How Secure Is Your Virtual Office? What to Look For in London Providers

Providers Virtual offices in London are a fantastic way to establish your company as more credible and professional. You cannot just choose any London office virtual provider, however, as some are better than others, and one of the main things you need to consider is security.

With fully secure virtual offices in London, you can rest assured that your sensitive business data is well protected, no matter what. So, how do you make sure of that? What should you look for in a London virtual address service? Find out in this guide.

What is a Secure Virtual Office?

A virtual office service is when you receive a designated business address, only that does not include the actual office space. There are several additional services you can get on top of the address, such as mail handling, a dedicated telephone number (that matches the area code), a call answering service, and access to meeting and conference rooms.

A secure virtual office is one that ensures your data is fully secure. The virtual office provider has very good security measures in place for the benefit of their clients, particularly when it comes to securing communications.

Why is Virtual Office Security So Important?

If you seek London virtual office services, you need to know that the provider takes security as seriously as you do, for several reasons.

Part of that is about your professional image. If the virtual office provider experiences a data breach that includes your company’s data, that could lead to serious reputational damage. Plus, there could be financial damage, too. As such, you need to know that your sensitive data is protected.

What to Look for in London Virtual Office Solutions for Ensured Security

So, you’re ready to invest in a London virtual office solution to save money on rent while boosting your credibility, but you want to be sure security is tight. If that’s the case, here is what to look for.

Legal Compliance

Before anything else, check that the virtual office in London complies fully with data protection laws. For example, the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018. If you want to check this, virtual office provider websites usually display this information under their ‘Privacy Policy’. You can scroll down to the bottom of a web page and find it there – if they don’t have it, that’s a warning sign!

Data Protection

To ensure your data is well protected when using a London office virtual service, enquire about their data protection measures. A secure London virtual office provider will use encryption for all your information to ensure nobody else gets unauthorised access to it.

Anti-Money Laundering Checks

Another thing you must consider when looking into the security of a virtual office provider is an AML check. The last thing you want is for your business to be close to associated with anything illegal, after all.

Terms and Conditions

Look carefully at the terms and conditions of the contract, looking closely at how they handle your data and mail. That can make the security measures of the London virtual office services much clearer.

Reviews

What have other companies had to say about the virtual office provider? When checking a virtual office provider to see if they are secure enough, remember to look closely at the reviews, as this will give you insights you won’t be able to find on their website. You want a virtual office that has a good reputation.

A Secure Building

While you won’t be renting an actual office space, the virtual office still has a building, which is where your registered office address is. It may even have meeting and conference rooms you can use when booking. It’s important for this building to be fully secure, especially if you choose a mail-handling service to be included.

Unsure If a London Office Virtual Provider is Secure?

You may wonder, where can you check to see if a virtual office is secure enough for you?

· Their Website: The best first place to check is their website. Look specifically for their terms and conditions and privacy policy.

· Google Reviews: Most companies have Google Reviews with a star rating, running from 1-5. These give you an insight into the provider’s reputation.

· Trustpilot: For extra insight into the reputation of the virtual office provider, check out Trustpilot – simply type in the provider’s company name and see what others have to say.

· Speaking to the Company: If there are any questions you have about the security, you can get in touch with the company and enquire about it. This can shed some light on any additional measures they have in place to ensure the absolute security of your data.

· Visiting the Virtual Office Building: You can also visit the virtual office building in person to see how secure the place is. During this visit, you can check out the meeting rooms/communal spaces they have on offer, and perhaps talk to the receptionists there about their security measures.

What Can You Do to Boost Security Measures?

Choosing secure London virtual office solutions is only one part of it – to be fully secure, you must have protection on your end, too. So, here is what you can do to ensure your data is as tightly secure as it can possibly be, perhaps saving you a lot of time, stress, and potentially even money in the future!

· Protect All the Devices You Use for Work: How many devices do you use for work? Is it just a laptop, or do you also use your mobile phone and a tablet? Whichever devices you use, make sure they have enough security, such as firewalls and antivirus software.

· Create Strong Passwords: One of the best things you can do to protect your data is to create very strong passwords. This usually means using passwords with a mix of capital letters, special characters, and numbers. Remember not to use the same password across the board – change it up!

