Blog

Teleworking, also known as telecommuting or teleworking, has revolutionised the way companies hire workers and achieve their objectives.For those who are not familiar with the term, telework is an agreement that allows employees to work remotely or from the location they consider most appropriate (from home, office co-working in a library, etc.)Although the concept is not new - the expressions telecommuting and telework were devised by Jack Nilles in 1973, it was not until the nineties that teleworking began to experience a major boom, mainly in the United States. The reasons that led to the adoption of teleworking can be summarised as:1) The technological advances that have allowed the reduction in the price of computers and mobile devices such as laptops, smartphones, tablets, etc., and reduced costs of information storage.2) The ubiquity of the Internet and advances in communication that facilitate the collaboration of people through email, chat, VOIP, video conferencing, cloud services, etc.3) A growing culture of freelance work or self-employment - working arrangements which can offer flexible work arrangements to teleworkers.

Benefits

Additionally, more and more companies adopt telework to achieve their financial objectives and social responsibility, as this form of employment helps to:1) Increase productivity and efficiency in operations2) Access to high-level professionals located anywhere in the world3) Save in infrastructure and energy costs4) Helping the environment5) Have a more motivated workforce, where employees have a more balanced work-personal life6) Minimise absenteeism7) Reduce staff turnover due to better job satisfaction rates

Challenges

Although the benefits of teleworking are clear, many companies have not yet adopted this way of working. The three main reasons why this has happened are:1) Employers want an efficient way to monitor the work of their employees. The perception of most traditional bosses is that this is only possible by direct observation, in which case the worker must be physically in the office.2) The traditional companies still measure the contribution of its employees in terms of hours spent and not necessarily achieved objectives or results delivered. When you hire a telecommuter, these companies can lose visibility on the number of actual hours worked.3) Employers fear losing control over confidential data shared with teleworkers.

The Future of Teleworking

All these challenges are very real, and that is why, although telework offers benefits to both companies and workers, the level of adoption of this way of working is not as high as it could or possibly should be.Countries like the United States and here in the UK are more advanced in this regard. Teleworkers in the United States account for approximately 15% of the workforce, while in Spain and France, this drops to only 8%. Likewise, in the UK, it is expected during the next three years that teleworking will show large increases of between 33% -65%.But not only companies are realising the benefits of remote working - governments and communities too: in a study conducted by Telework Exchange, it was estimated that if 53% of office workers worked remotely two days a week, this could save together about around £20 billion a year in petrol. And this is only one part of the story; you also have to consider increasing productivity by reducing the congestion of the streets and environmental benefits that would be achieved if more people teleworked.Because of all these reasons (new technologies, economic benefits, environmental benefits, benefits for workers, etc.), it is believed that telecommuting will increase considerably in the next decade. The governments around Europe, for example, have plans to actively promote telework. However, in there is still need for multiple successful platforms that allow companies to jump into the world of telecommuting and give them the necessary visibility to efficiently manage projects and make payments remotely.

Thanks to globalisation and cutting edge technologies, more and more businesses are opening a new breed of offices.Alongside this, more and more workers are working in a different point in the central office. In fact, more than 65 percent of people in large companies are in a venue away from the main building. This happens more and more as businesses increase in number worldwide. Although these sites are sometimes called remote offices in the world of networking, they should not be considered "remote". Instead, each should operate as its own separate headquarters. So how is it best to go about implementing a successful remote office?

Communication

Communication with employees should happen in a transparent manner as if they were actually just next door, and the information should be passed reliably and accurately, regardless of where the office is located. Therefore, this leads to all offices being connected to the central office in an efficient and stable manner. If there is a poor interconnection between headquarters and these remote offices, information will be poor and with many technical problems. An example would be if each office had different types of software and hardware, or if the tools are not properly updated. This could cause problems of having a greater maintenance cost, as well as lost productivity, due to the incompatibility of the computers and network problems.

Technology

If the technology is not optimally integrated, a company may also have trouble recovering from system failures that can pose big difficulties for the remote host. Many of these remote offices do not have their own technical support team, which could take care of these problems. Fortunately there are many tools to help the integration of these remote offices to a central location, no matter how big the businesses are.Every company has its own technical needs. These needs make a big difference on exactly what it takes to integrate these remote offices. There are some universal steps that any business can continue during the process: Assess needs, seek help from IT experts, update and improve technology based on expert recommendations, and ultimately ensure security and centralised data storage. When you are assessing the needs of the company, first ask employees that have problems accessing this. This will help identify the specific problems of the remote site. Once you have the general idea of ​​improvement, it is time to enlist the help of a technical consultation or IT support that will show the strengths and weaknesses in the integration plan.

