The cost of living is constantly rising and when setting up a small business on a shoestring budget, if you can avoid the high cost of office rental, you are naturally attracted to such a proposition. Making your business HQ at home does make perfect sense and it isn’t written in stone, which means you can upgrade to shared workspace when the business is going well.
Essential office equipment
You can find a suitable home office desk from Smart Office Furniture along with a couple of ergonomic chairs and ordering online means you pay the lowest prices and can enjoy free delivery. A small filing cabinet, a desktop PC, monitor and printer/scanner is really all you need for your office; make sure you set up a wireless router to keep your Internet connection wireless. The signal should be strong enough to enjoy a Zoom call from anywhere in the house. Wearing a headset lets you move around without losing your connection and with wireless keyboard and mouse, you no longer need cables.
Cloud-based data storage
It is relatively easy to set up a secure cloud network; talk to a managed IT services provider and they can do this in a matter of hours.
There are many benefits to cloud data storage including:
- Access from any location
- Access using any digital device
- Bank-grade cyber-security
- Automated backup
- Real-time updates
Once your cloud network is complete, you can create folders and start uploading all business data and all you need to access data is a digital device with a browser and a web connection. Your cloud can grow alongside your business, keeping you connected.
Digitalise your office
All you need is a scanner to scan all paperwork and upload the files to the cloud, which eliminates the need for lots of filing cabinets. Don’t store any data on your workstation PC, rather store it on your cloud network and you can access data from any location. Many SMEs have already gone fully digital and the benefits include a boost in efficiency because of streamlined business processes.
Use VoIP tech for communication
Using Skype or Zoom, you can slash your business communication costs by using VoIP, which offers real-time video and a lot of powerful collaboration tools. You can hold business meetings via Zoom, with a virtual whiteboard and file sharing, which really does empower the small business owner.
Decorate the office
Put up a few motivational quotes and some tasteful wall art, add vertical blinds to keep out sunlight and create a warm and inviting ambience that is conducive to doing work. Do what it takes to make your office a place you like to spend time in and we hope that your business enjoys sustained growth.
There are many small businesses in Australia that have home offices and if image is important, for a few dollars a month, you can register a Sydney CBD business address. You can also engage the services of a virtual receptionist who is remotely located and they answer all incoming calls with your written script. You can also rent a local telephone number that matches your office address and this service is very cheap and brings you a winning image.
