Sodexo, Inc. is a world leader in Quality of Daily Life Solutions in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, serving 10 million consumers in 6,000 locations every day … Dedication to excellent service, corporate citizenship, and fighting hunger all come from one goal – to make every day a better day. (www.sodexousa.com)

Sodexo’s 2012 Workplace Trends Report shows that business employees in large numbers are seeking organizations that will serve to help simplify business processes and that will provide a resource to help in such initiatives as maintaining healthy and balanced work/lifestyles as well as bringing their “whole self” to work – as these factors prove to be major drivers of employee engagement.

Employee engagement, brand image, loyalty and overall productivity continue to be significant measures of company success. How, you may ask, does this apply to virtual officing? Well, the reports also indicate evidence of a continued focus on the overall well being of human capital/resources and, you guessed it, the ever expanding virtual workforce is among them.

Okay, so what exactly are these trends? There are ten listed in Sodexo’s 2012 report, including workplaces promoting sustainability, flexible workplaces, evidence-based space design, rewards and recognition, and virtual workforces.

“We studied research over the last year to understand what issues are top of mind for our clients and what are the benchmarks in the overall market,” explained Rachel Permuth-Levine, Senior Director of Outcomes-Based Research and Solutions for Sodexo’s toLive workplace strategies. “Our team predicts these trends are the direct link to designing environments that enhance individual performance, foster collaboration, and contribute to the well-being of employees – it’s the workplace of the future,” (sodexousa.com).

The workplace of the future is decidedly more flexible, more virtual, and reports such as this showcase the growing popularity of virtual office space and the overwhelmingly positive affect it is having on the way we work and how we feel when we do it. The biggest takeaway here, if you ask us, is the increasing agreement amongst business people that virtual officing can and does improve the quality of life both in the office and out for those who choose it as their primary “workstyle.” Now THAT is something to smile about.

“I thought San Diego must be heaven on earth…It seemed to me the best spot for building a city I ever saw.” – Alonzo Horton, builder of New Town, site of current downtown San Diego, 1877

When it comes to ideal locations for both work and play, you’d be hard pressed to name a better spot than sun-drenched San Diego, CA. We challenge you to name one person who wouldn’t want to do business in this easy going, fun-filled So-Cal city. From its heavenly year-round weather and fantastic Baja inspired culinary options to the nearly limitless variety of activities and sight seeing options – when it comes to appealing meeting and/or business destinations, San Diego is truly where it’s at. As such, Alliance Virtual not only has one impressive and convenient virtual office at your disposal – we’ve got seven.

When it comes to San Diego virtual office spaces, options and flexible choices abound among Alliance Virtual’s premier selection of virtual offices. Whether you prefer to be perched atop a swanky downtown high rise or situated in a modern business plaza near the interstate and airport, we’ve got you covered. But, while location counts for a lot, we know that it isn’t actually everything and we’ve got amenities and services to back up our impressive on-demand virtual office addresses. From Broadband Internet, video conferencing and professional receptionists to a variety of meeting and conference room options, you will want for nothing when you set up shop with us in your San Diego virtual office space.

Now that you’ve got the skinny on our unbeatable San Diego virtual office options, the toughest part is actually choosing which space is perfect for you. The good news? With everything you get starting at only $225/month, we feel confident that you won’t go wrong with any of them. Decisions, decisions …

As Germany’s vibrant capital city, Berlin has much to offer the savvy mobile entrepreneur who is seeking the perfect European virtual work environment. Having trouble knowing where to start? Where to look? Your German speaking abilities not so hot? Have no fear; we’ve got this one. With two equally stunning virtual office space locations, Alliance Virtual has got your Berlin officing needs covered.

Take your pick from our premier virtual offices at either Wittestrasse or Potsdamer Platz – we assure you, neither one will disappoint. After you’ve made your Berlin office location selection, simply leave the rest of the logistics to us. From live receptionist services to the flexibility and no-hassle customization of our on-demand virtual office spaces, we’ve got your every virtual officing need taken care of in high style.

According to www.visitberlin.de, “The city is giving the dark season the cold shoulder and is instead shining forth in full colour and splendour … The whole city is reverberating and shaking to the sounds of the traditional Jazzfest; top-class orchestras are showing off their skills at the Berlin Tattoo; theatre stages are opening their doors for new festivals. So off we go into an exciting winter in Berlin. This is no time to start thinking about hibernating!”

This city’s charms know no bounds – a perfect winter wonderland in which to both work and play. So bust out the glockenspiel, find your best pair of lederhosen, pack your sturdiest stein and get in the German spirit. This charming and bustling city will satisfy your every cultural, entertainment and virtual office space need – so much that you may just have a hard time leaving.

At Alliance Virtual Offices, we take customer service very seriously. This responsibility comes in a variety of different forms, one of them being our efforts to be the best virtual office informational resource that we can be. Many of our clients (both old and new) have questions regarding virtual officing, and want answers on everything from what our industry is all about, to the best approach for selecting a virtual office space location. We are always here to help, and in this post, we’ve got the answer to one of our most frequently asked questions: What is a CMRA form and why do I need to complete it for my virtual office?

