Is it time for your business to go virtual? You bet! But first, you’re probably wondering what on earth we’re talking about. Virtual business is just another way of referring to digital services. Before you get the wrong idea, that doesn’t always mean that AI is involved.
In fact, despite rapid developments in technology, AI is still quite rare. Even as a presence in the business world it’s still quite elusive.
Still despite the lack of AI, using virtual services is often greatly beneficial for business owners. First, it’s more efficient with jobs completed faster than before and less wastage involved.
Second, it’s often cheaper because rather than having an in-house team to handle an issue, the problem is often outsourced.
Third and perhaps most important of all, virtual services can be completed from anywhere. This tends to make your company a lot more flexible.
You can run your business from anywhere if you have virtual support and a good internet connection. Let’s look at some of the different types of virtual services and what they could mean for your business.
Virtual teams
If you’re running a business from home, you should be using a virtual team. Virtual teams can be used by entrepreneurs to expand the staff without increasing costs. Virtual teams are often made up of freelancers. They can be working towards separate goals or as a team using a connected interface.
It depends on the types of processes that they are completing. It can be easy to setup your own virtual team, using social networking to connect and interact. Online software such as Google Sheets can also be used to share and view documents simultaneously. Due to this a virtual team can often run as smoothly as a typical working office.
Virtual security
Security is an essential part of any business model. You need security to make sure that your business is protected, even when you’re not there. It’s not just about the expensive tech in your office walls either. Businesses often store and keep hold of a wealth of sensitive information.
This might include bank numbers and other customer details that have been entrusted to them. Losing these or risking a hack would seriously damage the reputation of the business. Unfortunately, security is expensive and most small companies can only afford basic coverage.
The solution to this issue could be a virtual security guard. This is not AI. Real people watch the business premises from an area off site. It’s essentially virtual outsourcing at a fraction of the cost for a typical security in-house setup.
Virtual support
These days, everything in the office is based on technology. From the transfer of files to communicating with clients. You need tech to survive on the market. If it breaks, fails or falters, you could find yourself in a difficult situation. You will have to inform your clients that your services are no longer available.
At that point, they may feel forced to seek out your competition. They probably won’t come back to buy from you once you’re back up and running. That’s why you need to make sure that you’re not down for too long.
Ideally, you want an issue to be resolved in minutes rather than days. This is a real possibility if you use a virtual support team. They’ll monitor your systems and should be able to spot a problem before it becomes an issue. This includes a potential breach in your digital security.
Virtual storage
Since we mentioned digital security, you’d be crazy not to look into virtual storage. Virtual storage is commonly viewed as the most secure way to store data. It certainly makes your IT support team’s job a lot easier. To invest in virtual storage, you’ll need to setup a cloud server.
Or piggyback off one that has already been established. The difference between these two options is a few thousand in initial fixed costs. If you have your own server, you have complete control over your data and the systems. Therefore, it is the most attractive option, if you can afford it.
Virtual office
Finally, a virtual office is slightly different but still beneficial. A virtual office can be used to keep up appearances on the market. If you’re a home run company, you may not want your customers to know this.
To avoid them finding out, you can use a virtual office. With this service, you’ll have an official business address separate from your home. All your mail will be sent to this virtual office and passed on to you by email. Any junk will be weeded out, so it is an incredibly efficient solution.