Space4work's Blog

Virtual Offices Telephone Answering

space4work — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 11:06:40 +0000

A phone call these days can mean success or failure for some businesses. Missing a vital call that brings you much needed business could have a devastating impact on your future business.

It’s not always appropriate or easy to give out your mobile number; poor signal and noise interference can all cause problems but there’s also your professional image to take into consideration!

When you have a virtual office telephone answering service at your fingertips you can be certain that you won’t miss a single call or give the wrong impression. Whether you just need to re-direct your calls to cover your leave or need a permanent solution to your incoming calls being handled.

A telephone answering service is a trusted solution to all your virtual office needs.

Space 4 Work virtual offices offer a professional telephone answering service which is a cost effective way of making sure you never miss that sales enquiry again.

Top Tip

space4work — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 09:37:19 +0000

With many start-ups and small businesses considering the benefits of establishing a virtual office to cut down on costs and present a business-like image for their companies, here are some useful tips to help when choosing a virtual office provider.

Are you the right ‘type’ to work from home?

Do you have what it takes to work successfully from home? Many start-up entrepreneurs and home workers admit it can be more difficult to maintain a healthy work/life balance and find they work longer hours. Research suggests that out-going, socially oriented and experienced professionals are more likely to be successful working from home as they are more committed to keeping in touch with clients and colleagues and tend to be better organised.

Decide if the advantages of a Virtual Office will benefit your business from the outset

How do you feel about clients knowing where you live and having access to your home number or mobile? Do you need to meet your clients face-to-face occasionally? Is an impressive address going to help secure important business from the outset, i.e. do you need to project an image from the start or is this an aspect that can be deferred until your business is more secure?

For a relatively insignificant financial outlay, the benefits of presenting an impressive business address via a Virtual Office (incorporating mail forwarding and a central ‘0207’ telephone prefix) may be a crucial component of a start-up business plan.
Find out more and visit our webite

Who needs an office anyway?

space4work — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 09:29:48 +0000

Just because you need employees doesn’t mean you need an office with all that overhead. Why not build a virtual network of employees where you communicate with each other via phone, e-mail and fax to get the job done?
Husband-and-wife entrepreneurs Greg Chagaris, 59, and Anthea Stratigos, 45, did just that with their market research and analytics business, Outsell Inc., in Burlingame, California. For four years they ran the business from a traditional office space with employees. But in 1998, Stratigos interviewed a highly qualified job candidate whose husband had recently been transferred to Maine. Says Stratigos, “[Greg] and I looked at each other, and that was the sign from the universe. We went with it.”
They repositioned Outsell to be a virtual company, maintaining their small office with five employees, and soon expanding to include 35 virtual employees nationwide. Though finding a health plan to cover employees in so many states proved to be a challenge, Outsell’s sophisticated intranet, telephone and e-mail systems keep their virtual team tightly connected. Now with 2005 sales projected at about $7 million, the setup seems to be working.
Although Amy Zuckerman, founder of Hidden-Techin Amherst, Massachusetts, is a virtual workplace proponent, she cautions: “People have to be extremely disciplined, and it’s not for everyone.” Her nonprofit organization–which helps local, national and global virtual entrepreneurs network–plans in-person events to battle isolation and provides resources for virtual companies.
Managing a scattered network of virtual employees brings its own set of challenges. Kelly O’Neil, founder of UpLevel Strategies, a small-business coaching company in Los Gatos, California, advises entrepreneurs to be strong leaders, be very clear about what they expect from employees (in terms of deadlines and so on) and treat payroll much like they would in a traditional office, with direct deposit or mailed paychecks.
“Hire slowly, and fire quickly,” says O’Neil, who adds that you should always meet potential new hires at least once face to face. In the interview, ask: Have you ever worked in this kind of situation before? What is your personal strategy for getting work done remotely? Do you have a dedicated office space at home with the necessary technology? Finally, O’Neil says, “Listen to your gut. If [they're] not returning your phone calls or e-mails, let them go.”

Development Consultancy

space4work — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 11:50:17 +0000

S4W Ltd was established in 2008 to provide a range of project and policy solutions for public and private sector organisations in the fields of economic development, regeneration, project management, business development and creative economy. We have offices in Derbyshire and Sunderland.

In 2010 S4W launched its training and development programme. Our purpose is to offer the very best and most effective bespoke and tailored training packages to a range of organisations and individuals.

