A Better Virtual – USA Virtual Offices

A new article on Forbes.com offers points to nervousness among office building owners and office space managers. BusinessWeek recently offered a similar report.

It seems the economy, budget battles and slow growth has some landlords wringing their hands. But Yori Galel, CEO of Opus Virtual Office, says they may be worried about something else: people don’t need as much office space anymore.

Indeed, if you pay attention to news headlines much you’ll notice a rising trend: fewer people feel the need to rent traditional office space—and more companies are letting employees telecommute from virtual offices.

Thanks to virtual office technologies, physical office space is less important than it was in decades past. The future of business demands alternative workplace strategies that are more flexible, lower cost and serve the needs of mobile workers. Virtual offices answer all those demands.

“Honestly? I wouldn’t want to be in their shoes today,” Galel says. “Long-term commitments to physical office space can be a trap for a small business. More elegant and inexpensive solutions, such as Opus VO’s virtual office solution, are designed to keep up with rapidly changing times.”

Opus defines a virtual office as a complete business system that taps the latest technology to create a flexible online workplace. Virtual offices can enhance a business’s professional image allowing it to compete with much larger companies.

As Galel sees it, virtual offices are just that: virtual.

Think about it. With a virtual office provider, there’s no staff  to screen and hire because your vendor vets administrative assistants. You don’t have to worry about handling payroll or providing benefits because it’s included in the cost. You don’t even have to purchase furniture or computers, pay utility bills or sign long-term lease agreements. Indeed, technology has forever changed the office paradigm.

If you want to know the latest trends in how your competitors (other small business owners) are using cloud-based phone services, look no further than a new survey from eVoice. The j2 Global Communications company just released the results of a survey based on its customer database.

The findings speak to a larger trend in the small business community: mobility. For example, mobile app voicemail retrieval is up a whopping 180 percent. That means the number of voicemail messages retrieved from the eVoice mobile app has increased 180 percent in the first six months of 2011 compared to the first six months of 2010.

“Based on the numbers, it’s clear that entrepreneurs are continuing to embrace virtual phone services while also taking advantage of mobile applications to help run their businesses,” says Mike Pugh, vice president of Marketing of j2 Global. “This usage data underscores how cloud services, such as eVoice, are essential for bringing today’s entrepreneur the mobility, scalability, and efficiency advantages of the cloud.”

One of the drivers for the increase is cost savings. When eVoice customers use the mobile app in conjunction with an unlimited mobile data plan, they can save money by reducing the number of minutes they use in their cell phone billing cycle. With the app, you can listen to stored messages, listen to new ones, and forward them as transcribed e-mails or audio files.

It’s no surprise that Apple mobile devices are the most popular among eVoice customers. Small business subscribers most often use the Apple iPad, which dominate 40 percent of eVoice mobile traffic. The iPhone comes in second at 20 percent. The iPod touch, HTC EVO 3D and Motorola Droid round out the top five of eVoice’s mobile traffic.

Another survey finding reveals that eVoice customers are combining 800 numbers and local numbers more often. Specifically, customers using both toll free and local phone numbers has doubled. Although many businesses have traditionally considered themselves local (read: real estate agents and retailers) some are adding 800 numbers to tap into a regional or national audience. According to the survey, 68 percent of respondents see a competitive advantage in having the right area code or 800 number.

This survey was limited to eVoice customers, but I imagine other virtual phone providers like Phone.com and RingCentral are seeing a similar phenomenon as the world goes more mobile. The virtual phone trend follows the virtual office trend. Its seems all things virtual and mobile are on the rise in 2011.

The virtual office industry is seeking the opinion of users and would be users these days. Both Davinci Virtual Office Solutions and Intelligent Office have recently launched surveys.

Intelligent Office just introduced a survey to identify individual work styles. Dubbed the “Work IQ” survey, the questionnaire profiles current and aspirational work styles. The goal is to identify if participants are working in a manner that matches their long-term aspirations.

“We believe there is a paradigm shift happening in our culture as it relates to work style,” says Tom Camplese, COO at Intelligent Office. “The work culture of today is very different than it was even only 10 years ago. We have seen a dramatic shift and developed this survey to look more closely at the broad spectrum of workers and if individuals are aspiring to work differently.”