· Use Multi-Factor Authentication: Multi-factor authentication is a useful security measure that asks for two (or more) forms of identification before you can gain access. It’s an additional layer that ensures unauthorized users do not gain access to your data, even if they have your password.

· Only Use Secure Networks: If you don’t have an office, you will likely work from home most of the time. If you ever decide to work from somewhere else, such as a café, remember to only use very secure networks, as this will ensure your data isn’t compromised.

· Train Employees in Security: If you have employees working for your company, it is crucial that you train them in the best cybersecurity methods, such as knowing how to avoid phishing scams and only using secure networks.

· Run Security Audits: From time to time, run a thorough security audit. This audit will flag any potential security vulnerabilities, which you can then fix.

Additional Factors to Consider When Choosing a London Virtual Office

You now know how important it is to choose a secure virtual office package. So, what else should you consider? There are other factors to ensure your virtual office address experience goes as smoothly as possible.

The Right Location

The right location for your virtual office matters – quite a lot! If you’re set on a London virtual office, consider where in London you want your business address to be. There are several great options here, with central London offering the most prestigious addresses, such as Mayfair, Canary Wharf, and Kensington.

Consider the type of business you are running and which address best matches your goals. If you plan on using the virtual office address from time to time for business meetings, also consider how accessible it is for you and your employees, looking at transportation options. Keep in mind you can find virtual offices anywhere in the world!

The Services Offered

What type of additional services does the virtual office offer? These are the most common ones:

· Mail Handling: This is when the virtual office provider receives and handles your mail, often sending it on to you for additional charges. Although, you may find free mail-handling services with some providers.

· Call Answering: A virtual office typically has receptionists to take your calls and either patch the call to you or take a message.

· Call Patching: You can also get call patching, which is when a call is diverted to your mobile or landline directly. It means your address can operate with a phone number in the same area code as your business address.

· Meeting Rooms: Many virtual offices let you book meeting rooms for a set number of people. This can be helpful if you want to meet with your employees or clients from time to time.

When looking at virtual office providers, check which additional services they offer and whether they work for you and your company.

Transparency

You want to be sure that you know the ins and outs of the contract you have with a virtual office provider. As such, consider how transparent they are with the pricing and the flexibility of the contract.

Reputation

You likely already looked into the reputation of a virtual office provider when looking at their security measures, but it’s worth considering their reputation in other ways. Checking the reviews and looking deeper than the star ratings can go a long way in helping you decide which provider to choose from.

Customer Service

Finally, consider the quality of their customer service. When you choose a virtual address, you choose to use their receptionists. You want to know with certainty that they can handle your clients with politeness and professionalism! Plus, if they have good customer service skills, you are more likely to experience a smooth relationship with them.

Is a London Virtual Business Address Worth It?

Yes – many companies, both small and large, find that investing in a London virtual business address is more than worth it.

A massive reason so many successful businesses use a virtual office service is the money they save. Renting an office space in London is undoubtedly expensive, and a virtual business address is just a fraction of that price. Many companies are looking for ways to save money, especially with rising rental prices, and it acts as a great alternative.

On top of that, many companies want to work from home but don’t want to use their home address for privacy reasons. Still, they need an address to register as a UK limited company, and a virtual office address provides that.

Then, there are the reputational benefits. When you choose a London virtual address, you can display it on marketing materials, such as business cards. It makes your company seem more credible, legitimate, and professional, helping you grow further than ever before.

Even though a virtual office solution in London does not include physical office space, there are plenty of additional services that make running your business that much easier. Virtual offices can handle a range of administrative tasks, from handling your mail to answering the phone. Plus, you can still make the most of a physical space by booking meeting rooms.

If you want to experience these benefits, just remember to look closely at the company’s security measures. Whatever virtual office provider you choose, you want to know your data is fully secure!

Final Thoughts

When searching for a virtual office space in London, you need to consider security measures. The security of the virtual office provider directly affects your company, as if they experience a data breach, which could cost you both reputationally and financially.

At Your City Office, we take security seriously. We have a range of security measures to ensure our and our client’s data is well protected, no matter what. Get in touch to get started!