WORKING FROM HOME – THE NEW NORMAL

The Covid-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic has had devastating effects on the community and on business. And nowhere more so than in the UK.  Small businesses need to prepare for what will be the new norm.  It seems like home working will play a major part in this new normal.  Many people are changing their working habits.  Instead of working in large open plan offices where social distancing is just not possible, they are starting stay at home businesses themselves. Having a home business with a virtual city office address in Belfast, provides the perfect solution in this new working era.

WHY CHOOSE A VIRTUAL OFFICE IN BELFAST

Location is Key

Having a prestigious Belfast office address is a game-changer.  Even when you work from home!  Here at Lets Letterbox we provide clients with a business office address in central Belfast which will look impressive to potential customers.  When they see your listing on an internet search, your business is more likely to attract them as they will see you as an established and successful business because you have offices in Belfast.

Compliance With Companies House & HMRC 

If you plan to incorporate your business ie become a limited company, our Limited Company Service is compliant with Companies House and HMRC requirements. We also have a Directors Service Address  which is available if you wish to register as a Director and don’t want your private home address made public.  We also provide services for those other businesses that don’t register with Companies House such as small businesses and sole traders. Click on the following link to avail of our sole trader or Small Business Service. Small Business/Sole Trader Service

Which Office Set-Up Is More Cost Effective?

Costs: Renting An Office In Belfast

For most businesses starting off, in Belfast, they would possibly rent out an office above a shop or retail unit in central Belfast.  Such offices start at say a minimum of around £10,000 for rent per year.  Dependent upon the Net Annual Valuation (NAV) of the property, you as a tenant may have to pay the rates as well, which would add perhaps over £3000 a year to your bill.  Other overheads such as electricity, phone, and broadband will also add to the cost.  In addition you will have the cost of the daily commute and car parking which can prove expensive.  All in all, the minimum annual costs of an office in Belfast would be approximately £15000.

Costs: Virtual Office Address in Belfast From Lets Letterbox

With Lets Letterbox’ virtual office address packages starting at £60 per year the cost advantages are plain to see.  Whether you pay monthly, half yearly or yearly, a stay at home business with a virtual office address in the city proves much more cost effective. Savings will also be made as there will be no daily commute on a bus or crowded train. If you travel by car there will be a huge reduction in fuel costs and your carbon footprint will be reduced significantly, which is a real positive in itself.  Your only overheads will be telephone and electricity costs. It will however, be necessary to inform your home insurers that you are carrying out a business from home. This cost will be nominal.

Mail Forwarding Services

With your home business and city office address your mail can be sent your new address.  Here at Lets Letterbox we provide all businesses with a unique address.  When mail is received you can choose to have the mail forwarded to any address you please.  Normally it will be your home address.  Alternatively we can scan the mail and send it to your nominated email address.  It’s up to you to decide which method you prefer.  You can even choose to collect it in our offices here in Belfast.

Social Distancing 

As a result of the current coronavirus or Covid-19 pandemic our working practices will have to adapt.  We can no longer stand in an office lift for instance, with 8 other people packed closely together!  With Government sources expecting the effects of the pandemic to last for some time, we must find a solution that allows us to work remotely to avoid physical contact with colleagues and commuters.  With a stay at home business and home office we can adjust to this new era without experiencing a massive reduction in our income.

Connecting With Colleagues And Customers

There are a range of video conferencing solutions available from Zoom Meeting to Microsoft Teams and Zoho Meetings.  It is very important to keep up with all the new developments.  Technology is changing rapidly and we need to be aware of all the latest developments.  Working from home will prove difficult initially.  In the beginning along with adapting to new technology, we will also feel a little lonely during our working day.  Especially if there are no other people living in the same house.  It is important to have some sort of schedule and to connect with other people often during the working week.

Pros & Cons of Home Based Businesses

There are pros and cons to starting your business from home and here we will look briefly at some of each, in no particular order;-

– The Perks

• You decide when you want to work
• You can wear comfortable clothes and don’t need to worry about make-up and hair
• Saving money on the commute
• Telecommunications is your new expertise!
• You can get more work done

-The Downsides

• Loneliness
• Lack of routine
• Office is never truly closed
• Limited understanding of telecommunicating

Our Future Will Be Based On Home Business Start Ups

The Covid-19 pandemic is not going to go away overnight.  We have to think carefully about our current business practices with head offices based in busy city centre locations.  These will no longer be viable as the timescale for recovering safely from the effects of the virus increases.  If you are eager to succeed in your new business adventure and you want to set up your business from home, all of the downsides of home working will be mostly overcome in the long run. The home business owner will need to be time-organised and know when to say “Sorry, we are closed”  But the opportunities for this type of business are endless, especially with the remote technology that is flooding the market.

Lets Letterbox And Your Home Business

With a home business  and a city office address in Belfast and mail forwarding from Lets Letterbox, we can help you make that transition from tired commuter to successful home business entrepreneur.  Contact us today to chat about all the packages that we have available.