Small business conundrums – Virtual company or real premises?

Is your small business looking to relocate or expand? Do you have problems storing stock and urgently need a solution?

The decision to make in these increasingly expensive times for small businesses is whether to have a physical presence or not, whether that’s a retail space, office premises or warehousing.

One of the main problems for small business owners concerns how to find cost-effective storage for stock and the right type of office space that maximises efficiency, turnover and ultimately profits. Storage and maintenance costs can prove more and more expensive whether you have a warehouse sized space or a small office.

If you find that storage costs are becoming unmanageable, or even that it is becoming more difficult to access stock as you need it, then it could be time for you to examine the pros and cons of both physical and virtual storage options.

Cost Considerations

In any business – large or small – one of the most vital considerations for the health and success of the business is costs and overheads. If you decide to maintain physical premises then one of the biggest items affecting your costs will relate to the location of your premises. A commercial presence in a major city will result in high overheads whilst a more rural or urban setting can be cheaper, at least in the short term.

Working from home is an attractive, practical and often cost-effective way to run a business but what if you still need extra desk space as well as a safe, secure storage option for stock or documents? Flexible or temporary desk space could be an option where a short term virtual office is required and self storage can be utilised where access to products or documents is needed only occasionally or intermittently.

Security is Important

One part of any small business concerns the necessity to keep certain documents such as employee records, tax records, receipts and customer records all of which makes up a proportion of the paperwork a business owner is legally obliged to retain. Where space is limited it can be difficult to keep this in an orderly state. There can also be a security consideration particularly if you work from home or where employees or visitors could gain unauthorised access.

Whilst it can be reassuring having records and other paperwork close to hand it can also add a vulnerability to your business. A locked and secure business storage space, one where the access to documents, or indeed stock, is available to key holders only is perhaps the safest way to keep sensitive paperwork and valuable products safe.

Climate Control Needed?

With the best will in the world it can be difficult if not near impossible to maintain optimum temperature and humidity levels in the average office space and where there are extremes of these conditions vital documents or valuable stock could be damaged. A climate controlled storage unit could be the answer.

If you are looking to take your small business to the next stage but want to save on costs, then a self-storage unit could be the perfect compromise between a virtual company and real premises when your business needs more storage space.  It avoids the commitment and expense of long warehouse or office rental contracts, but still provides safety and security for your stock or documentation.