Just thought I would introduce myself quickly as I am in the middle of setting up my small bookkeeping business. I thought I would join the BKN to get some help from the member resources, very pleased that I did!
Decided to take the plunge and become my own boss after working with my father in the family business got a bit too much! I am still studying for my qualification with ICB but I am getting there and I am in no real rush! Just getting some things in place so that I am organised and hopefully don't overlook anything important!
I plan to work from home and have been looking at using some virtual office services when I get up and going, does anyone have experience with using these types of services?
Responses are not meant as a substitute for professional advice. Answers are intended as outline only the advice of a qualified professional with access to all relevant information should be sought before acting on any response given.
I haven't got experience of using commercial virtual office services but, in all truth, I've never found it an issue with a small practice. Call volumes have never been high enough to warrant it.
Provided you can be reached by mobile when you're out of the office during normal working hours, or have a good answerphone message awaiting callers, you'll probably be OK. I'd certainly suggest that it's not really one of your priorities at this stage of setting up.
I know that Kris uses a virtual assistant but I'm a little like yourself.
I have one number from Vonage and if anyone calls that it rings half a dozen phones including the mobile so no matter where I am I can pick up but it seems as though the caller is only phoning one line.
I've actually switched the answer machine off though unless I'm with a client as like Kris said in another thread it doesn't seem to give the professional image and to back that up I know that when I did use one I got an awful lot of calls where the caller hung up rather than leaving a message.
Anyway, the single number, multi phone approach works well for me so like yourself, unless my practice expands rapidly I cannot see myself using virtual services anytime soon.
talk soon,
Shaun.
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Shaun
Responses are not meant as a substitute for professional advice. Answers are intended as outline only the advice of a qualified professional with access to all relevant information should be sought before acting on any response given.
The virtual office wasn't so much for the volume of calls, to be honest I was a little unsure with what to do with my answering system! I really like the idea of Vonage though, thats something I hadn't considered so will look into that. I may still use a virtual mailbox just so I don't have to plaster my home address over everything.
I am still studying for my qualification with ICB but I am getting there and I am in no real rush! Just getting some things in place so that I am organised and hopefully don't overlook anything important!