At the heart of the business is our experienced and innovative team of Directors and Associates who offer a practical, flexible and professional approach to finding solutions for our clients.

The company has an established track record in providing a range of high quality specialist services to a wide portfolio of clients across a number of specialist areas, including:

○ Project research and evaluation
○ Project support and interim management
○ ERDF specialists – technical appraisals & bidding
○ Capital feasibility and project management
○ Third sector and social enterprise
○ Creative economy projects
○ Economic impact assessments
○ Fund-raising, bid writing and tendering
○ Bespoke training and development

For further information about our project management services or to discuss your training and development requirements, please visit our website

Chamber Membership Offer

space4work — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 09:35:29 +0000

Membership of Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire Chamber of Commerce

Special package for Space 4 Work tenants

All tenants of Space 4 Work will have access to the essential support services and extensive opportunities provided by full membership of DNCC.

These will be available at a fixed price (regardless of employee numbers) of just £95 + vat, compared to the normal rate of £160 + vat for a sole trader or £215 for a business with 2 – 10 employees.

Within this nominal fee members have access to a wide range of free services

Opportunities to generate business

• Database of members with over 3,240 contact details

• Website listing with key words to help people find you

• 21 marketing tips to help make your marketing work for you

• Access to selected networking events

Profile

• Business listing in DNCC desk diary which is circulated to all members

• Business listing in East Midlands Directory which is circulated to 6000 businesses across the region

• Use of Chamber Member logo gives you instant credibility

Support Services

• Chamber HR service – fantastic online resource includes 170 downloadable documents, contracts of employment and staff handbook

• Chamber HR helpline – available 24/7

• Legal Expenses Insurance – with £670,000 of cover

• Legal Advice Line – available 24/7

• Anti Virus software package

• AXA Personal Business Assistance – cover to help you run your business if you are ill

• 250 free business cards – to your design

Information

• Enquiry service – if you are unsure about something, don’t spend ages on Google – call the DNCC Information Team

• In Business magazine – 10 editions a year packed with business news

• Members Briefing – hard copy newsletter – 10 editions a year full of business information

• Weekly e-newsletter with up to date information

• DNCC website – page after page of information and news

• Quarterly Economic Survey – your chance to participate and also to receive the latest information about our regional economy

Influence

• Local Enterprise Partnerships – get involved or just keep up to date with the latest developments

• Local lobbying and representational issues

• Members’ Councils

• Sector Forums

PLUS

Services for You and Your Staff

• Discounted car / van servicing

• Discounted restaurants

• Discounted gyms and leisure facilities

• Accident Management service

• Health Information Line

The included services listed above are available to Space 4 Work tenants for less than £2 per week. Many more services can be accessed for nominal cost or at subsidised rates.

For further information please contact Lisa Ward on 0785 4065948 or email chamber@space4work.com

Space for Work

space4work — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 12:20:26 +0000

If you’re starting a new business, looking to work virtually or want to cut costs by working from home then you’ll want to know about how you can find space for work.

Space4Work offer a wide range of services to cover all your virtual office needs. With office locations across the East Midlands they are perfectly placed to accommodate clients from all over the country whether that be in an office, an industrial unit, or as a virtual tenant.

Their portfolio ranges from small individual worshops, studios, storage units to large multi-tenanted office blocks. Space4Work can also help businesses with property purchases, disposals, rental and development.

You could be looking to work from home or even on the move, no problem. Space4Work really do offer you virtual office services that will help get your business of the ground or help you cut costs to keep it moving forward in this tough climate.

With (VA) Virtual Assistant Services, Telephone Answering, Website Packages, Storage, Business Insurance and Business Address Mailing services you are covered on all sides when looking for space for work.

Centrally located offices across the East Midlands, including Derby, Chesterfield, Sheffield and Nottingham.

Check out Space4Work’s cost effective Virtual Office Prices and find your space for work today.

The Virtual Workspace

space4work — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 10:48:11 +0000

Using your home address for your business can give the wrong impression to your customers and invite unwelcome visitors to your home!! That’s why Space4Work offer a solution to the virtual workspace. Get a professional mailing address, with a choice of one of their business centres with no long term commitments and low monthly costs.