CMRA stands for Commercial Mail Receiving Agency. When you become a client, Alliance Virtual Offices becomes your receiving agency, and we adhere closely to the US Postal regulation that all of our clients who use one of our US addresses complete, sign and notarize the CMRA form. This is a consumer protection to safeguard against fraudulent businesses, among other things. Here is a step-by-step list on how to fill out the CMRA form boxes.

1.  Print Date

2.  Print your company name

3.  (a, b, c, d) Leave this section blank- we will fill this section out

4.  (a, b, c, d, e) Leave this section blank -we will fill this section out

5.  Print your name if you would like the center to accept certified mail

6.  Your Name

7.  (a, b, c, d, e) Your home address (same address on your driver’s license)

8.  (a, b) 2 ID – One picture ID (example driver’s license or passport) and One of the following are acceptable identifications: include valid driver’s license or state non-driver’s identification card: armed forces, government, university, or recognized corporate identification card; passport, alien registration card or certificate of naturalization; current lease, mortgage or Deed of Trust, voter or vehicle registration card, or home or vehicle insurance policy. IDs must match your home address.

9.  Your Company Name

10. (a, b, c, d, e) Your current business address (if you do not have one, list your home address again)

11. Type of Business

12. Fill in if applicable otherwise leave blank (for each name given we need 2 forms of ID)

13. Fill in if applicable otherwise leave blank (for each name given we need 2 forms of ID)

14. Fill in if applicable otherwise leave blank

15. Notary’s signature and seal (must be on this form)

16. Your signature

At Alliance Virtual, we aren’t kidding when we say that we take customer service very seriously around here. This same notion holds true around the holidays, just as much as it does throughout the rest of the year. That being said, we want to make sure our loyal customers (whom we greatly appreciate) are fully up-to-date on our holiday hours. So, bust out the egg nogg and fire up the bells because this year during the hustle and bustle of the holidays, we are giving our clients the gift of … convenience and accessibility. Exciting, no?!?

Our friendly virtual office space customer service staff will be ready and available during regular business hours throughout the most of the holidays to answer any pressing question or concern you may have. Our Live Receptionists will even be sticking around to answer calls throughout the bulk of the holidays! So, whether your jolly holiday is spent in North Carolina, North Dakota or the North Pole (and everywhere in between), rest assured that we will be right here when you need us. Happy holidays!

Live Receptionist Holiday Hours:

Live Receptionists will not be answering calls after 3 PM (ET) on 12/23 and 12/30. They will not be answering calls on the 12/26 or 1/02.

Customer Service Holiday Hours:

Customer Service Representatives will not be answering calls on 12/23 or 12/30, but they will be in the office during regular business hours otherwise.

Pardon the pun – how could we resist that one? When pondering the expansive list of global virtual office space locations that Alliance Virtual Offices has to offer our clients, there is one in particular that stands out to us today. Straddling the romantic Danube River, with the Buda Hills to the west and the start of the Great Plain to the east, Budapest is easily one of central Europe’s most breathtaking cities. Architecturally, Budapest is a true gem, with enough baroque, neoclassical, Eclectic and art nouveau (or Secessionist) buildings to satiate anyone’s appetite. With parks brimming with attractions, museums filled with treasures, pleasure boats sailing up and down the scenic Danube and Turkish-era thermal baths billowing steam, the Hungarian capital is a delight both by day and by night (lonelyplanet.com).

Our prestigious Budapest virtual office is located at the Buda side of the Lágymányosi bridge. With its fully serviced business lounge and range of business services, this spaciously furnished center is hard to pass up with meeting space, conference rooms, day office space, hot-desking, and much more. With plenty of parking and 24/7 access, this flexible center is perfect for your business and professional office needs.

Stroll along the Duna korzó, the riverside embankment on the Pest side, or across any of the Danube bridges. They say it is then that you can truly feel the romance that, despite all attempts from both within and without to destroy it, has never died. Now, how’s that for inspirational? European clients and beyond will be intrigued and impressed with your choice of this fantastic Budapest virtual office space location. Most az üzletet! (That’s Hungarian for, “get down to business!”).

Just how connected do you want to be?

This is a common question that most modern day professionals ask themselves when faced with the internal debate regarding when to shut off, tune out and simply relax in any given work day. “How reachable do I want to make myself?” This is a relatively new issue with which business professionals are faced, and what do we have to thank for it? Why, the mobile revolution of course! There really is no rule that lays the solution out clearly for us either, to make the decision any easier; when is it okay to ignore e-mails and when should I check them say, on vacation or at the dinner table? Do I jump in an e-mail chain that commences at midnight … on a Saturday? If I do this will I always be expected to be available at any time of the day?

With continued technological innovation, particularly in the mobile device arena, it is entirely possible to make yourself reachable via video, e-mail, chat, text, social media – even good old fashioned conversation – at any time of day, no matter where in the world you are. Phew. It’s a bit exhausting to think about, no?

