What Is the Next Step for Home-Based Businesses?

The advent of the internet has made it a lot more viable for entrepreneurs to operate from their own home. In fact, according to recent statistics, around eight million people in the UK are running an online business.

According to the report, many people selling on e-commerce platforms like eBay or Amazon don’t even realise they qualify as retailers. For those who want to take their business to the next stage, moving into a dedicated office setup is often seen as the next stage.

What Are Your Options

For many new business owners, it”s easy to think that the only option available to you is conventional office space. Not only is this expensive, but it typically requires a substantial time commitment too. Many landlords expect a contractual commitment of between 3-5 years, with the rent paid quarterly upfront. Shared office space has become an increasingly popular alternative. This allows you to share the rent with another company as well as pay on a more flexible monthly contract, though you will of course have to share the premises with other businesses. Depending on your office culture, this can cause problems. This leaves a third option for those looking to make the transition: a virtual office.

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How Do Virtual Offices Work?

A virtual office aims to give you the same experience as renting a traditional office space, without the high costs or commitment. This will give you an established business address which you can use as a mailing address, as well as additional services like a remote receptionist which can help you to screen calls and emails. Often, this give business owners the opportunity to get an address in a prestigious city address that would otherwise be out of their price range. LEO, for instance, specialise in prestigious central London locations like Mayfair and Knightsbridge.

Are the Benefits Worth It?

For any small business owner working on a budget, the first question they’ll be asking themselves is will these benefits outweigh the additional cost. One of the major hurdles every start-up faces, especially when competing with established companies, is getting customers to trust them. Shoppers are all too wary of online scams, so an established business address will help to legitimise you.

Ultimately, the biggest benefit of a virtual office service is the time you’ll save. Now you’ll be able to focus on the core areas of your business, still safe in the knowledge that your other tasks are being handled by a team of trained professionals.