Master the Lingo: Six Virtual Office Terms and What They Mean

If you're thinking about a virtual office, knowing the terminology is imperative in understanding how to operate your business and ensuring you get all of the things you're looking for. While the following terms won't tell you everything, they will give you a good place to start.

Hot Desking

Particularly useful in an office scenario where employees may be out of the office frequently, hot desking refers to a set area or set of cubicles that are used by a number of different employees. For those who may not be in the office all the time, hot desking can serve different users based on who requires the workspace. Not only does this save money on additional office products, it also saves on valuable floor space.

Web Based Office Suites

A vital tool in the virtual office business, web based office suites make it much easier for a business to store files online, collaborate on them and share them when it's required. These suites generally consist of tools for word documents, spreadsheets, instant messaging, web conferencing, email and other items that will be necessary for this type of virtual office setup.

Web Conferencing

Essential to long distance communication, web conferencing is even more necessary in a virtual office where people who work together may not work side by side. This service will allow people to conduct presentations and meetings online and will also provide a platform through which they can collaborate and work on projects. When you're deciding on your service package, make sure that web conferencing is part of the deal.

Retainer Fee

A payment term that is used quite frequently in the industry, a retainer fee refers to the amount that is given to an employee to ensure they will be receiving payment for their work. As an advance payment on services that will be rendered in the future, this implies that a certain time frame or number of hours are going to be worked in the future.

Virtual Assistant

As someone who will not be full time and can work for multiple employers at once, a virtual assistant can answer the phone, book appointments, answer emails and complete all the required tasks of the job from their home. While this is a beneficial cost saving measure for someone who may not need full time help, it also puts the added gloss of professional representation into the mix.

Teleworkers

As employees who do not actually have to travel to work, teleworkers begin their day by logging into the system remotely. Since the worker is able to save time and transportation by not having to travel to work and the business saves on office space, teleworking is a beneficial scenario for everyone. In addition, the more flexible schedule of a teleworker can make for a happier, more productive employee. With the added capability of modern technology, virtual offices are becoming more of a reality. Knowing these terms and learning how they can help you may ensure that you can achieve virtual office success in the future!