Working with Virtual Offices, Part 2

Setting It Up and Making It Work

You have many options when choosing a virtual office.  Sites like Basecamp and Microsoft Office Live Workspace are options that require very little set up.  Google Apps Sites feature can be used in a similar way. There are other project management options that can be directly uploaded to your website like the free, open source WebCollab or ProjectPier.  If you are not tech savvy, you can pay a nominal fee for someone to install it for you at such places as Elance.  It is well worth the investment.  I am very particular about the appearance of my brand and client service experience, so I prefer to keep my clients at my website(i.e., at my own domain to access their virtual office).  Our clients’ information is kept securely and only accessed via a username and password that we issue to them when they first retain our company.  Making the process easy for your clients is essential– create a username and generic password for them and send out a helpful hints guide to using the system when you provide them with their welcome packets.
Our offices are set up with a location for messages, files, task lists, calendars, etc.  It is a one stop shop for everything for our clients and their parents.  We’ve done a really good job of keeping all communication within the office.  This is especially helpful if you need to add additional people such as parents or staff to the office later. Everyone can get caught up to speed without their inbox exploding with forwarded emails.  Clients can be notified whenever something is new or updated in their office, which is automatically generated by the system.  Encourage your clients to become familiar with their virtual office– what has once appeared as a daunting task will become second nature.

Including Your Staff

If you have a staff that works with you, create an office for them, too.  You can have it mirror the one you set up for your clients, only tailor it for company communications, files, etc.  This is most helpful if you need to get information to all of your staff members quickly as well as monitor any work being done.  Your virtual office allows you to refrain from micromanaging, and instead assists  your staff to become part of a team with integral roles for the common good of the company.  Our office is set up that the staff can login and see all of the offices to which the are assigned, as well as the company-wide staff office.  Staff members are encouraged to interact with each other, assist each other with projects and even fill in, if necessary– this is great if you have staff members that telecommute and rarely have an opportunity to see each other often.

Overall, virtual offices allow you to work smarter not harder.  The initial setup will be timestaking, but the payoff is big. Your clients will feel more connected, in control and confident about their decision in working with a capable planner.  You will find that you have more time, are kept to task and can better manage your company’s clients and staff in one location.

Oh, and tip your waitress