Davinci Virtual

After polling members of the small business community about what the hardest thing about business travel was, I was a little surprised by the answers. What I found was that no matter the industry, the concerns revolved around one similar topic: Not having an office or around to help them stay organized while they are on the road.

Here are a few of the responses:

• “Scheduling the trip is always a pain.”
• “Keeping myself organized while I am away has always been a challenge.”
• “Expense reports – I hate submitting them.”
• “Setting appointments with clients that have to take place away from my “turf.””
• “Not being “connected” for hours at a time.”
• “Not having an office to work out of.”
• “Having to schedule meetings on the road.”
• “Attempting to work out of airports.”
• “Remembering to bring the right technology with me.

Do you have other travel hardships you would like to share or do you have a potential solution to the list above? Leave a comment, I would love to hear them!

Virtual offices have grown out of a concept that originated in the tech community, called Location Independence. Essentially, it means that you have the ability to be everywhere at once, without being in any particular location. See what I mean? No? OK that might  be a bit vague…how about this famous quote (that either originated with Confucius or Buckaroo Bonsai) “No matter where you go, there you are”. Not quite getting it yet? Try this on for size…

You can work from ANY LOCATION…short and simple…Though not as funny, I think I like it best.

Location independence is a concept often used with people who have businesses on the web or who use the web to market their business, but don’t actually have a storefront. This growing class of independent, often very creative, business people want to maximize their flexibility, and maximize their reach. They want their businesses to have access to global markets, but to have free time to see their son after school. They want to work for themselves, but don’t want the burden and overhead of managing an office. Essentially, they want it all…and they can have it…Here’s how:

• Websites are now a standard of operations for all businesses, information is available 24/7
• Geographical barriers are removed. It is no more effort, or expense, to find companies across the world or right next door
• Communication can be affordable or even free, and scheduled according to best timing for the individual
• Web technology is more user-friendly and affordable
• Virtual offices have virtual assistants, without the cost of overhead, consultants, entrepreneurs and small businesses thrive
• Business owners can find space for short term use (even by the hour) for client meetings
• Certain transactions and communications can be automated, allieviating the need to be present for each sale

Now more than ever, there is a support network available to help businesses succeed. So, what are you waiting for? Become Location Independent and embrace the good life!

No matter the economic times of the day, it seems as if there are always plenty of startup businesses coming about.  These businesses in particular are making good use of virtual offices, finding it not only a cost-efficient practice, but also an extremely flexible work environment.
If you have a small business that is interested in opening a virtual office, you may have concerns about the initial expenses. Worry no more, because the actual costs are typically quite minimal and reasonable, particularly when compared to the operating costs of a traditional office environment. Even taking into account any new cell or landline connections, new computer equipment, and office stationery (for example, company letterhead as well as business cards with new contact information), operating costs of a virtual office can be significantly lower.
Another potential cost-saving factor in opening virtual offices is that many companies find an increase in productivity and work quality among their employees.
Virtual Offices Tip: If your service industry company uses virtual offices primarily for billing and communications with clients but employees are using their cars constantly to travel to client sites, it is often a good idea to keep track of business-related mileage (in addition to any tolls and parking costs) for the company’s tax deduction purposes.

It’s more cost-effective to go shopping with a list, right?  Otherwise, you may potentially waste money on “impulse” buys.  So, what’s on your business’ shopping list? Aside from start-up funds, business plans, and equipment purchases, many small businesses that are considering opening virtual offices may need to also factor in a number of legal issues, particularly if it is decided that employees will work from home.
For one thing, you’ll need to look into the zoning for your or your employees’ homes if you are planning on operating virtual offices through homes. Are they in an area zoned for business? What type of business can you operate from your home? Check out your local zoning ordinances to make sure you don’t have to get any special permits or licensing, or have any restrictions on what you can do from your home.
It’s important to keep in mind is another issue in the legal arena has to do with taxes. If you want to claim your virtual offices as a home office, the Internal Revenue Service has tightened the restrictions to the point that you can’t use that space for anything other than your work. So, if you’re working from a laptop in your kids’ playroom then you may not be able to claim a home office deduction. There are some exceptions, so we strongly recommend that a tax accountant or attorney is consulted regarding the law as it pertains to your situation.
Virtual Offices Tip: You’ll see that, through good planning, communication, and outside technical support when needed, your virtual offices can succeed and help foster future virtual businesses.

Even in a weakening economy, each day new businesses are starting up.  It’s staggering, to think of how many hundreds of businesses or startups are opening every day in this country. These businesses in particular are making good use of virtual offices, finding it not only a cost-efficient practice, but also an extremely flexible work environment.
If you have a small business that is interested in opening virtual offices, you may have concerns about the initial expenses. Worry no more, because the actual costs are typically quite minimal and reasonable, particularly when compared to the operating costs of a traditional office environment. Even taking into account any new cell or landline connections, new computer equipment, and office stationery (for example, company letterhead as well as business cards with new contact information), operating costs of a virtual office can be significantly lower.
Don’t forget…if your service industry company uses virtual offices primarily for billing and communications with clients but employees are using their cars constantly to travel to client sites, it is often a good idea to keep track of business-related mileage (in addition to any tolls and parking costs) for the company’s tax deduction purposes.
Virtual Offices Tip: Another potential cost-saving factor in opening virtual offices is that many companies find an increase in productivity and work quality among their employees.

