How do I set up my virtual office?

When you purchase a virtual office plan, you provide the VO company with your information and you pick which features you want to use. Once payment goes through you can begin to use the virtual office services. Your provider should help with any specific steps that may need to be taken (like filling out Form 1583 to receive mail).

What kinds of features does a virtual office have?

Common virtual office features include: live receptionist, mail handling and forwarding, VoIP phone systems, access to meeting and office space; call screening, and register agent services.

Can I customize my virtual office?

Yes, virtual office plans and services can be customized to your particular needs.

What are the benefits of a virtual office for courier companies?

Access to meeting and office space; customer service support; access to renowned business address; affordable.

What is the supply chain process?

The supply chain process is a series of steps that need to be taken to supply a customer with a product or service.

How have the demands on shipping changed?

More people are shopping online and they expect faster delivery times; consumers are not willing to pay for the extra cost of faster delivery.

What are the stages of the shipping process and how have the pandemic and popularity of home delivery affected the supply chain?

The 3 stages of shipping are: Order placement, order processing, and order fulfilment. The rise in online orders has placed strain on supply of products/services, which affects warehousing and shipping times.

Case Study: How Virtual Offices Help Transport and Courier Businesses

The Last Mile: Shipping’s Greatest Hurdle
How Virtual Office Services Offer a Competitive Advantage
Case Study: This Courier Business Runs on Virtual Office Services

Q: Why is the “last mile” of the shipping process so difficult and expensive for suppliers and what opportunities does this create for small business owners?

A: Last mile shipping cannot be done in bulk and requires lots of people and vehicles, making it expensive. It creates an opportunity for small courier businesses to grow and scale their services.

As soon as cities and countries went into lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic, there was a surge in online shopping. One year later, even in areas where lockdown measures have been relaxed, the amount of people shopping online has not dwindled.

Even people who resisted eCommerce prior to the pandemic have been entirely won over by the convenience of ordering online and having things delivered to their doorstep.

Recent data found that “consumers spent $861.02 billion online in the U.S. in 2020, up an incredible 44.0% jump compared with 2019.” This represents the highest annual ecommerce growth in the US in the last two decades.

Ecommerce now accounts for 21.3% of total retail sales; and that number is expected to go up in the coming years.

Studies project that the worldwide retail ecommerce sales will experience a 265% growth rate from $1.3 trillion in 2014 to $4.9 trillion in 2021.

Ecommerce now accounts for 21.3% of total retail sales; and that number is expected to go up in the coming years.

Studies project that the worldwide retail ecommerce sales will experience a 265% growth rate from $1.3 trillion in 2014 to $4.9 trillion in 2021.

While this is great news for companies—online shopping has been a lifeline for many companies—it has led to a breaking point in the supply chain and fulfillment process.

At the beginning of the pandemic, consumers increased their tolerance for longer delivery times; however, that tolerance wore off, and consumers today expect faster deliveries than ever before.

The increased demand for delivery services, and shorter delivery times, has supply chain company executives searching for solutions that can make deliveries more efficient—timewise and money-wise.

Many companies are turning to emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, robotics, and edge computing to transform their organizations and their supply chain processes. A survey from Gartner found that 80% of supply chain leaders believe that technology can give their companies a competitive advantage.

Not only can technology provide companies with a competitive advantage, it could potentially also help them significantly reduce cost and improve operational efficiency:

Electric vehicles could cut gas expenses…as well as reduce a company’s carbon emissions.
Artificial intelligence and analytics can help optimize delivery routes.
Continuous intelligence can help companies gather and process data, which can provide valuable insights for strategic planning and decision making.

While focusing on technology can help make supply chains more efficient in the long run, there is a much more pressing matter that courier companies must address: the “last mile”.

The Last Mile

The last mile is the final step in the delivery process; it’s when a package arrives at a buyer’s doorstep. The last mile is known for being the most challenging and expensive part of the supply chain process. It’s also a key part of customer satisfaction.

Data suggests that “the cost of providing last-mile services accounts for 41% of overall supply chain costs”, which is more than double than any other category of spend in the process.

The last mile is such a pressing issue for companies because “last mile deliveries are eroding profits as organizations typically charge less than what it costs them to fulfill the orders.” The average cost of last mile delivery is $10.01; however, customers only pay an average of $8.08.

To make matters worse, only 1% of customers are willing to foot the entire cost of delivery.

Data suggests that “the cost of providing last-mile services accounts for 41% of overall supply chain costs”, which is more than double than any other category of spend in the process.

Capgemini argues that one way to make last mile deliveries more profitable is by encouraging multiple avenues for fulfillment resources.

Amazon knows this all too well, which is why its logistics division launched Amazon Delivery Service.

