• What is the best Virtual Office company for mail forwarding? 
• What is the best Virtual Office company for shared workspace? 
• What is the best Virtual Office company for service and support? 
• How your Virtual Office integrates with other digital tools 

Q: Who is the best Virtual Office provider? What sets them apart? 
A: Alliance Virtual Offices is the best Virtual Office provider many reasons. To name a few, we offer unparalleled mail forwarding, access to incredibly physical workspaces and meeting rooms, all of our addresses are well-known and professional, and our friendly onsite staff is always ready to assist you when you’re using your Virtual Office. 

n the year 2000, if you’d been asked what the working world would look like in 2023, there’s hardly any chance you could have predicted the current environment. Sure, the modern world is far from the flying cars we envisioned decades ago, but the labor market is more advanced than many realize. 

A recent Forbes article titled “Why Every Virtual Company Needs a Virtual Assistant” perfectly exemplifies this idea.  

Years ago, the simple idea of a completely virtual company was absurd. Now, virtual businesses are everywhere. 

At the height of the pandemic, over 60% of working Americans worked from home. Now, that number has decreased significantly, but almost 40% of workers still practice remote or hybrid work styles. 

This widespread transition to remote and hybrid work styles has brought several changes and technological advancements along as well. One of these advancements is the introduction of the Virtual Office. 

A collection of tools that allows entrepreneurs to register their businesses, access mail forwarding, and a slew of other services, Virtual Offices have created an environment that gives would-be business owners a cost-efficient method of starting a business. 

With several of these providers available, how can you ensure that you’re using the best Virtual Office company? 

In this article, we’ll explain why Alliance Virtual Offices is the best company for mail forwarding, why we’re the best company for shared workspaces, why we provide the best support, and how your Virtual Office integrates with other tools. 

So, if you’ve ever searched for “top 10 Virtual Office companies” – you’re in the right place. 

• What is the best Virtual Office company for mail forwarding? 
• What is the best Virtual Office company for shared workspace? 
• What is the best Virtual Office company for service and support? 
• How your Virtual Office integrates with other digital tools 

How we offer the best mail forwarding 

Searching for the best Virtual Office for business requires understanding what your office is, what it can accomplish, and the tools it can integrate. 

The best Virtual Office company will make it easy to understand how your office works, the tools you can use in conjunction with your office, and how to use your Virtual Office to position your company for long-term success. 

Read more: What is a Virtual Office and How Does it Work? 

With Alliance, we strive to offer the best services, the best support, and the best add-ons. 

For instance, our mail forwarding service is the best on the market and fully customizable. 

Before we dive into what sets our mail forwarding service apart from the rest, let’s take a second to explore the four different tiers of mail forwarding that Alliance offers. Keep in mind, the prices below might vary slightly depending on where your business is located. 

$10.00 per month for monthly mail forwarding.  

The first tier is for businesses that are still getting their footing, going through a lull in volume, or scaling back their operations. Getting your mail once per month isn’t very often, so you’ll want to ensure that you aren’t expecting any government documents or sensitive information when using this tier. 

In terms of price-per-forward, the monthly option is the most expensive, but fortunately, $10 per month is a very digestible number. 

$20.00 per month for bi-weekly mail forwarding. 

Remember, the best Virtual Office providers want to give you as many options to succeed as possible. This second tier of mail forwarding is for business owners that need mail forwarding more than monthly but are unwilling to take the jump to weekly. 

Similar to the first tier, the bi-weekly mail forwarding option is a bit pricier than the other tiers as you’re still paying $10 per forward. 

$30.00 per month for weekly mail forwarding. 

This third plan is where the value starts to increase.  

The weekly tier is designed for business owners who receive a decent volume of mail but don’t want to organize it every day or for business owners who only need to check their mail every week. 

$70.00 per month for daily mail forwarding. 

Our fourth and final tier is designed for business owners who receive a considerable amount of mail and feel obligated to check that mail each day. With this mail forwarding plan, you can quickly eliminate the need to have an employee or yourself drive to pick up the mail. 

This will save you money on travel costs while allowing you to focus on the aspects of your business that matter most. 

At $70.00 per month, the daily tier is the best value for your money. 

The first and second tier charge $10.00 each time your mail is forwarded, the third tier charges about $7.50 per mail forwarding, and the fourth and final tier charges only $3.19 per visit. 

As you can see, Alliance’s mail forwarding options can be curated to your business’s specific needs. 

Part of Alliance’s beauty is this customization allows you to shift between the tiers as needed. 

Expecting an exponential increase in your mail next month? Not a problem! You can easily move up the mail forwarding tiers as required. 

Just finished your busy season and expecting a drop-off in volume? Again, not an issue, as you can easily move down in the mail forwarding tiers as well. 

Outside of these tiers, there are a few more ways that Alliance uses mail forwarding to remain the best Virtual address company. Taking advantage of add-ons like this is a perfect way to reduce your operational expenses while simultaneously strengthening your company. 

Read more: How to Run a More Cost-Efficient Business in 2023 

First, we make it easy for you to get your mail forwarded. Not only do we explain our various tiers while trying to determine which plan sounds right for you, but we try and keep the process as straightforward and uncomplicated as possible. 

Next, we send a test letter to ensure that the mail system is functioning smoothly and that your mail will be delivered without any issues. 

Last but not least, providing so many different tiers allows us to stay as flexible as possible to meet your needs anywhere necessary. 

How we offer the best physical space 

The best Virtual Office companies provide access to physical space for their clients and partners. 

At Alliance, we’re committed to being the best Virtual Office company by offering prestigious business addresses from only the most reputable centers. 

As the best Virtual Office provider, we must ensure that scammers, scam businesses, and other bad actors can never use our services successfully. 

Alliance has Virtual Office centers in all 50 states and most cities, allowing you to establish your business in whatever state suits you best. 

In the past, starting a business in a state you don’t live in was something that only wealthy entrepreneurs and successful business owners could do. Now, that is no longer the case. 