Meanwhile, Davinci Virtual Office Solutions has launched a very short, three-question survey for members of A Smarter Way to Work by Davinci Virtual. The virtual office provider plans to use your feedback to help provide a great experience in its group.

A Smarter Way to Work by Davinci Virtual offers relevant discussions that could save you time and money. Topics discussed include telecommuting, the distributed workforce, video conferencing and collaboration tools, and other topics that are important to virtual office users and small business owners.

Take the Intelligent Office survey here.

Take the Davinci Virtual Office Solutions survey here.

Who wants to make a long-term commitment for office space in a turbulent economy? Unless you are a major corporation taking advantage of low rental rates in the deal of the century, it doesn’t make sense to stick your neck out for the long haul. That’s why more entrepreneurs are turning to executive office suites and virtual offices.

“There’s nothing I’d like better than to see the economy rebound, and virtual offices provide unparalleled benefits for businesses even in good times,” says Yori Galel, CEO of Opus Virtual Offices. “But entrepreneurs and businesses have had to educate themselves quickly to survive and profit right now, and so many have chosen the virtual office solution from Opus that we’ve recorded our strongest monthly growth ever.”

Opus bet heavy that entrepreneurs don’t want to jump into a long-term office lease, much less deal with utilities, staffing, and equipment that drives up business costs—and produces stress of paying potentially hefty monthly expenses. At the same time, entrepreneurs can’t stand still and do nothing. Survival means making a run at business even in a down economy.

The solution: low-cost, flexible virtual offices. Virtual offices are part of a flexible online workplace that helps entrepreneurs spread their wings and improve their image at the same time. Small companies that tap into virtual office technologies can effectively compete with larger companies. Virtual offices are doing for small businesses what websites did to level the playing field in the public eye 10 years ago.

Virtual offices give you a prestigious corporate mailing address, a local phone and fax number, and technologies that  convert fax and voicemail to e-mail. Live, professional, American receptionists answer calls and take messages during business hours. There are many different virtual office providers on the market to choose from, all with different price ranges. So check out a virtual office before you rent traditional office space. You may be glad you did.

Virtual PBX is on a roll. The virtual PBX provider keeps raking in the rewards. The latest recognition for the hosted PBX phone systems company comes from Internet Telephony magazine. The TMC publication has given Virtual PBX Complete the 2011 Internet Telephony Excellence Award.

“Taking risks to advance IP Communications technology and provide real solutions has earned Virtual PBX recognition from the editors of Internet Telephony and an Internet Telephony Excellence Award,” says Erik Linask, group editorial director of Internet Telephony. “Virtual PBX Complete has excelled in delivering cutting-edge solutions. Its customers are extremely pleased and have offered their testaments of support.”

In case you aren’t familiar with Virtual PBX Complete, it’s a hybrid services that offers a blend of traditional analog and IP telephony. The system aims at the small- and mid-size business market. Virtual PBX Complete incorporates Open VoIP Peering capabilities, which eliminates the need for proprietary software. The system also gives businesses the flexibility to carry business extensions anywhere around the world.

“This award demonstrates the value our customers are seeing from Virtual PBX Complete, which delivers superior IP communications capabilities for businesses looking to save on costs without sacrificing professional service and quality,” says Greg Brashier, COO of Virtual PBX. “With our latest enhancement to Virtual PBX Complete, Virtual PBX Complete with VoIP Anywhere, our customers gain the critical benefits they need from a business extension wherever they are, whether in the office, at remote locations or even traveling overseas.”

Of course, Virtual PBX isn’t the only reputable—or even the only award-winning virtual PBX solution on the market. Phone.com has won its fair share of awards and RingCentral has the backing of Cisco. So if you are in the market for virtual PBX systems, be sure to explore all the options based on your specific needs. Awards are nice, but that doesn’t mean the solution will suit your small business.

NEW YORK-It’s not often you see companies in the virtual receptionist space merging, but that’s what is happening with 1-800 We Answer and Carol’s Answering Service. What does this mean for customers? And what does it mean for your virtual office if a bigger company buys out your live answering service?

