The Virtues of Being Virtual
One of the most often seen questions on market studies I have worked with over the last 30 years is:
“Is the company easy to do business with?”
To many entrepreneurs, this might seem surprising. You have been so inundated with the mantra of Unique Selling Propositions (USPs) and Irresistible Offers that this may seem an odd question to ask. With the objective of an immediate sale based on your USP, what could be easier?
Well, the fact of the matter is that very few purchases occur on the spot and that multiple customer “touches” are required to make a sale. You will call a customer, meet with the customer, the customer will call you, you will call them, you will meet again and so on and so forth until there is a meeting of the minds, a win-win scenario is achieved, the planets come into alignment and you make a sale. This whole process is repeated over-and-over again throughout the delivery process, for after-sales support, customer relationship building contacts and for the next sale. Multiply this by as many prospects and customers that you have and life can get hectic.
For the road warriors, e-commuters and home based businesses; the Virtual Office can be a real blessing. Quality work requires focus. If the phone constantly interrupts you, ringing you will not be effective. Similarly, if you are not focused on the caller because you were interrupted, it will show. At the same time, you need to be available to your prospects and clients, an imperative for being easy to do business with. What is a person to do?
A Virtual Office provides you with an opportunity to be easy to do business with. A familiar voice always answers the phone and by coordinating with your schedule can provide you with some quality time to get some work done. The customer inquiries they cannot respond to will be passed on to you so you can return calls when you have the time and a place to focus. Clients and prospects will take comfort from a person answering the phone, a familiar voice and the opportunity to pass on a quick message or get a question answered.
The Virtual Office also provides a business mailing address so that important communications are not mixed up with coupon envelops, utility bills and flyers at home. Someone is available to receive and sign for packages, office equipment is ready and waiting and administrative services are a phone call away.
Clients and prospects will also find meeting in an office or conference room more reassuring than the local coffee shop. You are conducting business and a proper place to meet can help project a professional presence. You have also probably heard enough about branding to last you a lifetime. All the headshots, clever profiles and PR can compensate for the lack of a proper place to conduct business.
A Virtual Office provides you with the necessary tools to be “easy to do business with” at a price affordable to even entrepreneurs just out of the starting gate. If you are working out of your home, car or suitcase, a Virtual Office is a necessity for doing business.
Richard Gabel
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