You can use our massive network of business centers and Virtual Offices to register your business anywhere in the world. 

Want your financial services business to look a bit more legitimate from your company’s inception? Consider using a Virtual Office address in Manhattan or NYC. 

Do you need your digital textile business to look like you’re in the right area? Again, not a problem as you can easily register that business to an address in Massachusetts. 

Below, we’ve put together a small list of what sets our physical space aside from the competition. Keep reading to see what makes Alliance the best Virtual Office company. 
 

• Professionalism 
• Onsite staff 
• Convenience  
• Location 

Professionalism 

Professionalism is vital for any business’s long-term success. If you don’t look professional and make solid first impressions, you’ll struggle to create lasting business relationships and risk turning potential investors, clients, or customers away from your offerings. 

Remember, your Virtual Office is the central hub of your business’s operations. Why risk using physical space that doesn’t look professional and might even serve to harm your business? 

As we learned during the Great Resignation, workers are less willing than ever before to work in an environment where they’re not comfortable. 

With professional physical space, you’re showing your employees that you’re in it for the long haul and taking your business seriously. 

Read more: The Unexpected Secret to Better Small Business Management 

The more passionate your employees think you are about your business, the more passionate they’re likely to become. 

Onsite staff 

Using physical workspaces that aren’t staffed is a quick way to experience all of the distractions you were trying to avoid in the first place. 

At Alliance, we vet the Virtual Offices we add to our network to ensure that helpful and friendly onsite staff are available to help you deal with any technical issues that might arise. 

There’s nothing worse than hosting a meeting and being stopped in your tracks by a technical snafu you just can’t figure out. 

Using the best Virtual Office company can negate the risk of this happening to your business. 

Convenience 

You don’t want to work in a physical workspace that is confusing or makes all of its amenities difficult to find. 

You’re paying for your Virtual Office, so why accept a physical workspace that doesn’t make your life easier? 

The entire idea behind your Virtual Office is to create a flexible and streamlined way to run your business. Why complicate things with physical space that doesn’t make your life easier? 

Location 

Now, the location of your Virtual Office’s address doesn’t matter. Our extensive and robust network allows you to choose any state to register your business. 

That said, you want to ensure you’re using professional, legitimate, and well-known business centers for your physical workspace. Alliance ensures that all business centers we use host only high-quality Virtual Offices and physical workspaces. 

Simply put, our centers are located in prestigious business districts that allow you to make the most of your business’s online presence. Our offices provide work and meeting spaces that other virtual offices simply don’t. 

How we offer the best service and the best support 

We’ve already made it clear that Alliance is the best Virtual Office company, but how does that extend to our service and support? 

Simple! Through Alliance Virtual Offices, you get the best service available, regardless of whether or not you’re in the office or working from home. 

Our goal is to create an environment that helps our clients and partners succeed.  

Our customization process allows business owners to cultivate a Virtual Office that caters directly to their individual needs. From four-day workweeks to totally remote operations, Alliance has the tools your business needs to scale effectively. 

Read more: Lazy or Lucrative? Pros and Cons of a 4-Day Workweek 

Keeping our spot as the best Virtual Office company requires top-of-the-line support for our existing customers. 

Below, we’ve put together a small list of how Alliance Virtual Offices provides the highest quality support and service. 

Multiple lines of communication 

Other virtual office providers will have one toll-free phone number listed on their websites that directs customers to a call center filled with individuals that can’t answer their questions. 

At Alliance, however, we offer support via phone, chat, and email, allowing you to contact us whenever and however you choose. 

This means that it doesn’t matter if you’re in the coworking space, working from home, or on the road – Alliance is just a phone call, email, or chat away. 

Ample set-up help 

When using lesser-quality virtual offices, there’s an excellent chance you’ll be setting up your virtual office alone. If you’re technically handy, this might not be an issue, but countless business owners struggle with some of the more minute details of setting their office up. 

Alliance Virtual Offices goes out of its way to support you in choosing and setting up your Virtual Office so you can get the most out of it. 

This set-up help extends to other difficulties you might face as well. 

Onsite staff availability 

With cheap virtual offices, there’s unlikely to be any staff available to help you, regardless of whether or not you’re calling, emailing, or working in a physical space in person. 

Thankfully, this isn’t an issue with Alliance, as you also gain access to the staff in your center. 

The center staff can help you with anything you might need, whether reserving a meeting space, a coworking room, or using your Virtual Office’s amenities. 

As you can see, the best Virtual Office company makes a point to provide you with the highest-quality experience. 

But don’t just take our word for it! Take a moment to see what others are saying about Alliance Virtual Offices. Our Trustpilot reviews, for example, make it very clear that we’re serious about our service. 

With over 90% positive ratings and an impressive 4.4/5 stars, Alliance has made it clear that our customers and clients are our number one priority. 

How your Virtual Office integrates with other digital tools 

Alliance Virtual Offices goes above and beyond to be the best Virtual Office company on the market. 

We offer mail forwarding, physical space, and other amenities, add-ons, and services that integrate perfectly with your Virtual Office. Not to mention, we also offer the best customer service imaginable. 

Now that you know why Alliance is the best Virtual Office company, what other digital tools can you integrate with your office to further bolster your experience? 

First, consider using Alliance’s Live Receptionists. 

If you’ve ever been the only person in charge of answering the phone while simultaneously trying to run your business, you know just how frustrating it can be to be in the middle of something incredibly important, only to be interrupted by a phone call asking about something completely unrelated to your operations. 

With Alliance’s Live Receptionists, this doesn’t happen. Not only are the receptionists perfectly integrated with your existing Virtual Office system, but they’re very useful too. 

Our receptionists personally screen and answer every call, providing a friendly and professional voice for potential customers, curious investors, or future clients to interact with. In addition, using one of our receptionists allows you to skip hiring for the position for the time being, saving you plenty of capital you can reinvest in your business. 

So, using one of Alliance’s Live Receptionists ensures that your phone will be answered and that your customers will be taken care of while giving you ample time to focus on the more nuanced aspects of running your business.