Upgrade

With this information in mind, you can begin to upgrade and improve systems, allowing the business to operate more smoothly. Updating and optimising the network will be one of the points in the process. You can also consider adding new technologies like VoIP systems and video conferencing to bring even more communication to your remote office. The voIP or voice over IP, can make and receive calls from anywhere within the company. For example, a receptionist at a remote site can receive a call and transfer it to another person, even to someone who is in another office or at home. This is done transparently to all, which makes this conversation perfect for a new or growing company. The same goes for video conferencing, which delivers good visibility between sites.

Data Check

The last step to integrating a remote office is to ensure all data is stored correctly. Maybe one of the biggest mistakes a company can make when it deploys remote offices is to allow the data to propagate unchecked by all the offices, rather than centralise it, where it can be shared, stored and insured by backups. In the worst case, the propagated data is unchecked, potentially leading to a problem for the business in case of a large glitch. Instead of keeping important data stored in computers and servers in each of the offices, a more integrated solution is to group and store the data on a central server in a given site.Servers do not have to be in the same building where the main office is, but perhaps in other facilities. The important part is that technical support group need only ensure, maintain and create backups to a single location. Employees working in the same building, can access their own data using the LAN locally or via Wi-Fi. In remote offices, employees can access their data through systems like Terminal Server, which allows users to connect remotely to other systems as if they were in the same place. Another important tool is the use of VPN, which allows employees to access and retrieve data from outside the office while the communication between the computer and the central server remains safe.

The virtual office service continues to grow worldwide.

According to the latest survey by Staples, 56% of entrepreneurs and managers of small businesses are using virtual office technology, spending less time in shifts or working from their conventional desktop.Technological development today manages communication platforms where entrepreneurs from virtually anywhere in the world are connected to their staff and retain a core that keeps in touch with customers and suppliers at any time without losing a single contact. A virtual office can help business with key areas of their operation, which can include mail forwarding addresses to professional telephone answering services.Thanks to the technological potential of intelligent mobile phone users, live virtual office services can literally connect to their customers and suppliers. They can also easily link them to provide these devices which allow them to have permanent access to the network. Through a professional virtual office service, it also provides them with fully adequate physical spaces to attend their meetings and appointments as if it were their own office depending on their needs.

Stay Connected

Through virtual office services, people not only have the ability to better manage their professional time, but additionally may also devote more time to their family. According to a Staples survey, 52% of employers feel calmer taking a holiday, because they know they can stay connected to their business.As for the impact on mobility, the amount of displacement of an employer from a physical office and their home is practically reduced by 95%. This allows users of this service to take the time spent commuting to instead conducting entrepreneurial activities during working hours and a better quality of life in their free time.

Cut the Carbon Footprint

By managing their professional services from home, virtual workers not only optimise their time, but further substantially reduce their carbon footprint, minimising their environmental impact as a result not only of displacement but by reducing the consumption of energy and water.The power savings by incorporating a virtual office service is close to 90%, as employers eliminate all costs associated with the adaptation and equipment of a conventional office, which also has a positive impact on the environment in terms of reduction in the consumption of furniture and architectural finishes; much of the carbon footprint generated on the planet is directly related to the processes of construction and remodelling, according to figures from the World Resources Institute.All these advantages make the virtual office of today, ideal for companies and entrepreneurs from all sectors with flexible work schemes, while having a positive impact on the environment and office productivity.The ability to link electronically means virtual office workers have new possibilities in the way they carry out their work. This ability has even made it unnecessary for the office work to be performed in an office. Instead, it can be achieved at any place where the worker is located, provided that they can be networked and communicate electronically.

