Nowadays businesses do not necessarily require to have a physical location and they do not have to invest in a lease or pay rent on a location. With the developments in technology, businesses and their employees can work whenever and from wherever they like. Not only do virtual offices allow businesses and their employees to save commute time, and money but also it increases productivity, lower technology costs, lower overhead costs and produces low turnover rates.

Virtual offices allow businesses to have the following:

1. A PRESTIGIOUS BUSINESS ADDRESS
Home-based businesses are becoming more and more popular. Having the physical address that comes with a virtual office adds value to the business. Along with that meeting potential clients in a professional setting has the best frit impression. Having a postal address and a private mailbox will help businesses to look more prestigious than having their home address. And also, you will have the privacy of not giving out your home address to the clients.

2. VIRTUAL ASSISTANTS
Virtual assistants can help manage your daily incoming calls and leads. They can help with scheduling appointments, arranging meetings, payment processing, prepare documents, print/ copy the documents and help with scanning and forwarding your mail. You can use a virtual landline number instead of using your cell/home number. The virtual assistants can screen your calls, forward the calls accordingly and handle the marketing calls as per your request.

3. COST-EFFECTIVE
A virtual office allows businesses to work remotely by providing a range of business functions and also create a presence in a desirable location without the need to pay rent for the actual office. Traditional office space comes with a lot of cost such as rent, utilities, IT infrastructure, furniture, etc. A virtual office allows you to use the traditional office space as per your needs. You can access fully furnished offices and conference rooms that are equipped with updated tools.

4. SAVES COMMUTE TIME AND MONEY
Utilizing a virtual office means being able to work whenever and from wherever you want. Whereas, working in a traditional office means getting ready for work and traveling to get to your office. With the use of a virtual office, you can work comfortably from your home office or from a fully furnished private office.

At Officense, we give you virtual office solutions to make working remotely work for you. There are virtual office assistants and live receptionists to answer your calls and handle your administrative needs. We give you a professional face, help you communicate with clients, and provide you with the tools to work remotely.

Officense offers many services that can help your virtual business run smoothly. Virtual phone services with virtual office assistants to handle your calls, set appointments and follow up with leads. We also provide a business mailing address and virtual address mail forwarding. We give you the tools and technology to increase productivity and communication, all at an affordable price. Officense also provides instant office space, giving you a professional setting when you need it. So, give Officense a call at (410) 814-7500 to find your virtual office solution, today!

Reducing travel is considered one of the major advantage of video conferencing. However, the benefits of video calls are much more far-reaching. One of the benefits of video conferencing is it reduces the amount of time wasted in meetings. As of now businesses acknowledge the benefits and prefer working remotely rather than having to travel to a specific office. In a survey of 4,700 users, the top benefits of video conferencing were cited as:

• Increased efficiency and productivity – 94%
• Increased impact of discussions – 88%
• Expedited decision-making – 87%
• Reduced travel – 87%

 The rise of Video Conferencing

Initially, video calls were used simply to reduce travel costs. But today, the benefits of collaboration are growing the demand for video conferencing. Businesses find it easier to collaborate and work via video calls. More and more companies are switching from having communication through video calls rather than using emails and phone. Clients and team members can see face-to-face without having to travel to the same place and can participate and contribute their inputs during the meetings. According to Simplicity in the New World of Video Conferencing, between 2013 and 2015, VC use grew by 87%. Of the companies surveyed, 71% added more VC rooms during those two years. Predictions call for a conferencing services market growth rate of 4.1% between 2014 and 2021. Therefore, this shows that the market is in a phase of rapid and ongoing transition.

Benefits

Video conferencing technology does not only cut the travel expense but also makes meetings faster, easier, focused and agenda-oriented. By meeting more quickly and frequently, you can encourage your employees to maximize productivity and increase the effectiveness of shared time.  In a matter of few clicks, you can connect to your team, clients and communicate at any time and from any part of the world. It honestly can’t get any easier. Some of the main reasons companies are using video conferencing more than ever are:

• Cost savings
• Improved Productivity and optimized operations
• Improved efficiency
• Raid outreach
• Increased employee satisfaction and its benefits
• Improved communication and more solid relationships
• Support for green initiatives
• Move a company more effectively towards its goals
• Encourage partnership/joint efforts
• Deliver faster problem solving and increased innovation
• Improve job satisfaction and employee retention

At your service

Officense has the tools and resources you need to make your business grow and achieve your business goals! Officense video conferencing services provide the simplicity of setting up a conference at any time. Expanded hours are available to access video conference rooms 24/7. In addition, administrative and business services are also available per request.

Book[https://www.officense.com/legal-professionals/] your next video conference at Officense today!

The Impact of Technology on CPA’s

Development in technology is changing our everyday lives. It is transforming the economy and the way we do business. In respect to that, there have been extensive changes in client demands, and employment practices. CPA’s are among the group of professions which have been impacted extensively by the innovation of new technologies. With the advanced technology, online tax services, online payment options, and increased competition, CPA’s are pressured to lower their service cost and fees.

Working as a CPA is not easy at all, especially if you’re a solo practitioner or a small firm. Attracting new clients, staying up-to-date software and mobile devices, fighting deadlines, managing staff issues and managing cash flows and late payments, dealing with the incoming client calls, and scheduling appointments can become overwhelming for a CPA.

Major Challenges:

As per the 2016 IFAC Global SMP Survey, one of the significant challenges that small and middle-sized accounting practices consider the most important (high or very high impact) is:

• Experiencing pressure to lower fees (41 percent)
• Rising costs (39 percent)
• Differentiating from the competition (39 percent)
• Technology developments (35 percent)
• Personnel and staffing issues (33 percent)

According to Deloitte CEO Cathy Engelbart “As new tools augment our profession and streamline certain tasks, accountants will not only have to embrace new ways of working but take on expanded roles — as data analysts and other specialists,” Being a solo CPA or the owner, you need to accomplish several tasks from marketing your service to time management to hiring the right people to maintain a good relationship with your clients.

“Artificial intelligence, cognitive computing, blockchain, and even more mainstream technologies like cloud computing and social media are transforming what accounting and finance professionals do — and what they need to know. Our very existence depends on our ability to learn the skills that will let us work side-by-side with the machines and do the things they cannot yet do.” CPA’s need to have a clear vision about how they want to run their business concerning the newer technology and what they need to accomplish to keep their clients happy.

CPA’s need to come up with alternatives that add value to their service. So, they need to come up with features associated with technology that helps in reducing costs and increasing productivity. Overall, they should focus on how to enhance their service without having to lower their fees and at the same time build a strong relationship with their clients. “By automating parts of the business processes, AI grants accountants more time to serve as a strategic partner to clients and provide data-driven insights to inform business decisions,” said Jennifer Warawa, executive vice president of partners, accountants, and alliances at Sage.

To make the CPA’s life easier various solutions can be followed:

Hiring a team of virtual assistants will help with the handling of incoming calls, scheduling appointments, preparing your documents, and other daily functions. With the help of an Officense virtual assistant, you will be able to focus on your clients, provide them with a better service, and build a stronger relationship with them.

Officense will assist both small and large CPA firms in reducing their workload, costs, and offer value-added services to meet clients changing demand and expectations. While no online tax services or big firms can promise a receptionist will answer their calls 24 hours a day, Officense allows you to do just that.  At Officense, we help YOU give your company the consistent, professional image you and your clients deserve. Our on-site receptionists will greet your clients in a friendly manner and project a professional image for your company 24/7. For further information, give us a call at (410)814-7500.