Another great service is Alliance’s Virtual Phone. 

Having a specified business address is an excellent way to increase your legitimacy, but shouldn’t you also have a designated phone number? 

With the Virtual Phone Number, you can create a healthier work-life balance by separating your personal phone number from your business phone number. 

Additionally, having a designated business phone number allows you to use your new number on any branding or marketing materials to further exemplify your company’s legitimacy. 

Outside of the sheer convenience and increased legitimacy your number provides, there are also unlimited extensions available for your Virtual Phone. 

This means you have a streamlined way to onboard new employees while giving them the same benefits associated with your Virtual Phone. 

Outside of these two services, countless other virtual tools and digital services are built to make your life as a business owner as straightforward as possible. 

Further reading: 

• What is a Virtual Office and How Does it Work? 
• How to Run a More Cost-Efficient Business in 2023 
• The Unexpected Secret to Better Small Business Management 
• Why Labor Economists Say the Remote Work ‘Revolution’ is Here to Stay 

Alliance Virtual Offices provides tools and services for established entrepreneurs, brand-new business owners, and everyone in between. 
 

Instead of finding a virtual office close to you or searching for the cheapest virtual office, you should be looking for the best Virtual Office company you can find. 

Thankfully, Alliance fits the bill. 

As the best Virtual Office company, Alliance makes a point to create a healthy working environment that incentivizes innovation, rewards collaboration, and allows you to work from anywhere you want! 

Don’t get caught up in the search for a lesser virtual office only to find out that you don’t have access to any physical workspace, can’t get your mail forwarded, and can’t register your business. 

Instead, allow Alliance Virtual Offices to help you cultivate a business positioned for continued success. 

Contact us today to see how the best Virtual Office company can help you succeed, and don’t forget to check out our Virtual Office Blog for more helpful articles like this. 

The post Why Alliance is the Best Virtual Office Provider first appeared on Alliance Virtual Offices.

• Why does your Virtual Office management matter? 
• How Alliance provides the best Virtual Office management 
• How Alliance provides the best service outside of the office 
• Keeping your Virtual Office robust and healthy 

Q: Should I be looking for Virtual Offices that are staffed? Does staff at a Virtual Office even matter? 

A: Yes, you should be looking for Virtual Offices staffed by professionals. The staff at your Virtual Office directly influences how enjoyable and fruitful it is to work there. 

As the country attempts to return to some kind of normal, several corporations are ready for their staff to return to the office, but workers aren’t quite ready to make this switch. 

According to Pew Research, over 60% of American workers were working remotely when the pandemic was at its worst. Now, that number is hovering right under 40%, but it isn’t Covid-19 that’s keeping these workers working remotely. 

Due partly to the ease with which workers could do their jobs remotely and in part to a general disillusionment with the often-predatory labor market, the quit rates in 2021-2022 were astronomical. With businesses struggling so much to keep employees, they aren’t in a position to refuse employees the option to work remotely. 

Small business owners, especially digital small business owners, are in a similar position. 

You might be able to hire employees from all over the world, but how do you keep them? Better yet, how can you grow your business while providing employees with an environment in which they feel proud to work? 

Unfortunately, there’s no one-size-fits-all solution to employee retention or business growth.

Virtual Offices have given entrepreneurs and new business owners a cost-efficient and lower-risk opportunity to break into the market. Similarly, Virtual Offices have given established business owners a streamlined way to expand their operations while cultivating a collaborative work environment. 

In this article, we’ll cover why your Virtual Office management matters, how Alliance Virtual Offices provides the best management, how that service extends outside of the office, and how to keep your Virtual Office robust and healthy. 

• Why does your Virtual Office management matter? 
• How Alliance provides the best Virtual Office management 
• How Alliance provides the best service outside of the office 
• Keeping your Virtual Office robust and healthy 

Why your Virtual Office management matters 

Before we dive into an entire Virtual Office management presentation, let’s take a moment to explore what a Virtual Office is. 

A Virtual Office is a suite of virtual solutions that entrepreneurs can use to register their businesses, handle mail forwarding, and access physical workspaces or meeting rooms. 

Not all offices are created equal, however.  

Read more: What is a Virtual Office and How Does it Work? 

The lower-quality Virtual Offices don’t typically include access to workspaces, they might not be usable for business registration, and the provider might not be adequately staffed. 

On the other hand, high-quality Virtual Offices come with additional add-ons and amenities. The in-person workspaces associated with these offices are equipped with professional and friendly onsite staff to assist in any issues that might arise. 

Now that you have the Virtual Office definition, let’s also look at the Virtual Office management definition. 

Simply put, Virtual Office management is the onsite staff in the physical workspaces and meeting rooms and the virtual or over-the-phone support teams that help with any issues. 

So, why does Virtual Office management matter? To answer, we’ve put together a small list of some of the benefits associated with office management. 

• Workability 
• Cleanliness 
• Access to amenities 
• Legitimacy  
• Safety 

Workability 

The way a Virtual Office is managed directly influences how enjoyable it is to work there. 

Without management, there is no order. With friendly staff onsite to help answer questions and solve technical issues, the other workers are quieter, more professional, and as a result, more focused. 

Coworking spaces are supposed to be areas that give you a chance to recharge and approach your work with renewed vigor. Why bother if you’re dealing with the same kind of distractions that you faced at home? 

Cleanliness 

You’re paying your hard-earned money to work in your Virtual Office. Shouldn’t it always be clean and functional? 

When you use an office without management, the cleaning typically happens on an ‘as-needed’ basis. This should be unacceptable. 

Your Virtual Office is the hub of your business’s operations. When using meeting rooms or coworking spaces, do you want to deal with extraneous litter and other people’s trash? 

With a high-quality provider, you can ensure that the space you’re using is always clean, functional, and ready for use. 

Access to amenities 

Virtual Office management also dictates how easy it is to find and use the amenities in your office. 

Having someone you can ask questions of makes your life inherently easier. When you’re using an office without management, you’re effectively on your own. 