Among the advantages of the virtual office:

• Lower installation cost. Companies do not have to have an office with as much space. This is because some workers are elsewhere, other than at the main office. This reduces the cost of rent and/or the expansion of a common office.
• Lower cost of equipment. The companies, instead of providing office equipment to each employee, can share much of the equipment. This is similar to how LAN users share their resources with those who are doing their job ‘away’.
• Prestigious Location for your business. Build client trust and brand reputation by showing a central London office address for your business.
• Formal network of communication. Due to the need to stay informed and receive instructions, companies are giving more attention to having a communication network, thereby leading to the development of better communication among workers.
• Fewer work stoppages. When storms, rain, flooding or other inconveniences hit, including diseases, preventing workers from moving to the workplace, the virtual office makes it feasible to continue with work activities, by both the individual and the company.
• Social contribution. The virtual office allows companies to hire workers who otherwise would have no job opportunities, whether they are disabled, elderly or parents with young children. This also includes high-value employees geographically located away from the offices of the company.

But virtual offices also have some disadvantages that must be considered, among which are:

• Sense of isolation. With no regular contact with other company employees, they lose the feeling of being part of a job
• Fear of job loss
• Decay in the mood
• Family tension

All these disadvantages of the virtual office are related to motivational and psychological aspects, which is why companies should pay special attention to both the stage of selecting candidates to work as teleworkers ( workers in virtual offices ), and the activities of support, feedback, motivation and communication.In an increasingly competitive environment, the virtual office offers the possibility to expand the scale of activities with a less than proportional increase in cost that growth usually entails. The virtual office provides benefits not only for companies in the field of services but also to manufacturing companies throughout, with regards to office work.

Running a physical office creates considerable expenditure in the budget of novice entrepreneurs. Sometimes, it is even an unnecessary luxury to entrepreneurs who have spent years in the market. However, just because you may be an employee or owner of an SME, it doesn’t necessarily require you to have a physical space to run and manage your business from. That's why many new business owners are turning up to virtual offices.The advances in technology and communication channels have enabled hundreds of people to work from home and to manage business in the comfort of their homes or other places, including parks and cafes. However, although this option can provide numerous benefits (especially in reducing costs and travel time), it also has some disadvantages. If it is not given to good use, it may result in an unprofessional image that can project the entrepreneur in a negative light to potential customers and investors.Purchasing a virtual office gets you a personalised telephone number and professional PA to answer your customers, handling correspondence and most importantly a business mail forwarding address. It is generally believed that being an SME or entrepreneur means you cannot have a first rate office, but thanks to this system, added value is implemented onto your business and can be achieved at very affordable prices.You can enjoy an hour of sleep and avoid morning traffic chaos and a more relaxed approach to your workplace attitude. In the past this was not possible, and you had to move every day to a fixed place to use computers, telephones and other office equipment to keep in touch with customers and employees, whereas today there are attractive alternatives to streamline your work routine.As a measure to better control costs, some companies have chosen to engage the services of a virtual office. The UK has not lagged behind in this trend, which is driven by the rapid development of the service sector and the dynamic growth of the economy.

Here are some advantages of having a virtual office:

1. Save up to 50 percent of the initial capital of consuming the rent of an office or remodelling an owned office. Therefore, it is ideal for start-ups.
2. Suits all budgets and professions. With flexible monthly payment plans, the virtual option is easy to manage and control.
3. It has a commercial address where you can receive mail and which can be printed on your cards or letters. It also has secretarial answering service under the name of your company which can link your calls to your phone or another phone.
4. When you have a work meeting, you’ll find all the necessary elements to provide a professional image as a boardroom, internet, projectors, coffee service and other amenities will be provided for.
5. It reduces operating costs because a secretary and cleaning staff, for example, are already included in the cost.
6. It will often have a beneficial location because regular virtual offices are located in the most important and strategic points of the city.
7. It gives you the ability to interact with other entrepreneurs and there will also be plenty of chances for you to form a strategic alliance with your virtual neighbours.

But like everything, there are also disadvantages:

Communication: While the tools of today are safe to make smooth communication, there is nothing faster than the conversation of person to person.Absolute dependence on internet: If the internet becomes disconnected for whatever reason, then it is practically impossible to work.Lack of meeting space: Sometimes it is necessary to have a place to meet with clients. This helps to improve the image of the company, at least in the eyes of the more traditional companies.These are some of the issues that come to mind broadly, however today’s climate means we must all adjust our financial belts and so a virtual office represents a major cost-cutting solution.Obviously not all projects can run through a virtual office, such as a mandatory video blog in need of a fixed place of work, at least for the recordings.

