Freelancing is a growing industry now as more and more people are joining in. Being a freelancer means you are working for yourself. But this doesn’t mean that you don’t work for companies or individuals. It just means that you are not an employee of any company or you don’t work long-term with anyone. A virtual office can help them work independently without compromising the quality of their work.
Freelancers are usually individuals working as independent contractors on projects for other companies and individuals. But a group of freelancers can work together on a big project. Whether they are working alone or with others, they need supportive office services. A virtual office’s features will support them as if they are a part of a big corporation.
Why do you need a virtual office?
Freelancers don’t have a fixed time or job to follow. They take projects as they come but that doesn’t mean that they are not busy or don’t need a physical space. However, they don’t need a dedicated physical office because it is a useless expense. With the physical office comes expenses like rent, monthly bills, equipment, renovations, admin staff, security, etc. Freelancers don’t have time and need for such expenses.
Other than that, a dedicated physical office also needs permanent office staff and employees. Freelancers don’t need that. They have remote teams for big projects and might work on their smaller ones themselves. Maintaining an office just for occasional use doesn’t sound like a smart choice.
What is a virtual office and how can it help freelancers:
A virtual office is a workspace service that gives you all the standard office services that you need to run your freelancing business by relieving you of all the burdens. You don’t have to commute to the office daily and can work remotely as per your own will and schedule.
A virtual office supports remote working. It is a shared workspace that is based on the virtual concept. Freelancing works around the same lines as well. All the features of the virtual office are relatable and supportive of the freelancing business.
A virtual office is a subscription-based service that you can use whenever and however you want. It offers the flexibility of payment and usage suiting your business. Let us now discuss the features of the virtual office that can support your freelancing business:
Business identity and prestigious location:
Every business needs recognition and freelancing is no different. A legal business address gives a message that you are serious about your business and are here to stay. But getting an office in a renowned commercial location can be expensive and sometimes not possible because of a shortage of space. Getting a lease and paying heavy rent just for the address is not a wise move for anyone.
This is where the virtual office comes in. It gives you a business address of the desired location by just subscribing to the service. All the legal obligations are handled by the virtual office service provider. You can use this address as your legal business address as long as you are subscribed to the service. You can print it on your business cards and stationery.
Call handling and mail forwarding for your convenience:
This service is also called the front desk service. It means that when an inquiry call is made about your business, it will be answered by professionally trained receptionists. They can also make appointments as per your instructions. You can get your calls forwarded to you as well.
The same goes for mail forwarding services. You can get your urgent and confidential mail opened, scanned, and emailed to you. You can either pick up or get your packages mailed to you. These services help you streamline your workflow and organize your work. It also gets rid of extra hassle for you by managing a lot of your work. Not to mention, your clients will be impressed by your professionalism.
In house office services as per requirement:
Workspace services are also a part of the deal. Remote workers also sometimes need services like printers, scanners, fax machines, phones, secure and unlimited Wifi, etc. You and your team members can use these when you want, as long as you are subscribed to the service.
They increase the productivity and efficiency of your performance. It also helps you to stay organized and meet deadlines.
Meeting rooms for scheduled conferences and meetups:
As a freelancer, you do need to meet up with clients and other freelancers. A virtual office is a shared workspace that gives you access to the scheduled use of meeting rooms. These meeting rooms are not just ordinary meeting rooms but are equipped with the latest technologies and equipment to conduct a successful meeting. You can also make conference calls from them. Conference calling is very important for freelancers as most of their meetings are done through it.
Tech support for a safe environment:
When most of your work is online, cyber threats are imminent. You need a secure environment where you can share and store data in a secure environment. A virtual office gives you that environment with all the applications and software for sharing and storing data on the cloud. You also get support for popular collaboration tools.
Final verdict:
Freelancing is mostly remote working with different companies. Most of the work is done through online tools and technology. A virtual office by definition fulfills this criterion. You will not find a better business workspace model that fits freelancing than the virtual office.
You get a well-managed and fully loaded office and related services. You don’t have to do anything to maintain or run that office. You just have to pay an affordable subscription and enjoy all the perks that come with the service.
If you are done with using the service then unsubscribe without any prior notice. There is no penalty whatsoever. This flexibility of payment and services is what makes it ideal for freelancers.