If you’re interested in setting up a business in Singapore, it’s a good idea to be aware of all the options, particularly when it comes to commercial real estate. This vibrant part of the world is home to a diverse range of cultures and traditions, and there’s plenty of variety in the corporate sector too. At the moment, the region is experiencing a workplace revolution.
Entrepreneurs, both local and foreign, are realising the benefits of staying flexible and the limitations of traditional offices. For instance, the common model for office rentals is still a three or five (sometimes longer) year lease. When you’re an ambitious startup, with innovative ideas about growth and development, this isn’t always suitable.
The good news is that variety rules in Singapore and virtual offices are providing a flexible, agile solution. Keep reading to learn more.
What Is a Virtual Office?
This region is home to a number of virtual office rentals – Servcorp Singapore is the leading provider – and they all offer low rates. They are so affordable because the physical facilities aren’t designed to be used in a full-time capacity. They are, primarily, remote resources.
In other words, if you were to relocate to Singapore, you could use virtual offices and their associated features from a new home, hotel, coffee shop, or anywhere with an internet connection. Tenants do this by logging into a centralised office and checking business activity.
What Are the Main Tools and Resources?
All virtual offices are different, but the leading providers in Singapore offer high-speed broadband, telephone answering services, mailboxes, IT support, and robust network security as standard. There is a large selection of tools, but others may need to be explicitly selected.
For instance, most providers offer the use of premium conference spaces and meeting rooms. They are valuable for businesses that don’t need full-time use of an office but do require a suitable environment for entertaining clients. Usually, they can be hired for a small fee.
Is It Easy to Register with a Virtual Office?
In most cases, all that’s needed to become a member is a piece of formal identification and initial payment. It’s common for the first payment to cover a period of two or three months unless you request otherwise. After which, you can elect to have the contract ‘roll over.’
This means payments are taken automatically, but there is no obligation or legal requirement to stop you from terminating at any time. If you know exactly how long you’d like to use the facility for, you can structure your terms to reflect this. Ultimately, you’re in control.
Can Business Mail Be Sent to the Virtual Facility?
Tenants are encouraged to have business mail directed to the facility address. If you don’t have a formal office, this is a great way to add credibility to your brand. It doesn’t cost anything extra, and your mail will be processed and sorted according to any instructions you give.
There are no hard and fast rules for what can and cannot be sent to the facility, aside from the expect common sense guidelines. For example, you couldn’t reasonably send a huge amount of bulky parcels, because it would cause issues with space.
Working Out If Virtual Is Right for You
While it’s true that virtual offices are, technically, shared, access to key resources is never in doubt. Only a few services (such as conference room access) are subject to availability. This is just to ensure that everybody gets a fair shot at using them.
Otherwise, you can expect unrestricted access to the services you choose to include in your rental package. Don’t forget that you can visit the physical workspace at any time, but there’s no obligation. Most resources can be accessed remotely, with the help of the admin team.