Hybrid Possibility

In conclusion, the virtual office is a good choice, although there is a third possibility which is a hybrid between the two possibilities. Here you gain the best of both models, i.e. have a physical office with a small workgroup and secondly, a distributed group. A computer model that comes to mind is to have all those responsible for areas installed in an office, so that each manages their team virtually. In that way, the corporation would be closely related and would be able to make decisions more quickly on the virtual model. As well as the commercial sector, you would be able to take steps in physical space, such as arranging meetings, organising actions, etc.

Will virtual offices take over how our office workforce operate? They are certainly on the increase, so the possibility of this is not out of the question. In addition to reducing and eliminating costs such as electricity, telephone and rent, a virtual office keeps employees happier and lets them decide when to start their workday and not have to face the traffic. A virtual office can generate savings of up to 60%, but for this service to prove successful, it is not recommended to completely eliminate a physical space.

How does it differ?

You have access to a business centre, which you can use as you require, whether it is a common lounge area as a business, or you can take a shared or a private office. The terms and requirements vary and are incredibly flexible. Obviously the price changes, but what you will have is the ability to work in a comfortable office space and not have your meetings or work time in an internet café. With the virtual option, you have freedom, the office chairs are not for you to stay in eight hours a day. Having access to network in a business centre is much safer, and the image you give to your customers is one of definite professionalism.

How does a virtual office work?

With a virtual office, you have a proper direction to take, because you can take all your business cards and your stationery to the business centre; you can also take this as an address for your correspondence referred to as a London mail forwarding address; you have someone to answer all your calls on behalf of your business; you get a private telephone number that is only yours, is not a switch, and that can respond the way you indicate and then spend all calls to anywhere, to your mobile phone, your home etc.Whatever way works for you to stay in touch with your customers can be achieved by having a virtual office. The hours of your office time are flexible. Want to work through the night? No problem, many virtual offices are available 24 hours a day.

What are the advantages of a virtual office?

Many people do not realise that a virtual office in London may be the solution to their cost control. First, you cut all the fixed costs of having someone inside a building, and your employee is much happier because you simplify your mobility and can decide where to work from, (either home or virtual office.)Productivity increases when people are happy; about 70% of companies are planning to move to this way of working, because technology is making it not only achievable, but profitable and more enjoyable too.The companies will be able to save and give freedom to their employees; and in the past, another issue was that paper files, folders and documents had to reside from one fixed location. It was not possible to simply move the computer around, but now all that has changed and you can be connected at any time of day.

Tips for Managers

Managers do get a little afraid because they think the employee is going to stop working earlier or the employee will devote time to a longer lunch instead of working, but there are several tips to make the most of the service.The main mistake is that if the virtual office is not well managed, there comes a time when the employee may feel alienated and begin to have communication problems. To prevent this, you mustn’t handle everything by email, but pick up the phone, have weekly meetings, gather people from time to time, go and visit with respect, show that you trust them. The last thing they want is to feel like they are shirking their duties. Try to be very clear with the information because they often have no visual contact and so sometimes an indication can be misinterpreted. In summary, you must not fail to have a personal contact, even if they are virtual and/or mobile.

How will customers benefit?

What you’ll receive is a very professional looking office, at whatever size you require. So whether you need an entire floor, pretty pictures at customer reception, offices of different sizes for one person, or three to an entire team, with windows, without windows, rooms together or partitioned, the options are limitless.You’ll be able to give the customer a place to come the moment you sign the contract; you won’t have to worry about installing the Internet, hiring a secretary or telephone line because that will all be taken care of. Important details right down to the smaller particulars like being able to serve a cup of coffee, will all be arranged because when you start working in a virtual office there won’t be anything left to chance.And that's what will happen. Checking for the availability of rooms, a meeting space, office cleaning etc. All those details will be made for you so that your business will not be interrupted. The best way of summing up the service would be that your office will be managed, leaving you to manage your business.

For any business, the workplace is a key element and can make all the difference in the launch of a company.The economic crisis of 2008 changed the way businesses understand property rental services. There were many companies that had to cut staff. The space they had left was very large and it’s just not a viable option to continue paying, say 400 square metres for five employees.Therefore, the rent of offices, both physical and virtual, became alternatives for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and companies in need of restructuring, against a background of uncertainty meant that they could not sign a five-year contract with a letting agent.

Virtual or physical?

