As Melbourne braces itself for a second wave of the Coronavirus, working from home has never been more important. However, working from home under a virtual office address is nothing new. In fact, many entrepreneurs, start-ups and freelancers have been taking advantage of the many benefits that come with operating under a virtual office address in Melbourne.
It is not just staff that can benefit but also small businesses as well. Acquiring a premium business address such as a Melbourne CBD-listed address is very difficult, and very expensive to obtain. But with a virtual office address, small businesses have a simple and affordable way to obtain a prestigious business address without having to be locked into a lengthy and expensive office lease.
So, what exactly are the main benefits to having a virtual office address and why is it important in 2020?
A safer alternative
With the Victorian Government announcing the mandatory wearing of face masks from Thursday the 23rd of July 2020, and with the increase restrictions of travel outside of the home, travelling to and from work during a pandemic has its fair share of risks.
Commuting to and from work on public transport means that you are standing in a crowded train/tram carriage or bus. With the current physical distancing rules (keeping 1.5 metres apart at all times), this means you are standing in close proximity with passengers and putting yourself at great risk.
Working from home under a virtual office address means that you don’t have to get up very early in the morning to catch public transport before rush hour and is cost-efficient as you will be saving on public transport fees.
Professional mail handling services
Just because you are working from home doesn’t mean you still can’t have access to a range of professional support services. Many coworking providers that offer virtual office addresses also provide support services included in their packages.
You can have access to a professional reception team who will receive all your important packages and mail. They will contact you once your mail has arrived and you can choose to pick it up from your business address, or simply have them send it to your personal address.
This is ideal because operating under a P.O. Box or a personal home address can project a ‘home business’ appearance to your clients and customers. Whereas having a prestigious virtual office address Melbourne CBD projects an established image and can quickly establish trust with your customers and clients.
A premium business phone number
Apart from receiving a prestigious business address, you will also receive a CBD-listed business phone number as well. On top of this, many coworking space providers have professionally trained reception staff you will answer all your calls under your business name.
They will notify you whenever they receive a call for you can choose to either redirect the call to your personal mobile or phone number, or call the person back at a time that is more convenient for you. This way, you will never miss an important business call or opportunity again.
Access to premium meeting rooms
What is the one major hassle that freelancers and entrepreneurs face when meeting with clients? Access to a professional meeting room. Making a great first impression with a client can often be the deciding factor if they want to do business with you or not.
By renting a virtual office address with a coworking provider, you can also gain access to their many professional meeting rooms. These meeting rooms are usually fully equipped with corporate tables and leather chairs, high-speed internet, whiteboards, monitors, audiovisual equipment and more.
Their professional reception staff will also greet your clients under your business name and take them to your meeting room, establishing a great first impression with your clients.
A cost-effective way to reduce overheads
Because you will have access to professional support services and corporate meeting rooms, renting a virtual office address is an ideal cost-effective way to reduce your overheads. By only paying an affordable fee once a month, you avoid all the expenses that come with leasing a traditional office space.
You won’t have to pay for building maintenance fees, salary for reception or any other hidden fees that might be lurking around the corner. Most coworking space providers have a transparent pricing structure when you are browsing their virtual office packages, so you will always know exactly what you are signing up for.
Flexibility to upgrade or downgrade your plan
Running a business can be unpredictable, especially in 2020. Coworking providers allow you to rent a virtual office address for as little or as long as you need with no lock-in contracts.
If you are experiencing a sudden boost in growth and need to expand your services, you can easily upgrade your plan or choose to move into one of their fully serviced coworking spaces under the same business address and phone number as you were before.
If you find yourself needing to scale back, you can easily downgrade or cancel your virtual office plan as you see fit – with no obligations!
In summary
As you can see, there are many benefits to renting a prestigious virtual office address in Melbourne. Search online for a coworking space provider in Melbourne and start exploring the many benefits you can be taking advantage of!