Posts Tagged ‘virtual employees’
The term ‘virtual receptionist’ may not be in the Merriam-Webster dictionary, but it’s certainly in the vocabulary of a growing number of companies, large and small.
Indeed, the virtual receptionist is a growing trend in today’s business world, from Corporate America right down to the bootstrapping start-up – and everywhere in between. In fact, you could very well be speaking with a virtual receptionist when you call your doctor, accountant, lawyer or other professional services firm. You might be speaking with a virtual receptionist when you place a telephone order for goods and services of all kinds. You might even encounter a virtual receptionist when you call the local offices of an international company you are doing business with.
The virtual receptionist can do more than answer the phone – much more. They can become an extension of your business, gaining an understanding of your company as they deal with day-to-day issues that arise around appointments, cancellations, executive messaging preferences, and various tasks that can be handled over the telephone. The virtual receptionist is always professional, always knowledgeable, and always ready to help callers to your business find a solution or get the answers they need.
If you are spending too much time answering your phones, if you need someone to screen your calls to avoid wasting time, if you need help setting appointments, a virtual receptionist can save you time coming and going – and help you remain more available for customers in different time zones.
So you are running a virtual business. You’ve got a virtual office set up and virtual employees – but real communications challenges with mobile workers running from one part of the city to another.
Here’s some good news: Communication doesn’t have to be a challenge, thanks to modern virtual office technologies. All it takes is a little coordination and you can keep the communication flowing across your virtual staff.
One way to promote communication, teamwork and camaraderie among employees is to organize periodic “state of the company” business meetings.
Here’s how it works: Each employee goes to the conference room of your virtual office provider. If you have a state-of-the-art virtual office provider, those conference rooms will be equipped with audio and or video conference capabilities.
In this “state of the company” meeting, all virtual employees have an opportunity to share knowledge, ideas and plans for growing the company, solving challenges and otherwise streamlining business. When employees get back to their regular workplace, each one can write up report that details an action plan pertaining to his or her area – and then get ready to run.
The keys to running a successful virtual business operation are flexibility, discipline – and regular communications. With technology abounding and with access to brick-and-mortar conference rooms, your virtual business can have the best of all officing worlds.
Is your company growing? Opportunities abound in a recession for those who have innovative ideas, some elbow grease and an mindset to conquer – and a virtual office can help you drive your bright ideas into new markets.
When you opt for a virtual office, you opt for lower overhead costs. Let’s face it. Just because you have a shiny new business model doesn’t mean you need a shiny new office space that runs up a monthly bill before your fledgling business is ready to pay it. And it doesn’t mean you need to find all your talent in the local market, either.
A virtual office allows you to bring the talent you need to grow your business – or launch a new one – under one virtual roof, so to speak. In fact, you can actually attract better and brighter talent by offering them the flexibility to work from home and tap into your virtual office technologies. If you need a local man or woman on the job in Atlanta, New York or Miami, then, you don’t need to locate there physically. Just hire a virtual employee, set them up in a virtual office, and start building your local presence.
Again, it is possible to grow your start up or even launch a new business in a down economy. It just takes courage, a viable idea, and attention to cost-containment. The virtual office can save you thousands of dollars a month and help you grow into new markets quickly – and more profitably. Continued sales growth and increased profitability firmly demonstrate that businesses conducted virtually are a growing reality.
Who is more productive? The employee who sits in a cubicle at your corporate headquarters from 9 to 5? Or the virtual employee who works from home in a virtual office? Although there is no scientific evidence to answer the question, there are some factors to consider as you ponder the questions.
Anecdotally, virtual employees report they work just as hard – and put in more hours – than their counterparts in traditional office space. Even better, they feel they are more productive. It stands to reason that without the constant interruptions from coworkers, an employ who uses virtual office technologies can focus more on the task at hand.
Cisco’s Teleworker Survey studied almost 2,000 company employees. The results: a majority of respondents experienced a significant increase in work-life flexibility, productivity and overall satisfaction as a result of their ability to work remotely. Check out these quick takeaways as they relate to productivity, collaboration and retention of virtual workers:
- Approximately 69 percent of the employees cited higher productivity when working remote, and 75 percent of those surveyed said the timeliness of their work improved.
- By telecommuting, 83 percent of employees said their ability to communicate and collaborate with co-workers was the same as, if not better than, it was when working on-site.
- 67 percent of survey respondents said their overall work quality improved when telecommuting.
- An improved quality of life through telecommuting was cited by 80 percent of survey respondents.
- Telecommuting can also lead to a higher employee retention rate, as more than 91 percent of respondents say telecommuting is somewhat or very important to their overall satisfaction.
Scientific? Maybe not. But there is strong anecdotal evidence that employees who work in a virtual office are more productive. Sure, not every employee can go virtual. But virtual offices can be a boon for companies looking to do more with less – more productivity and less overhead.
You’ve got employees working from home offices in three cities and it’s a seamless experience for your clients and prospects. You’ve got a single 800 number answered by a virtual receptionist and routed to each employee’s extension. You’ve got a single, prominent business address in your “headquarters” city.
That takes care of the externals. But what about the internal organization? Running a virtual office means more than having the right technology. You also need the right systems in place to manage your virtual employees. Here are some time-tested tactics for virtual office management:
1. Build – and Maintain – Camaraderie
How in the virtual world do you build, much less maintain, camaraderie with your virtual team? Social media networks have come to the rescue in that regard in many ways. Of course, we also live in a world of Instant Messaging, video chat, e-mail and, of course, the good old fashioned telephone. Use these communications tools to brainstorm with your virtual team, share successes, offer feedback and just say “hello.”
2. Trust Goes Both Ways
Out of sight doesn’t have to mean out of mind. You can put tools in place to measure the productivity of your virtual employees. But trust goes both ways. In a virtual office setup, your employees also want to know they can trust you. Be sure to pay your virtual employees on time, and consider a bonus when they achieve a significant milestone.
3. Open Door Policy
Just because you are working on a virtual office model doesn’t mean you can’t still have an open door policy. Managing virtual teams successfully means being available for your employees when they need to discuss a challenge at hand. Keeping an open door policy, albeit via video conferencing or the telephone, is vital.
Finally, a little public recognition goes a long way. If someone on your virtual team does a great job, send an e-mail to the whole team congratulating that team member. Your virtual office employees will appreciate the fact that they have an appreciative boss.
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