A digital economy is one that’s run 100 percent using computing technologies on the Internet. This is why it’s often nicknamed the “Internet economy.” More and more businesses every day are deciding to embrace the idea of running their businesses virtually, even entirely on the Internet.
The idea that we need a central location to run our business from in the digital economy is fast becoming outdated. No longer does a business need to have the biggest skyscraper on Wall Street, New York or Bay Street, Toronto to hang with the big boys.
A virtual office operates just like any other office environment. Virtual offices can be rented anywhere, have zero overhead costs to a business and often require no lease, meaning the business can pick up shop and change HQs at any time.
There are a number of benefits offered by a Virtual HQ for the digital world, which has enabled the digital economy to flourish.
Virtual HQs: Centralized address without the need for a centralized team
A digital economy can definitely run from a single location; there’s no arguing this fact. However, the beauty of running a cloud-based business is that you and your team can head out to anywhere in the world you choose, to generate unlimited revenue, while business operations never experience the traditional hiccups that used to occur.
With the use of VOIP, no business is ever far from the ability to assemble and have a meeting. The choice whether to collaborate from far away has never been so easy as it is today. Teams can upload and view data, exchange ideas, and improve operations without ever needing to assemble in the same room.
Consumers are never the wiser
Few consumers actually understand, or really need to understand how the virtual business environment operates. All they’ll see is a reputable address for your headquarters attached to the business. Regardless if you operate strictly as ecommerce or mainly engage in offline service activities, customers never need to know that you’re using a virtual headquarters.
Office location has always been a big motivator for consumers. An office in the less desirable areas of a city or town are just fine for a motorcycle shop. However, if you’re operating in the financial sector or some other industry that requires more class, you need to be centrally located in an area that lets the world know you’ve arrived.
Productivity goes through the roof in a virtual environment
Productivity definitely goes up when running your business in the cloud. Employees can work at their own pace, on their own schedule. Sales and marketing professionals can work from any location they want to generate bigger and better contracts. Managers and employees alike can enjoy better work/life balance while still being connected to what’s going on.
When productivity skyrockets, so too does the business. In the digital economy, there’s no reason for any business to do things the old-fashioned way.
As detailed here, the key to really making productivity work for the betterment of any company is “virtualizing” everything about the way it works. Considering that everything else in our lives to this point is all based on cloud-based technology, the last step in moving to a fully digital way of doing business is the advent of the digital office.
Virtual headquarters helps move the “green” movement forward
In a world where everyone is attached to their devices and looking for the latest and greatest on social media, we’re also in love with the idea of preserving the little pristine wilderness we have left. The idea of going green means fewer carbon emissions and reducing the number of new commercial and residential developments cropping up each and every year.
Every company that chooses to head their business from a virtual office saves another one being built for that purpose. Fewer carbon emissions are created because there isn’t an office full of extra people burning up electricity and other resources, including using water, heat, AC, paper, etc.
That said, your virtual HQ is still a headquarters that you can use as needed (Ie., most providers allow limited access to the facilities or unlimited access for an additional per-use or monthly fee).
There’s nothing to fear!
Our lives have been completely turned upside down by digital technology. There’s been much worry as of late about the direction we’re all heading. It seems everyone from age 8 to 55 only have eyes for their smartphone.
This can be a concern, as movies like the Terminator series often foretell of a future ruled by machines seeking to rid the world of all traces of humanity. However, the simple act of embracing technology to make your business run better, make faster progress, and innovating to no end is anything but a bad thing.
We’ve long passed the time when people had to follow in their parent’s blue collar footsteps. And, we’ve also surpassed the days when “scanning data” literally meant scanning through boxes of paper data. The age of the almighty brick-and-mortar office HQ are also long gone.
This is the digital age. Welcome to the future!
