Virtual Office Worker

The Uprising of Virtual Business Offices

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Virtual Business Offices have been growing in popularity exponentially for the past few decades. If you have any reasons to believe that a physical office is not for you, then here is a solution perfect for you. Welcome to the modern world where convenience has never been so… convenient!

The Beginning

It is unknown who originally coined the term “virtual office”, but there are two feasible possibilities. One being that in 1989, Ralph Gregory from Boulder, Colorado created The Virtual Office Inc. He built the business to work from home so that he could spend time with his children. However, there is record from 1982 in an article that a John Markoff mentioned “virtual offices”. Markoff wrote “A virtual office would be built around a portable personal computer and local area network that would expand working horizons dramatically”. Regardless of which is the true origin story, the idea of virtual offices have been around for over 30 years. Working away from the site would begin the journey towards convenience for commuters.

The Significance

As time goes on, cities become overwhelmingly populated. This causes difficulty travelling everyday to get to work. Sometimes a simple 20 minute commute to work can turn into 60 minutes if the traffic is bad enough. Perhaps this isn’t enough to convince you of the convenience of virtual offices. Imagine you are located several miles away from your business to the point that commuting to work just isn’t a possibility, and there is no option of moving closer to the location. A virtual office is just what you need. This allows you to work from home for a business that may be across the country should that be the case.

The Advancement of Virtual Offices

In the present day, virtual offices are very common. Due to overpopulation in some cities, commuting is quickly going out of style. Residents are constantly searching for ways to simplify the travel. Virtual offices have risen to popularity because of this issue of inconvenience.

It is not too late to get your virtual office! Here at The Rostie Group, we have many options for you to select from. Check out our web site here!  Try it out and see how you can take care of business from the comfort of your home. Keep your business up to date with modern trends in order to compete! Don’t forget that a virtual office can benefit your clients and business partners as well. Making you look more professional and reliable as an employee or employer.

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Franchise Owner Working from Home

The Advantages of a Virtual Office for Franchise Managers

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Running a franchise, while having your home as your business address may not represent the best side of your business. However, a virtual office with a premier address in Toronto shows others that you mean business.

Convenience

Having a virtual office allows you to avoid all of the daily annoyances of commuting. Nobody enjoys an hour long trip where you find yourself standing squished between a wall and a group of sweaty bodies on the subway. Working from home allows you to stay inside; this way you not only save energy, but you also save a significant amount of time. This way you can yell at your employees for slacking off from the comfort of your own home! Simply dial the number of your franchise’s location and commence shouting. How exciting!

Cost-Effective

Working through a virtual office saves the cost of renting out a physical space elsewhere. Consequently, you will find yourself gradually saving money since you will not be factoring in a cost of rent.

If you are adamant on a space downtown, you will find the cost of rent is not very forgiving. Therefore, it would be most beneficial to search for smaller spaces in order to avoid spending a large amount for an extra 50 square feet.

Not only is the rent of the physical office going to rack up a large bill every month, but you must also consider the cost of commuting. Whether you take public transit or you drive yourself, you will find a significant chunk of your paycheck going towards the trip to work every day.

As briefly mentioned earlier, this idea of a virtual office is essentially the concept of saving a small piece of each paycheck and putting it into a savings account. Rather than this, you are saving pieces of your paycheck by eliminating the cost of commute.

Overall, it is simply much more cost-effective to use a virtual office rather than sacrifice an arm and a leg for a physical office in an expensive neighbourhood. If you have this opportunity for a virtual office,  the only downside is if you wished to share a workspace with your coworkers.

Credibility and Legitimacy

A virtual office gives an impression that you are working for a professional business in a prestigious location. Rather than having your cell phone number as the main form of contact and an unfamiliar address, a virtual office allows you to use an address that suggests your franchise is legitimate and successful. Imagine having your business card include an address for Bay Street. This address will be easily recognized.

On the contrary, 9092 Dirt Boulevard is not going to impress any potential clients. If anything, they might have a disgusted expression on their face because your business is located on a street called Dirt Boulevard…

Morale

A virtual office will improve your mood even if you can stay home only once per week. Being able to get away from the workplace every now and then will give you a chance to catch your breath and feel refreshed for the next time you may have to go in for the day. It may also be good for your employees since they are most likely uptight when you, their boss, is around. You will find that you are not as drained as a lot of your day at work might be devoted to sitting in traffic or waiting for transit. Imagine looking out the window, seeing horrible weather, but realizing you do not have to face those terrible conditions. How satisfying is that? That will definitely have you sighing in relief and perhaps a maniacal laugh at the thought of those who are standing in the rain waiting for the streetcar that is running late as usual…

So if you’re ready to take your franchise business to the next step, then take a look at our available packages and start your Virtual Office today! 