Sure, you might get lucky and find a workspace that has clearly labeled items and a small bulletin that perfectly explains where everything is, but this is highly unlikely. 

The onsite staff gives you an authority figure to whom you can direct your questions. Also, being able to find answers quickly allows you to focus almost exclusively on expanding your operations while you’re in your Virtual Office. 

Legitimacy 

Your Virtual Office management helps you put your best foot forward when dealing with clients or customers. 

Imagine that you have a potential investor who wants to make a surprise visit to your Virtual Office’s physical workspace. Unfortunately, you’re working from home this day, so when they arrive, there’s no one to greet them, no one to explain anything, and no one to help them find out where you are.

You want investors, clients, customers, and even new employees to see your Virtual Office in its best condition if they choose to call or visit. 

Not to mention, having onsite staff who can eloquently explain that you aren’t available is a great way to establish legitimacy and prove that you’re serious about your business. 

Safety 

An unstaffed Virtual Office is an unsafe Virtual Office. 

Using Virtual Offices with high-quality management keeps you and your customers safe. When working from an office with an active staff, you’re checking in, checking out, and providing clear information about who should and should not be in the office. 

With an unstaffed office, this isn’t the case. Unstaffed offices also create security vulnerabilities if you use the same office to handle mail forwarding or pick-up. 

An unstaffed Virtual Office is a haven for scammers and scam businesses. Even if your business isn’t doing anything wrong, sharing an address with another company that’s been caught using predatory practices or outright scams is a quick way to decimate your business’s legitimacy and public image. 

This is why it is paramount to use Virtual Offices that take the proper steps to vet their clients before giving them access to their office. 

Read more: Scammers Hate Us: Only Legitimate Businesses Use Our Virtual Offices 

How Alliance provides the best-managed Virtual Offices 

Now that you’re familiar with Virtual Office management meaning, it’s time to look at how Alliance can provide the best-managed offices. 

There are three steps we take to ensure that your Virtual Office management system is flawless, straightforward, and well-equipped. 

1. We keep bad actors out 
2. We coordinate with each center 
3. Customizable professionality 

Gatekeeping scammers 

The first thing we do to provide the best Virtual Office service is only allowing prestigious, well-run offices into our network. 

Alliance Virtual Offices has physical addresses in every state and almost every city. Our network is already robust and healthy, so we aren’t in a rush to add shoddy offices or business centers that aren’t up to our standards. 

Additionally, Alliance properly vets each of our clients to ensure that we aren’t letting any scam businesses set up shop in one of our Virtual Office locations. 

To do this, we first require address verification to prove that we’re dealing with a legitimate business. Next, we use document verification to authenticate the individual further. 

With an address and document verification, we can determine that an individual is who they say they are and live where they say they live. 

Unsurprisingly, most scammers aren’t willing to give up their personal information when so many other offices employ a “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy. 

We focus so much on keeping scammers out because we understand that one scam business hurts every business in its immediate vicinity. 

Part of ensuring high-quality Virtual Office management is keeping the businesses using the service safe. 

Coordinating with business centers 

Communication between your Virtual Office center and your provider is required if you want cohesive Virtual Office management. 

At Alliance, we coordinate with each specific center and send them a test letter to start to facilitate fantastic responsiveness and organization between our company, the center, and you. 

Because we already vet the business centers we use, the test letter is a way to start a conversation with the business center in addition to determining how timely and effective the staff at the business center is. 

Once we’ve established this line of communication, we can increase the turnaround time on correspondences and provide you with an easy way to contact anyone you may need to contact. 

Customizable professionality 

Your Virtual Office management should be able to walk you through the best plan for your business and the best amenities for your unique operations. 

With Alliance, our staff can direct you toward the add-ons and amenities that will make running your business as smooth as possible. 

In the past, office space wasn’t near as flexible as Alliance’s Virtual Office service. 

Historically, commercial leases lasted anywhere from 3-5 years and required a sizable deposit, exorbitant monthly rent, continued upkeep, and constant utility payments. Through Alliance, however, you can pay for what you need, when you need it. 

If you aren’t in the office much this month, you don’t need to pay for the time.  

Have a slow mail month coming up? You can easily reduce the tier of your mail forwarding. 

Read more: Small Business Bookkeeping Got You Down? Use Our Guide To Get Organized 

Keeping track of your company’s books is a task in and of itself. Why add to that stress with a Virtual Office that is unmanaged, unstaffed, and difficult to use? 

As you can see, Alliance’s Virtual Office management is a step above. But how is the service outside of the office? 

How Alliance Virtual Offices supports you outside the office 

Outside of the Virtual Office management services listed above, Alliance goes above and beyond to keep you supported both inside and outside your office. As remote work continues to prove that it is here to stay, you’ll want all the help you can get. 

Our first method of doing this is through communication with your Virtual Office business center to ensure that you have everything necessary and fully understand how to make the most of your Virtual Office. 

This step is criminally underrated. 

All too often, business owners who are too proud to ask for help find themselves stuck in an unmanaged Virtual Office with no clue how to get the most of the services they have access to. 

With Alliance, we don’t give you the chance to be too proud. By sending the test letter and cultivating relationships of our own, we do our best to determine what you need before you need it. 

You’re paying your hard-earned cash to use your Virtual Office. Why shouldn’t it be perfect? 

The second method we use to support our clients is staying available to help with any Virtual Office questions or concerns through our customer service lines and email. 

On our website, there’s a chat box that you can use without any issue to ask some basic questions about the services we provide. Once you’ve signed up for a Virtual Office plan, you’re given additional resources that allow you to quickly contact someone from our team. 

Similarly, if you’re in a position where you need the contact information of your Virtual Office’s business center, we’re just a phone call or email away.

Alliance prides itself on answering any questions, comments, or concerns as quickly as possible to ensure that your business is never caught in a tricky situation. 

Even more important than the support that Alliance offers your business is the flexibility and convenience that Alliance provides to your managers. 

