struggling to see how we are losing out. The only reason we got a 50 per cent increase was because we have a office. I am virtually everywhere. Never miss out on anything.
When you have a office you are just as good as the skills mention above.
If virtual office works for people then great but do not be under the illusion that every business man or women is fine with it.