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copperstoneclubbiz.com 813-321-7417 The one guaranteed way to improve the overall efficiency of your communication system is to opt for a virtual phone system. With a virtual phone system, you can avail a host of sophisticated features such as call forwarding, find me follow me, conferencing, music-on-hold, caller Id, speed dial, call blocking, auto- attendant, voicemail to email, fax to email, real-time call history etc.

 

There are four main technologies that make virtual offices work: The Internet, VOIP, Unified Messaging and Cloud Computing Technology. Unless you've been living under a rock, I'm sure at some point in your life you've used or heard of at least one of these forms of technology.

 

The Internet

 

Let's face it; the Internet is one form of technology that most of us cannot live without. It's a part of our everyday lives. It's a resource that 85% or more of small business owners use to run their businesses. The Internet allows us to check our email, host our websites, shop online, pay our bills and most importantly use various tools to provide services to our clients.

 

VOIP - What is it?

 

VOIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) is a technology that gives us the ability to use phone services over the Internet. As a matter of fact, traditional phone lines are slowly being phased out as small, medium and large businesses are reaping the benefits of using VOIP systems. The main benefits of using VOIP are the ability to make long distance phone calls, hold conference calls, use caller ID, call forwarding and other features that traditional telephone companies normally you charge for are available for free. Isn't that AWESOME?

 

Unified Messaging Systems

 

Unified Messaging is a technology that works with VOIP systems and is a feature that runs virtual office phone systems. Unified Messaging combines the integration of email, instant messaging, fax, voicemail, video messaging, and text messaging technologies together for storage onto a single system. For example, with traditional communications systems messages are delivered onto several types of storage systems such as Voicemail systems, Fax machines and email servers. Whereas with Unified Messaging Systems all of these different types of messages are stored in one place. This feature simplifies the user experience by giving them one place to check for messages rather than checking multiple places to retrieve messages.

 

Ultimately, the premise behind creating Unified Messaging Systems was to have a place where all of the above technologies can be brought together onto one platform to make communication as seamless as possible.

 

Cloud Computing: The Revolution

 

Cloud Computing Technology is taking the world by storm. You may have heard cloud computing being referred to as "The Cloud". This form of technology allows multiple servers to share resources that run various hardware and software applications over the "Internet" that can be accessed via web browsers. In essence cloud computing features web-based software and hardware applications that run over the Internet. The main benefits of using services in "The Cloud" are:

 

Cloud services and applications are web-based and can be accessed anytime, anywhere, 24/7 as long as you have an Internet connection from a computer, Smartphone, or tablet device

 

Cloud applications work with multiple Operating System platforms such as Windows, Linux and Macintosh computers

 

Cloud applications and services are very inexpensive and allow you to pay as you go to use them

 

In most cases, there is no need for you to install software or purchase hardware to use cloud services

 

The most common types of virtual offices for work are home offices, telecommuting centers, mobile offices and hoteling.

 

A home office can be a room, a portion of a room, a hallway, a garage, or any other space you choose to work in.

 

Home Offices

 

The primary advantage of working at home is that it makes it easier for people to run their lives. Those who have to drop children off at school or take care of a sick parent can juggle their personal and professional responsibilities better if they aren't rushing to the office every day on a fixed schedule. Dropping the daily commute may also free up time for other activities such as time with a spouse or children, exercise, or hobbies.

 

Working at home also means fewer meetings and interruptions. Not surprisingly, this often translates into productivity gains. A study found that 80 percent of work-at-home entrepreneurs say they are more productive at home than they were in a traditional office. An overall increase in control over scheduling can improve your sense of satisfaction and can lead to a higher quality of work. This increased feeling of control over your work and your life cuts down significantly on stress levels.

 

Telecommuting Centers

 

A telecommuting center is a type of virtual offices where employees work, usually part-time, outside of a central corporate office. These virtual offices are either used by employees from one company or shared by employees from several different employers.

 

Telecommuting centers can offer many of the advantages of working in a home office without some of the disadvantages. Centers present fewer distractions than a home office and more opportunity for social and professional interaction. They also can provide access to computer networks, secretarial services, conference rooms, and copiers, which are not always available at home. In addition, some supervisors feel more comfortable with employees working at another office site rather than in the home.

 

The major barrier to widespread use of such virtual offices is their cost. For obvious reasons, home offices are much less expensive.

 

Mobile Offices

 

The term mobile office describes a car, or sometimes even a briefcase, used by people who spend a lot of time on the road. These "road warriors" have all the technology and other tools they need in their mobile office to complete their work without returning to the central office. They complete their work in their mobile office, at a client site, or in a home office, and go to the corporate office only for meetings, to pick up mail, or for support services that are not available elsewhere.

 

Enabling mobile workers to spend more time with their clients through technology is appealing to employers. The same technology that allows mobile workers to keep in touch enables them to improve productivity and spend more time with clients. At the client's location, mobile workers use computers to access inventory information, process orders, and provide quick turnaround for all kinds of services. Employers also save on real estate costs by having mobile workers do the bulk of their desk work outside of the company office.

 

Hoteling

 

Although technically not an office, hoteling is a catch-all term for work arrangements in which corporate employees use desks on an as-needed basis.

 

Employees in hoteling arrangements do not have assigned offices on a long-term basis. Armed with portable computers and other technology, these employees visit clients and perform administrative tasks on the road or from offices at home. They return to the corporate office for meetings or when they need other support services.

 

Here is a list of 7 tools that can be used to help you get started with setting up a virtual office that can help you save money on operating expenses and give your business a professional look inexpensively.

