Travelling CEOs definitely need virtual services to make sure their business never sleeps and no necessary tasks go undone. There are a number of things to consider when taking your business on the road, from where your “office” should be located, to how the phones are going to get answered, or how critical tasks and projects are going to get completed.
After all, you can’t do it all yourself and still have an enjoyable life on the road, right? Keep reading to learn the 5 key components to running your business in the virtual environment.
1. Virtual Phone Number
A virtual phone number is a number, or set of numbers you purchase, that clients from anywhere around the globe can use to get in touch with you. They’re highly customizable and can be either a standard 1-800 toll-free number, or local numbers located in the areas your best customers live in.
A virtual phone number can be a game changer for any mobile CEO in 2018 and beyond. In days gone by, entrepreneurs would have to worry about long distance and international calling charges. They’d at one time have to buy a separate smartphone or SIM card for every country they visited and did business in.
Those days are gone!
A virtual phone number offers unparalleled flexibility to modern CEOs, with features like benefits of call routing to your current headquarters, or a receptionist or IVR. You can receive calls from anyone, anywhere, without the worry of scaring off customers who don’t want to pay long distance, or distressing that you’ll miss a call because of mix-ups between different national and international carriers.
2. Virtual Receptionist
A virtual receptionist is like any other receptionist. They can take calls, and even make calls on your behalf. Virtual receptionists can be found on job boards online, via online marketing forums, and sourced from reputable virtual service providers.
This job can be on-demand, part or full time. The built in flexibility and cost saving of going virtual means you never have to worry about missing another important phone call or message. It’s a proven fact that three-quarters of people who call your business, and don’t get answer, will not leave a message and will never call back again.
A receptionist bridges the gap between you and customers, whether you’re available and need your calls screened, have to take a few minutes to yourself. Then there are the times when your phone is ringing off the hook and you need someone to keep people on the line and assure them you’ll be right with them.
3. Virtual Team
Having a virtual receptionist handling your phones is one thing. Being able to assemble and rely on an entire virtual team of professionals, with skills that match your business needs is indispensable for saving time and completing projects on time. Virtual assistants come from all walks of life, ranging from menial task workers like data entry and content posting, to more complex tasks like copywriting, bookkeeping, and professional billing.
Of course, it’s never easy hiring staff in this day and age. There are so many virtual workers out there on forums and classified websites, it can get very frustrating finding the right fit for your business. After all, you can’t save more time if you’re spending every spare moment on recruiting!
By embracing a virtual service firm, busy CEOs can take the guesswork out of hiring. There are several of these types of companies to choose from, and they’ll take the reins when it comes to finding you competent virtual assistants to complete the tasks and projects you need done. It’s really easy to test, train, or eliminate candidates as needed when using a virtual service provider with several assistants to choose from.
4. Virtual Office
A virtual office bridges the gap between travel and a consumer’s need to do business with established companies that have solid “roots”. Your roots are where all business starts and ends, and it’s super important for clients and customers to see your company has a legitimate base of operations.
A blogger can easily get away with telling their readers they run their blog from a suitcase and laptop. A CEO running a “real” business needs to have a real address. Virtual offices are actually real, despite their name which implies they reside somewhere between our realm and the land of Narnia.
You can rent a virtual office on any continent around the world you wish. Go with a big virtual service brand that services global customers, or a smaller more cozy brand operating in a single city, country, or continent. Most will offer physical access to the offices you rent, to use amenities like WiFi, fax, printer, desks, lounges, etc. Bigger services will also offer the other solutions mentioned already in this article.
5. Virtual Technology
The list of virtual technology for business is endless. Barebones, you’re going to need a solid mobile phone with the most recent iOS or Android OS installed. Regular WiFi access is also a must, which is a service that’s fast becoming almost impossible to go without, no matter what country you find yourself travelling to.
Cloud storage and data backup is also a must. Consider what would happen if you dropped your phone into the Atlantic ocean, or off a cliff somewhere way up high in the Andes? Running a virtual business using cloud based services from your phone or device means you need a backup plan, or things can get much trickier in the blink of an eye!
Then there’s the litany of apps that any given CEO might need to manage their business while on the road. There are too many too choose, from accounting to marketing — collaboration to time management. Don’t leave things to chance and run your business the old-fashioned way; apps can literally help keep you on the road and out of the office indefinitely.
The truth is, virtual services have evolved so much in the last ten years that no business ever needs to be run from a central location. Using these and other virtual services can help keep any CEO living and working in wanderlust mode indefinitely.