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Mail Forwarding Services

Mail forwarding is not solely a way to get some privacy. The separation between a home address and business address is important. A business address can prove beneficial in many ways as it will weed out unwanted visitors, as well as organize mail so that you do not get overwhelmed by a pile of mail at your home. These reasons and more are enough to reinforce the pros of using a mail forwarding service through a virtual office!

Popular Address

For instance, a well-known address can bring attention to your business. Your virtual office package includes the opportunity for your business to be recognized at an international level! If your address is Wall Street, New York, New York, you’re more likely to have clients that are confident in your business then if your address was Road Street, Moscow. Wall Street is widely known as the business centre of New York City, a well-known city in a well-known country. The address speaks for itself insofar that clients will not question if your business is legitimate and/or professional.

Organization

With an online business, you may not have a physical mailing address. This can present many issues if your business relies on sending and receiving packages. A virtual business office can provide you with a physical address so you’re not forced to use your home address! This can benefit your business as mail forwarding keeps away unwanted guests as well as junk and spam mail. With a virtual office, you need not worry about the time consuming organization of your incoming mail. All you must provide is instructions to your mail forwarding service and let them do the work for you. This cost-effective solution will shave down your responsibilities as a business owner; think of your mail forwarding service as a part of your team!

Convenience

Here’s an interesting fact about mail forwarding; your borrowed mailing address does not need to be local! You could be living in Hong Kong, China, but use an address from London, England! Some mail forwarding services will mail your deliveries to your home address. Also on the subject of convenience, you have 24/7 access to your mail through the service’s interface! You can see if your mail has arrived and when it will be ready for pick up or shipping!

Mail Forwarding is a strategy that is used to ensure confidence in legitimacy, organize overwhelming amounts of deliveries, prevent unwanted visitors at your personal address, and more! Virtual offices are an important factor in a successful business!

So if you’re ready to start getting your mail forwarded, and take advantage of all the benefits it can bring you, then take a look at our available plans and sign up today! 

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Working Virtually on the Holidays

Holidays are better working Virtually

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In some industries, it can be difficult to find time to enjoy the holidays. We all want to visit our friends and family, but you are needed at work. However there is a way to take the time you need for the holidays while still continuing to be productive.

The main issue with taking the holidays off is that not everyone has the same schedule. Not every country celebrates at the same time and the same events, so while you may be preparing to sit with your family about to dig in to a delicious turkey, somewhere else, it is business as usual. And they are waiting for emails and phone calls from you.

If you’re a business owner, you may have reservations about keeping your employees around for the holidays. They deserve the time off and to be with their loved ones for the season. Happy workers are productive workers, and you know that denying them that opportunity will not be beneficial to their long term prospects with you.

At the same time, you need your employees to stay active and continue to work through that season.

The solution to this is simple. You can set up a Virtual Office for your employees. So they can continue to work, while they are away for the holidays.

By running your business from a Virtual Office, you get all the same benefits as a physical location; an address for mail and a place to meet your team and your clients. But you also get the benefits of remote working, such as flexible schedules, avoiding commutes, and massive rent prices.

And with the rapid increases in technology, faster and more reliable internet connections, and more work than ever before being done on a smartphone, there is no reason why your employees can’t be with their families for the holidays.

So take a look at our available packages and select one that fits your budget, and allows your employees and yourself to take the time they need for the holidays.

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Euchre Tournament and Tailgate Party

AON & The Rostie Group’s Third Annual Euchre Bowl – Euchre Tournament And Tailgate Lunch

Euchre Tournament and Tailgate Party

AON and The Rostie Group are proud to present the Third Annual Euchre Bowl. Join us for a Euchre Tournment and a Tailgate Lunch. All while Football is playing on twin 80″ TVs!

There is a $5 donation for lunch, with all proceeds going to the Movember Foundation. The Euchre Tournament has a $10 entry fee (which includes lunch).

RSVP required to join the tournament – please email meetings@rostiegroup.com or fill out the form below to RSVP.

The event is now over! Thank you to everyone who participated! We hope to see everyone next year!

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Virtually Working

Thinking about a Virtual Office?

Modern technology has allowed work to be performed in more places than ever before.

It is common within certain industries to have entire companies work “out of a laptop”. With automation and improved tech, the barriers have been broken and work can be done from anywhere in the world. This has further grown the “work-from-home” model. Many firms have their employees work remotely and save a tremendous amount of money on rent and utilities. Especially in “tech hub” cities where real estate costs are outrageously high.

