For many, especially those in Nigeria, the coronavirus pandemic opened up the idea of working remotely. Employees who have experienced this approach don’t wish to go back to the office space because of the flexibility it affords, the boost in work productivity, and for Lagosians, escape from the dreaded traffic.
This new normal has come to stay and since it affords entrepreneurs and employees the opportunity to achieve work-life-balance, is the time ripe for entrepreneurs and organizations to opt for virtual offices?
In this short guide, I’ll be covering everything you need to know about virtual offices, provide you with a list of virtual offices in Lagos, and hopefully clarify the doubt surrounding the listing of virtual offices in Google My Business.
What is a virtual office?
A virtual office is part of the flexible workspace industry that provides businesses with any combination of services, space and or technology without those businesses bearing the capital expenses of owning or leasing a traditional office.
It gives businesses and organizations the opportunity to create and maintain a presence in a desirable physical location without the need to pay a rent for an actual workspace.
With a virtual office, employees can work from anywhere but still have access to mailing addresses, phone answering services, conference rooms etc., as provided by the virtual office providers. Some might offer more or less, this is dependent on the package subscribed for.
Virtual offices are especially common with SMEs and Startups that want to minimize overhead but want the advantage of locating their business in a highbrow location.
What services does a virtual office provide?
According to the research I carried out on virtual offices in Lagos, I found out that they offer almost similar services, however, for subscribers who wish to have access to more bespoke services, this comes with an increase in price.
The basic packages offered by virtual office providers starts from as low as ₦4000 per month with regards to the location of the virtual office.
Similarly, virtual offices located in Lagos Island are more costly than those on the Mainland. For those who live in Lagos, the reason behind this dichotomy is not far-fetched. Lagos Island is seen as a much more reserved business space when compared to Lagos Mainland.
However, this does not in any way affect the quality of services provided by these agencies. Some of the services offered by virtual office providers includes:
- Business address
Having a business address with a virtual office improves the credibility of your business and lends professionalism to your efforts in running a business. You can also hold physical meetings with clients, this is made available on request.
Your business address can be used on your social media platforms, contact us page on your website as well as listing your business on Google My Business (more on the below).
- Receptionist/ Front Desk
They receive calls on your behalf and book meetings with clients. This adds an air of professionalism to your business which can make it appear bigger than what it is.
- Mail handling services
Virtual office providers also receive and sort out mails. What this means is that you wouldn’t have to bother yourself about missing out on any business package sent to you. Arrangements can also be made with logistics companies to drop off at your preferred location afterwards.
- Meeting rooms
While you may not have access to a full-time desk, they provide you with the option of meeting your clients in a fully operational office space.
Again, be sure to inquire if the package you’re subscribing for has this option included.
These are some of the major services offered by virtual office providers, however, this is subject to change depending on the virtual office provider, location of the agency and the subscription package.
Virtual office providers in Lagos
Due to the nature of the Lagos business space and the numbers of burgeoning entrepreneurs in the state, the need to offer virtual office services is all the more necessary.
Below, I’ve listed some of the major virtual office providers in Lagos. Note that this is not a definitive list of virtual office providers in Lagos, I barely scratched the surface.
Some of these agencies don’t offer outright virtual office plans, but have packages that are similar to it.
- Venia Business Hub – Lekki
- Workbay – Ikeja
- eoffice – Victoria Island
- CubeHub – Ikeja
- Instant Offices – Lagos Island/ Victoria Island
- Ago – Ikeja
- Sterling Virtual Offices – Ikoyi
- 33b Flexible Offices – Victoria Island
- ReDahlia Workspaces – Ikeja
What are the advantages of virtual offices?
- Lower cost of operation
The cost of using a virtual office can run from as low as ₦4000 to ₦6000 for the basic plans on a month-to-month lease.
This is far less than that of a traditional office because you don’t get to pay for maintenance and upkeep costs. Also, if you include the cost of transportation to work, you’d agree that with a virtual office, you spend less.
- Flexibility of lease
Most virtual offices can be secured on a month-to-month or pay as you go basis, which means that if your business changes you don’t have to wait for your lease to expire before moving.
This is one aspect that startups and SMEs will relish because you don’t have to lease for a year.
- Business address in a credible location:
With virtual office packages, your business can have the exposure it truly deserves without tearing your pocket.
Your business can be located in a credible business space. This encourages professionalism and improves brand credibility for entrepreneurs as opposed to using your home address as your business address.
Are virtual offices allowed on Google My Business?
For most small business owners and entrepreneurs, this is one of the most important questions to ask before opting for virtual office services.
Google My Business is probably one of the best free advertising tools out there for business owners and also one of the surest ways of improving your website’s SEO efforts.
Google My Business is a free and easy-to-use tool for businesses and organizations to manage their online presence across Google, including Search and Maps. To help customers find your business and to tell them your story, you can verify your business and edit your business information.
To help businesses manage their account, Google My Business also comes with an app, with this you can make edits and verify your business on the go.
Now, to the big question: are virtual offices allowed on Google? Due to the nature of virtual offices, there have been reports that Google has been cracking down on virtual offices around the world.
According to the Google My Business guidelines for representing your business on Google, listings on Google My Business can only be created for businesses that either have a physical location that customers can visit, or that travel to visit customers where they are.
Google states, “in order to qualify for a Business Profile on Google, a business must make in-person contact with customers during its stated hours”. Meaning, if my business hours listed on Google is 09:00 – 17:00 hours, I must be able to meet with clients during this period.
Please, stay with me here. Under the “Ineligible businesses” section of the guidelines, Google states that “rental or for-sale properties such as vacation homes, model homes, or vacant apartments (are not eligible for a business listing). Sales or leasing offices, however, are eligible for verification”.
If there’s any doubt as to whether virtual offices are allowed on Google My Business, this should clarify that doubt.
Using a legitimate virtual office will not lead to any negative impact on a legitimate business as long as you can verify your business. Share on X
Similarly, from the research I carried out on businesses operating virtual offices within Lagos, none has been suspended on Google My Business (if you’re reading this and your virtual office business listing on Google My Business was suspended, kindly leave a comment below. This is for businesses operating within Lagos alone).
The crackdown on virtual offices by Google was to tackle the issues of illegitimate businesses listing on Google My Business. If you operate a legitimate business and meet with clients during your listed business hours, then you should have nothing to worry about.
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