The concept of a Virtual Office (VO) can draw its roots back to the Industrial Revolution. According to the top business consultant and author, William Bridges, “Even at the end of the 19th century – at the height of the Industrial Revolution – more than half the population still worked from home. Farmers, medical doctors, blacksmiths, and small-time retailers – lived and slogged in combined business and domestic units. A steady career in an organization is a recent invention.” That’s when the parallels between our current working styles, particularly the whole notion of “a job/career,” as a central fixture of life, and “working from home/remotely,” first appeared. 

Fast forward to more recent times and we have the early predecessor of the virtual office. The traditional executive suite, that you’ll sometimes find in hotels that also have several fully furnished executive apartments. It was during the second part of the 20th century when executives began to analyze alternative options. Making more efficient use of their capital, given the rising costs of real estate, upkeep, personnel, and other similar expenses. This is when virtual offices came into being. 

Simply put, VOs provide a combination of services to businesses and professionals at only a fraction of the cost. Especially when compared to the price of owning or leasing a traditional office. Among these services, we can include mail handling, phone service, and assistants, among others. The most basic service that virtual offices provide to their clients is an address. This address will act as the official mailing address for the company. You can receive mail at this address and use it for your website, email signatures, letterheads, etc. 

Virtual Address and How It Works

Virtual offices are a great option for early-stage startups, self-employed professionals, and other organizations. No problem if you can’t yet afford or don’t want to own or rent a brick-and-mortar office. Below are some of the ways that a virtual office address works for your business. 

• They Help with Licensing and Registration –

  Most businesses require a physical mailing address to be licensed and registered with the proper governing authorities. As such, a PO box will not be a viable option. Home addresses, on the other hand, can sometimes be used, but some municipalities and homeowners’ associations (HOAs) have zoning regulations. In these cases, a virtual office address is the most cost-effective alternative. 

• They offer a Desirable Location –

  Aside from helping you set up your business from a legal standpoint, the VO address can provide much-needed credibility. Though some virtual office businesses set up shop everywhere, more credible VOs offer a mailing address in known commercial districts. In addition, you can have office addresses in more than one location.

• They Help Improve Your Brand –

  Home addresses rarely manage to provide an image of success for any company, regardless of its current stage of development. Having an address such as on Fifth Avenue, NYC, could provide you with a significant brand image. 

• Mail Handling –

  Whenever you receive mail at your virtual office address, it can be forwarded to you at any location. In doing so, you will be spared from having to sort through it yourself and or driving to and from to retrieve it. 

BSSI Virtual Office will provide you with all of the benefits and services that any professional VO address has to offer. We have more than a decade of experience in the industry and are prepared to help our clients see their businesses rise to the highest levels of success. If you want to set up your virtual office address in a highly professional and well-received location, A+ accredited with the BBB, contact us today!