Indeed, 1-800 We Answer has acquired Carol’s Answering Service for an undisclosed amount. It seems 1-800 We Answer wanted to strengthen its customer service-based communications outsourcing solutions and buying Carol’s Answering Service gives the New York company an immediate presence in Texas and the Southwest.

“We pledge to deliver the same level of individual customer attention that they’ve received from their former provider,” says Rob Porter, president of 1-800 We Answer. “We’re developing relationships with our new clients, and letting them know that they can trust us with their most important calls.”

Fair enough. And you should look for that sort of “pledge” if your virtual receptionist provider merges with another company. Sometimes during mergers, service can suffer. Other times, service can improve. The goal of companies that use remote receptionists is to potentially earn more income while decreasing operations costs.  So the level of service is critical.

It’s likely that 1-800 We Answer is using the same staff that Carol’s Answering Service did. The company has been around for decades—since 1978 to be exact. Carol’s Answering service has quite a following of local businesses, including physicians, lawyers, private contractors and service providers.

What about 1-800 We Answer? The company is newer, but it’s on the fast track to growth, with clients across the country. 1-800 We Answer seems like a reputable choice for call answering services, given its network of call centers and it approach to one-on-one customer support.

1-800 We Answer offers inbound and outbound telemarketing services and telephone market research support. Specifically, the company’s core of business support services focuses on providing telephone answering, call center, virtual office and phone system services to businesses, government agencies, and universities nationwide.

Need a new receptionist? Constant Link would like to introduce you to its staff of remote receptionists that can answer and screen your business lines 24 hours a day, seven days a week. That’s right, 24/7.

Constant Link is somewhat unique in the virtual receptionist industry. The company was started by two mobile professionals with backgrounds in executive suites and virtual offices—so when it comes to communications needs of small- to mid-sized businesses they get it.

In fact, Constant Link was once the receptionist component of Go Virtual Suites, a full-service executive suite and virtual office company. But the service became so popular that the founders spun it out.

“We’ve learned that in today’s competitive business environment, people are less likely to leave voice mail messages, and prefer to speak to a live person, who can help them with their need,” says Constant Link principal Steven Burns. “Have you ever been caught in a voice jail system that you simply can’t get out of? In today’s world, callers simply hang up and move on to the next business where a professional ‘real’ person answers their business lines and can serve their needs.”

Constant Link also has a customized feel. The service can be tailored to meet the unique needs of your business, handling calls just the way you want them handled. Every person at your company can dictate a specific set of instructions on how they want their calls handled.

The company promises there is no awkward tone or script gap from on-hours receptionists to the after-hours answering service operators that telegraphs that the company is closed or the professional is off-duty. They are also based in the U.S., which avoid language and cultural affinity issues.

Constant Link offers a web-based control center that lets you analyze sales leads, keep notes about calls, see the time and date of your calls, see who’s calling you even if they hang up, and other various other reports. You can even record incoming calls. If you aren’t sure about how a virtual receptionist would work for you, Constant Link offers a 7-day money back guarantee offer.

Be sure to follow Constant Link on Twitter.

SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH-Davinci Virtual Office Solutions is growing—and fast. How fast? Well, the virtual office solutions provider is officially the sixth-fastest growing company in Utah.

Davinci Virtual landed on the MountainWest Capital Network’s Utah 100 for 2011. That is a high honor in the Utah business community. The MountainWest Capital Network enjoys a unique position as the original, independent business networking group in Utah.

For more than 25 years, the group has supported entrepreneurs, investors and allied professional services firms with real-time information about capital creation and distribution through sponsored events that inspire, stimulate and reward successful business performance as they build relationships.

“Utah continues to prove its resiliency and economic prowess as one of the most business-friendly states in the country,” says Jason Watson, president of MountainWest Capital Network. “The Utah 100 aims a shining light upon the businesses who most exemplify this resiliency in Utah.”

Each year, MountainWest chooses the 100 fastest growing companies from a pool of thousands of eligible applicants across the state. Those companies include representatives from all industries, including information technology, biomedical, biotechnical, healthcare, retail, construction and financial services. There are rules to the game: A company has to be a U.S. organization based in Utah, and show significant revenue growth for five consecutive years, as well as innovation and performance.

