It’s a digital world (especially thanks to Covid-19).
Thus, running a business remotely without a brick-and-mortar office is a leap forward in business productivity and efficiency.
Avoiding the high costs related to renting physical office space can bring your small company to the next level and skyrocket your sales.
Of course, there’s no one-size-fits-all formula for running a company remotely. Every business owner has different ways of developing a strategic plan and applying management principles.
For this reason, some companies are still looking for strategies to implement remote work successfully (even though the rise of remote work isn’t a new trend, and the Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated the digital transformation).
Maybe you own a small company that has never run remotely before the pandemic outbreak. Or perhaps you have just started an online business.
It does not matter if you had to switch to remote working due to the ongoing crisis or you’ve built remote working into your startup business plan. This post will enhance your understanding of the rules you need to follow to run a successful, work-from-anywhere company.
Table of contents:
- What are the benefits of remote working for businesses and employees?
- 7 golden rules you need to follow when running a business remotely
1. What Are The Benefits Of Remote Working For Businesses And Employees?
Before Covid-19 hit, remote work was an employee benefit. Organisations that implemented remote or hybrid work policies were considered progressive.
Then, the pandemic has flipped the script. For many employees that are now forced to work remotely, distractions such as kids, pets, Netflix, and laundry abound. As a result, many say that remote working has gone from dream to nightmare.
Honestly, I believe that remote working has a myriad of benefits, and this working model is just a victim of the pandemic.
While governments worldwide imposed stiff lockdowns and social distancing rules, homeworking shouldn’t be blamed for the Covid-19 fatigue (“experiencing various mental, emotional and physical symptoms as a result of the constant exposure to pandemic stressors”).
Thus, the pandemic isn’t the only reason to work remotely.
Remote work has more benefits than drawbacks for both businesses and employees.
Here are the advantages of remote working for businesses:
- Cost savings (businesses save money on rent, utilities, maintenance, equipment, etc.)
- Access to the global talent pool
- Increased employee productivity and retention
- Less commuting time resulting in less absenteeism
- Lower salaries (businesses can hire highly-skilled employees located in low-wage countries)
- Positive environmental impact
- Increased revenue and profitability
Now, let’s see the benefits of remote working for employees:
- Freedom and flexibility
- Cost savings (employees save on parking, lunch, coffee and snacks, colleague presents, etc.)
- Time saved on commuting
- Location (remote employees can work from anywhere without being bound to a city)
- Improved mental health and happiness
- Work-life balance
- Personalised and inspiring workspace
- Less stress
Now that you have a clear understanding of the benefits of remote working for you and your team, let’s take a closer look at the rules you need to follow when running an online business.
2. 7 Golden Rules You Need To Follow When Running A Business Remotely
1. Build a solid online presence
If you run a business without a storefront, having a solid online presence is crucial for connecting with customers.
For a company running remotely, digital assets such as website, app, and social presence, are critical.
If you’re looking for ways to build your online presence, you may want to start by reading the following posts: How to set up Google My Business and How to set up Bing Places.
An online presence builds customer relationships and trust. It also enables you to reach a wider audience (not to mention that your online presence allows you to advertise your products and services for free across your blog and social media).
2. Use an office
Yes, you read that right. There is a world of difference between running a business without an office and running a business remotely.
Running a business from home without a premium business address and office is risky as your company appears small and unprofessional. Moreover, you risk your family safety by exposing your personal details.
On the other hand, running an online business with an appropriate office (the most convenient office for remote companies is a virtual office) is a whole different way of doing business.
3. Internationalise your payments
As I mentioned previously, one of the most significant benefits of running an online business is the ability to access the global talent pool and manage a distributed team.
Suppose you have a remote contractor who is a non-resident of Australia. In that case, the payroll won’t be taxed in Australia as long as they are not under an Australian employment contract (here’s another good reason as to why remote work saves your business money).
However, the payments to the offshore team need to be reported to the Australian Taxation Office (ATO).
But since the traditional payroll does not work in a remote setting, you need to internationalise your payments.
You can use options like Ria Money Transfer or TransferWise that enable you to send money online with your bank with lower transfer fees and faster deliveries.
Important note: We are not accountants or lawyers, so if you’re looking for assistance in this matter it would be best if you consulted with a professional.
4. Master digital etiquette
Business etiquette applies to digital communication as well. For example, you should avoid a casual tone in your emails. However, you can write business emails that sound friendly to reflect your brand’s tone of voice – if applicable to your business.
It is also essential to provide a timely response to every message and make your virtual meetings engaging and professional.
Here’s an expert tip: never send a text message a few words at a time. Trust me, hearing your phone buzzing all the time is highly annoying.
Sending messages
A few
Words
At
A time
Makes you look
Unprofessional
You should instead write whole sentences and send one message only.
5. Build your remote work toolbox
Running a paperless company helps you save money. You do not have to deal with physical documents and the bulky accessories that come with them, such as filing cabinets that take up a lot of space.
But since you are not using paper and traditional office supplies, you need some valuable collaboration tools.
Below you will find a list of the essential communication tools that every business needs to run remotely:
- Video conferencing tools (e.g., Zoom, Google Hangouts, Skype, Pukka Team, etc.)
- File-sharing tools (e.g., Google Drive, DropBox Business, Xtensio, Skitch by Evernote, etc.)
- Project management tools (e.g., Click Up, Asana, Monday, KissFlow Project, etc.)
6. Choose the right remote workers
Remote working isn’t for everyone. For some people, online collaboration is more mentally taxing than working together face-to-face.
For this reason, some people are enjoying a commute-free life and a myriad of work-from-home benefits, while others see their performance plummeting when working remotely.
As I pointed out in one of my previous posts (where I shared 10 intelligent ways to boost remote employee productivity), you need to seek employees with strong leadership and organisation skills that don’t need much supervision.
Your remote workers also need to be tech-savvy and have the ability to compartmentalise work and home life (not to mention the top-notch communication skills).
7. Get testimonials from satisfied customers
As a remote business owner, it’s imperative to get customer reviews and testimonials that you can share on your website (just like B2B HQ does).
Nothing converts your leads into sales more than honest reviews written by people who tried your products or services.
Therefore, building a solid online presence means more than claiming your business on Google and Bing Places. The quality and quantity of the reviews you receive can determine your SEO rankings and impact your business reputation.
I suggest that you read these two posts to learn more about getting positive online reviews: 8 tried and tested ways to get more Google My Business reviews and 3 ways to get reviews on Bing Places and generate more leads.
Remote companies are the way of the future.
The digital revolution and the coronavirus pandemic allow businesses worldwide to forego the expensive traditional office in exchange for a more flexible office that enables you to work from anywhere.
If you’re looking for ways to upgrade your business, adapt to a new reality in the post-Covid-19 era, and enjoy the benefits of a unique work style, do not hesitate to contact the B2B HQ team. We can provide you with a modern virtual office that includes fantastic facilities and a professional business address. So now you can have everything your business needs to run properly in one flexible package!