 

1. Online Billing and Invoicing Solution

 

Online invoicing solutions help you in getting your payment on time. With these invoicing tools, you can send invoices to your clients via email which will help you save money on postage.

 

2. Online Backup and Recovery Solution

 

You never know when disaster will strike. When it does, you'll want to be ready for it. Having a backup and recovery system in place is crucial for any business-no matter what size they are. The advantage of using online backup solutions vs. traditional backup services is that you will have access to your important documents and files anytime that you need them. Some companies offer very affordable online disaster recovery solutions that will help get you back up and running again in the event of a catastrophe in your virtual office.

 

3. Online Fax Solutions

 

Tired of tying up your phone line to send or receive faxes? If you are, then an online fax service is the perfect solution for you. Online fax services eliminate the need to purchase an expensive fax machine or run to a local store or copy center when you need to send faxes. These services allow you to send and receive faxes over the Internet as PDF files.

 

4. Online File Sharing and Document Management System

 

Document management systems lets you store, manage and share your documents online anytime you need them via an Internet browser. This system definitely comes in handy for a small business owner needing quick access to documents even when they are away from their personal computer. You can create different folders to store your documents in them, share files with your employees, team members or business colleagues, post comments regarding specific files you uploaded, and set permissions for specific files and folders that you may or may not want to share. Types of files that you can upload are Microsoft office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Access), PDF files, and Executable files and programs.

 

5. All-In-One Printer, Copier and Scanner

 

Using an all-in one printer or multifunction device that features a printer, copier and scanner for your business will surely eliminate the need for purchasing other hardware devices separately. The feature I've grown to love most with using an All-in-One printer is the capability of being able to scan documents from the device, download it as a PDF and send it back using an online Fax Service. Isn't this a nice feature for a virtual office?

 

Some additional obvious benefits of using a multi-function printer include:

 

You can have almost everything you need in one device since most multifunctional devices are equipped with copiers, scanners, or fax machines.

 

They are very easy to maintain. Since all-in one printers are standalone devices, there will be less equipment for you to take care of.

 

You can save a lot of work space. Office equipment can tend to be bulky and take up a lot of space. Multifunction devices aid tremendously in this area.

 

You can save money. It is more expensive for you to purchase several pieces of beneficial for your company, especially if you are trying to save on your expenses.

 

6. Online Project Collaboration and Web Conferencing Tools

 

Online collaboration and web conferencing tools allow you to work with your employees and clients in different locations across the world via one virtual location. With these tools, you can conduct live presentations, host online meetings, do sales presentations and conduct training right from your computer by sharing your computer screen with multiple users over the Internet.

 

Most web conferencing and project collaboration tools require you to download a desktop sharing application onto your computer to share your screen or send a special link through email to the participants of the meeting. After the participants have received a link to the meeting and have clicked on it, they will be able to join the web conference.

 

Google Apps is an additional resource that offers free project collaboration and online messaging tools to small business owners. With Google apps, you can use your own customized business email addresses to send and receive email from Google's online email interface, receive 25GB worth of free online email storage, access to mobile email, an online calendar, and instant messaging.

 

7. Online Customer Relationship Management Systems (CRM)

 

I will warn you that Customer Relationship Management systems can be a tad bit complex for beginners. Before choosing a CRM for your business, I urge you to make sure that the software vendor that you select has great customer service or online tutorials and other resources available that will give you a step by step guide on how to setup and use the software program.

 

If you have a business and you are trying to keep expenses at a minimum and you don't want to have to pay someone an hourly wage to do jobs that can be automated, you have likely heart of a virtual office service. The great thing about these services is that you only have to pay for what you use, so there is no hourly wage to pay, as would be the case if you hired a full or even part time employee to do these things for you.

 

Wondering exactly what a virtual office assistant can do for you? Basically they can do all of the things that would be done by someone who was right in the office for you, except that you're not paying them every day that they come to work, you're only paying for when you use their services/

 

Some of the virtual office services that you can take advantage of include but are not limited:

 

- Secretarial support

- Copier and mail services

- Fax services

- Courier and postage services

- Remote reception services

- Automated attendant services

- Unified message that converts voicemail to email

- Live telephone answering service

- Call recording

- Booking ready to use office space

- Providing whiteboards, flip charts, screens and LCD projectors when needed

- Teleconferencing

- Catering arrangements

- Mail and parcel services

- Private locked mailbox services

- Email notification of mail and parcel pick up notices

- Mail and parcel forwarding as needed

 

This is jut a look at what these amazing services can do for you and your business. Of course not all businesses need these services all the time. This is why virtual office services really do make a lot of sense. When you're trying to reduce the operating budget as much as possible this is the way to go because you are only paying for the services that you need, and nothing more. So, instead of having someone on the books that is sitting there waiting for you to do these things, you simply need to contact the virtual office service when you need them and you're done.

 

If you need a few of the different services offered you can always choose a package of virtual services that works for you, or you can choose to customize a package that will give you only the services that you need and nothing more. When you customize the package you will not be paying for anything other than the services that you really want or need and even then you'll find that the savings will be substantial. The nice thing is that you can change your package or custom package at any time, if your needs change in any way, which will allow for you to budget for things in advance.

 

As you can see, working with a virtual office service really is a great option for a wide variety of businesses who don't necessarily need full time services and who want to watch their budget and only pay for what they need. Cracking down and diminishing the budget is always a great idea, and this is a really simple and straight forward way to do it for all different types and sizes of business around the world.

 

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