Everyone has different “workstyles,” depending on what makes them tick. Since the beginning of Man’s relationship with conventional office spaces, the norm has traditionally been for workers of the world to clock in at the beginning of the day, have lunch somewhere in the middle, and then clock out at the end of the day, never to be heard from again. Well, at least until the next morning. The advent of the virtual workstyle, however, totally shook up this notion, as most of us are now easily reached all of the time.

According to commentators on Gist.com, “The net result, we think, is a chance to work in our optimal style instead of a one-size-fits-all model of old corporate America, with the added insanity of a device-centric, always on, always available workforce. Our advice? Have the conversation.” We concur, and welcome your thoughts, comments, wisdoms, and suggestions on how to create the optimal work/life balance. At Alliance, we contribute by making it easy for you to work in a number of different ways, presenting yourself and your business to clients either in fully functional serviced offices or via the convenience of virtual office space. So, while this virtual workstyle has its clear advantages, it also brings with it the somewhat tricky question of how available you want to be – how you want to define YOUR particular workstyle. This, my friends, is up to you to decide.

When it comes to the many things for which virtual office-goers can be thankful (increased flexibility, reduced overhead costs, increased time efficiency, reduced commute times, etc.), we at Alliance Virtual Offices have something else to add to the list. In addition to the flexible service and amenity options that accompany each and every one of our prime locations and virtual office space plans, we are also proud to offer not one, but TWO fantastic officing plans from which all of our clients may choose when selecting the option that will best support them and their business needs: Platinum and Platinum Plus.

Our Platinum offering gives you everything you need to establish a noteworthy presence in the city of your preference, while our Platinum Plus option also includes 16 hours of conference room or office space time. Other providers charge you the rack rate for the office hours, which can be hundreds of dollars extra per month. But that is not how we operate at Alliance Virtual; we think you deserve options, so options are what you get. Simple as that.

In addition, and as always, we offer a variety of other services and add-ons as needed. Many of our locations offer fax and copy services, a lobby listing, mail packaging and sending, and much more. Talk about choices! Now THAT is something to be thankful for …

Having a hard time transitioning from your current office space into the world of virtual offices? Are you a little hesitant to make that leap? If so, this is understandable, as for many people, the mere thought of leaving their traditional physical offices behind is a bit like the thought of chopping off an arm or leg.  In actuality, though, making the move to a more virtual working environment is more like giving oneself an extra arm or leg, so to speak. The freedom, cost-saving, and time management benefits of working virtually can change one’s work life for the better, making it the ideal choice for so many.  Ever the constant virtual officing cheerleader,   We are more than happy to supply today’s working public with helpful information geared specifically toward helping YOU pull the plug, take the plunge, and bite that virtual office space bullet.

According to the wise people at Espaces.com, there are a multitude of solid reasons why the workers of today’s world should focus on giving up, “the office.” NOTE: they are careful to point out that it is not the TV show to which they refer here, but rather, the words’ literal meaning. For starters, think about how many offices sit empty, for long periods of time.  Espaces recommends trying the following experiment, for proof:

“For the next few days, every couple hours walk the hallways of your building or any office building in the area and note the offices that are not occupied.”

Today’s busy workers are constantly on the go – in meetings, traveling, vacationing, out sick, making client visits, etc. Why then, we ask, should we be chained to our “offices” when we don’t appear to actually need them, in most cases. Just think how productive you could be by leaving that office ball and chain in the dust and working virtually, from the place of your choosing. Like what you see? We thought so! Stay tuned for more convincing reasons why giving up the office is the way of the future, and the only way to go.

Ever had a case of the Mondays? If you are a 9 – 5 office worker, life so many, this is not a new concept for you. How terribly unfortunate it is that members of the office-going world have to feel such dread when Monday rolls around again, signaling yet another week of 40+ hours logged in those four-walled human cages, otherwise known as “offices.” I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but Mondays are not going to stop rolling around. That being said, there are really two choices here: either learn to love Mondays, or give virtual officing a try.

Virtually Inspired

For most people, leaving the office for the day generates a sigh of relief. The “Ahhhhs” are almost audible as workers pack up for the day and make their way out of their lackluster, soul-sucking work environments.  Day in, day out. Day in, day out. The mere idea of having to report to the same uninspiring office space every day, year after year is a rather grim thought and completely daunting. The monotony alone is enough to suck the life out of anyone.

Let’s face it; offices are boring, and they pretty much always have been. That is, until the brilliance of virtual officing was born. At Alliance Virtual Offices, we know that the most effective work comes from employees who are inspired – not bored. This simple idea, this seemingly obvious point provides much of the foundation behind what we do. The working world is changing, evolving to suit our growing tastes and preferences, and who’s to say that traditional office spaces are the best option?

