Hi Graeme,

I have just set up a London Virtual Office. Personally I think they are a great solution to creating a perception of size and professionalism as well as ensuring your calls are always answered.

Different companies operate costs in different ways so it is worth shopping around. You can get calls managed, post forwarded and they all charge varying rates, for example one Company I contacted charged for the duration of the transferred call as compared with the service provider I have opted to go with that only charges for the trunk call, that is the time taken to transfer the call to you. Some Companies add a % to postal costs.

The way they manage your calls differs too, some offer voicemail services, some e-mail you messages, some transfer the call to any number- it is personal choice in the end and it does depend on what you are trying to achieve by having a virtual office.

I am paying £120 a month for a London address and telephone number plus the cost of the trunk call, voicemail when I am unavailable and the cost of a stamp for postage to forward post. I also get discounted meeting room space if I want to actually use the offices for a client meeting.

They have also guaranteed that no one will ever know it is a virtual office - unless you are reading this!! So if a client popped in they would explain I was away at a client meeting for example.

Hope this helps,

Jessica