FAQ

Here at Capital Office, we are often asked questions about our virtual office services from business owners that are interested in working with us.We thought it would be useful to explain how we operate and also to compile a list of the most common questions that we are asked about our virtual business services. We hope the following information and FAQ's help to answer your questions, but if not then do not hesitate to contact our friendly team who will be happy to answer your questions.You can give us a call on 0207 566 3939. Email us at OFFICE@CAPITAL-OFFICE.CO.UK Or pop in to see us in person at our offices at Capital Office, Kemp House, 152 - 160 City Road, London, EC1V 2NX. Our offices are open Monday to Friday 9.00 a.m. – 5.00 p.m.

Do I need an office?

After many years of providing virtual office services for business owners based all across the UK, we talk to people every day that still don't know what a 'virtual office' is or how virtual services work.With the advancements in modern technologies, there are so many different workplace options open to business owners that it can make your head spin! How we work has been changing rapidly over recent years and the traditional office set up is no longer seen as your only choice.These days your business does not need to operate from just one single physical office space. Modern workers are no longer tied to a desk or need to commute to a place of work every day.

Modern workplace options

Whether you are looking to set up a brand new business, or you want to streamline your existing operation to cut costs, business owners can now choose how they operate, including:

• Having one traditional physical office base
• Flexible co-working space
• Running a hot-desking system
• Using virtual office services
• Employing remote workers
• Working from your home office

Office rent and availability

Another factor that will impact on how you run your business is the availability of suitable office space in your ideal location. If you plan to rent office space to work from you will need to find somewhere that is easily accessible to you and easy for your staff to commute to and from each day.What most business owners find is that there isn't often any suitable office space available that not only fits the right location but often also comes with a huger price tag for rent, business insurance, utilities and services.You may also find that renting the office space comes with a very inflexible contract that could be costly to get out of should you find the premises unsuitable further down the line.If you are a sole trader, solo-entrepreneur or small partnership and you live and work many miles outside of a major city, then an alternative office set-up such as a complete virtual office will be of a huge benefit to your business.

What is a Virtual Office?

A complete virtual office can act to replace your traditional office set up where you would normally have physical desks, phones, computers and all the other services and expenses that come along with it.A virtual office is exactly the same, just without the physical element and associated costs and overheads that a physical office incurs.With a complete virtual office package, such as the one available from Capital Office, you are also provided with an official central-London business address where all of your business correspondence goes to.Our team of professional mail sorters will take care of your business post and can even sign for your business parcels and packages on your behalf.

Can I book separate virtual services?

If you don't want to use our complete virtual office solution, you can book each of our virtual service options separately. You can choose from:Our Professional Business Address service (mail sorting and forwarding): A London address for you to use on your company website, company correspondence etc.Our Registered Business Address service: To use with HMRC and Companies House.Our Directors Service Address: To keep your private home address off the Public Record.Unlimited Live Call Answering service: Taking your incoming business phone calls and answering with a greeting of your choice. Calls can be forwarded or a message taken.Voicemail only call answering service: Have your own London phone number with voicemail message taking. Receive an email alert instantly. 24/7 access to your messages with PIN protection. Ideal for business owners that need to work undisturbed.Professional meeting rooms: Benefit from using professional, unbranded, modern, central-London based meeting room facilities to meet with and impress your clients.Our flexible virtual office services offer you the right support at the right time. We are here when you need us and you can easily add on extra services as your business grows and you need a little extra help without the expense of hiring a full-time employee of your own.

What happens to my business mail?

On arrival at our central-London office base, your business post will be handled to your specifications:

• You may want us to collect your post together and then simply forward it to you at your preferred address on a regular schedule that suits you
• You can have your post opened and scanned. We will then forward your scanned letters to you via email
• If you are located close to London or visit the city regularly, then you can arrange to drop into our offices to collect your mail at your convenience

Who would normally use Virtual Office services?

The Virtual Office Service users we help and support come from a very diverse range of backgrounds and business professions.From busy single sole traders who need help managing their business calls when they are busy, to solo-entrepreneurs wanting to build a strong business reputation through using our professional business address services, we can help everyone!Our virtual office services bring benefits to just about any company or business set-up – large or small. Whether you are starting off small and lean to keep your overheads to an absolute minimum, to a large international business that needs to have a London-based presence for their company.

Can I set up a virtual office in the UK for my overseas business?

If you are not a UK resident then you still make use of our virtual office services to give your business a London-based hub. This can help your UK based customers or clients to have a convenient London address and phone number to contact and send mail to.We can forward your mail to an overseas address of your choosing, or you can benefit from our scan and email option to get your business mail notifications instantly.

Can I speak to a real person about your services?

Yes, you can! We have a friendly team of people here at Capital Office that make up our customer service base. If you need any help or guidance about any of our services, you can give us a call on 0207 566 3939 and speak to one of our lovely team members. You can also live-chat with us from our website – we are here to help!