People have been telecommuting informally for years. Technology such as e-mail makes it simple for a worker in California to compose a proposal and then shoot it off to someone as far away as Asia to get feedback. Companies such as Lockheed Martin have found virtual offices to be a boon to their operations. Although Lockheed still provides physical office space for its employees, the virtual office enhances their productivity. On the other hand, the California-based company Veriphone, which makes telephone headsets, is a completely virtual office setup.
Virtual offices have many advantages.
Small companies cannot necessarily afford office space for the number of employees they need, and large businesses need to be cautious of how they spend their money to remain competitive. By providing employees with virtual office support and technologies, companies are able to reduce their office space overhead costs. Haywood notes that businesses that use the virtual office concept can have access to technical experts, who often are in another city, state or country. Such working relationships enable companies and employees who might not have been able to work together before to become team members. The benefit is two-sided.