Davinci Virtual Office Solutions accepted the award on October 6th at the Annual Utah 100 ceremony held at the Grand America Hotel in Salt Lake City. The event was lead by Mountain West Capital Network and Utah Governor Gary Herbert.

“We are honored to be selected as the 6th fastest growing company by the Mountain West Capital Network’s Utah 100,” says Bill Grodnik, CEO of Davinci Virtual. “The award is a tribute to our continued innovation and growth. Our unique virtual office services are in high demand—even in the current challenging economic environment.”

There’s an app for that. COA Network can now make that claim with regard to its iTeleCenter virtual phone system. The company has released a new iPhone app that lets its customers make and receive calls and manage multiple phone numbers from an iPhone. If you have multiple iTeleCenter numbers for different businesses, the iPhone app lets you manage all those numbers right on your phone.

With the iTeleCenter iPhone app, there’s no need to carry around two mobile phones—one for personal use and one for business use—anymore. That’s because the iTeleCenter iPhone app turns your iPhone into a portable mobile office complete with business class, Fortune 500 phone features that adds a new level of professionalism to your small business operations.

If this sounds like the right solution for your business, here’s what you need to do: Get a toll free number from iTeleCenter, then publish a business number for phone calls, inquiries, order placement and faxing. Download the iPhone app and configure the device to receive iTeleCenter calls during business hours. That’s it. It just takes a few minutes.

When you do that, here’s what will happen: You’ll get those business calls to your personal cell phone—and you will know if an incoming call is for business or pleasure before answering so you can change up your greeting accordingly, or decide not to answer. You’ll receive instant alerts about any voicemail or after hours messages. You can place outbound business calls using iTeleCenter’s caller ID to keep personal cell phone numbers private. You can also opt for call recording.

In case you aren’t familiar with iTeleCenter, it’s a cloud-based virtual phone system that requires no new phone lines or VoIP, and no software to buy or gadgets to use. You can use the service on a month-to-month basis—that means no long-term contracts. Essentially, services like iTeleCenter offers you business class phone service at about half the price of a new landline or new mobile phone line. iTeleCenter local and toll free numbers offer features like auto-attendant, call screening, and advanced voicemail.

Although there are many newcomers to the virtual PBX industry, iTeleCenter is not one of them. Paul Champaneria founded COA Network, maker of the product, in 1992. His vision was to create a company focused on the communications needs of direct sales people, real estate professionals, and small and home-based businesses. The iPhone app is the next step in that vision.

Did you read about Sen. Claire McCaskill? She’s drafting legislation that would require call center agents working beyond U.S. borders to reveal exactly where they are located.

“I don’t know about you, but I have called for help sometimes and I can’t get them to tell me where they are, (in cases) when I’ve been frustrated because there’s been a language barrier,” said McCaskill during a news conference on the floor of the call center at Missouri Book Services in Columbia. “I think (the legislation) gives a boost to American-centered call centers because I think most Americans would prefer to use a call center that’s located here in the United States.

McCaskill told her listeners that the number of call centers in Missouri has declined from 13,000 in 2007 to 9,000 today. She points to call center outsourcing to foreign countries as the culprit. Opus Virtual Offices is making a pledge to its customers: all virtual office services are based in the U.S.

“The receptionist service Opus provides to answer clients’ business calls has always been staffed from within the United States. Americans need the jobs and I also know it can be frustrating to get on the phone with an overseas representative if there’s a language barrier,” says Opus Virtual Offices’ CEO Yori Galel. “And with this bill in the news I want to confirm our commitment to exclusive American staffing.”

As Opus defines it, a virtual office includes a corporate mailing address with local phone and fax numbers available in many cities nationwide and technology that converts faxes and voicemail to e-mail. And an earmark of Opus virtual offices is live  receptionists answering calls during business hours. As Galel sees it, this is where trained U.S. based, English as a first language, staffing shines.

Does it matter where your virtual receptionist is based? It may very well, to many customers. It can be difficult to understand thick accents, and often times call centers with overseas personnel don’t seem to understand the callers, either. It can be a recipe for disaster for a small business looking to boost revenue with a more efficient call answering service.