Any money not spent on rent can be directly reinvested into your business to help it grow.

Not just about the money

Other benefits of a virtual office include:

When thinking of your employees, eliminating commute times and costs leads to higher productivity. Being able to stay home with their kids can make a huge difference in a child’s life. You’ll be able to recruit the best talent, regardless of location, as well as maintain a healthier work environment. Today’s employees aren’t just searching for compensation, they also seek a company with a good reputation and quality benefit plans. An incentive as simple as being able to work from home might sway their decision in your favour.

It’s also easier to expand. If you’re not concerned with the physical size of your company, then you don’t have to worry about expanding real estate, about finding desk spaces for everyone, or even if you have enough chairs to go around. Not to mention that if you have to move your headquarters, you don’t have to worry about who needs to come with you.

The Physical Address

Telecommuting, working from home, and co working spaces can all lower costs, but they do so with one issue of their own: The Physical Address. If your business is run online, and you don’t have a physical location, simple things like receiving mail may become a significant problem. You can always send mail to your home, but is that appropriate?

In business, just as in life, first impressions are everything. Do you really want to give off a weak first impression? Do you feel your potential clients and partners will be comfortable with a business owning a local residential address?

The Rostie Group has the solution:

  • Professional Telephone Answering and Live Receptionist
  • Professional Mail Handling at an Amazing Bay Street Address
  • A La Carte Office and Meeting Room Hours
  • No leases, Mortgages and Rental Contracts
  • Instantly Operational
  • Cut Overheads
  • Handle All Your sales Remotely

Start working from your Virtual Office

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Recruiter Agreement

The Advantages of a Virtual Office for Recruiters

If you’re an independent recruiter you know the challenges of the industry – finding clients, finding candidates – let-alone over-coming “head-hunter” stereotypes.

It’s a challenging job and your focus is on filling your roles. 

As an independent recruiter you may also have the benefits/challenges of working from a home office. The biggest drawback, in my view, is the lack of professional meeting space – coffee shops just don’t cut it – and trying to be your own receptionist and meeting coordinator.

There are also ongoing administrative aspects to your job that require your attention. You have to organize your books, make sure you have insurance, maintain your office, remember your lease, and even something as simple as getting chairs and tables.

None of these things on their own make you money, but they still have to be considered for the health of your business. More importantly, however,  they take your focus away from where it needs to be.

If you’re feeling the stress of your home-based career you may want to consider starting a virtual package with Virtual Business Offices.

As a virtual tenant you will be able to provide your clients and candidates with a prestigious Bay Street address in Toronto’s business district, have access to meeting space and have your calls answered by a live receptionist – they’ll even take your messages and pass them along, so you don’t miss any opportunities!

Our services extend to bank runs, plane and hotel reservations and, calling a taxi or limo to pick up your clients, and if you’re meeting them at our facility, full catering which can be ordered through our online portal.

Please give us a call or visit our website to find out how we can help you succeed.

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Remote Worker

Remote Working into the Future

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The future of remote work will be knowledge and service based. While there will always be positions available in manufacturing and the trades, a lot of those jobs are being shipped overseas. New and emerging technologies are enabling positions and duties to be fulfilled online. In fact, a large percentage of workers are finding themselves in the “gig” economy, completing work from home or from a coffee shop.

In fact, these remote workers may very often be more skilled, more knowledgeable in their specific tasks, and some in far under budget than hiring someone who is more local. Who cares if they’re vacationing in Cabo if all their work is done on time, with attention to detail, and under budget?

In fact, a recent survey of more than 3000 respondents resulted in 65% of workers saying they think they would be more productive at home than in a traditional working environment. 

As an employer, or a worker trying to expand their role, you need to be aware of this. Opportunities are no longer just limited to the downtown core of your particular city. (Even though we absolutely love our downtown core). Many workers now just “work out of a laptop”. Working remotely with a smartphone, a laptop, and a good Wi-Fi signal, companies are built.

Many start-up entrepreneurs live out of their suitcases. Travelling to meet potential clients and investors, and only calling in to check on their team occasionally – and why not? Depending on their position, the CEO does not have to be in the Office with all your workers. Remote decisions can be made in any location.

That does not mean we are advocating for a totally remote experience. You’ll need to meet your team occasionally. All these remote workers are still people, not just the sum of their work output.

But not only is it possible, but in fact is the way forward, to hire remote workers and let them work at their pace, from their location. You’ll retain the talent you need, and have a happier, and more hardworking staff.

If you’re preparing a new venture, or would like to try going remote, take a look at the packages that Virtual Business Offices has available for you, and take the next step into the future of work.

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