It is not natural for humans to be cooped up inside dreary, hum-drum office buildings for 40+ hours each week, and it most definitely seems silly to think we can get our best and most inspired work done this way. With the virtual office, employees have a little breathing room to address their role and responsibilities in the way that most suits their preferences and aptitudes. Imagine if you had the ability to work from the location of your choosing, in your preferred surroundings and in the style that most suits you. You may never come down with a case of the Mondays again …

Ever tried to think about how to make your office building or office space more environmentally correct (EC, as I like to call it)? This is a very common trend and/or mission in today’s traditional work spaces: changing to more eco-friendly lighting, beefing up recycling practices, avoiding paper copies of documents, etc. While all of these are effective and important steps in the effort to green-up today’s offices, there is still one solution that offers a completely new dimension of greening to today’s workplaces – getting rid of them altogether.

Virtually Green

We recently discussed how traditional offices spaces sit empty a lot of the time, and therefore seem like a wasted expense. The waste to which I am referring here comes in many forms, not the least of which is environmental. How is it acceptable for us to heat and cool these giant office buildings that essentially sit empty for much of the time? This depressingly common practice seems to be the opposite of sustainability, and is wholly irresponsible of today’s working public.

By going virtual, today’s office workers are able to put a lot of GREEN back into the world simply by saying no to wasteful offices buildings, and empty work areas. By forgoing standard, 9 – 5 traditional offices and opting for more mobile, virtual, or leased meeting spaces, we are not only able to experience a more freeing and independent work life for ourselves, but we are able to significantly decrease our carbon footprints as well – which is good for everyone. Going virtual is easy – think of it as one small step for you, but one large step for mankind!

Addison, Texas has more to brag about than playing host to the Super Bowl – a lot more. When it comes to metro Dallas office space, Addison is hard to beat and easy to love. Recognized for its special events and unique amenities, Addison, Texas is THE destination for fine lodging, fabulous food, fantastic retailers and the best special events in North Texas.

This is truly unique in the customer service and amenities it provides both its visitors and residents alike, and this fact is clearly seen in the number of major US corporations that continue to call this town home.

Today, Addison is the result of explosive business growth, and while it has only 14,166 official residents, the town’s daytime population is estimated at over 100,000. Alive with genuine entrepreneurial spirit, Addison is home to everything from small start-ups to major corporations, including Pizza Hut, Mary Kay and Palm Harbor Homes. Within its compact urban center, Addison has a unique combination of towering office buildings, upscale shopping, beautifully landscaped residential communities, award-winning parks, 22 hotels and over 170 restaurants – all within a five minute drive from anywhere in town.

Alliance’s Addison office space at the prestigious Hanover Park Center is always in high demand as it is in a prime area for commerce. We offer our reliable live receptionist service, plus  mail handling, on-demand meeting rooms, temporary-use day offices and garage parking. Come give our Addison virtual office a try, we’re confident we won’t disappoint!

All businesses, not just virtual offices, can fall victim to the effects of disasters at any time. As we have all been unfortunately reminded, in the wake of the horrendous destruction caused by the Japanese earthquake, no one is immune to the forces of Mother Nature, should she choose to strike. From crippling snow and ice storms to flooding, hurricanes, and power losses, disaster can strike in a number of forms, begging the question of not “if” a business will experience disaster, but “when.”

However, that being said, there are things that can be done; measures that can be taken by businesses that can dramatically reduce the risk of total loss and operational devastation, namely – going virtual. Virtual offices offer sophisticated, built-in, and practical solutions for disaster prevention, and when it comes to emergency preparedness, the virtual office will triumph over traditional office spaces every time.

For starters, the virtual telecomm system afforded to Alliance Virtual Office clients is a state-of-the-art method for communication breakdown prevention, should disaster strike nearby. Never having to worry about calls backing up, being dropped, or neglected by staff who are unable to make it in the office is a non-existent issue in the world of virtual officing. With Alliance’s virtual calling plans, all incoming calls can be routed and re-routed by our customizable messaging service, or answered by a live receptionist in a location far removed from any sort of debilitating disaster. This leaves you and your business free to carry on as usual, glitch-free. Never thought of it quite this way have you? While the traditional office space company is struggling to keep its heads above water, the virtual office company is sailing through the storm, progress totally undeterred by the wrath of Mother Nature.

Stay tuned for further information on the disaster preventive qualities of today’s virtual office …

Imagine a traditional office space – the day in, day out, 9-5 office space that is basically the same in every way, shape and form each time you enter. Same desk, same chairs, same walls, same loud cubicle neighbor who can’t seem to stop telling you all about their personal problems. Like what you see? Probably not so much …

Now, imagine having the ability – no, the FLEXIBILITY – to change and rearrange your office space, so that it is exactly suited to your tastes and preferences on any given day.  Refreshing, right? Virtual office centers offer this type of flexibility, in fact, they specialize in it. You can change your office environment and your service packages to suit your ever-changing moods, tastes, and budget. With virtual officing, users can change the locations and spaces in which they meet and work as often as they wish, and can swap out service options to suit their changing needs. While traditional office spaces can hold you back, the virtual office space is designed to help you move forward.