Amazon Delivery Service is a program that enables people to launch their own package delivery business for as low as $10,000. The program allows small courier companies to use Amazon’s technology and processes to deliver specifically for Amazon.

Amazon Delivery Service is a program that enables people to launch their own package delivery business for as low as $10,000. - icon

The strain that the increase in online shopping has placed on logistics has created a big business opportunity for SMBs in the delivery and courier industry.

How Small Courier Businesses Can Aid with the “Last Mile” Problems

The main issue with the last mile is that it is inefficient.

The doorstep delivery process is known for requiring numerous stops; depending on the area, delivery trucks may need to go off route to deliver a single package. In urban areas, the main issue is traffic.

To add to the problem, the more people shop online, the faster deliveries they expect.

Despite new technologies that help with route optimization and traffic prediction; delivery services continue to struggle with expediting deliveries.

This is where small courier businesses can come in.

Small couriers can help improve last mile delivery in several ways:

Warehousing

Provide warehouse space to store and sort packages closer to delivery addresses, which can lead to faster delivery times. Small couriers in rural areas stand to benefit the most from this.

Delivery Drivers

Provide access to delivery drivers—one of the main issues with last mile delivery is that there seems to be a shortage of drivers to deliver small packages.

Trucks and Autos

Access to small trucks and/or cars—last mile delivery cannot be done in bulk. Smaller trucks can help reduce some of the costs associated with traffic and urban area deliveries.

Bicycles Deliveries

Bike deliveries—small couriers can offer bike deliveries in urban areas. Bikes are much cheaper than cars or trucks and they require less training. In urban areas, bikes can be especially advantageous because of traffic.

How Small Courier Businesses Can Aid with the “Last Mile” Problems - bicycle deliveries - icon

Small couriers can help improve last mile delivery in several ways:

Warehousing
Provide warehouse space to store and sort packages closer to delivery addresses, which can lead to faster delivery times. Small couriers in rural areas stand to benefit the most from this.

Delivery Drivers
Provide access to delivery drivers—one of the main issues with last mile delivery is that there seems to be a shortage of drivers to deliver small packages.

Trucks and Autos
Access to small trucks and/or cars—last mile delivery cannot be done in bulk. Smaller trucks can help reduce some of the costs associated with traffic and urban area deliveries.

Bicycle Deliveries
Bike deliveries—small couriers can offer bike deliveries in urban areas. Bikes are much cheaper than cars or trucks and they require less training. In urban areas, bikes can be especially advantageous because of traffic.

A Look at Small Courier Businesses

The courier business is not for the faint of heart. Courier companies face a plethora of challenges in their day-to-day operations; some of which are completely out of their control (road closures, inclement weather).

To add to the strain, small courier businesses are constantly on the move; their value proposition is to deliver packages on time. This means that they rarely have time or resources to handle calls or improve their customer service experience.

This is a big issue:

The courier industry is highly competitive and excellent customer service can give small companies a valuable advantage.

But, as with many small or new businesses, there’s rarely enough cash at hand to spend on non-core business areas. In the case of courier companies, this might be office space, receptionists, and customer service representatives.

Given the nature of courier businesses, in that they are out and about delivering packages most of the day, the idea of an office space seems completely unnecessary. In fact, many courier business owners have found that they can easily run their business from home—even if it means their homes double as a warehouse.

So, why even bother thinking about office space?

Because it matters.

Ready Pak is a perfect example of how having the right office space and business support services can truly make a difference in the courier industry.

Virtual Offices Give Courier Businesses a Competitive Advantage

Even though courier businesses can operate remotely, they stand to benefit from having a physical business location—this is true of companies across all industries.

A physical business address can help companies remain professional; it can also help them establish credibility and legitimacy with potential clients.

A virtual office can help small courier businesses with maintaining a solid outward reputation even if the owner is running the business from home… at a quarter of the cost of a traditional office. But the benefits of virtual offices go beyond that for courier companies.

Most small courier businesses owners are actively involved in the day-to-day operations of the business, including driving vehicles to help with deliveries.

This means that they likely don’t have time in their day to answer calls.

This hurts business.

Customer satisfaction is, in large part, driven by quick response times and timely solution of issues. If a customer calls asking to change the delivery address or time, and no one picks up the phone, not only does this lead to an unhappy customer, but it can also increase business costs by creating a failed delivery attempt.

Virtual offices offer access to business support services, including live receptionists that can help with customer support efforts.

Live receptionists can:

Answer calls.
Answer commonly asked questions.
Resolve customer queries and issues.