There needn’t be a clash between traditional and virtual office. Instead, there should be an understanding of the needs of each company to know what your best option is.Virtual offices have gained ground, with estimates calculating a 20% growth in the segment in 2013.A virtual space can develop work from home or in a place not so corporate and a worker can stick with that model as long as the customer requires, in addition to the support of corporate image and fiscal direction.It is a simple product, very basic, which is uniquely affordable, especially to those that are just starting out in the business world.This is a solution in which the professional can work from home, but has a backup that consists of a phone line answered by an operator (receptionist), and also involves a corporate address for correspondence and meeting rooms to serve clients and presentations.You can do all this and remain within the space of a physical office (normally in a business centre) or a space allocated for the days that you need in a 24/7 format.There has been a huge growth in virtual, serviced office space springing up around the UK in the form of business centres. However, it is not always the beginners who are starting to see the advantages.Companies in information technology (IT) such as IBM, HP and Google are more willing to explore new ways to work alongside physical offices for rent, but also with flexibility for employees.Many of these large corporate companies explore ways of moving their various teams to business centres, so as not to affect productivity. Costs are kept low, and the teams can go about their business without distraction and report back when necessary.

When to seek offices?

Upon reaching more than 12 or 15 people growth, then perhaps it is time to seek the conventional space.That does not mean that companies do not reach more than 15 employees before seeking a conventional office though. Indeed, there are some customers with over 50 work units and remain virtual.As already stated, it can be a major transnational corporation, and with them they have an address, a local number and even a legal address. Another key factor in the election in the office rental is the time scale, be it short or long term.This factor depends on the financial decision you want the corporate run. It may be a company that is opening market and has an operation involving 50 people, but are still not certain how long they will stay for.

3 Keys your SME should know

Outsourced. This refers to a business delegating administrative activities for your SME. Thus, costs for services such as solicitors or accountants will be significantly reduced.Image. Do not underestimate the power of the corporate image for your SME. Whatever size of the business, the image speaks of responsibility, commitment and interest.Flexibility. The hours in the office does not purely mean productivity. We recommend finding ways to offer flexibility so that employees have a better quality of life and, therefore, lead more productive jobs.

An upward trend

Working remotely, home-working or teleworking is becoming a massive trend. Being able to provide services virtually is offering so much flexibility, where before there was usually only one option. A Reuters-sponsored study says that 34% of employees surveyed would virtually work full time, and that 65% felt that this approach allowed them to have more control over their working lives. Businesses too felt that it was likely to enhance working conditions and operating costs vs. productivity, and therefore more and more companies would make use of this way of working.As with any project, there are elements that must be considered and the same survey points out: 62% of employees surveyed believed that they would feel socially isolated. 50% thought that the absence of face to face interaction could damage their likelihood of promotion. 53% believe that working from home might increase the possibility of family conflict by the imperceptible line between work and a private space. The survey was conducted among 11,283 people in 24 countries and their results are interesting. What do you think? Would you implement telework in your business?

Most consumers who make ​​purchases aren't considered to have made any ​​significant savings through promotions.The reason? Most of the "promotions" consisted of card payments consisting of months without interest. Only 0.6 percent of buyers saw more than 50 percent savings.Although implementing promotions that do not bring significant benefits to consumers in the short can attract and increase sales; in the long term there is the risk of negatively affecting the image of your company and thereby avoiding repurchases and struggling to generate loyalty.To solve this problem, the key is to create valuable to your target consumer promotions that also suit the demands of digital commerce. This is possible if you have the following considerations in mind:

Watch your advertising discounts

Avoid lying at all costs to your customers to communicate discounts and promotions that you offer them. If the advertising message is inconsistent with promotions that are on your site, the bounce rate or percentage of abandonment after seeing a single page will increase, hurting the metrics of your site in general.It also uses different and less saturated platforms to advertise your promotion channels. For online shops in particular, they are ideal for the generation and sale of coupons and discount codes. Psychologically, consumers are confident that a discount is a legitimate reduction of the original price. Coupons and discount codes help reinforce this idea and discourage bargain hunting in the shops of other competitors.

Focus on customer satisfaction

Although the success of your business will provide a great opportunity to increase the volume of sales of your business, making your customers a priority will need the implementation of certain tactics. When creating your plan of promotions, it establishes a final objective to meet and exceed the expectations of your target consumer.This approach could even provide your business profitability during the remainder of the year, for generating a truly valuable promotion; you will be promoting customer retention in the long term.

