It's the time of year when the majority like to switch off for a couple of weeks, leaving work stress behind them and enjoy the sunshine with their families. Not always the case for SME owners.

According to research carried out by Sage more than 30% of small business owners in the UK did not take a summer holiday last year.  The smaller the business the more likely this is to occur.  Ironic really, as most small business owners work far longer hours than the average, certainly not the nine to five grind.

Whilst many SME business owners believe that they can't leave their business for a break as it may be damaging, it is actually more dangerous and less productive.  Cary Cooper, professor of organisational psychology and health at Lancaster University Management School says that people who are constantly thinking and working on their business are causing more harm than good.  "Keep that up over a long period and it can be destructive. There's profound evidence that if you work extremely long hours over a sustained period you'll end up being less productive."

It is also proven that taking a break helps with productiveness, wellness, health and family relationships.  Many SME owners aren't able to spend as much time connecting with family as they would like, so taking a break allows them do just so.  It is a fact that most people return from holiday rejuvenated and refreshed, with a clear mind you can refocus and actually see things more clearly.

It is recommended to have a complete "digital detox" but this isn't highly likely.  With smart-phones creating instant access to everything back at home, it's hard to completely switch off.  You can't relax on holiday if your phone is constantly ringing, yet if your not answering calls then you could be losing potential sales.

This is where we come in; to help you get that much needed break.  Taking a temporary telephone service at The Virtual Office from as little as £6 per day allows your business to still run effectively, whilst you're enjoying yourself away from the stress of everyday life at home.  We can help you out of your 'catch 22'.  As the first Virtual Office, with over twenty years in the business, our reliable and experienced staff take pride in the telephone service which we provide.

Simply divert your telephone line through to our receptionists to answer and handle your calls.  With our unified voicemail messaging you can receive email alerts and return to callers as you need.  If you're expecting important calls you can just inform us and we can transfer them through to you.

No need to make the choice between family time and work.  You are free to enjoy your much needed break.

 

Author: Jess Hill

Virtual Office Team member

30 June 2014

Are phones the lifeblood of your company?

We are in a new world of business multitasking; taking conference calls whilst emailing suppliers and ordering your groceries online.

However have you ever tried to fit a light switch or replace the washer on a tap whilst answering a call from a potential client? That takes more than multitasking, it takes extra hands.

In a previous life I used to run a plumbing company and we learned quite quickly that you cannot be an effective plumber and answer the phone. 
This is particularly the case when you are half way through a job and the phone rings. Best case scenario you just lose your train of thought.

Obviously, one cheap solution is to let the phone ring out to voicemail and return the call later.  However if it is a new customer they are probably calling a list of 3 plumbers and the first to answer is likely to get the job.
If you can arrange for someone else to answer that call you have a chance to capture the business as well as projecting an image of an organised, established, reliable company. 
What's not to like?

The Virtual Office® was created especially to deal with these issues as we realised that phone calls during an important piece of work are impossible to deal with effectively.  Just getting connected to voicemail is not customer friendly, especially if the caller is unsure how to explain what is wrong or need to talk to someone urgently to sort out a problem or query.

A Virtual Office® service allows people to do their business without interference until they are ready to deal with their phone calls and mail.
And with our ISO 9001 certification you can be confident in our strong focus on total quality management. This means that we have procedures in place to make sure that we do everything we should be doing and do it excellently. 

Since pioneering The Virtual Office® in 1992 we have spent all our time improving and refining our systems and training to ensure we do not make mistakes that might jeopardise your business. 

You can be sure when you're fixing that tap your calls are being answered by a competent receptionist who will manage your callers, take messages and reassure them that they have called the right company for their needs. Your messages are delivered to you by email so you can hear the message and assess it's urgency.

My plumbing company loved knowing that every caller had a trained receptionist handling every call however busy or short staffed we were.

Author: Richard Nissen, Chairman

© The Virtual Office October 2013

Tips for networking

I recently was asked by some colleagues for tips when networking.

The prospect of networking can be hugely daunting especially if you are new to the industry, role or just promoting yourself in a new arena.

I know the first couple of times I attended networking events I felt very young, green and female.  The majority of networking events at that time were dominated by men of a certain age in very grey suits.

Today networking is very diverse.  The increase of social media has in turn led to an increase of real life socialising for business.  There are invite only groups, female only groups, free events, informative events sponsored by big brands...the list is exhaustive.

So I have tried to list a few pointers I would have benefitted from in the early days.

Who will be there?

It is always worth researching the companies attending.  You are often issued with a list of attendees prior to the event. It is worth visiting a few websites and having a few companies that you are interested in talking to in mind.  If it's a good networking group the organisers will have pre-empted who you'll be interested in and sat you near each other.

My colleagues were attending a Young Entrepreneur Society networking event where the majority of people were start ups under 30.  Amongst them were some established companies (mentors) as well.

When you get there

Practical tips:

-        have your business cards in your right hand jacket pocket so they are easily accessible if someone asks for one.  You can put their cards in your left hand pocket.

-        try to keep baggage to a minimum. Make the most of any cloakroom and check in any coats, extra bags, trainers.

