Working with Virtual Offices, Part 1

As our TVs will make the change from analog to digital in the next few months, I pondered how many of our businesses are in the same boat?  Is your business digital, or still using "rabbit ears"?  One of the best ways to increase your value with clients is to give them twenty four access to the information they need, when they need it.  The problem is, you have office hours (or at least you should).  So, achieving a happy medium is vital.  I began using a virtual office the moment I launched my website when I first started business.  Granted, it was me constantly updating an HTML page, but the concept was there.  There are so many options available, and with a little tweaking, you can create something reflective of your brand and company’s customer service mission.

Benefits

As a US destination wedding planner, I work with a lot of out of state/country clientele.Most work very busy jobs as executives and lawyers with demanding schedules and/or are in different time zones.  Because they don’t have as much time as they would like to devote to their planning, they hire me.  Being able to check in and work with you at their convenience instantly adds to your value.  Even planners who do work with local clients can reap the benefits.  Clients are able to track the work you have done or will do, where they need to be with their planning, as well as having direct access to key files.  This adds a sense of security with their decision to hire a wedding planner– clients love to see that you are actually working for them.  You also benefit because you are in one "location" with access to all of your clients and their information.  You will find that you can bypass many unnecessary calls and meetings by keeping everyone in the loop with a virtual office.  When you do meet or have your progress calls, they are more streamlined because of the foundation your virtual office has laid.

Stay tuned for part two of Working with Virtual Offices, where we’ll discuss different options and making it work for you.