Offer valuable promotions and discounts

Offering mediocre consumer promotions can foster a negative image of your business; chances are, that you will be the victim of negative reviews by other means (such as social networking) and they can strongly influence the opinion of potential customers.However, it is not necessary for your company to go bankrupt in order to offer valued promotions. An offer is valuable when solving the problems, needs and interests of your target consumer. Based on your needs during your marketing campaign, analyse what your customers look for this time of year : what will Christmas shoppers want in advance, for example? Should you perform large volume purchases for the rest of year? Should you make the payment of the product or service you offer on deferred amounts? Finding discounts on specific products?To obtain accurate answers, it is best to create a poll. If your budget allows, you could conducted a market survey among a significant potential sample and repeat customers. You can also use free tools like social networks or surveys of users of your online store site. Remember to offer some type of incentive to encourage them to respond.

Align the deals with your products or services

Promotion offers benefits aligned to the consumer, the business and also complements the products or services you offer. In this regard, aligned promotions are those that provide an additional benefit to customer acquisitions as a reward. An example of these developments for success is the gifts on the purchase of goods or services and the payment of loyalty point’s programs and frequent purchases. In general, these developments do not incur high costs for businesses and also they generate a return of high investment.

Focus your promotions

Before making your promotions, you should know your customers in depth: their personality, interests and needs. One of the great advantages of online trading is the possibility of using Business Intelligence tools to obtain this information through the website of your shop and grouping the types of customers who visit and shop at your online store. This allows you to create personalised promotions, consistent with the interests of each type of customer, increasing the effectiveness of your promotions.Keeping in mind these points will help you choose promotions that will provide valuable benefits to your customers, which will result in a positive impact on your online store for the proper completion and, more importantly, in the long run.

A few decades ago, thoughts about the future imagined flying cars, androids, space suits and intergalactic travel. Today, thanks to the rapid development of technology, many of these things have come true; others not, but perhaps we are not as far away from seeing them materialise as we think.Therefore, it can be said that the only constant is change itself. This also applies to the way you work and the tools with which we now have to undertake and conduct business. For example in recent years, new, more efficiently run office models arose. This was to assimilate all these changes to meet the needs of users who sought to maximise their performance and make use of available resources.Currently, the lines that are leading the way in working spaces are interdisciplinary collaboration, mobility, connectivity, sustainability and real-time response. Also, gone are the cables to connect to the Internet, the outdated furniture and equipment such as fax, to make way for wireless connections, ergonomic furniture and tablets from where you can conduct business accounting to installing videoconferences and design prototypes.

• First step: the design

Thinking of the future office, your mind travels to places like Google's corporate headquarters. There, employees have the flexibility to work in different areas, according to their personal taste and at their own pace. Although the concept sounds great, not all small businesses or start-ups have a place or budget to replicate the same practises. However, this is no excuse to not be part of the new trend of work.The main, but not exclusive basis should be the design. This refers to more than just furniture. The design of the physical space of every business is not limited to the aesthetics. It should be part of the branding. Positioning your brand is crucial for innovative companies and the design is a large part of a greater message, a constant reminder of who they are and what they represent.Moreover, space has the ability to stimulate conversation, cooperation and creativity. The first important concept in traditional office change came with the creation of the cubicles in 1967. The idea was to isolate workers and create fewer distractions, promoting a more practical, modular space. At that time, it was almost revolutionary, but today is somewhat outdated and limiting.Cubicles, as with many models to which we are accustomed to, are changing or disappearing. Hierarchies and confined spaces will soon be a part of the past. Companies are rethinking the way they grow a community and the context provided for interpersonal connections; the result can be seen in the design of space.Experts agree that transparency should be the key element that defines the new design of offices. For almost all sectors, (except traditional) formality is no longer a priority, which is reflected in the layout. By incorporating walls and glass doors and open spaces, used by any employee regardless of their position, barriers are broken and the flow of ideas is increased. Similarly, open minds are encouraged.This trend also extends to areas designed for customers such as reception or meeting rooms. The detachment between different areas within a company is long gone. Customers value the access to ideas; a traditional lobby evokes nothing.

• Culture Change

Business owners and entrepreneurs have a challenge and also an opportunity to improve their practices, achieve higher growth rates and even save money. For this, it is essential to keep in mind that the concept of the future office does not refer exclusively to the design of space or adding more gadgets as work tools or the latest technology.Yes, more and more companies, especially start-ups are more aware of the individual needs of their employees, because some people work best in private spaces, others prefer to live together and exchange ideas or those who work best when operating from home . An alternative to foster a collaborative work environment are centres of co-working. This is a group of people who do not necessarily work for the same company or project, but share the space, infrastructure and resources.On the other hand, there are virtual offices, which consist of business centres usually located in major corporate areas of cities. In return for a membership and a monthly payment (or contracted service), the user has sales management, package delivery management, a virtual receptionist and secretary, local phone number, mail forwarding address, access to a boardroom, among other features.