If you’re using one of Alliance’s Virtual Offices and enjoying the well-managed facilities, that won’t matter much if your team isn’t well-managed too. 

Read more: The Unexpected Secret to Better Small Business Management 

Remember, working remotely can get difficult sometimes. The stress of a constant routine and working from the same place you sleep can get exhausting and lead to job burnout. 

The best thing you can do for your employees is to provide them with flexibility, a collaborative working environment, and something to feel passionate about. 

Below, we’ve put together a quick list of some effective ways you can better manage your employees in your Virtual Office. 

• Set clear and concise deadlines 
• Use the tools at your disposal 
• Ample communication 

Deadlines 

Collaboration can be difficult. Especially if your team isn’t sure when their work is due and who they need to hand their projects off to next. 

As a manager, it’s your responsibility to create stringent deadlines that everyone is familiar with. When your workers can’t use “I didn’t know when it was due” as an excuse, they’ll be forced to comply or get left behind. 

These deadlines can extend beyond working assignments too. You should establish guidelines explaining which tasks to prioritize, the minimum communication among team members, and any times your team should be available. 

Doing this will help keep your team on the same page while improving communication and getting more out of collaboration. 

Tools 

Part of the beauty of owning a business in the modern world is the digital tools entrepreneurs have unfettered access to. 

Your Virtual Office is already a service itself, and there are countless other kinds of tools that are available for you to use as well. 

There are video conferencing applications like Zoom and Skype to help personalize your conversations, file storing applications like Google Drive or OneDrive, project management and communication applications like Asana or Slack, time tracking applications, and many more. 

Use these tools to connect with your employees while ensuring that they can locate the tasks they need to prioritize. 

With these tools, you can easily tell how often a person looks at the material necessary, how often they’re working, and how often they pretend to work. 

Build a robust team by using the digital tools you can access. 

Communication 

You want your employees to feel like they can talk to you. You must establish clear channels of communication and straightforward ways for your employees to contact you. 

Whether it’s email, text messaging, video conferencing, or another kind of correspondence, you need to make sure that all of your team members have the same access to your time as each other. 

Clear communication allows you to locate any issues within your business before they grow to an unmanageable size. 

If your team feels like they can communicate, they’ll feel heard. Once they feel heard, they’ll be more loyal to your company and far more willing to contribute. 

Keeping your Virtual Office robust and healthy 

The modern office looks completely different than its traditional predecessor. However, one aspect that has remained the same is the need for high-quality management. 

Your Virtual Office management can massively influence the value of your Virtual Office. 

We only allow well-managed Virtual Offices into our network, ensuring you get the most out of your office, whichever way you choose to use it. 

To get the most out of your Virtual Office management, you might consider using some of Alliance’s other digital tools. 

First, consider our Live Receptionist.  

Running a business and answering the phone alone can get incredibly frustrating and distracting. With a Live Receptionist, you can eliminate those distractions. 

Not only can you eliminate a position you would have been forced to hire, but since every call is personally answered and screened, you can focus on the more nuanced aspects of running your business. 

Don’t risk upsetting potential customers or losing your train of thought during an important conversation. Instead, allow our Live Receptionists to handle your phone while you work toward scaling your business. 

Another great service that Alliance provides is the Virtual Phone Number. 

Having a well-known and professional business address is great, but adding a designated business phone number completes the image. 

Through our Virtual Phone, you can keep your work and private lives separate. 

In addition, you have a new business phone number you can use on your company’s branding material. With unlimited extensions, you can easily onboard new team members while giving them the same improved work-life balance. 

The best way to keep your Virtual Office healthy is through constant check-ins and reevaluations. 

Remember, your Office is customizable. Get the most out of these customizations! 

Further reading 

• What is a Virtual Office and How Does it Work? 
• Scammers Hate Us: Only Legitimate Businesses Use Our Virtual Offices 
• The Unexpected Secret to Better Small Business Management 
• What Are Digital Products? Your Guide to Creating and Selling 

Alliance Virtual Offices provides several tools for established entrepreneurs and new business owners. The best way to get the most out of your digital operations is by using a provider that ensures high-quality Virtual Office management. 

Contact us today to see how Alliance Virtual Offices can put your business into a Virtual Office that meets your needs and allows you to plan for the future. Don’t forget to check out our Virtual Office Blog for more tips on business ownership. 

The post Why Your Virtual Office Management Matters first appeared on Alliance Virtual Offices.

Q: Is a virtual receptionist worth the money?

A: In most cases, a virtual receptionist is well worth the money. Virtual receptionists provide a high return on investment for small business owners. This article explains why.

According to the most recent statistics, almost 90% of people prefer to speak to live customer service agents. Despite the advent of chatbots and automated phone services, businesses simply can’t replace the experience of a real conversation. 

Even if your business operates almost entirely online, you’re probably going to get a few phone calls from time to time. 

Many people – especially older individuals – would rather pick up the phone than sift through your website for information. 

A common mistake for business owners today is to focus entirely on digital marketing strategies while forgetting the basics – like a reliable, effective customer service agent who can pick up the phone. 

The ROI of using a virtual receptionist can be considerable, and you should consider the benefits of this service if you’re aiming for a balanced, all-encompassing marketing strategy. 

Thanks to new technology and innovative providers, a virtual reception service can also be much more affordable than you might think. 

• The importance of your business ROI
• Why most phone services fail to provide solid returns
• What makes a virtual receptionist different?

The Importance of Seeing an ROI on Business Expenses

For those who don’t know, ROI stands for “Return on Investment.” When you’re spending money on marketing and customer service solutions, you obviously need to aim for a high ROI. 

These efforts should help your business grow, and you should avoid wasting your money on ineffective strategies at all costs. When calculating ROI, you need to factor in all of the various expenses associated with a new investment. 

Many business owners make the mistake of confusing ROI with cash, and it’s important to take all the positives and negatives into account when assessing the true ROI of a marketing strategy. 

The good news is that many digital marketing strategies offer excellent ROI. Social media is completely free, and it can be one of the most effective tools for lead generation and branding. 