From different on-demand meeting and conference room options, to video conferencing capabilities and customizable phone plans, there is an almost infinite number of service combinations from which you can choose when selecting your ideal virtual office. Maybe you are looking for a classic conference room style to project an intimate, private and professional atmosphere to your clients. Or, maybe it is a chic, modern co-working environment that suits your work space needs. Alliance Virtual Offices has a variety of unique office locations around the globe that are ready and waiting to show you just how flexible the virtual office way of life can be. It doesn’t always have to be the same chair, same desk, and same walls. The possibilities are as limitless as your own imagination. With today’s virtual office, variety is the SPACE of life!

Let’s face it, we all have our off days – our crazy, hectic, wish there were more hours in them days. But with Alliance Virtual’s live receptionist packages, your clients and partners never have to know that you’re having a rough one. Our live receptionists help you and your office space put your best “faces” forward, no matter how busy or overwhelming your day may be. Think of them as the first line of defense against a bad business reputation.

Off the top of your head, just think of how much time you would get back in a typical work day if you did not have to answer incoming phone calls. Or, imagine how doubly effective a typical work day could be if you had a virtual receptionist working right alongside you, answering calls as fast as they come in. With Alliance Virtual Offices, we’ve got a team of professional, live receptionists whose job is literally to make yours easier. That’s right – a team of pre-trained live receptionists who are ready and waiting to help you make the best possible first impression. Sound too good to be true? From call forwarding to call patching, call screening, and meeting scheduling, this unbeatable opportunity is the real deal.

Whether it is a sales call, cold call, returned call, or conference call – no one likes to be kept waiting or passed along from one non-human menu option to another. Alliance Virtual Office users never have to worry about being generic, or coming across poorly. So, it’s a simple decision really: automated pre-programmed menu options vs. a friendly, professional live receptionist. A classic no-brainer if there ever was one.

Below are just three of the many benefits to choosing an Alliance Live Receptionist:

• No technology headaches
• Best practices help you rest assured
• Eliminate accounting and HR expenses and hassle

al·li·ance/Noun

1. A union or association formed for mutual benefit, esp. between organizations.

2. A relationship based on an affinity in interests, nature, or qualities.

Alliance. What does this mean exactly? The formal definition refers to a union, a relationship formed on the basis of an affinity in interests. So many businesses today have generic, de-humanizing monikers that tend to alienate their customers, clients and/or audience. This is not the case at Alliance. Our name and our brand very clearly epitomize who we are as a company and what we stand for. As a genuine “alliance”– a community of people and businesses that subscribe to a new, more forward-thinking office space philosophy — we know a thing or two about shared interests, and it never hurts to remember where you came from.

At Alliance Virtual Offices, we exist to help grow the idea of virtual office space in our own communities, and across the globe. Why? Because we believe it to be the best way to work – simple as that. From the significant environmental benefits to the ultimate flexibility afforded to today’s virtual office user, it isn’t hard to see why we are proud to call ourselves a true alliance.

From our prestigious addresses, live virtual receptionists, and convenient on-demand office space to our virtual phone system and customizable meeting room options, we can safely say that if you are part of our alliance, you are getting the best work space options that money can buy. Why make things harder or more expensive than they need to be? From saved time and resources to pay-as-you-go service options, this is one alliance in which it truly PAYS to be involved. See for yourself by calling today!

With the bells of Westminster Abbey still ringing in our ears, last week’s Royal Wedding was an event to remember, and now the entire world has its eyes firmly focused on London, and all that it has to offer. Luckily for you, Alliance Virtual Offices has made it easy to jet over to “the other side of the pond” for a client meeting in your very own Piccadilly area office space. Now, that’s what we call a royal business address!

This London virtual office embodies the prestige and style of Mayfair and St. James in the city’s trendy and bustling West End, and is a great location for your growing business to proudly display on its business card or to meet with clients. Located near Piccadilly Circus and Green Park tube stations in Zone 1, this virtual office is a convenient place for today’s global-mobile professionals to meet with clients, not to mention the fact that it is also easily accessible by bus or by car (parking is available).

This West End virtual office space comes dressed to impress, with all the works! Offering convenient and flexible office space amenities such as conference rooms, temporary-use offices, broadband internet, mail forwarding and much more – this is one office location that may be fit for a monarch, but is customizable just for YOUR needs.

Helping to protect and preserve the Earth isn’t typically at the top of most company priority lists. It isn’t that people are careless about environmental sustainability, but when it comes to running a business, economic efficiency and revenue generation tend to be the name of the game. We’ve got good news for business owners and mobile professionals everywhere: there is more to gain from going green than purely environmental sustainability. Not that helping the planet isn’t reason enough to make efforts to reduce our carbon footprints, but virtual businesses of the world are benefiting from additional payoffs from their decision to do things the greener way.

