May 1st, 2014
Virtual offices can make all the difference to a business startup – and help to get it off the ground. While some businesses can be launched from home, this isn’t always appropriate.
Perhaps you don’t have a home big enough or offering enough privacy to make a completely home-based business an option. This could apply to students straight out of college, young people living at home, or those with a small flat. You may also have rented accommodation which specifically prohibits the running of a business from the address.
Even if you do have enough space in your home, you may live in an area which it is hard for prospective clients or customers to reach, or with no parking for their cars. For all these reasons, you may find yourself ruling out the front room as a business address and seeking a virtual serviced office, such as those provided by Basepoint.
The Startup Gap
Many people find themselves facing a “startup gap” when wanting to start up a new business. With many types of venture, it is important to make a good impression on clients from the start. If you need to schedule important meetings, inviting customers to meet you at your home, or in a coffee shop, may not create the right professional atmosphere. Also, if clients need to send you post, the lack of a business address could work against you.
Another problem with working at home day in, day out is that you can become too isolated. Socialising with others in your field is not just enjoyable, but also essential to help build your business and create valuable links. While email and social media are important business tools, they are no substitute for networking with colleagues face to face.
Factors such as these mean that many new business owners start to feel the need for suitable premises early on. In many cases, renting office space could be the solution. However, some business owners will feel that renting an office is too much of an overhead at the outset, before their new venture is bringing in much money. You will need deposits upfront and will often have to agree fairly long lease periods, which your business is then liable for. All this can feel like a high-risk strategy just at the start of a new venture.
In order to get the benefits of an office base without these major outgoings, startups may be tempted by the option of virtual offices. However, there could be a worry about having to change address and phone number if you start off by using virtual offices for rent and then move to bigger or permanent offices later.
How Basepoint Virtual Offices Bridge the Gap
When you need to find a better solution for your business than purely working from home, but are not yet ready to rent office space, virtual offices at a Basepoint business centre could be the answer to your problems. Choosing our virtual serviced office option will mean you have a very low cost entry, with a fee of only £65 per month. It also involves low risk, as you will not be tied into long rental periods.
However, while the cost of Basepoint’s virtual offices for rent is low, the benefits are high. Your business can start trading from the address very quickly, without a long period of setting up and moving in. Right from the start, you will have a professional business address, in a location easy for colleagues and contacts to find, giving the right impression. You will also have a dedicated phone number, rather than having to use your home number or personal mobile phone in business advertising, with all the consequent lack of privacy.
Another benefit is free access to breakout areas for informal meetings, or to use wi-fi. If you need to arrange a more formal meeting with clients or colleagues, you can arrange access to meeting rooms when needed. This will help to build a professional image and also mean your meeting does not suffer the type of interruptions which are likely to occur at home or in a cafe setting. You will also be invited to all the centre’s seminars and networking events, helping to foster valuable business links for the future. Rental of virtual offices also includes access to Basepoint’s 30 UK-based business centres, so you won’t be limited to growing your business locally.
Once your business starts to take off, it will be easy to upgrade to one of Basepoint’s fully serviced offices within the centre. This will mean you keep the same phone number and address, avoiding any confusion to customers, and your costs will remain low, as Basepoint operates a rolling contract with flexible terms.
If you are seeking better facilities for your business startup, contact Basepoint now to find out more about our virtual offices and our network of centres around the UK, at locations including Chepstow, Romsey, High Wycombe and Northfleet.
See what our customers say
“I have been a tenant and virtual licencee at the Old Rectory for five years. Having a virtual office facility is vital in separating my home and business lives. It also means that my business is attended all day in case of deliveries, leaving me free to concentrate to attend to appointments without worry…”
Paul Carter, Time For You (Northfleet)