Creating an email newsletter is another option that won’t cost you a dime. Even creating a website is cheaper than ever, and pay-per-click ads can be well worth the cost. 

Faced with these possibilities, businesses may feel a little unsure about hiring a receptionist to answer calls. 

After all, this requires a new employee with an annual wage. It may also require a physical office space in which the receptionist can work. 

Faced with these costs, business owners mistakenly conclude the ROI for a virtual receptionist is prohibitively low. 

But what actually happens when you completely ignore your phone lines in favor of trendy, online marketing methods? 

What Happens When You Ignore Your Phone Lines?

Your ROI could suffer immensely. This is due to various factors, including:

• Damaged Brand: By far one of the worst consequences of inadequate phone lines is a damaged brand. When you don’t allocate the necessary energy and resources towards this area, your target audience may start to leave negative reviews and damage your reputation. Remember, whoever picks up your phone represents your business. If calls go completely unanswered, this can damage your brand to an even greater extent. 
• Lowered Conversion Rates: Don’t assume that your phone lines and your online marketing methods are completely separate. In many cases, online lead generation will lead to phone calls. For example, a potential client may see your PPC ad on Facebook and call your number. If the wrong person picks up the phone (or no one picks up at all), that lead could be lost forever – despite your flawless digital marketing strategy. 
• Reduction in Customer Lifetime Value: You obviously want to boost customer loyalty as much as possible. Loyal customers lead to stable businesses that can stand the test of time. Even if a customer absolutely loves your products and services, they could switch to a competing company after a particularly bad phone call. 

The good news is that many costly requirements are no longer necessary when hiring a virtual receptionist. Businesses can now obtain a virtual phone number that is separate from their personal line. 

They can also enlist the services of a live receptionist who only gets paid when they actually pick up the phone. This negates the need for expensive annual wages. Finally, physical office space is no longer required, as you can now work with online service providers who provide live receptionist services outside of your geographic location. 

Why Most Phone Services Fail to Help Businesses Grow

Despite new innovations in the world of virtual receptionists, many phone services continue to offer lackluster ROI. Here are some of the most common issues that may arise when you enlist the help of phone service:

• Lack of Data: One of the most attractive benefits of online marketing strategies is data analysis. Since the entire process takes place online, there is no shortage of useful analytics. You can use this data to fine-tune your digital marketing campaigns over time. The same isn’t always true for inbound phone calls, especially when service providers fail to track useful information. However, phone calls can provide insightful analytics under the right circumstances.  
• Disorganization: Disorganized phone services can cause as many problems as they claim to solve. If customers are being put on hold for long periods of time while customer service reps try to figure out what’s going on, this can damage your growth in the long term. In addition, it can be incredibly frustrating for customers to talk to someone who obviously has no idea how to help.
• Wasted Time: The last thing you want to do is waste time with your phone service. Spending weeks organizing an ineffective phone service can be just as detrimental as wasting money, as you could have been using that time to pursue more efficient solutions. 
• No Follow-Up: The best online phone services provide opportunities to follow up with your leads after the initial phone call. This is a great way to boost interaction and ensure brand loyalty, but it’s a feature that is often missing from typical phone services. 
• Unanswered Calls: Unanswered calls are perhaps the most detrimental effect of a substandard phone service. If you’re paying money for a virtual receptionist, it’s important that they actually pick up the phone when customers call. The truth is that many phone services employ too few receptionists, leading to unanswered calls as these individuals try to juggle the needs of multiple companies at the same time. 

How Virtual Receptionists Provide a Strong ROI so Businesses Can Expand

Can’t I Just Answer the Calls Myself?

If you’re a solo entrepreneur or you’re running a small business, you might be wondering whether you can simply answer the calls yourself. Is a virtual receptionist worth it in this situation? 

Although answering calls might seem like an easy job, there are many more important things you could be doing for your business. 

The time you spend answering calls could be focused on growing your business, exploring new opportunities, and diversifying your products and services. The old adage is true: time is money. 

Even though you might have the time and energy to answer calls today, that might not always be the case. As your business grows, these calls can quickly become overwhelming. 

Suddenly, you’re spending all day on the phone when you could be taking advantage of this growth for even greater profits. 

Opportunity cost is definitely something to consider when assessing virtual receptionists, and you need to factor this in when determining the true ROI of this service.

In addition, the end goal for many entrepreneurs is early retirement. If you want to reach the point where your business pretty much runs itself, a virtual receptionist is going to be necessary at some point.  

The Best Virtual Receptionist Available Today

If you’ve been searching for a reliable, effective virtual receptionist service, look no further than Alliance Virtual Offices. AVO is committed to providing professional, friendly representatives who learn about your business to provide excellent customer service. 

With extremely affordable virtual receptionist pricing as low as $125 per month, this service can offer tremendous ROI for businesses both big and small. 

Ideal for solo entrepreneurs or anyone who needs a little more time to guide their business towards success, AVO’s live receptionists help protect your brand’s reputation and boost conversion rates. 

No complicated setup is necessary, and this service even comes with a separate business number and your own virtual phone system. 

This service succeeds where many other phone services fall flat, and it’s available from Monday to Saturday so calls never go unanswered. Call filtering and screening are also available, and you’ll only be notified when a customer actually needs your direct attention. 

Conclusion

The truth is that small businesses simply can’t afford to experiment with marketing strategies that don’t offer positive ROI. A virtual receptionist for small business can be an excellent solution for a wide range of entrepreneurs, but only if you choose the right option. 

Instead of choosing phone solutions that actually damage your business in the long run, opt for a reliable, effective solution and spend more time driving your business towards greater levels of success. 

The post Time is Money: The ROI of Using A Virtual Receptionist Business Phone Number first appeared on Alliance Virtual Offices.

Q: Should I use a free business number for my small business or upgrade my phone systems?

A: While many small business owners are tempted to use a free solution such as a virtual number, this often backfires. The money you save on your phones is offset by the time you lose answering calls yourself. This article explains why you should consider your phones an investment rather than an expense.