Decreasing costs, driving greater productivity and increasing revenue – these are three of the most common and vital tenants of any business’ ongoing mission and thanks to the efficiency- and effectiveness-boosting offerings which companies like Alliance so readily provide, they are a reality as well. While information and communications technologies can be leveraged to boost energy efficiency and reduce harmful emissions, they can also serve to protect and promote economic opportunities as well – music to any business owner’s ears.

From video conferencing to virtual receptionists, the eco-friendly options offered by today’s virtual office space companies, such as Alliance, are not only one small, green step for mankind – but they can actually be a HUGE step for your business architecture and productivity. Our virtual technologies and customizable office space options are powerful, energy-efficient solutions that replace manual, mechanical and physical processes with greener, automated ways of working both faster and smarter. From Mother Nature to high-powered CEOs, going green really is a win-win for everyone involved.

While online and digital resources remain front and center when it comes to the wide world of virtual office space, there is still something to be said about a book — a good, “old-fashioned,” book. With its steadily growing popularity and mass appeal, virtual officing has truly found its place in today’s business world, and companies like Alliance Virtual are constantly coming up with new and improved ways to make the virtual worker as effective and efficient as possible. As such, we love to brush up on what is going on in the virtual world around us, and sometimes we turn to the pages of the tried and true books that are circulating around the office space scene, whether old or new. Not everyone would describe them as “page-turners,” and these books are most likely not going to show up at your monthly book club meetings. No, these insightful and extremely valuable texts are intended for a special lot of people – the virtual workers of the world.

If you are as excited about virtual officing as we are, we have a feeling you will enjoy these reads. From social media strategies to mobile workforce insight, these titles offer valuable and helpful information about past, present and future virtual officing trends, and we are happy to spread the word. Who knows, with virtual officing growing at such a rapid rate, maybe you will see one of these books on Oprah’s coveted book club one of these days …

1. An “oldie” but a goodie:

The Virtual Handshake: Opening Doors and Closing Deals Online, by

David Teten and Scott Allen

Amazon review: “The Virtual Handshake is a treasure chest of good advice, valuable information, and useful tips about a topic of looming future importance: growing our business relationships online. Anyone planning to build a business — online or not — will benefit from this pioneering book.” – Robert B. Cialdini, author, Influence: Science and Practice

2. An exploration into the world of social media, and beyond:

New New Media, by Paul Levinson

Amazon review: “Paul Levinson takes you on a tour of media innovations that are transforming our world. He’s not just a scholar, he’s an explorer. New New Media is an indispensable guide.”
- Joan Walsh, Editor-in-Chief of Salon.com

3. Mobility management:

Managing the Mobile Workforce: Leading, Building and Sustaining Virtual Teams, by David Clemons

Amazon product description: “In the global marketplace, people can work practically anywhere and anytime. Managing the Mobile Workforce shares stories about organizations that have taken the risk to unleash–literally–their workers from the chains of daily commutes, 9-to-5 business hours, and the same old cubicles they have sat in day after day, year after year, and even decade after decade.”

No, this is not a post how Alliance Virtual Offices is better than the other guys. It’s about how you can save time (money) and annoyance by having a virtual office.

Let’s say you have a small business (which you probably do, since you’re reading our site) and you have a local ad campaign running. Normally, the calls would go to your own phone number, perhaps in your office or straight to your cell phone. You would need to answer all these calls, right? And inevitably, you find out that a lot of them are responding to your ad — but instead of good potential customers, they are another advertising outlet, or the local chamber, or someone else calling you to try to sell you something or join their group.

Not a good way to spend your time right?

Well, our Virtual Office Communications plans offer you a phone system and a live receptionist that allow you to manage these calls much more efficiently, avoiding time consuming calls that don’t bring you any revenue (the chaff) and ensuring the potential customers (the wheat) talk to a friendly, live voice.

During normal business hours, our Live Receptionists will answer in your company’s name, and screen any callers based on what they are wanting to discuss with you.

After hours, you can set up a customized greeting and a menu of options, where those who are interested in your products and services can reach you directly, or go to a specified voicemail box. Or if they are interested in something else, you can send them to another voicemail box.

It’s that simple. Try it today!

Working virtually enables today’s mobile professionals the ability to conduct business just about anywhere they so desire. From poolside to desktop, Alabama to Wyoming, setting up a virtual office space is the key to career nirvana. Just think: if you can dream up a location, today’s virtual office will have you doing business there faster than you can say, “now that’s more like it …”

Have you just formed a new company? Are you thinking about forming a new company? You know that your clients expect you to have a professional office space available for meetings, and a receptionist to answer your calls. However, as a new company, chances are you do not have sufficient capital to lease a full-time office space, complete with a full-time, impressive business address and resources to keep things running smoothly. What is the ideal solution to your office space conundrum? Enter the virtual office. From part-time meeting spaces, conference rooms, corporate mailing addresses and dedicated phone numbers, to the ultimate in location flexibility, virtual offices epitomize the concept of business flexibility – at a fraction of the cost of renting full-time office space. Work where you want, when you want. Sound too good to be true? We are happy to report that this is as real as it gets.

