Amitabh Sharma
Features Coordinator

It is the e- age; technology has changed the way we work and how we work. Through its applications, technology has also managed to break down the office walls…well literally.

Office space is no longer confined to the four walls that one is used to, with rise in real estate prices, small companies, especially start-ups are looking at options do not shoot their overheads to the roof.

In a virtual space
A viable option is to have a virtual office space; like the demand for ‘plug and play’, it is a ready made office where one moves and starts operations from the word go.

For those looking for corporate space at a viable location, minus the hassles of day to day functioning, the Virtual Tenancy Programme at the Technology Innovation Centre (TIC) at the University of Technology could be an answer.

“This programme provides varying kinds of business services to entrepreneurs without large overhead costs of a physical office space,” says Dionne Palmer, incubation manager at the TIC.

The programme, which started in 2002, is aimed at business owners who cannot afford or do not require a permanent physical space to operate their businesses.

Services at fingertips
The virtual client programme has a dedicated area, where a client can access the facilities, which comprises of a cubicle with a computer, internet facilities and a phone, at their convenience.

“Each client is given the requisite access to the building for 24 hours, seven days a week,” Palmer informs.

“The office facilities include, access to TIC common area, personalised mail box, and access to other support services such as fax, printing, laminating, binding services, etc, apart from this, the clients also have access to TIC’s networking sessions and speaker forums,” she says.

Expertise and consultancy services
“The clients are exposed to the University community's students and expertise,” the incubation centre manager says. “The environment facilitates secure area conducive to work and networking opportunities.”

The clients also have access to the expertise of TIC staff and consultancy services. “There is also opportunity to collaborate with the TIC, its clients and the wider University,” Palmer says.

Palmer says that the biggest advantage for the clients that they do not have to worry about maintaining office space, “one may just plug in, work and then plug out and leave,” she says.

Different levels
Palmer says that the programme, which is a part of the Business Incubation programme of the TIC, has different packages, which give from, access to basic infrastructure to mentoring, training programmes. The clients can choose according to their needs.

There is a prescribed application process, Palmer informs, and a selection process that must satisfy the TIC. “Each applicant is required to speak with the Incubator Manager, as we must ascertain that each entrant will be a good fit for our Incubation Programme,” she says.

On a growth path
“When 876 Media was incorporated, we knew that critical to our success and survival was to be in an environment that would provide the kind of support necessary to function well,” recalls Fitzroy Lamey, vice president operations, 876 Media Ltd, publisher of the LetsEatOut Restaurant Guide.

“There were several advantages that we saw, first the overheads were low, we had a professional support and back-end infrastructure (telephone, mailbox, fax etc.) and most importantly access to access to developmental workshops and seminars,” Lamey informs.

Lamey’s company has not looked back since, and says that they owe their success to this programme. “Since being at TIC and with our strategy of controlled and measured growth and development we have use the time spent here to our advantage.”

He says that his company is now in the process of moving to a physical office at the TIC. “We hope that we will get the same level of professional assistance and guidance from both managers and the support staff," Lamey says.

amitabh.sharma@gleanerjm.com