The Philippines is a fascinating country and a very attractive place to set up a virtual office for a number of reasons. The weather is great, the people are friendly, the country is breathtaking and the level of spoken English amongst the locals is excellent.
However, before you jump right in and choose a virtual office in the Philippines – the Servcorp team encourage you to consider a few key things first. Conducting business in the Philippines is completely different to how it is in the western world. It comes with its own unique set of challenges you need to be aware of.
However, once you understand these challenges and can adapt appropriately, having a virtual office in the Philippines will seem like a fantastic choice for your business.
Choice WIthout Compromise
One of the most appealing things about a virtual office is having the choice to cut your expenses without compromising on your business goals. No longer do you need to choose between an old, quiet, cramped office in the wrong part of town and a modern office, bustling office in a prime location. You can now have exactly what you want.
The solution is a virtual office. Shared spaces like this offer convenience, lower costs and a chance to interact with other like-minded people. However, as perfect a situation as this sounds, it’s important to note that there are a few points worth considering.
Contract/Lease
When you are entering a contract of any kind, it’s important to take enough time to do your due diligence, look over the document in full and ensure all of the terms are acceptable to you. The terms for virtual offices are usually very flexible which means that you don’t have to make any long-term commitments or get involved in any lock-in contracts.
Check the various services that are included in the package you have chosen and make sure that they meet your requirements. Now is the time to add any additional services you may need which are not included in your plan.
Location
Another critical thing you need to consider is the location of the virtual office facility. Where exactly will the office be located? Is it accessible in order for clients to collect/drop documents?
In the Philippines, for example, you will ideally want to be located in the city of Makati, the main financial hub of the country. This is the beating heart of the financial world in the Philippines and is where all the major banks, corporations and financial institutions are located.
Office Amenities
Lastly, it’s a good idea to enquire as to what facilities they offer as part of the virtual office package. A premium provider will include a dedicated receptionist, mail forwarding service, voicemail and a fax to email service as well as other optional amenities you may want to take advantage of.
Cost
Finally, as with most business decisions, you will need to consider the cost of the service. Most services should be included in a flat monthly rate, with some additional services incurring a nominal fee. The advantage of this pricing structure is that there are no hidden costs each month meaning you can budget with confidence knowing that the price is not going to suddenly increase without warning.
Consider Your Options
Different businesses will place importance on different elements of what an office provider can offer depending on the requirements of their business. It’s important to carefully analyse your own business requirements before deciding on a virtual office that meets your needs.
Once you find a location and a facility that you are happy with, you will be able to focus your energy on running your business, interacting with your customers and growing your operations over time.
Image credit: By Stalmannen at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, Link
