Are Virtual Offices In Chicago Worth It?
At face value, it may seem that virtual offices only serve the purpose of the vanity of looking larger and more influential than you are. Well, that’s not the only benefit.
Having a virtual office is worthwhile, especially if you don’t want to publicize your home address. Here is a deeper look at virtual offices to better understand their worth.
What Is A Virtual Address/Office?
A virtual office is a physical office location owned by another company. However, it allows another entity or person to use it at a monthly fee, even though the renting person or entity does not reside there. These offices allow people who run their businesses from home to have a professional appeal and a public address to use in their marketing materials. See more here if you’re looking for virtual offices in Chicago.
Many virtual office providers have cropped up in Chicago in recent years especially, with the emergence of COVID-19. Most of the virtual office providers offer the following services:
- Mail forwarding and pickup: The providers accept any mails on your businesses’ behalf. You can either have them forward the mails to your home address. Alternatively, you can go pick them up yourself.
- Phone answering services: You can have a receptionist answer any phone calls on your behalf at a fee
- Temporary workspace provision: Some providers offer private offices, conference rooms, or desk space that can be rented daily or hourly.
- Legal business address: They provide physical addresses where you can register your business virtually.
Now that we have looked at some of the services provided by virtual office providers, let’s analyze whether virtual businesses in Chicago are beneficial.
Benefits Of Virtual Office Chicago
- They give your business a professional appeal
A virtual office gives your business a physical address that you can put on your business cards, website, and other marketing materials. As such, it gives your company a desirable outlook of being professional. While that may be the case, the physical location they provide can be a double-edged sword since it may also bring out the perception of your business dishonestly portraying its true nature.
- It enables you to keep your home address private
Some people who run their businesses from home use their home address since they don’t have any other street address to register their companies. The disadvantage of doing this is that your home address becomes public information available for everyone to look up.
Because of this, the use of a virtual office is essential to maintain the privacy of your home. It will ensure that your home address is not discoverable to the numerous clients you interact with during your business operations.
- Virtual offices Chicago provide you with a temporary workspace
A virtual office provides you with a physical office that you can use for a couple of days when you have visitors at your home or because of any other inconveniency. These offices can also be beneficial if you want to meet a potential client in person, in a professional setting.
- It can keep your email marketing CAN-SPAM compliant
Virtual offices allow you to use your virtual address for the footers for your email marketing strategies. They enable you to display your mailing address in the footer section of every email you send to your clients or customers. Moreover, they enable you to use a P.O. box in your emailing.
- They enable you to save on technology
Virtual offices embrace the use of BYOT (Bring Your Own Technology). As such, employees can use their preferred technology while they work remotely. The employees are responsible for upgrading their technologies whenever they deem it appropriate. This being the case, you will save on numerous costs, including upgrading the various technologies.
- Access to worldwide talent
The use of a virtual office gives businesses the chance to source the best professionals’ services in various fields across the world. One example of such a scenario is Storymix Media, a Chicago-based company renting an office in Paris to complete business dealings in that location. It sought two individuals’ services to help them manage the business in that location.
While a virtual office has some demerits, like giving a deceptive appearance, the benefits accrued from them overweigh these demerits. They are vital for the success of solopreneurs and other businesses, especially with the radical technological transformation of business practices.
