virtual office services Ireland

Whilst virtual offices have been a la mode for several years globally, they have really started to gain popularity in Ireland in the last number of years. If you are just starting your business, a virtual office is a great way to get your business on the market without accruing exorbitant running costs starting out. Here are some of the services we provide that make for a complete virtual office:

1. Call Pal Smart Numbers

Choosing a Call Pal Smart Number gives you the ability to either increase your existing presence in Ireland or create a more localised feel so you can hone in on business opportunities in a particular area. An added benefit of having landline number is the increased credibility it gives to your business. It’s widely believed that businesses represented solely by a mobile number are less trustworthy. Having a landline number not only makes your business look more professional, it also gains the trust of your potential and existing clients which is priceless in the business world.

 

2. Call Pal’s Mail Handling Service

Almost every business starts at home and that has some clear advantages. But sorting through letters pertaining to your business in your home space can be tedious and distracting. Having access to Call Pal’s mail handling service means that our team of professional PAs will collect and organise your mail in our safe, convenient serviced office facility in Ireland’s Western capital, Galway. There is also the added advantage of having your business address in a central city location, again, making your business appear more professional.

 

3. Call Pal Call Answering

As a sole trader or smaller enterprise, you are generally very busy and getting to the phone can be a virtual impossibility. And most entrepreneurs barely have time to check their voicemails on a day to day basis! Call Pal’s Call Answering Service means that

a) You never miss an important call again. Our Call PA team is at hand to answer calls in your company name ensuring your customers get the best possible service and managing a vital revenue source for your business

b) You can stay focused. With Call Pal managing your calls, you can focus on current projects or critical meetings without worrying about whether or not you are missing calls

c) You have the freedom to be mobile. You can leave the office whenever you need to knowing that your calls won’t go unanswered

d) Your customers’ satisfaction is maintained. Technology is wonderful and has, in so many ways enhanced and accelerated business processes. With all that said, there is still a huge value to our customers being able to connect to a human voice. There is something fundamentally reassuring to the about having their call answered and being able a professional representative of your business

e) You only deal with important calls. Spam calls are truly the bane of every business. Thankfully, with Call Pal, you don’t have to take any annoying calls because we do that for you

f) You save money. The cost of having a dedicated, in house receptionist on a full or part time basis especially when you are starting out can be impossibly high. Call Pal affords you the luxury of having a personal assistant without the heavy cost of recruiting and hiring additional employees.

 

With a Call Pal’s Smart Numbers, Mail Handling and Call Answering, you have all you need to have a complete virtual office that will give your business the professional image it deserves. Give us a call on 1890 511 400 and we’ll get you started with your virtual office today!

 

Let’s keep the virtual conversation going on our social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and Google+!

reception holiday cover

Here is a truth that we as human beings find difficult to accept – we cannot be good at everything. And in the business world, what rings even truer is that few business owners are good at taking breaks or even going on extended holidays. This can, however be detrimental to a business and even have a knock on effect in important personal relationships. Here’s why you need – no deserve – to go on a break. we’ve also included some tips on how to best prepare ahead of your break / holiday.

Potentially Dangerous

There is a common misconception that constantly thinking about your business is a good exercise. It can, in fact, be quite destructive. Working exceptionally long hours for sustained periods of time will inevitably render you less productive. Taking a break means you’ll return refreshed, re-energised and re-focused. A lot of the things that you’ve been worrying about will either seem trivial or more manageable. You’ll also be better equipped to deal with your workload on your return especially because 21st Century work environments by and large are quite relentless challenging.

The Approach

Naturally, many business owners worry about the potential problems that will arise when they are away. You can minimise potential issues that may arise by approaching your holiday systematically and in a timely manner ahead of your break. Implementing effective systems and processes for dealing with customer service, cashflow, enquiries, sales, delivery etc is vital. If possible, let your customers know several weeks in advance that you’ll be away. You should also let your clients know who to contact in your absence as well as inform your suppliers that you are taking  break amending orders as necessary. As far as your staff team goes, their job descriptions should be clear and they should have adequate training on your systems. That way, if you are the business owner, going away is not such an issue.