 

Getting involved

In essence networking is just formal socialising with people you wouldn't normally mix with.
It's not about pitching your business and making sales.  It is about chatting with people. 
So find out what business they’re in.  Find out about them in general.  Few people enjoying introducing themselves to strangers and starting conversations so they’ll be relieved and happy to chat about themselves.

Explaining what you do

If you've asked your questions and you're asked what you do then you explain your business. 
Pitch your business as if you were explaining it to a friend who has shown interest in using your service or product .  Relaxed and not pushy but with enough detail that if they’re interested they will ask more questions.  Try to tailor your detail to how you think you could help them.

As a rule I try not to discuss prices just the value. 

If they are interested in finding out more then you can take their card or details and email them when you are in the office.

Use the experience to learn about other businesses and how you can better serve them.  If you do get any sales from networking it is most often indirect, through word of mouth so just mingle, enjoy the refreshments and see what you learn.

For the original article visit http://www.voffice.com/hello/whatsnew

 

The ongoing Flexible working debate

There has always been resistance to flexible working with the majority of businesses preferring to keep employees within their sights.

Earlier this year a ban on remote working at Yahoo reignited the flexible working debate.
The arguments are the same but the strength of opinion is different. With the explosion of social technologies and the ease of remote working many are anxious about losing creative impromptu moments between colleagues. Charlie Mullins, founder of Pimlico Plumbers, feels that in a fast-moving, entrepreneurial society, we cannot afford to live without the face-to-face interaction that drives business.

However during preparation for London 2012 many companies decided to embrace flexible working as a viable option for their business. Telecommunications company O2 have moved their teams' working week away from traditional offices.
According to employee Darren Farmer people from all areas of the company are now working away from the office at least one day a week. In his article 'Flexible working one year on' he states that the biggest thing that any company looking at flexible working needs to consider is a behavioural change. I have discussed in the past the level of trust required by an employer to commit to home working. It is not just investments in technology to ensure you can still be collaborative and productive. It's about encouraging a feeling of ownership in your employees. As Darren says 'it’s all about output, not where you are. I know what constitutes me doing my job, and it’s up to me to make sure it’s done wherever I am'.

SMEs are more likely to encourage autonomy. They have entrusted their business dream to their staff so have developed more personal relationships. The result is a belief that the work will be produced speedily. Staff in return want to produce the best quality output possible to ensure the trust remains.
Essentially flexible working should be just that. Flexible. It doesn't mean always working at home with no face to face interaction with colleagues or suppliers. It means working in a flexible way to benefit the business.

Increased employee motivation and reduced premises costs are beneficial. However, ultimately, the biggest benefit is the business reaching optimal quality and productivity.

Instinct & Planning

According to The Telegraph Online most entrepreneurs rely on instinct to make business decisions.


This is not a surprising statement as it is the general business savvy and passion that drives entrepreneurs to success.

The report, commissioned by T-Mobile, goes on to state that many entrepreneurs are too busy to or even nervous about making positive changes in their business.
This is a saddening side effect of the recession. It shows that some entrepreneurs are overworked and overstretched causing their confidence to falter and their business to suffer.

The unstable economy has driven businesses to cut or downsize the services and employees they introduced to allow them the freedom to grow their business. The sustained fear coupled with the extra work load has damaged creativity and confidence.

However this will not always be the way and when the economy does improve will your business be in a position to make the most of it? Will you have the staff and support available to move quickly and make the most of opportunities?

Finding a balance between instinct and planning will help ensure your business not only survives but is perfectly positioned to thrive when the opportunity presents itself.

Five questions to ask yourself before you start your small business

Starting a business is a daunting and exciting prospect. Before you jump in here are some questions to ask yourself:

1. What do I enjoy doing?

Consider what you love to do, your passions and skills. It will be your passion that drives you forward through the tough times when you are building your business.

2. Can I improve on current offerings?

Look at the current market and evaluate your future competitors. Develop and define a unique selling point for your business whether it's a personal mission statement, green ethics or innovation.

3. Is there a gap in the market that I can exploit?

Maybe you have tried to find a service or product that just doesn't seem to exist. If you are looking for something it is possible that others are too. Research the idea and potential market thoroughly and gauge how much people would be prepared to pay for it.

4. Does my business have a niche market? And how do I access them?

If you can find a niche market for your business then this can reduce the barriers to entry by reducing competition. However consider how you are going to access the niche market and it's potential for growth.

5. Am I making all possible profit from my business idea without compromising the delivery and my ideals?

Consider other ways to deliver your service or knowledge, online, in print or in person. Also, if your website performs well, can you make extra money from advertising or paid for content. Make sure all actions are consistent with your brand and don't diverge from your ideals.

How do these changes effect your business?

General opinions of the Mr Osborne's budget are that it recognises the role of small businesses in the continued growth of the economy. The internationally competitive Capital Gains Tax and reduction in Corporation Tax for small businesses both encourage entrepreneurism.

However there are mixed responses to the new immigration laws introducing further restrictions on the number of skilled Non-EU workers entering Britain.
The Virtual Office team is reliant on International English speakers in creating a uniform voice with no regional dialects for our clients. Our small team currently includes British, South African, Australian and Canadian all with excellent telephone voices and extensive customer service experience.

How will this change effect your small business? Do you see it as a positive step to increasing British employment or damaging to your business?