Launching a small business is an expensive venture. 

While the rise of e-commerce and remote work means business owners can launch with less overhead, there are still plenty of expenses to consider.

As financial expert Suze Ormans told CNBC, potential small business owners need to set aside enough money to get by for a year, plus at least three months working capital before leaving their jobs.

With that kind of financial demand, it’s no wonder that small business owners consider using toll-free business numbers instead of paying a receptionist. They want to save as much as possible while they grow their business from the ground up.

But what if this seemingly wise financial move is actually holding back your business? What if your free phone is costing you more than you anticipated?

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You may not even realize it’s happening, but a free phone solution may be hurting your business and your personal life. Often this is because business owners don’t properly distinguish between an expense and an investment. 

This article will dig into the differences and explain how your free business phone is holding you back from better business outcomes.

• The downsides of using a free business number
• Are business phones an expense or an investment?
• Why you should upgrade from a free business phone
• Why a virtual receptionist is the best investment for your business

Why Do Businesses Use Free Numbers?

On the surface, it makes sense that small business owners decide to use free numbers.  

Using a free number is typically easier than going through the trouble of setting up an additional phone service for your business. You can simply use your existing mobile number or a virtual phone app service like Google. 

This choice simplifies the already stressful process of registering as an LLC or DBA. You don’t have to worry about choosing a phone service if you just handle it yourself.

Perhaps most influential is the financial element. Starting a small business is a risky venture, and many small business owners want to save as much as possible initially. 

As a result, they opt to leverage their existing phone numbers or use free business numbers in an attempt to save money. 

The Downsides of Using a Free Business Number

While it may seem like a great idea to use a free number for your business, it often backfires for a myriad of reasons, including:

• Slowing down your productivity due to spending time dealing with call answering and voicemail management duties.
• Interrupting your workflow which hinders your ability to concentrate on what you’re doing.
• Increasing your stress levels, making it harder to bring your best to your work.
• Losing your train of thought on important, creative ideas.

The combination of these things can significantly impact how much you accomplish in a given day.

Over time these things add up. You may find your business growing much slower than expected, or even stagnating.

Despite the potential hazards, many business owners continue to use free business numbers. The main reason for this oversight is confusion about investments and expenses.

Expenses vs Investments

An expense is money that you spend that simply pays for something. This money leaves your hands and then is gone. 

Examples of expenses are things like clothes or gas for your car. You pay for the item because you need it, you use the item, and life continues.

But more than ever people are realizing that investing is an important part of financial health. In fact, a recent survey shows more than half of US households have invested in the stock market.

What separates investment from an expense is that an investment is money you spend that enables you to make more money in the long run. 

Your business phone is like the stock market. If you put no money into it, you won’t see any dividends.

You most likely already understand this conceptually, but it can be easy to mix the two up in practice. Business phones are a prime example.

Are Business Phones an Expense or an Investment? 

While it may seem like a business phone is an expense, viewing it as such is often unhelpful.

When you view your business phone as an expense, your impulse is to minimize the amount you pay. This is theoretically the best way to handle your money, seeing as anything you spend on your phones is just a loss.

The issue with that line of thinking is that your business phones are actually an investment. The money you spend to upgrade your phone systems plays a significant role in helping your business grow, thus making you more money in the long term.

Why You Should Upgrade From a Free Business Number 

Given this shift in understanding, it makes sense that you should upgrade from using a free business number. 

Using a free number results in large portions of your workday being taken from you. That time could be used to accelerate your business growth, resulting in a net gain compared to the small amount of money you save using a free number.

Additionally, having to answer phones at random in the middle of other projects likely means you aren’t able to provide patient and attentive customer service to your callers. 

Finding a better solution to your phones can increase caller satisfaction. Not only does this mean you’ll likely see more sales, but it also leads to better reviews. Those reviews encourage other potential customers to interact with your business moving forward.

For this reason, it makes sense to upgrade your phone systems. If you’re tight on cash, you should consider using a different strategy to gather additional startup money.

But with a plethora of options, what upgrade should you make? What phone service provides the best return on investment?

In most cases, the answer is a virtual receptionist.

Why a Virtual Receptionist is the Best Investment 

A virtual receptionist is a remote receptionist that handles your incoming calls for you. Virtual receptionists connect to your business phone using a virtual phone number.

Any incoming calls are first routed to your receptionist. They answer all calls with professional, friendly greetings and help walk callers through any questions they may have.

Should a caller need to speak with you directly, your receptionist can route the call to you or schedule a callback using the scheduling software included in your plan.

This allows you to stay focused on your important business operations and grow your business faster. 

While traditional receptionists require full-time salaries, as well as a dedicated business phone line, virtual receptionist plans start as low as $125 per month, making them an affordable investment in your business.

The fact that virtual receptionists operate remotely also means you won’t have to worry about renting a traditional office or storefront. You can maintain your freedom and low overhead while boosting your productivity and business image.

Conclusion 

While it may be tempting to use a free business number for your small business, this strategy often costs you in the long run. 

You wind up losing time and growing your business slowly as you balance answering calls with other important aspects of running a company.

For this reason, business phones should be viewed as an investment rather than an expense. 

Putting money into your business phones will allow you to grow your business and make more money down the road.

The best way to start investing is to sign up for one of Alliance Virtual Offices’ live receptionist plans. You’ll gain access to a virtual number and a professionally trained receptionist.

These plans are affordable and designed to free you up so you can grow, making them a great way to invest in your business.

Further Reading 

• Business Phone Numbers Explained – Forbes Advisor
• Your Mobile Strategy Can’t Just Be About Phones
• Expense Ratio: The Fee You Pay For Funds
• This Is How a Virtual Receptionist Improves Your Company’s Professional Image and Brand | Alliance Virtual Offices

The post Is a Free Business Number Holding You Back From Success? first appeared on Alliance Virtual Offices.

How many times have you heard that? 

Probably a million or more we’re guessing. 

