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Objects in the Mirror are Further Than They Appear

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Definition From http://www.merriamwebster.com -- "Virtual: - being such in essence or effect though not formally recognized or admitted."

Virtual Businesses offer Real World Profitability

Let's face it, most of the Fortune 500 companies are doing it. When you press five for customer service and you imagine a department on another floor, you are actually being routed, sometimes overseas, to a remote call center. These days, virtual or remote departments and workers exist in every aspect of business. In an online article called Good Times for Call Centers, at Network World Fusion (www.nwfusion.com) , a quote By Toni Kistner states "Customers include 1-800 Flowers, several marquis-name catalog and e-commerce retailers, as well as several retailers that sell direct via TV infomercials." Another article about Cisco advertising ventures at www.cisco.com states, "Thanks to Cisco, we keep a small group of our best people working effectively, when and where they want to while also empowering us to bring in specialists from around the world, if and when needed to support our 15 person staff. These people work virtually as if they were in the office next door."

"Virtuality" is the hottest trend in business today. The recognition that four walls are not needed to establish a company presence has sparked the imagination of virtually everyone. But no one wants to admit it! Does the call center mention that they are located in Taiwan? You have a problem and you want it solved. As long as the end result is accomplished you, as the customer, are satisfied. If this result is accomplished pleasantly and efficiently, you are more than satisfied, you are now an assured repeat customer.

Making a Virtual Business Work

As an employee, you want to feel confident in your product knowledge, an integral part of the company and included in its vision, mission and results, and not treated like an outsider. Being left in the dark is not only a death knoll for employee loyalty, it can eventually erode your company! The efficacy of virtual departments and companies is evident. They can work. What is the most important factor? Having worked with cutting-edge companies that embrace and utilize "Virtuality", I have seen successes, situations that need improvement, and total failures.

My observance of this has led me to the following conclusion: That communication is the absolute key to success in such ventures. The quality of communication between employees as well as customers will determine your future success, period. Your employees cannot be effective unless they are informed and have a feeling of belonging. They must be knowledgeable about the company mission, values, goals and products. They must be excellent with troubleshooting but without communication how effective can they be? Their feelings are most certainly conveyed to the client or customer. If they feel connected and informed, it comes through.

Start with a Virtual PBX System

Great technology can most assuredly help in the area of communication. A phone system that keeps you all connected, seamlessly is the beginning. There are many products on the market, but my personal experience with one in particular has been most satisfactory. Virtual PBX, a system available through Access Direct, (www.messagingservice.com) is wonderful. A local number (or 800 number, depending upon your preference) is established. For a virtual company, having a staff (for example) of say six virtual employees, the auto attendant will go down the line "for John Doe, press 1, for Mary Doe, press 2. You are then seamlessly routed to your party, whatever that employee's preference; cell phone, landline, etc. The employee is then alerted that the incoming call is from the company with an announcement of "To accept this call, press 1, to return this call to voicemail, press 2)". If the call is routed to voicemail, not only will that message be waiting in your voicemail box, it is also routed to your email address, so they can click and listen through their desktop computer speakers or, we can send a brief e-mail text message to their cell phone, letting them know a new message is waiting. This system not only works beautifully, it's affordable.

Teleconferencing is the Way to Go!

Weekly or monthly staff meetings will foster camaraderie amongst the staff, keep everyone in touch with what is going on in the company and personalize relationships. Using a "bridge line" is great for this. Eagle Teleconferencing (www.eagleconf.com) is a great company to use. For companies that can afford video conferencing, this is the piece d' resistance in the world of virtuality. This is the perfect vehicle for enforcing or updating the company mission, values and goals and also to listen to and address employee concerns and needs, not to mention the next best thing to being in front of your customers. But we are getting away from what matters most because it's not really about the equipment you use. Even if it's just the landline phone or the dreaded snail mail, communicating with everyone, often, is the key.

The Personal Touch goes a Long Way

Having someone to touch base with your customers, adding the personal touch (thereby eliminating or at least lessening, the impersonality fostered by technology) can create customer loyalty.

A customer outreach program - - someone to call just to say hello, update contact information and keeping your company in the face of customers can have a direct impact by increasing business because you have placed yourself in the forefront of their minds and they may possibly make an order right there. Sending a useful, yet inexpensive gift or a thoughtful card can help. Terrie Williams, of the Terrie Williams Agency, has built her success on the foundation of "The Personal Touch" which is also the title of her book. "… you can learn to succeed by taking the time to know the person you're trying to contact or deal with-even those with whom you've already established a relationship."

Doing something a little extra can go a long way with your employees as well. First, knowing something about your remote employees, and sending little personalized cards or gifts accordingly, will foster loyalty. If you really want to go over the top, here's a suggestion. Know the location of your remote employees and research the local deli or restaurant that provides delivery. Order coffee and Danish from each, paying via credit card and have it delivered at the time of a weekly or monthly staff meeting. It takes a bit of effort to be "personal" but the rewards can affect your bottom line in keeping the loyalty of employees and customers alike.

How can you find the time to be personal and run a company when there aren't enough hours in the day? Spending 15 minutes a day to come up with creative ways to value your staff and customers isn't much when you think about the return on your investment. And if you still have no time, get a virtual assistant to help.

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