Renting a costly, full-time physical office limits your new business to one or very few locations. With the option to do business anywhere in the world, however, whether at home or say, in a high-profile NYC skyscraper, your new company and its employees will only stand to benefit from this forward-thinking and innovative take on office space flexibility. Now, how’s that for a fresh breath of air?

Grunge music and Jimi Hendrix got their starts there, and so did Starbucks coffee. The Mariners and Seahawks professional sports teams call it home, as do the headquarters of Boeing and Microsoft. What city are we talking about? The pride of the Pacific Northwest: Seattle, Washington.

From its snowy mountain peaks and serene lakeshores to its miles upon miles of deep and mysterious evergreen forests, the Pacific Northwest is seen as an alluring and almost exotic location for many residents of the U.S., and beyond. Nestled between the Puget Sound and beautiful Lake Washington, Seattle is home to 3.3 million people, and thousands more who visit each year for work or play. Needless to say, this growing city stands as a unique and exciting location for your next Pacific Northwest office space.

Our Seattle virtual office space is brimming with amenities and is the perfect location for all of your business needs when in the “Emerald City.” Located in the heart of downtown, on Seattle’s Seventh Avenue, this low-cost, flexible virtual office is a comfortable place to meet with customers, clients and colleagues. Additionally, securing a virtual office in this high-profile, impressive area affords you direct access to a host of professional office services, including high-speed internet access, on-demand conference rooms, temporary-use offices, and mail handling. So grab yourself a cup of coffee (or four) and imagine doing business in stunning, bustling Seattle. Thanks to Alliance Virtual Offices, you can set up shop there for your own business before you can even say, “space needle.”

For some people, the term “virtual office” may conjure images of various cellular devices, computers and/or telecommunications systems. While these things are an important and not-to-be-underappreciated element of the virtual office world, there is much more to gain from a virtual office package than powerful technological capabilities. Sometimes, even the most mobile of mobile professionals requires a face-to-face meeting with a client to get the job done right and to seal the deal. Sometimes even the most staunch work-from-home advocate needs a break from the domestic office every now and then. Thanks to the complete virtual officing offerings (mouthful there) of Alliance Virtual, your range of communications needs are covered no matter where you are.

While it may be true that Alliance Virtual offers some of the most competitive phone packages around (dedicated phone numbers, comprehensive virtual phone system, etc.) we also know a thing or two about face-to-face communication and our serviced offices with their wide range of amenities provide the perfect setting for any client meeting. It would be difficult to argue with the notion that in-person communication is a vital part of the relationship building process in any industry, and Alliance Virtual makes it easier — and more impressive — than ever to meet with clients on your terms.

With stylish, high-profile, on-demand offices located around the world, we make it simple for today’s on-the-go professional to meet and greet in the destination of their choosing at a moment’s notice. No need to be tied down to a single, traditional office space day in and day out. Meet with a client in one of our offices on the chic Avenue Des Champs-Elysees in Paris one week, and in the laid-back Southern California setting of West Hollywood the next. With over 600 office space locations worldwide, when it comes to desirable locations to host a meeting, we’ve got you covered.

With the success of cable television shows like Run my Makeover, Divine Design, and Design on a Dime, it seems the world is going crazy for design – how to make the most of their space. Always seeking new and impressive ways to “spruce up” our living and working areas, today’s design crazy devotees may actually be on to something when it comes to the ideal way to keep your workspace fresh. But the virtual office world can do much, much better than offer tips and tricks for changing a few things about your blasé office décor. We’ll do you one better.

Admit it, in the competitive, dog-eat-dog world of business, putting your best face forward to clients is undeniably important. We all dress to impress, and we want our office space to do the same. But rather than changing a color scheme when you get bored or calling in an expensive demolition crew to reconstruct your office floor plan, why not join the jet setting virtual office crowd and change your entire office location instead? London today, Paris tomorrow. The Big Apple getting a little too big? Invite clients to meet with you in the Sunshine State instead! When it comes to your office space, why limit yourself to one singular building and address. Virtual officing lets you change your office look by changing your office location. Sound too good to be true? It is most definitely not so give it a try! A fresh perspective is a no more than a simple phone call away …

When it comes to working, one of the biggest perks to going virtual is the fact that you can up and change your prestigious business address as often as you choose. But, if you’d like, there can be much more strategy involved in office space location selection than simply choosing a place that sounds good or looks great on a business card. Our virtual office space suggestion of the day? Try tailoring your locations to your clients!

Trying to close a deal with someone who happens to be a huge Cubs fan? Set up shop in any of our three impressive Chicago locations (Lincoln Avenue, Jackson, Boulevard, Michigan Avenue). Need to impress a potential client who just so happens to have a passion for musical theater? Look no further than our amazing Manhattan office spaces, and you’ll be singing the sweet song of success. Hoping to secure a relationship with someone who was born and raised in Dallas? Invite them to meet with you in one of our high profile Dallas area virtual offices, and let them enjoy the familiar and welcome feeling of coming home. From sports and theater, to food, nightlife and outdoor activities, Alliance has virtual offices spread all across the country – and the world – that are close to the most exciting sights and sounds around.