Out of your league. That phrase applies to many things in life, but the good news is that virtual office space is definitely IN your league. For many startup businesses today who thought that company growth was out of their reach in the short-term, virtual office spaces are proving to be a long-term reward.
Virtual business operations require a number of things, including flexibility, discipline, and regular communication between all employees. One way to promote communication, teamwork, and camaraderie among employees is to hold periodic state of the company business meetings – just like traditional offices’ offsite meetings, only held at the virtual offices conference rooms!
After full consideration, the advantages to having a virtual office space are really quite fantastic. Two of the most notable ones are that the cost of overhead is dramatically reduced, and you can attract better-qualified and experienced employees who all gain a measure of job satisfaction and flexibility they may not receive in a traditional workplace.
It’s proven that working virtually can increase worker productivity. We suspect that if you were to ask most virtual employees and they’ll tell you that through virtual office spaces, they are working just as hard and probably put in more hours than in a traditional office setting.
Virtual Office Spaces Tip: One plus to having an all-hands, state-of-the-company business meeting is to ensure employees’ knowledge of plans and ideas for continued company growth.

If you’re just starting your business, I’m sure you want to start off on the right foot.  After all, what small business owner or entrepreneur wants to fail?  Perhaps you’ve got a fantastic business plan, ample financial backing, a couple of great employees signed on, and a list of potential clients a mile long, but one thing you haven’t yet sorted out about your new small business is the issue of where. In other words, where should the office be?
Just think about all the things to consider when leasing an office space.  You could underestimate your business’ space needs and only discover the mistake after signing a costly corporate lease agreement. Equally as damaging could be overestimating your business’ space needs, resulting in wasted office space and high utility bills for heating and cooling an extra ten offices that you wouldn’t be needing for at least five years. These are all legitimate concerns for start up business, but we’ve got an ideal solution to the problem:  virtual office space.
Instead of getting your company into a long-term lease agreement for the wrong space in the wrong location, you could instead take advantage of the numerous and flexible virtual office space plans. In a few months, when you and your company have a better idea of its office space needs, however, don’t be surprised if your employees vote to stay in their virtual offices over moving to a swanky set of offices in a high-rise office building in the city!

Isn’t it maddening when you call a company around noon and get a voicemail message saying “the office is closed for lunch until 1:30”? Maybe you called because that was the only time you could find a spare moment to make the call, and now you’ll have to find the time again later on in the day to call back. It’s not a popular practice and we’re sure it’s lost many companies many customers as a result.

Here’s how to keep your company from causing such headaches for your clients. With virtual receptionist, this simply doesn’t happen. A virtual receptionist is there to answer your customer’s calls during business hours – from breakfast meetings to business lunches right on through to a business dinner.

Aside from never taking a long lunch or calling in sick for three days straight, a virtual receptionist also benefits your business’ budget. How could that be? Most of the time, the cost of a virtual receptionist is a portion of the cost of hiring, training, and keeping a receptionist in benefits. You’re also not paying for a receptionist’s office space or business equipment.

Virtual Receptionist Tip: No matter the time of the business day, the virtual receptionist is there to answer calls and properly direct them.

“How can I help?” It seems like – whether you’re at work or at home – you don’t hear that question enough, but when you do hear it, you can’t think of anything right that moment! Efficiency experts often suggest making a list of things that would help you in running your job (or your home), and we think that idea would work beautifully to illustrate just how useful you would find a virtual assistant in your company.

The wide variety of skills that virtual assistants have ready to help you and your business out. These skills may include bulk mailing, contracts management, transcription, spreadsheets, correspondence, mail merges, bookkeeping, creation/proofing/ordering of brochures, PowerPoint and other presentations, professional license management, mileage and expense reports, contracts, manuals creation and maintenance, event-planning, time-keeping, Notary public services, messaging and reminders, creation of and assistance with marketing materials, typing, forms, real-time driving directions, financial statements, and gift- and flower-ordering.

When you factor in the bonus benefits of not having to cover the usual expenses associated with a traditional office assistant (such as purchasing equipment and furniture, covering employee benefits and taxes, among other things) and it’s quite clear why so many companies, large and small, are taking full advantage of this new business trend.

Virtual Assistants Tip: Tapping a virtual assistant for help on certain business tasks often proves to be an efficient and professional solution to a common time-crunch complaint.

When you’re starting out with a small business, it’s not unusual to need to keep expenses to a minimum. A virtual office is a way to test your business before you sign a lease for office space or buy an office building. From $95 a month you can set up offices not only locally, but you can open a few locations in different cities so you can have local offices around the country.

A virtual office is a service that gives businesses an office when they need it without the hassles of running an office full time. It’s a cost effective alternative for small business owners who work from home or for people who travel. A virtual office provides professional and reliable offices. They handle customers, phone calls, and mail for their clients.

Your virtual office is fully staffed and equipped to handle your business. This gives you flexibility and improves the professionalism of your business. It’s a good start to test the market, or a way to grow to new markets with less risk.

Virtual Office Tip: Businesses from the very small to the very large can take advantage of the benefits of having a virtual office, including a business address, reliable and steady receptionist services, mail sorting, call routing, and even access to copier machines, printers, and dedicated fax lines.