There are huge variation in standards, service and support when it comes to Dublin based virtual office providers. To help you to weigh up the various options here are some essential considerations that you may not have thought about:
1. Dependability
Your chosen virtual office provider will handle business critical tasks for you so choosing a reputable provider is essential. One of the first things to check is how long they have been in business and whether they have a solid track record.
Longevity: You don’t want to sign up with a provider who quickly goes out of business leaving you with your post being returned to sender as well as the hassle of changing your business address. Longevity in business for virtual office providers is a key indicator of reliability.
Rent or Own ?: Ask also whether they own or rent their building location. Some providers rent their locations as it allows them to expand more quickly but the downside is that they are themselves tenants. This means that their lease will expire at some stage and it also means that they will be subject to rent reviews (usually every 5 years) which in expensive areas of Dublin can lead to unaffordable rent hikes.
If your operator unexpectedly goes out of business or looses their property under a lease arrangement then you’ll be faced with challenges. Your mail will be undeliverable and returned to sender which indicates to your customers and clients that you may have gone out of business. You’ll also have the time consuming and form filling task of changing your address on the CRO, with the revenue commissioners, your bank and your customers, all of which takes time. Even worse, you’ll run the risk future mail being incorrectly delivered to your old address.
Choosing a virtual office provider who is new to the market with an unproven business model comes with risk. Always get comfortable that you are dealing with an established operator and ask relevant questions before signing up.
2. An Online Customer Platform
We continue to be surprised at the number of Dublin Virtual office providers who do not have an online customer platform. Many continue to use a manual email system for mail notifications and for sending scanned documents which is both inefficient and unsecured.
A digital platform allows for digitisation of your mail which provides efficiency, instant online access to your mail as well as a tracking and accountability facility. At the very least, a reputable virtual office provider should have a system that notifies you in real time of when you receive mail with the option to instantly view an image of the item online (for example a photograph of the envelope). More dynamic platforms will also include an option to choose how you would like each item of mail to be managed, for example, scanned, forwarded, recycled or picked up.
An online mail system should also be encrypted and have built in tracking and accountability whereby you can look back on all your previous mail. Cloud storage of all scans should also be available and easily downloadable in word searchable .pdf format.
If your virtual office provider doesn’t have a digitised customer platform then not only are you missing out on all of these digital features chances are they are either inexperienced and / or doing things cheaply. Even if the price offering is enticing, trusting your critical business mail to a novice virtual office provider things can end badly.
3. Robust Internal Systems
Virtual office providers with large volumes of mail need a dedicated infrastructure. Many new entrances to the market start off with just a part time staff member who also has other duties, using a laptop and a scanner. Beware as a flimsy post room infrastructure will lead to mistakes, lost mail and unhappy customers. When shopping around for a virtual office provider, ask about their internal systems for managing mail.
Some questions you might consider asking are:
- Do they have a dedicated and adequately staffed post room ?
- How is mail managed ?
- Is it secure and encrypted ?
- Have they ever lost mail ?
- How much post do they receive each day and do they have the infrastructure for managing volume?
- Are staff sufficiently trained?
Business mail and courier deliveries can be critical for operations so your provider needs a firm protocol in place for dealing with all incoming items. You need a virtual office provider who will look after your mail, have it categorised, filed and available for future action requests (scanning, forwarding) at the click of a mouse.
When making your choice we recommend strongly that you don’t use price as the only selection criteria. Sometimes the cheap and cheerful option can work but if you haven’t looked closely at the standard being offered and fully considered what your actually business needs it can will cost you in the medium and the long term.
4. Excellent Customer Service
Allowing customers to use an address is the easy part of running a virtual office business. The real test of a high quality provider is in their customer service and responsiveness.
Mail and especially courier delivers can be time critical so there will be occasions where you may want to be able to contact your provider urgently and get a fast and helpful response.
