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Live telephone answering, as part of a virtual office package or on its own, may be the way forward to create a professional first impression for your business. As well as having a proficient first point of contact for your current and prospective new clients, imagine never having to waste your time shaking off marketing calls as highly trained reception staff are in place to filter all of your calls.

There are few restrictions and your calls can be answered to your tailor-made instructions. Whether you are out of office or just having a day off, your calls can dealt with as you please. Your personal calls can be transferred to mobile and landline, whichever suits you best. Or if you choose not to receive your calls directly, messages can be taken for you and sent via email, voicemail or SMS Text. Using a telephone answering service allows you the freedom and the benefits of having a full-time skilled receptionist, but without having to spend the time hiring and training accomplished staff.

Choosing to start your own business is a brave step. Having a great idea and believing that it will work is one thing, putting it into action however is never that easy. Once you have your business concept up and running you have to then maintain it in order for it to run smoothly. The question is how you find the time to not only start and work at establishing your business as a reputable company but also finding time to rent office space, buy furniture and equipment and hire and train staff to keep you in business. This is the side of the venture that comes as an afterthought. 

 New business owners should know that the stress of starting your own company no matter how large or small can be reduced dramatically by considering using a virtual office. The best way to know if a virtual office would be suitable for your business use is to weigh up the Pros and Cons of both a virtual office and standard office space.

It may be an advantage that you can get up every morning and physically go to your office however if you are a small company just starting out a city centre office can be costly. Rent, rates, utilities and staff add up and eventually eat into your profits, not to mention how time consuming setting up new property and running an office can actually be. If your organization relies on you selling your product or trades you will inevitably need to recruit the right people to be the first point of contact for your customers and clients. Hiring and training staff is time consuming and gaining the right balance of people who are efficient and trustworthy can be like spinning plates.

It sounds a little peculiar at first but when you can start your business and have it up and running within 24 hours it makes perfect sense. It allows you to escape the commitment of running an office and overseeing reception and administration staff. It also allows you flexibility as you can access your virtual office from anywhere in the world. Most importantly, above all, it saves you money.

By using a virtual office in a business centre you are provided with the whole package. You have a mail service, business telephone and fax numbers, access to meeting and conference rooms and other touchdown facilities, all of which are serviced with professional business support staff who carry out practically all your administrative needs. It’s true they may not be there to make you a coffee first thing in the morning or run out for your lunch (unless you are having a meeting at your serviced office when all of the above can be provided!) but they do cover every other necessity from answering phones to sifting out your junk mail.

In essence a standard office may be great if you like sitting behind your desk writing cheques for rent bills and organising staff holiday rotas, but if you are looking to get out there to establish your business, generate customers and income then using a virtual office is instant and ideal.