You Deserve It

Business owners are the most deserving of breaks or holidays simply because they carry a huge amount of responsibility and pressure. Research carried out in the US and Israel confirms that people who go on holidays return feeling healthier both physically and psychologically and this can only bode well for business leaders.

The Detox

It is virtually impossible to forget about your business while you are away especially because modern technology can give you access to your business in just a few clicks or screen taps. However, if you’re planning a day at the beach or going out to dinner, leave your phone in your room so you resist the temptation to check your email. Select a time of day, usually late afternoon/early evening is a good time, to check your emails. That way, you are not focusing on your business all day and you can tend to any pressing problems by making a call if necessary.

Let’s Get Talking

Sole traders in particular need to keep the lines of communication while they are away but still enjoy their time out. There are several ways of doing this including setting up an out of office email or leaving your answering machine on with a holiday specific voicemail. The down side of leaving your answering machine on is that there is strong chance (a 60% chance in fact!) that your inbound callers will not leave you a voicemail. With that in mind, hiring a professional reception management service is often the best way to make sure you don’t miss any calls from your existing clients and opportunities from potential clients. At Call Pal, for instance, we offer Holiday Cover for the periods when you are away or need additional cover. Essentially, we act as an extension of your business, professionally managing your calls in your company name so you can have peace of mind during a well deserved break!

Thank you for reading our latest blog post! Find out more about more about our Holiday Cover Service from our website or give us a call on 1890 511 400. If you are an international caller, you can call us on +353 91 511 414

Let’s keep talking on all of our social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and Google+.

 

What a fantastic night we had at our Summer Party! The night was a perfect blend of an excellent venue, great music, food, drink and company. Thank you to everyone who came out to celebrate with us. We would especially like to thank O’Connell’s Bar for the use of their newly refurbished venue, The Dough Bros for the delicious food, Aoife Kenny from Bash Event & Project Management for all her help planning and managing the event and Lisa Regan from Lisa Regan PR for her assistance and oversight of the public relations side of the event. We could not have done it without you and hope we can do it all again soon!

 

Welcoming Ciara Finan to the Call Pal Team

Originally from Melbourne, Australia, Ciara has lived in Galway for the past four years and is currently completing a Masters in Publishing in NUI Galway. Outside of work she is is interested in travelling and photography. In her previous job, she worked as a receptionist and administrator in Kingsbridge Hospital, Sligo. She is looking forward to getting to know all the clients as well as the Call Pal Team. And thanks to her studies, she will always have a good book recommendation to hand!

 

More often than not, we are asked to describe exactly what it is we do as a company. Let me put it to you this way – at Call Pal we understand that entrepreneurs are busy people. There are endless meetings to attend, staff to manage, product and brand development and much more. And threaded through all these duties is a seemingly endless stream of phone calls from existing and potential clients, marketing companies and much more. Call Pal offers a Reception Management Service that can be provided in a number of ways…

 

We LOVE to give back to our clients and our client referral scheme allows us to do just that. If you refer a friend or colleague to Call Pal and they decide to go ahead with our service, we will reward you with a €25 All4One Gift Card! Go on…you deserve it!

Congratulations to Call Pal Team Member Lucia Evans who performed with renowned Irish composer Brian Byrne on Miriam O’Callaghan’s ‘Sunday with Miriam’ radio show on RTE 1 last Sunday! She was also be one of the headline artists performing songs from Brian’s latest album, Goldenhair, on Sunday the 2nd of June in The Sugar Club, Dublin. Click the button below to listen to the full Radio Show. Please note, you may need Adobe Flash Player to listen to the show.

Thanks for reading our June Newsletter! Let’s keep the conversation going on our social media channels including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and Google+!