Virtual-Recepcionist-Answer calls.
Answer commonly asked questions.
Resolve customer queries and issues.-infographic

Virtual offices are a viable and attractive solution even if keeping expenses low is at the top of the agenda. Virtual offices are highly affordable, and plans can be customized to cater to your specific business needs.

Some additional benefits of virtual offices are they…

Protect Your Privacy
With a virtual office you won’t have to list your home address anywhere and won’t have to meet customers or vendors on your doorstep.

Separate Business and Personal Assets
Keep your personal and work lives separate. Having a separate business address makes it easier to protect your corporate veil and provides a clear line between your home and your business. Plus, you can stop receiving business mail at home!

additional benefits - grantaccess - icon

Grant Access to Meeting and Hourly Office Space
Meet with team members, and stakeholders in a professional environment. Your kitchen isn’t going to cut it.

additional benefits - providevaluableresources - icon

Provide Valuable Business Resources
Access to technology and business resources like printers and scanners can be particularly useful for courier services.

Are Super Affordable
Virtual offices provide access to a renowned business address without having to rent out an entire office space.

additional benefits - business address - icon

Provide A Stable Business Address
Through Mail handling and forwarding, your clients have a centralized location to communicate with your brand, all while you work from anywhere that you need to be.

additional benefits - professionalism - icon

Enhance Branding and Professionalism
Some virtual offices allow businesses to customize the office space with their branding and design requirements. Additionally, live receptionists are trained to answer in a manner that aligns and showcases your brand.

Protect Your Privacy
With a virtual office you won’t have to list your home address anywhere and won’t have to meet customers or vendors on your doorstep.

Grant Access to Meeting and Hourly Office Space
Meet with team members, and stakeholders in a professional environment. Your kitchen isn’t going to cut it.

Provide Valuable Business Resources
Access to technology and business resources like printers and scanners can be particularly useful for courier services.

Are Super Affordable
Virtual offices provide access to a renowned business address without having to rent out an entire office space.

Case Study: ReadyPak Runs on Virtual Office Services

*Names and personal details have been edited.

ReadyPak is a small courier business based out of Melville, New York, owned by Anthony A.

Anthony grew up in a family with over 50 years of experience in the courier service industry. While he had the opportunity to take over and run the family business, he decided to forge his own path.

Anthony created his own courier brand, ReadyPak.

He already knew the basics of operating a small business, as he also ran a graphic design company. He wanted to focus on creating a courier business that would eliminate waste and cut unnecessary expenses.

Considering that net profits could fall by 26% over three years unless last mile delivery is optimized, cutting unnecessary expenses seems like a necessary top priority. Add COVID-19 to the mix, and cutting expenses seems like a top priority for businesses in almost any industry.

One area where Anthony realized he could significantly reduce costs was office space.

Unlike his graphic design company, the courier business had no real need for a full office space:

His employees would spend most of the day in their vehicles, taking care of deliveries.
He only needed office and meeting space for himself and his one assistant; the two of them also didn’t need to spend the entire day in an office setting. He needed only occasional access to meeting space.

Walk-ins are virtually unheard of in today’s hyperconnected digital world. digital world.
Furthermore, Walk-ins could potentially represent a security risk as most walk-ins want to pay in cash.

The solution Anthony landed on was to purchase a virtual office plan.

He did so via Alliance Virtual Offices.

After exploring the options available through Alliance Virtual Offices, Anthony picked a virtual office located in a suburban office park where his business would share an address with other reputable, well-known companies.

The process was simple, convenient, and—most importantly—affordable.

A virtual office not only enabled ReadyPak to cut expenses, but it can reduce the company’s risk.

Knowing full well that demand can drop at any time, not having any real estate commitments significantly reduces the company’s risk and liberates a significant percentage of cash. All while helping build the company’s brand and image.

Having a professional business address was also important for Anthony.

If he wanted to scale his courier team with high-quality trustworthy drivers, he needed to ensure that the company itself projected an image of professionalism and longevity.

A home address didn’t meet the criteria for this, as it could be a deterrent for top candidates applying for a job.

How to Get a Virtual Office for Your Business

If you’re interested in a virtual office for your business, the first step you need to take is to ensure that you find one via a reputable company, like Alliance Virtual Offices.

Search Your Location
Pick a Plan
Customize to Fit Your Needs
Fill Out Your Customer Info
Accept the Terms of Service
Checkout!

Conclusion & Further Reading

Courier businesses are only one example of the various types of companies that stand to benefit from virtual office services.

Just as the COVID-19 pandemic has led to an increase in online shopping, it has also led to an increase in remote work.

Both remote work and online shopping are here to stay.

Virtual offices are a valuable business tool that can support the current and future needs of remote businesses as they enable companies to become more flexible and agile, while helping them cut expenses and free up cash.