Creating A Virtual Office

Creating A Virtual Office
Workspaces of the future
February 1996

In my mind, there are two types of virtual offices. One is a telecommuter's haven, remotely accessing data from the corporate headquarters. The other incorporates computer-mediated-communication (CMC) into a business that actively uses electronic communications to engage customers in buying products and services.

In this article, I would like to describe how to create a business structure that allows some or all company associates to be employed at home for at least part of the normal work week. In a future article, I will describe CMC commerce.

This topic came to me after talking with a customer about her desires to relocate her workspace to her home so she could reduce her weekly commuting time. I explained to her how I telecommute, especially in inclement weather and on weekends. We then discussed how the technology that I now use will have to change as additional associates create virtual offices in their homes.

Damar Group employs telecommuters, salespersons and me. We have offices in our homes that allow us to work and still have full access to all corporate data sources via modem links to the company's network.

We originally created our virtual "home" offices as an incentive to reducing long working hours at the main office. Word processing, bookkeeping, and other computer tasks can be done at home just as easily as at the main office, if all data files were readily available. By allowing salespeople to work at home, we saved the costs required of in-person employment: a desk, phone, office space, etc.

By linking home computers to our corporate network using popular software such as pcAnywhere or Carbon Copy, we transfer computer files between the two sites. Even large database files transfer in only minutes with top-line modems to compress the transmission signals.

The system that we have is effective because each telecommuter has specific tasks for which he or she is responsible. And, each telecommuter is self-reliant and works well without direct, face-to-face, supervision.

We have computers in the main office that allow incoming modem calls. Through these computers, the telecommuters have access to the corporate computer data.

All of our nation-wide and international marketing is conducted via the Internet, so salespeople working from their homes truly act as virtual offices of the company. Electronic mail messages are routed to and from the virtual offices, corporate office, and customers' sites. We have procedures that we agree to follow so email messages are forwarded to all appropriate sites. These redundant messages provide a measure of quality control.

Requests for printed information are automatically forwarded to the corporate office where the outbound package is assembled. Whenever possible, correspondence is manually signed; however, digital signatures may be used for high-priority packages if the author is working from one of the "virtual offices."

When talking last month with our customer who is interested in reducing her commute, I realized that any company that has employees who are self-directed and work independently may benefit from establishing virtual offices. We still have staff meetings to attend, and it's helpful to stay in close touch with coworkers; however, some combination of virtual and physical office space may reduce overhead costs.

As I thought about this over the past few weeks, I learned that I have two other acquaintances who have virtual offices in their homes. One is a management consultant and the other is a technical training developer. Both have specific job responsibilities and spend the majority of their day engaged in independent work. They meet for staff meetings at least once a week, and are occasionally required to attend to projects at their corporate offices, but most of their work is accomplished in their virtual offices.

I'm still learning how other businesses use virtual offices to increase their bottom lines. If you are a telecommuter or if you have a virtual office and would like to share your ideas with me, please give me a call.

David Stephen Murphy is President and CEO of Damar Group, Ltd. which presents computer training classes, publishes computer learning guides, and helps organizations do business on the Internet. The website is http://dgl.com, and Mr. Murphy may be reached at dave@dgl.com or 410.567.5366.

updated October 22, 1996
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