The market for virtual offices is booming. Why has demand for renting a business address with call answering in the company’s name risen so sharply in recent years? Which companies use the service? And what different types of virtual offices are available? We spoke to Dr Andre Helf, CEO of Collection Business Center, which operates 10 locations in the flexible workspace sector across Austria and Germany.
Virtual office solutions are in ever-increasing demand – why is that?
Dr Helf: Our customers are becoming increasingly price-conscious and are increasingly faced with the question of how they can reduce and make their costs more flexible, whilst still maintaining a presence at prime addresses and in impressive buildings. A virtual office makes it easy to meet these requirements. Instead of being tied to a physical office – which isn’t necessary at all, as staff work from home – companies are turning to virtual office solutions. This allows them to rent, with no fuss whatsoever, simply the business address, which is always highly prestigious in the areas where we are located: for example, Kurfürstendamm in Berlin, Neuer Wall in Hamburg, Königstraße in Stuttgart, Rudolfplatz in Cologne or Tuchlauben in Vienna. Clients use this address as their business address, thereby not only building trust with their business contacts but often also creating a sense of local proximity. Professionalism and constant availability are conveyed through the answering of calls in the company’s name, which our on-site teams organise. This ensures that no incoming call ends up on a mobile phone or voicemail. The way our secretarial team answers calls gives clients an extremely professional impression. Naturally, we also accept incoming post and parcels on behalf of our clients. For occasional meetings at our locations, our virtual office clients have access to day offices, lounges and meeting rooms. And all this at very affordable prices and on the basis of contracts that can be terminated at short notice, thus posing no long-term financial risk.
How much does it cost to rent a virtual office at the Collection Business Centre?
Dr Helf: We offer the business address on its own from a net monthly price of 85 euros. We offer the classic virtual office – which includes a prestigious business address and the answering and forwarding of calls in the client’s company name – from a net monthly price of 139 euros.
Can a company incorporate as a limited company register its registered office via a virtual office?
Dr Helf: Whilst a standard virtual office is sufficient for registering a registered office in Austria, limited companies in Germany always require a physical workspace where they can be contacted and their business documents are accessible. As part of our virtual office solutions, our clients receive all the benefits of a virtual office plus a permanent workspace in our co-working offices. These packages start from a net monthly price of 299 euros.
Which companies rent virtual offices?
Dr Helf: That’s difficult to categorise. In principle, virtual office solutions are suitable for all companies, regardless of their size or sector. However, what all virtual office clients have in common is that they require a prestigious business address and a professional telephone answering service in their company name.
How important are virtual offices for you as a business centre operator?
Dr Helf: As a separate business division, virtual office clients are a key pillar of our profitability. We can see this from the fact that we have locations serving over 300 companies in virtual offices. And the trend is still rising.