establishing the virtual office
TRANSCRIPT
Establishing the Virtual Office
BatchBlue Software
We Mean Business Conference
November 5, 2007
Intro to BatchBlue
• Pamela O’Hara, President; Michelle Riggen-Ransom, Communications Director
• Working parents, .com veterans
• Telecommuters
• Lifestyle company focusing on small businesses
• Organize Your Business. Live Your Life.
• Our employees have lives!
• Pregnant
BatchBabies (well, 2 of 8)
The Workplace of the Future
• 2007 Survey* of 1,000 small business owners showed 42% would find survival without wireless technology a major challenge.
• 55% indicated they expect to depend on wireless technology even more two years from now.
• 61% percent said they were likely to conduct business while away from the office.
• 56% percent believe it's important to have flexibility to mix work with personal business in their daily routine.
• Half (49%) said they are optimistic about wireless technology giving their business a competitive advantage.
* source AT&T Small Business survey conducted July-August 2007
Working Virtually
• Telecommuting - What is it?
• Working full-time from your home or…– Checking e-mail from home– Checking e-mail on cell phones, Blackberries,
Palm Pilots etc.– Accessing on-line business bank accounts – Having 24/7 access to your tools and data– Hence “The workplace of the future”
Telecommuting
• What are you doing?
Benefits
• Flexible schedule• Balance life commitments• Family hours • Alternative work arrangements
– Injuries, travel• 24/7 access to information• Better for the environment - no commute!• Security/Safety
– Natural disasters– Theft – Lost laptops
Drawbacks
• Not for everyone – need discipline and focus• Can’t micro-manage• Lose face time• Feeling disconnected from the team• Ability to unplug• No place to host clients, interviewees, etc.• Information in many places (office, home,
mobile)
Coming Up with a Plan
1. Requesting remote work
2. Managing virtual employees
3. Starting a virtual company
Requesting Remote Work
• Technology is making remote work more feasible for more companies
• Companies will need to be more flexible
• Present a written plan– Availability– Contact info– Coverage
Successful Telecommuting
• Overcommunicate but
• Make emails short, to the point with good subject lines
• Offer to take meeting notes during conference calls
• Encourage everyone to use an instant messaging service
Managing Virtual Employees
• 1-1 meeting
• Weekly touch-ins with the team
• Be accessible
• Judge employees by productivity, not hours
• Good job descriptions
• Foster a community – Coffee shop, nights out, online network
Starting a Virtual Company
• Finding the right people– Disciplined, self-motivated– Problem can be working TOO much
• Setting the right tone– Expectations of work schedule – Expectations of communications
• Surrogate Space– Coffee shop, restaurant, co-working
• Finding the right tools
Finding the Right Tools
Online software/SaaS– What is it?– Concerns
• Data security• More secure than the average small (or sometimes
large) company’s environment
– Advantages• Data is available from anywhere, anytime• Data is secure• Data is backed up
Software available
Communications• Tracking all communications between staff,
customers, suppliers, etc.
Business Management• The work of your business
Admin • Keep the shop running • World doesn’t need to know your location
Communications Software
• Instant messaging – Skype, Yahoo, AIM, Google Talk
• Voicemail/Conference Calling – the Conference Center, WebEx, Vello
• Wiki - trak
• E-mail - Gmail, Yahoo, iMail, Webmail
Business Management Software
• Project Management - Basecamp
• Document sharing – Skype, Google Docs, WebEx
• CRM/Contact Management - BatchBook
• Customer Communications - Constant Contact, Zoomerang
• Customer service - Copilot
• Industry software – what are folks using?
Administrative Tools
• Accounting – Freshbooks, QuickBooks online, Cashview, online banking
• Calendar - Google calendars
• Knowledgebase - Lore
• Mail delivery - FedEx, UPS Store
Setting Up a Home Office
• Computer– Purchase and set-up– Maintenance
• Internet Connection
• Ergonomics
• Security
• Tax information
Local Networking
• Find local groups– Colleges – Government
• EDC, BIF
• Small Business– Chambers
• Industry– Geeks, Ladies Who Launch
• Don’t forget Boston
Online Networks
• Small Business– SmallBusiness.com – RI resources– Bank of America – Small Business Online Community
• Professional Networking– Linked In– FaceBook– Sassy Ladies
• Industry– RI Nexus
It’s Worth It!
• It can be done if you:– Are flexible; learn new things– Are organized; manage your data– Are communicative; ask for help
• Good for you, good for employees
• Good for the planet!
Questions & Resources
• Any questions?
• Visit www.batchblue.com/presentations for link of resources and copy of presentation
Thanks!