Have you been debating between choosing a virtual office vs traditional leased office space? Technology has made it possible to start your business at home and run it online. Entrepreneurs often take advantage of the ability to work from a \u2018virtual office,\u2019 which could be your home, a quiet park or library, or rented office space at a coworking agency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After all, with many businesses\u2019 operations taking place entirely or mostly online, it only makes sense to set up shop virtually and begin making money without leasing commercial office space.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But is there a stigma around a business that only operates online and has no brick and mortar location? Can you realistically handle your business and technology needs from home or a remote location?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
These are all questions we will consider as we compare the two: The virtual office vs traditional offices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It certainly costs less to work from a virtual office vs. a traditional office space. Without the added cost of leasing commercial property, you can concentrate your finances where you need them most.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And if a virtual office seems right for you now but you suspect you\u2019ll want to move into a physical location down the road, it\u2019s a great way to save some money while you work on growing your business. Then, when the time comes to move into a physical location, you\u2019ll be ready!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Things are more flexible when you work from a virtual office. Like the A\/C turned all the way down to 59 degrees? That\u2019s fine. Want to eat leftover garlic shrimp for lunch\u2013with pesto pasta on the side? No problem. And if you need to go without a certain resource for a week or two, a virtual office enables you to do it without affecting others in the office.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You can sleep in or start early, whenever you choose. When you work from a virtual office, there is no commute, so you can say goodbye to the wasted hour and a half you\u2019d spend just being on your way to or from work. Use it to get more sleep or get an early jump on work each day!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Without the hour and a half commute, you eliminate the gas and oil required to get you there and back and the wear and tear on your car. Also, no physical location means no additional garbage from other employees, less paper, and more. Working from a virtual office is a lot easier on the environment than working from a traditional office.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Customers may be more likely to trust businesses that have a physical location, although the condition, location, and style of the location may be the most important factors in deciding whether a traditional location can be trusted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Seeing a physical address on your website can help customers feel more comfortable with your business, and it\u2019s possible to rent a business address from a co-working agency or similar company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You won\u2019t have to worry about scheduling time at a rented meeting space or hold your meeting in a noisy restaurant. Traditional offices include meeting space within them, making your interactions with clients seem more professional and giving them a look at your business from the inside.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Not having a physical location is a con for a couple of reasons: No address, no place to store your work-related things, no place to meet with clients other than restaurants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, you could rent a meeting space from a co-working business near you. You could deliver a professional experience to your client without having to invite them into your home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Your home might work well for being productive, handling clients, and running your business in general, but if you aren\u2019t set up to handle the amount of work you\u2019re doing from there, you will quickly run into issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Something as simple as having too many things plugged into one outlet could cause problems for both your home and your business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Having a virtual office might mean you don\u2019t get to talk to and see others as much as you used to or would with a physical office location. For some, this is a welcome change, but for others, social contact is a necessary and enjoyable part of work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For this reason, when it\u2019s virtual office vs traditional, some prefer a third \u201cblended\u201d option of working from co-working centers among other entrepreneurs, freelancers, and enterprise teams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The best locations aren\u2019t cheap, and the best of the best are very expensive. If you can\u2019t afford to be in a great location, you risk looking unprofessional or out of your audience\u2019s preferred brand type. It\u2019s better to be in a virtual office until you can afford a location that will make your business look good.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Some industries don\u2019t make sense in physical locations, while others don\u2019t seem to be right for virtual-only offices. For example, when we see a physical location for an eBay store, it\u2019s strange because we\u2019re used to seeing things related to eBay only online.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If your business isn\u2019t expected to be in a physical location, it might be an unnecessary expense.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The cost to lease commercial property is only increasing, and getting into a location that reflects positively on your business and is in a respected neighborhood will ensure you\u2019re paying a high price to have a traditional office.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Running a business from home is much different from running a traditional office. With a traditional space, you\u2019re more likely to need to hire in-house help, and the little things about running an office can be a headache (don\u2019t forget to order more paperclips and K-cups!).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When you\u2019re considering a virtual office vs traditional offices, a virtual office is the best option<\/strong> for a business that wants to save money while concentrating on growth and planning for the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Traditional offices may be best for some industries that appeal to markets that don\u2019t frequently use the internet, but for the most part, virtual offices provide the solutions small businesses need to give their customers and clients a satisfactory and professional experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What\u2019s your take on the battle between a virtual office vs traditional office? Which do you think provides more benefits for the average small business?<\/p>\n\n\n\n We\u2019d love to hear your answers on Twitter! Find us @conrecept<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"