Benefit Consultants Blog

Use a virtual office and save money. The reality of this statement is being realised time and again by free form business owners who have decided to shift either part or all of their operations to the digital world and have gained measures of success through it. The necessity for such a move is primarily to cut total cost and widen their profit margin. This is especially so for small countries like Singapore where land is limited. Due to the shortage of land, getting a lot for you business operation can create a wide whole in your pocket.

The costs involved are literally astronomical because you are not only dealing with rent, you are dealing with a whole plethora of variable and hidden costs that will hit you when you least expect it. This article will explain what some of these costs are and how you can avoid them with the use of a virtual office. The most pertinent one is of course rent, where you are also expected to sign a lease of at least 6 months regardless of the district you have decided on. The problem is more obvious for newly established busniesses as they would have to fork out large investment capital for their rent and this have yet to include the cost of purchasing basic equipments and furniture.

Then there is the question of renovation, and no matter how little you have to do, that is cost and stress. Dealing with contractors and electricians to ensure that you maximise every square inch of space that is given to you. This also takes time, which means your business is put at hold as your office lacks the proper facility to get you business running. Also, you have to think about things like office equipment, computers, partitions, furniture, rest areas, amenities for your staff, paper – and these are just some of the variable costs involved in setting up an office. Add to that the hidden cost of maintenance, when something breaks down, or when expansion sets in and you start to hire new people.

Now, like a cherry on an icing, you have the internet bill, water and electricity bill to sum up your gargantuan expenditure. That is the reality of the situation. However, if you are able to settle the bills and see it as a necessity for you business to have a physical office of your own, then by all means. But if you feel that you can save more money by shifting your operations to the virtual space, then do not hesitate. It will definitely surprise you at the amount of profit you can make. In addition, with virtual office you can save precious time from travelling as communication among your office workers, employees and you can take place online. Use a virtual office and save money, get your business going in the right direction and save costs right from the get go.

Location, location and location. In Singapore, the site and the reliability of your business plays a major role in influencing your business prospect. Funnily enough, these two things tie in quite closely together in the overall economic equation of gaining either customer or investor confidence. Singapore being a small country lacks natural resources, mainly land. As a result, many business owners are only left with the city outskirts to set up their base of operations. Furthermore, with the decreasing amount of business real estate in this island nation, prices are creeping up slowly and leases are getting shorter and shorter as the years go by.

This is because the property market has become a jitter bug in its own right. Prices are soaring up and down, and this tenants are doubtful in signing longer leases as they are afraid that the property market might start to plummet. So what does this mean for you? This means you need to expand your options and think about newer, more digital horizons when choosing a business location. Singapore virtual offices are the best bet for either start-ups or existing business who either want to diversify or extend their activities into risky markets. First, take a long hard look at the type of business you are doing. Does it require frequent meet-ups with clients? Is the business mobile from your side or your customers side? Are your products in a category where a more personal and sensory selling experience is required?. If you are able to operate from a remote location and not compromise any of your brand pillars, then you would be able to work in the comfort of a virtual office.

When you do need to find one in Singapore, there are several things you should look out for before making a decision and signing on the dotted line. The virtual office should give you address that is preferably right in the heart of the Central Business District or in an area known for credible corporate presence. Some of the possible addresses that a good virtual office will provide are Robinson Road, the Central Business District, Clarke Quay, River Valley Road, North Bridge Road. They also need to give you basic facilities of a receptionist who will be able to handle all your calls, mailing services, someone to take your faxes and emails.

It is important for you to get a receptionist or administrator that understands your business and that has undergone sufficient training in advanced. Nothing can hurt a business more than someone who doesn’t know anything about it answering queries from potential clients. You should also consider a virtual office that provides you with additional facilities like a virtual boardroom, high capacity internet and maybe even the option of renting a physical space to conduct crucial meetings. These are just some of the guidelines for you to take note when you are looking for a suitable Singapore Virtual Office.

TEFL Certificates and Getting That First Job in Japan

TEFL and ESL forums are jam-packed with ESL teachers who write that you will need a CELTA equivalent course to secure Any kind of work in the ESL field. This isn’t exactly the case. What is true however, is  that an Online TEFL course won’t cut it in hyper-competitive markets  like areas of western Europe.

But it will definitely give you a leg up on your competitors in an entry level position in Japan.

It’s common for language schools in more competitive markets (like some countries in Western Europe) to demand higher qualifications and succeed in getting them from their candidates. Key to ending the vicious cycle of sending piles of resumes out without results is picking targets like Japan that are easier to knock down.

So by focusing on Japan instead of highly competitive markets you’ll be more successfull.

Unlike areas in Western Europe, Japan, although on the radar screen of many looking to find work in ESL field is slightly below the extremely sought after ESL havens. What this means is that an online TEFL course. carries more weight in Japan because the market simply isn’t as competitive.

We’re not saying that finding work teaching in Japan is an absolute cake-walk because there certainly is competition.

(Read: Collapsing stock market, a damn shaky banking system and consumer credit debt going through the roof and fleeing recent graduates. Recent grads fleeing in search of better opportunities.) And to be perfectly honest this has put a bit more strain on the job finding situation but because of this an on-line TEFL course will give you a bit more pulling power when you send out your resumes and cover letters and because they’re so affordable.

It’s pretty much a quick and effective way to give yourself an advantage and push-out your competition…

I’ll be as honest as the day is long on this point. On-line degrees can’t match the knock down power of a full blown CELTA but then again you can start and finish an on-line degree from any corner of the globe and it won’t break you financially doing it. So if you’re financially strapped and want to break out into something different like teaching ESL in Japan, then this is definitely an option you need to look into.

So if you’re trying to find work teaching abroad and don’t have the cash and a strong enough resume to compete in the tougher job markets and on-line TEFL course is a smart move.

After you’ve built up some experience in the classroom and are worth a higher wage, you can go after more competitive jobs if you’re tired of the teaching scene in Japan.

So the bottom line is that an on-line TEFL course isn’t the right option for hyper competitive ESL markets but will give you an advantage in getting entry level ESL work in Japan.