The right Way to Start Your Business

If you are planning to start your own business but do not have the required infrastructure to set up your base, then virtual office is just the right option for you. A virtual office comes handy when your employees are willing to work from their home or any other moving targets, or business is also of a sort that does not need an operative space and you are not willing to invest in office infrastructure.

Even if you have a strong business foundation and capital to spend, it is always advisable to use a virtual office rather than jumping right into a much larger financial commitment of full office space up front. This concept is based on the utility of using the internet as your office, which does not run from a fixed destination but operates solely from cyberspace.

Starting your office virtually from anywhere has become possible with the onset of technology. It could be your home, cafe lounge, at the beach or even a moving vehicle, but the only thing that is necessary is a connected working environment away from distractions. No office space is required as your work is done in a virtual office set up.

Features of Virtual Office:

Use of a rented Post Box Number in place of your home address to give you a professional address. Commercial Mail Receiving Agency (CMRA) which is a mailbox service to provide you a corporate suite number, as P.O. Box numbers don't take delivery of parcels. A laptop is the best option as it allows portability. This way you can always carry your office with you. Use of docking stations which makes it easy to have a standard monitor, keyboard, mouse, printer, fax machine, scanner and other peripherals that can be easily hooked up and ready to use. Plugging your laptop to a docking station makes it work like a desktop without worrying about transferring or syncing files to other computers. Last but not the least is you may need 'virtual office software'. Many software companies provide a tailor made; virtual office software according to your needs. They will also provide you a phone number with a dedicated receptionist. You will definitely require an email program like Microsoft outlook, a word processor namely Microsoft Word, Lotus Word Pro or Word Perfect, Spreadsheet and database programs in Excel or Lotus 1-2-3, presentation software, strong and effective virus protection, a utility computer maintenance program, internet browsers, graphics and image editing tools and PDF reader software. All these services are packed in 'suites' to provide you ease and convenience. You can also opt for cloud computing depending upon your needs. This software can also create a virtual assistant with readily available office services.

You can enjoy the luxury of the right business address, a local contact number answered in your company name and a professional team managing your calls and emails without investing in major office infrastructure or costly renting.

A virtual office is definitely a cost saving option for starting an enterprise with minimal risk involved. Businesses who favor telecommuting find a virtual office an advantage in lower overhead costs in terms of rent, furniture and other office management expenses which can add up. So invest in a short term office space rather than a complete set-up and begin with a solid start to your business.

The author is an expert commercial property analyst, has more than 10 years experience in industry analysis and property marketing. He is working for several clients to provide business addresses such as executive suites and virtual office space for rent or lease, according to their business needs.