• Tailored solutions

Besides co-working spaces and virtual offices that can represent considerable savings in rent and equipment, entrepreneurs also have at their disposal a range of solutions designed to solve many of their basic needs for communication, administration, data storage in the cloud collection systems and mobile cards, among others. The good news is that these providers want their customers to maximise their time and resources, offering flexible schedules and options to order.Before deciding what services to hire, analyse what the requirements of your business are. For example, if you want to be in constant contact with your customers and suppliers, but it is not always possible to be aware of the phone, then perhaps hire a receptionist. This solution allows a fixed number, which can be answered from a landline, mobile and Skype. It operates through the purchase of credits according to user needs.Another key point is to have a permanent Internet connection. To do this, it is best to hire a mobile data plan that you can use on your laptop, tablet or smartphone. Also make use of cloud solutions to always have access to your information and used tools like Google Docs that give you the opportunity to work together remotely and in real time. Just remember to protect your computers with antivirus and firewalls.Also, caring for the environment is not a fad, but a fundamental part of any business strategy. Soon you will notice that in addition to reducing the impact on the planet, it is also a way to save money and attract more customers. Therefore, a good measure is to reduce the amount of paper you use. How to do this? Through the software PrintEco , the format of your impressions are more efficient. It even encourages the use of alternative means of transport such as cycling, installing racks in your workplace or, hires shipping services messaging through bikes.

What is a virtual office?

A virtual office is a space where you can conduct similar activities to those of a physical office. A virtual office often consists of a business mail forwarding address, telephone answering and modern meeting room space. The relationship between people is electronic, performing the work without being in a physical office. The work is done wherever and whenever the person may be connected to the network.Companies that use a virtual office are those seeking a low-risk solution as opposed to investing in a conventional office. Perhaps they want to try new products or service ideas, seek to establish a commercial presence in the place of establishment of the provider, improve their corporate image or seek business support services such as answering service, among others.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of a virtual office?

As in all things, the virtual office is no exception and has advantages and disadvantages that must be taken into account when considering if it is a viable option to conduct your business and entrepreneurship from.

• The advantages of a virtual office

A virtual office has several advantages for a company. Among them are:-The savings for installation. Allow savings due to employees working from home.-Work will be more productive in times of contagious illness in the workplace that prevent the transfer of employees. The same applies for employees who would normally commute or use public transport in times of traffic jams, break downs or strikes. All these scenarios are averted because they will be working in their homes without being affected.-Benefits people with mobility difficulties, as they can perform work from the home.-Less installation cost. Companies do not have to have an office with as much space as some workers are elsewhere other than the main office. This reduces the cost of rent and expansion of a common office.-Less cost of equipment. The companies, instead of providing office equipment to each worker, can share much of the equipment.-Formal Network of communication. Because of the need to stay informed and receive instructions, companies are giving more attention to have a communication network, thereby leading to the development of better communication among workers.-Social Contribution. The virtual office allows companies to hire workers who otherwise would have no job opportunities, whether disabled, elderly or parents with young children. This also includes high-value employees geographically located away from the offices of the company.-The Virtual office provides a great opportunity to increase the activities of a company, and thus their productivity while reducing costs.

• The disadvantages of a virtual office

The virtual office also has disadvantages and it is important to know these to consider the risks:-A company that uses virtual office should make sure to provide its employees with the necessary for them to work from home tools. Also, it is important to have an efficient control from established offices and ensure closely monitored telephone calls of employees working remotely. It is important to maintain meetings in order to promote communication and motivation are conducted to carry out the activities.-Sensation of isolation. Having no contact continuously with the other employees of the company, means that they may lose the feeling of being part of a team.-Fear of job loss, decay in the mood, family tension. These disadvantages can bring related motivational and psychological aspects, which is why companies should pay special attention to both the stage of selecting candidates to work as teleworkers (workers in virtual offices), and to support activities, feedback, motivation and communication.

How do you work in a virtual office?

