What is a Virtual Office? 5 Tips to Compare and Choose the Virtual Office in Hong Kong
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An office mailing address is extremely important. From making a good first impression on clients to business correspondence to filing applications, every company needs a valid mailing address. Does your company need to set up a physical and a virtual office at the same time? What are the benefits and limitations of a virtual office? Here are 5 tips to help you compare offers and choose a virtual office!
What Is a Virtual Office?
A virtual office is a way of working that does not require having to stay in a physical building and office, for example, through collaborating and connecting with others via phone, email and the Internet1. Virtual office services also include receptionist service for your office phone number, email forwarding, conference room rental and secretarial services, etc2. Opting for virtual office services can save on the costs of renting a physical office and also on other administrative costs. At the same time, it also offers a publicly accessible business mailing address through a P.O. Box for daily business communication and correspondence3.
How to Compare & Choose a Virtual Office Tip No.1 - Look For a Desirable Company Address4
From your clients' first impression to business correspondences, to filing application documents, every company needs a valid mailing address. Besides, some companies providing Business-to-business (“B2B”) services or products 3 may also make use of virtual office services, to set up offices overseas or in different regional markets in order to obtain city-specific postal codes. By choosing an ideal correspondence address for the company, for instance in a prime central location, the company could enhance their corporate image4 as well.
Would you prefer an office address close to the central business district, a bustling marketplace, an arts and cultural district, or a down-to-earth neighbourhood? When choosing a virtual office, you could actively seek out a desired company address according to the nature of your business.
How to Compare & Choose a Virtual Office Tip No.2 - Mail Forwarding4
Working from home at the early start-up stage can be a great way to save rental costs, but you may not want to disclose your residential address! With this in mind, some virtual offices provide mail forwarding service - the mail will first be sent to the address of the virtual office, then forwarded to your personal address4. If your business involves frequent mail exchanges or the receiving and shipping of large items, you may need to be mindful of additional costs for the service and location options for delivery, etc.
How to Compare & Choose a Virtual Office Tip No.3 - Receptionist and Secretarial Services4
When you are occupied at work, for instance when you are in a meeting and cannot answer important calls, or if you are unable to answer a large number of customer enquiries at the same time, you may need secretarial assistance. You could check if the virtual office provider offers phone answering and secretarial services to transfer your calls or to take messages. As a bonus, with a virtual office phone number that is business-specific, you do not have to disclose your personal phone number and avoid unwanted disturbance4.
How to Compare & Choose a Virtual Office Tip No.4 - Conference Room and Meeting Arrangements3
In the past, many companies might need to rent a meeting or conference room when opting for a virtual office. However, as digital transformation becomes a regular practice in the post-pandemic era, many have become accustomed to working at home and more company and client meetings are conducted online. Data has shown that, after the outbreak of the pandemic, a video conference system provided saw the daily traffic increase by 30 times5. The need for conference rooms has diminished as a result. Therefore, you can review your company’s meeting formats and determine whether you need a physical conference or meeting room. If you require a conference or meeting room as a service, you can keep an eye out and see if virtual office providers can offer convenient conference room booking services, and the number of available conference rooms for reservation3, etc.
How to Compare & Choose a Virtual Office Tip No.5 - Choose a Reliable Service Provider
As mentioned above, a company’s address has a significant impact on its branding and daily operations. Choosing a reliable, reputable and stable virtual office provider can save you a lot of trouble. When managing important correspondences and documents, a reliable and secure mailing address can grant you a peace of mind and allow you to focus on managing your daily tasks. Take opening a business bank account as an example, a company needs a valid company address for the application submission6 and for future receiving of any important letters issued from the bank.
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The above information is for reference only. For further information, please refer to the source and seek appropriate professional advice as necessary.
Article Published on 1 February, 2024
^Terms and conditions apply.
*** Account opening can be completed in as fast as 1 working day for Hong Kong-incorporated entities with all shareholder/director/sole proprietor/partner holding a Hong Kong Permanent Identity Card. For Hong Kong-incorporated entities with at least 1 shareholder/ director/ sole proprietor/ partner holding the People’s Republic of China Resident Identity Card, account opening can be completed in as fast as 5 working days. Subject to eligibility and conditions.
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