Starting up a business or expanding your scope can be a scary step to take but working with an experienced, professional company that can help make each step a little bit easier to take with outstanding support, there’s no need to worry when you have the right team behind you.

The traditional nine to five is coming to an end, freedom of where, when and how you work is in your hands. The office rules are being thrown out and some companies are even doing that with the office furniture! With the technical revolution going full speed ahead, we can be connected to our VA (Virtual Assistant), our printer and our colleagues from anywhere in the world (pretty much) and any time of day or night.

With rises in costs for everything, it makes sense to create a virtual workspace and save on maintainance, equipment, staff, rent and commute costs!

Create the right impression for your clients, customers and colleagues by using one of Space4Work’s services and take your business to a whole new level on your terms.

Space4Work also manage commercial properties across the East Midlands. Their portfolio ranges from small individual worshops, studios, storage units to large multi-tenanted office blocks.

Space4Work can also help businesses with property purchases, disposals, rental and development.

The virtual workspace revolution has begun, so take a leap and join the virtual (office) party.

New Services!

space4work — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 13:09:10 +0000

Space4work has recently expanded their list of Services!

Products and services provided by our trusted supplier network.

Chamber of Commerce Offer

Go to Space4work for all your virtual office needs!

How business development can help your business grow

space4work — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 10:42:43 +0000

So you’ve got ambitions to grow your business to the next level, and your wondering where to go next. Before you start making decisions have you considered whether your business is ready for growth?

Ensuring your business is ready for an increase in business is just as important as having a way to generate that extra business, so that you achieve both the initial boost and sustainable long term momentum.

A Development Consultants Effectiveness

To effectively develop a business, the consultant should be looking at generating and sustaining growth.

When it comes to generating or stimulating growth it will be a marketing and sales led process that will start with positioning the business and ensuring the products and services are right for the market. Momentum will come from continued efforts in the areas of marketing and sales but to ensure that its sustainable the business must be able to to fulfil demand.

The return from any money spent in business development will be diminished if the business is unable to move beyond its initial growth spurt into a sustainable trajectory so its important to asses the organisations resources and infrastructure to determine if they can meet peek demands and avoid have supply being overtaken which may severely affect customer relationships.

The last thing you want to do is invest unwisely and in an untimely manner in additional staff or equipment that is either underutilised or never used so timing these investment can be crucial and there may be some inevitable upfront investments as well as further staged investments in-line with growth plans.

Assisting With Change And Adapting The Business

Ensuring sustainability will also require continued effort and development to meet new demands and changes in market trends.

As well as the needs of the business and primarily its customers, the needs and desires of the owners and investors in the business must also be considered which may include future decisions such as full or partial retirement, sale, flotation or merger.

Having plans that cater for both the short and log term goals as well as any back up plans, will be essential for dealing with unforeseen eventualities that may throw the business off track temporarily.

It may also be that because of changes or new developments things like staffing and company procedures may need reviewing in-line with policies and processes for getting thing done.

You should also give some thought and consideration to your target market and products and services so that you can continually evolve in-line with the market and create other avenues for expanding the business further.

The Business Growth Development Process

Developing the business should be a stepped process where each stage builds on the last.

Initially a review of the business is performed to determine where it is, its ability to cope with demand increases and potential hidden assets that can be quickly leveraged.

The first step is to position the business correctly and understand what makes its stand out.

Next we look at integrating this knowledge into existing marketing and sales processes.

Then comes the first part of systematising marketing and sales so that information can be captures, segmented and used for effective marketing and sales purposes.

These is broadened into other special relationships and partnerships.

Its further exploited with more custom marketing and advertising.

Later visibility in the local community is stimulated.

Then we come onto more direct marketing.

Finally stimulating word of mouth.

Put it all together and you have a very effective programme for creating and maintaining growth.

Virtual Offices

space4work — Sun, 28 Nov 2010 20:05:22 +0000

From Start-Up’s to established international businesses we have a Virtual Office package and range of Virtual Office services to suite everyone.

Anyone can benefit from this breakthrough concept, from home workers needing a professional representation to blue chip multinationals breaking into a new emerging market. Our virtual office services however are aimed primarily at new businesses and start-up companies.

A virtual office provides an instant, flexible and affordable solution to individuals, new businesses & start-ups seeking a professional London platform in which to operate. The right image now plays a pivotal role in business and a virtual office offers all the benefits of a physical office, without the associated overheads.