The way you work in a virtual office is very similar to that of a physical office. However, it is important to maintain the following activities:-You must have an address and in turn be responsible for the area, to report on this every day about what each person has worked on in the respective area to which they belong through an activity report.-To keep up with a selection of work and more importantly, meet the objectives and tasks set.-To be engaged in the work involving initiative.-To control the pace of work.-The worker must be connected wherever you are to maintain communication with the central office. In this mode it is known as telecommuting.-There's a person taking on the role of the correspondence, faxes, e-mails, phone calls and visits to call attention.

What characteristics should the personnel working in a virtual office have?

Some of the most important features that personnel working for a virtual office should be:-Responsibility and maturity-Ability to organise-To use initiative-Have a suitable atmosphere and work area at home-Professional temperament-Ability to communicate-Adaptability

What activities are most fit a virtual office?

The activities that most fit a virtual office are:-Sales-Consultancy-Accounting And billing-Software development- Computer Programming-Work Publishers-Journalism and advertising-Teaching and training-MarketingThe virtual office is a step ahead in the use of technology and is definitely an option for the future of business, an alternative for those who have to travel constantly to close agreements. As a result, work and communication becomes more effective.

The world's capital of technology start-ups teach that we must learn to rely on instinct.Successful executives are never guided by the interns. If you want to learn to be the best in a discipline, you must approach the experts. When it comes to successful business, connoisseurs are in the technology industry.The project has gained strength worldwide, but its centre of excellence remains, without doubt, in Silicon Valley. The capital of innovation with regards to investment start-ups created legendary companies such as Apple, Cisco, Facebook, Google, and Intel.Everyday companies like PayPal, Netflix, Uber, Tesla, and Airbnb challenge the status quo, transforming old industries and changing the lives of people in profound ways.If you are interested in establishing, growing, and running a start-up, the best advice you can take is to talk to experts. Here are some lessons to be gained from Silicon Valley.

1.Software is eating the world.

Marc Andreessen, co-founder of Netscape, said it best: the programs are transforming the competitive environment in almost every industry on the planet. The lesson for all to learn when managing start-up programs is to find a partner that you can program.

2.There are no working hours.

If you want to succeed as an entrepreneur, you must be prepared to be aware of your business 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This is the main reason why you should love what you do. Otherwise, you will not survive the brutal schedules, workloads, and the challenges of building a real business.

3.No man is alone.

Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak of Apple, Andy Grove and Gordon Moore of Intel—the world of technology is full of stories of powerful partners and large workgroups. The Solopreneurs rarely achieve the same level of success. You need to support and encourage your partners.

4.You cannot grow without capital.

A common mistake many start-ups and SMEs make is running out of cash. Like many companies, Facebook, WhatsApp, and Alibaba began with little money but soon needed investment to grow. Remember this equation: Passion + investment = start-up founders. Trying to grow your business without enough money, will quickly kill off your ambitions.

5.No one will do anything for you.

You may have a great idea but have zero chance of success unless you get up, get to work, and get your product into the hands of people.

6.The customer experience is sacred.

Consumer satisfaction generates commitment and traction. That is what prompted the growth of Tivo, Uber, and iPhone. It is also where many business opportunities arise. Mac became a successful product thanks to its graphical interface, and the Netscape browser is responsible for the initial success of the Internet.

7.Your first thought is not sacred.

Companies do not always achieve success with their first business idea. Twitter was invented as an alternative product of start-up Odeo. Furthermore, the market research of the internet was highly fragmented when Google decided to take a gamble on AdWords in October 2000. That was what gave them financial success, not the search engine itself.

8. Differentiate or Die.

There is a popular belief that it is easier to make quick business on the Internet with mobile platforms. Sure, the web has equalled the ground, but not just for you. It also improved the chances of other entrepreneurs, so the competition is brutal. Today more than ever, your product must be better than the other options on the market if you want to succeed.

9.Trust your instincts.

Every start-up should focus on one priority at a time. First is to demonstrate the concept, then launch the product, win the audience's attention, and begin to grow. Of course, you must raise capital on the fly, but you must also learn to focus and say no when necessary. That said, when the right opportunity arises, you should be able to recognise and to know how to say yes when necessary.How can you tell the difference between times when you have to slow down and when you must move forward? You have to learn to trust your gut. Behind the success of each start-up is a founding member or two who had the courage to face the unknown and take the leap. That is the essence of a Silicon Valley-style venture.