Virtual office customers also tend to want slight different set up’s depending on what kind of business they are operating. For example, many prefer all of their mail to be scanned in and made digitally available where as some prefer all their mail to be automatically forwarded to another address. Some customers also prefer to pick and choose depending on the item of mail that’s received.
This type of flexibility and attention to customer needs tends to be offered only by the most experienced operators. Given that you are entrusting your critical business mail to them, we would always recommend finding out more before committing.
Ask to speak with someone before signing up and look for providers that offer responsive and accessible customer service through multiple channels, such as phone, email, or live chat. Look also for customer reviews, testimonials, and online ratings. A Dublin virtual office provider with a strong track record and positive reviews is much more likely to offer reliable and professional services. Don’t hesitate to ask for references or case studies from existing clients to get a better sense of their performance.
5. A licence from the Department of Justice
Like any commercial service, the use of Virtual offices are unfortunately susceptible to bad actors. In particular those who may attempt to conceal their identity for nefarious reasons to perpetrate online fraud and money laundering. To combat this all virtual office providers in Ireland must apply and maintain an up to date licence from the Department of Justice. The licence is called a Trust Company Service Provider licence and it is available only to operators who can demonstrate their ability to property identify their customers and also maintain and uphold internal policies and procedures to combating money laundering and fraud on an ongoing basis
You’ll want to use a virtual office operator who is fully licenced by the department as it shows that they are only interested in working with legitimate businesses and have their house in order when it comes to complying with the rules.
Unlicensed providers are breaking the law: If a virtual office provider does not hold this licence then it it breaking the law and it’s operation can be shut down without notice. If you are unlucky enough to be a customer of an unauthorised operator then an unforeseen shutdown will leave you with undelivered mail, the hassle of changing your address and possible repetitional damage to your own business. When shopping around for a Dublin virtual office you should always ask the provider about their licence. Enquire also as to whether it it up to date and if any conditions have been applied.
6. Access to meeting rooms and day offices
You may not need it right away but access to the physical spaces at your virtual office address location is very important. Having access to on site meeting spaces and day desks will give you the flexibility to meet clients and customers at your actual address and to have professional in person team meetings with your staff. Access to the physical space will increase your credibility as a real business and will boost your professionalism in the eyes of your prospective customers.
You may also be glad of the option to access the physical spaces in order to demonstrate to third parties or regulatory bodies that you have a physical connection with the address. Some regulatory and industry bodies can be unhappy with a bare business address and will insist that you can show access rights to us the physical space.
A realtime and online booking system offering on demand access is a huge bonus. The best operators will have invested in an online platform where you can see realtime availability and book both meeting spaces and day desks in one click and with one monthly invoice.
As your business grows your virtual office needs will evolve. Choose a provider that can scale with your business. Whether you need more sophisticated services or even a transition to a physical office, the provider should be able to accommodate your growth. This ensures you won’t need to switch providers and disrupt your business.
Our Dublin Postal Address and Mail Handling Service
Get A Dublin Virtual Office Address from €29 /month
Based on a yearly plan
We offer a premier business address and mail handling service in one of Dublin’s most prestigious buildings; Our service includes:
- Legal Business Address & Mail Handling: Use our address for business registration, CRO registration, Revenue Applications, business correspondence, marketing materials and and client meetings.
- Digital and Dynamic Mail Handling: Get notified when you receive new mail and use the online Mail Platform to view your mail, make action requests such as open and scan, forward, shred or come and collect.
- Professional Image: Using your home address will loose you clients. Instead, enhance your business profile with a credible and visible Dublin address.
By choosing our service, you not only gain a prestigious address but also you’ll dramatically cut your costs by comparison if you were to rent a high street premises. Lower start up costs means better chance of survival in the early stages of business and ultimately higher profits.
Conclusion
Choosing the right virtual office provider is a critical decision that can impact your business’s efficiency, reputation, and growth potential. Before signing up, it’s worth having a good look at your chosen provider to ensure that you are getting high quality service and that their operation aligns with your actual business needs Take the time to research and compare your options to make an informed choice that will benefit your business in the long run.