Yet however obvious it might seem, it’s true. 

To succeed in today’s increasingly competitive business climate, you need to establish and maintain a failsafe line of communication between your business and its clients, employees and other stakeholders. 

This requires a well-oiled communications machine – one with numerous moving parts. 

In other words, email and chatbots alone simply won’t cut it. 

A dedicated business phone number is also a must, for many reasons (some of which you may not have thought of).

Small business owners may find this difficult. 

Answering the same questions repeatedly, being interrupted at critical decision making moments – not to mention those pesky spam callers. It’s no wonder some operate an online only policy. 

“Exactly!” We hear you cry. 

“Do we really still need a business phone number in this day and age?”

Yes, actually! 

Here are five reasons why.

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1. People still communicate over the phone

Not everyone spends their lives communicating over social media, email and live chat platforms. 

In fact… 

People are more likely to want to speak with someone over the phone, especially when considering high value purchases. It’s all about having options. 

According to a Google study, 61% of mobile users call a business when they’re in the purchase phase of the buying cycle. 59% of respondents would rather call than reach out online because they’re looking for a quick answer and 57% prefer talking to a real person.

2. It makes you seem more legitimate

In an era of fake news and mistrust, having a business phone number helps you build, well, trust. 

It’s fairly easy to fake a website whereas it’s slightly less easy to imitate a customer service line. 

Having a business number will instantly make you seem more credible; after all, it’s always nice to know there are real people working behind the face of a brand. 

3. It can help you establish business credit

There are many things you can do to secure business credit, and one of them is to get a business phone number. 

Obtaining credit is a crucial step for most startups and small businesses because it enables you to create a financial history that’s separate from your own personal credit history. 

By getting business credit, you can help protect your personal credit and business’ credit, should anything negative happen to the other one. 

In other words, if something happens that results in you getting a negative personal credit score, it shouldn’t affect your business credit score. 

According to business financing company, Nav, there are 8 key steps. 

“Put your Business on the Map” comes in at number one. In other words, get yourself a business phone number and get it listed on all the main directories, including the ones relevant to your industry. 

4. It’s good for SEO

Yes, believe it or not, even online search engines love a chat on the phone

In all seriousness though, the major search engines use business citations to determine how legit a company is and where it should rank in search results.  

Having a consistent phone number is also important for local rankings. 

So, any reference to your business’ name, address and phone number (NAP) on other websites, social media, blogs, etc will benefit you SEO-wise. 

Consistent citations across a number of sources will make your business seem more “real” in the eyes of the search engines.

5. You have more control

By allowing your employees (if you have any) to communicate with customers using their own mobile phones, you’re relinquishing some control. 

Having a centralized phone number will make it easier to track sales, provide customer service, and manage logistics. 

A virtual phone system makes this easy! 

As well as recording calls and seeing call stats, you can add extensions to your phone number making it simple for customers to reach the most relevant person or team.

(Also, it’s hardly fair to make your employees using their personal phones for work.)

6. It’ll help protect your privacy

As well as boosting your company’s reputation, having a business number can help protect your privacy too. 

If you run a small business or indeed a one-person band, you might find yourself giving out your personal mobile number to clients. 

While this is okay on occasion, doing it frequently can wreak havoc with your work life balance and make it difficult to separate your personal life from your business one. 

Keeping your mobile out of the equation will help you to maintain some semblance of personal life, even if it seems impossible sometimes! 

Remember…

You can always have calls forwarded to your cell if need be. 

(Oh, and of course, putting your personal number on your website will also make you more vulnerable to spammers and scammers.)

Speaking of call forwarding, after you’ve bagged yourself a business phone number, you might want to consider investing in a telephone answering or Virtual Receptionist service. 

After all, while handling all the calls made to your business telephone number is great, it may prove time consuming.

What’s more, answering your own phone won’t make your business seem “big”. 

However! 

Allowing a virtual receptionist to deal with your calls in a professional manner will help bolster your reputation and save you oodles of time – time that can be invested in growth and recruitment.

The post This is Why You Need a Dedicated Business Phone Number first appeared on Alliance Virtual Offices.

“You’re approved!”

Like music to their money-making ears, these are two words every current business owner was undoubtedly thrilled to hear when applying for business credit.

“Lender compliance.”

Like nails on a chalkboard, these are two words that any hopeful pre-business owner must face when trying to apply for that all too important loan.

In many cases, when a business applicant leaves a bank, after being shot down in the application process, they have no clue as to why they were not approved. You don’t always get a good reason why, rejections are not always explained. But chances are, said business hopefuls most likely failed the lender compliance test. For any of you wishful, soon-to-be business owners out there, working diligently toward gaining credit and/or loan approval, this article’s for you.

So what exactly is “lender compliance” and how do I go about achieving it?

Lender compliance is essentially a series of guidelines that have been established by the lender(s) as part of their approval decision-making process. These are usually items that can be easily verified in an automated environment. So, when you submit an application for a business loan, the lender’s computer system will vet these lender compliance items to see if your business will proceed to the next level in the process of approving the loan.

Generally, lender compliance factors will not get a business approved alone, however they will undoubtedly get a business declined if its entity has not completed or established them prior to applying.

One example of a crucial lender compliance item is whether or not a business is operated from a cellular or residential phone. The phone number you list on the loan application will be checked using the Federal Communications Commission database to verify it is a business phone line, cell or residentially registered phone number. In the majority of these cases, lenders will turn down an application for a business loan where the business does not have a business listed phone number.

Now, as for the second part of the question: how do I go about achieving it? This is where virtual office space comes in. Obtaining a business phone number is both quick and easy via the usage of a virtual office, such as those offered by Alliance Virtual Offices. By signing up for any one of Alliance Virtual’s hundreds of global virtual offices, users typically get their choice of one of several affordable package plans that come with an array of “virtual” work solutions – one of them being a solid, lender approved business phone number.

So, if you are planning to start a business and hope to receive a loan, make sure you’ve got your lender compliance checklist taken care of … starting with your business phone number.

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