So, do a little research before you select your virtual office destination and find out what your client likes, his/her hobbies, favorite sports teams, etc. Tailoring your meeting location to your client is an incredible way to make the best impression and will undoubtedly get you on the fast track to business success.

Calling all history buffs! Or sports fans! Or epicurean enthusiasts! No matter where you call home or what interests and passions you have, Philadelphia makes for an ideal business destination – more specifically, an ideal virtual office destination. With its unique mix of colonial charm and urban amenities, this is one American city that delivers everything you need to both impress and entertain even your pickiest of clients. Don’t take our word for it though, check out these sites for a small taste of what this exciting east coast metropolis has to offer.

• For everything you need to know about Philadelphia; where to go, what to see and who to visit, check out http://www.visitphilly.com/
• For a sophisticated and up-to-the-minute glance at what is going on in Philly at any time, check out Philadelphia Magazine.
• From a list of the ten best things to do in Philly and great hotel packages, visit the official convention and visitor’s site.

At Alliance, we are extremely proud of our Two Penn Center virtual office space, with its full array of services and amenities and unbeatable Philly location. What’s more, with its convenient location between Washington D.C. and New York City, Philadelphia offers an interesting and refreshing change of pace to the busy mobile entrepreneur. Incredible value and location in one; what could be better? See yourself in Philly! Oh, and we hear it’s beautiful this time of year…

Premier virtual office space provider, Alliance Virtual Offices, is on the brink of rolling out its brand new Meeting Rooms offering, available to clients worldwide as part of the company’s virtual office packages. In a direct response to the increasing demand for flexible working options, Alliance Virtual sees the addition of meeting rooms to its virtual officing services as a way to meet the needs of today’s mobile workforce.

Alliance Meeting Rooms will be located in some of the world’s most impressive business, each facility coming fully equipped and staffed. The idea? Making setting up and running a meeting as easy as possible for clients. A variety of meeting room sizes and configurations are available and can be requested easily online by the hour, half-day or full day. Beginning in January 2012, the meeting rooms will be available on a regional basis, starting in the United States, and will be quickly followed by additional international locations as well.

“We are thrilled to be expanding our service offerings to our global clientele,” remarked Alliance Virtual Offices chairman, Frank Cottle. “Making our global meeting rooms available to purchase online will give our clients much more flexibility and convenience when doing business in our centers.”

About Alliance Virtual Offices
Alliance Virtual Offices combines People, Place and Technology – the three key components needed to serve mobile and work-from-home professionals – to deliver a complete virtual office. With on-demand offices in over 600 locations, a virtual phone system and experienced, professional live receptionists Alliance Virtual clients operate more flexibly while projecting a better image – all at an affordable price.

With a new, improved platform in place and the rapidly expanding popularity of virtual workspaces, the continued success of Southern California-based Alliance Virtual Offices showcases a decreasing need for the traditional office. According to Alliance Virtual Offices Chairman, Frank Cottle, we will never need another office building in our lifetimes.

The virtual office industry has witnessed significant growth over the past several years, and this trend shows no signs of slowing any time soon. Combining people, place and technology to deliver a flexible working environment, the virtual officing concept is not only on the rise, it is set to eliminate the increases in the traditional office footprint in the near future. For Alliance Virtual Offices, extraordinary year-over-year revenue and client growth rates demonstrate this truth. To what is this growth credited? According to Alliance Virtual, it was last year’s implementation of a new, improved services platform which delivers an expansive feature set, including Live Receptionists and a virtual phone system, at a great price.

“People are not going to work anymore, work is coming to them, wherever they happen to be,” Cottle remarked. “Why endure the waste, costs and stress of constructing new office structures when Alliance Virtual Offices makes it easy to work anywhere at any time?” It appears that the modern mobile professional agrees. Alliance Virtual’s steady annual growth clearly reflects the virtual office industry’s dramatic surge in popularity and the company’s 2011 year-end records demonstrate that its improved platform holds significant value in the marketplace. The virtual office provider has witnessed increases in revenue, number of customers, office locations, and live receptionist packages sold.

Moreover, in a direct response to the ever-growing needs of mobile professionals, Alliance Virtual is set to roll out many new, mobility supporting products in 2012. “We saw 2010 as the year to build a new foundation, 2011 to prove that foundation and 2012 will be the year where we expand our product offering, our office footprint and our own team to deliver even more value to our customers and members,” states Cottle.

About Alliance Virtual Offices
Alliance Virtual Offices delivers a complete virtual office to serve mobile and work-from-home professionals. With on-demand offices at some of the world’s most prestigious addresses, a feature-rich virtual phone system and experienced, professional Live Receptionists, Alliance Virtual enables its clients to operate more flexibly and affordably — while projecting a better image.