What is a 'Virtual Office'

In the 43 years since the first OSI company was started in 1981, officing systems have evolved and diversified. This  benefits  the public by lowering officing costs  and improving office functionality. Innovations in officing systems have enhanced the productivity of real estate and its users and reduced costs, on the whole.

At this time, there are many forms of office use on the market. Sometimes the word ‘virtual office’ is used to signify any office arrangement other than full time or exclusive use officing. But the word ‘virtual’, in the sense of a mere token of an office, or a  non-functional office, does not accurately describe what OSI Management has always provided its clients. OSI has always been an ‘on demand’ office arrangement, with a number of associated office  support systems. While evolving and diversitying services,  OSI has maintained integrity and universality in its officing systems, continuously providing its clients  actual office availability, usage flexibility,  and  support.  

The OSI companies now occupy three floors of offices in two downtown DC high-rise, DCRA approved, office use -zoned buildings. All OSI clients are entitled to and can schedule private office use  at OSI premises. This is a cornerstone of the OSI systems. This entitlement is embodied in documentation provided the OSI client.

OSI offices are offices. All offices have  closable and lockable doors. OSI also provides OSI clients, wifi, phone use accommodations, conference rooms, and  copying and printing facilities. 

Some offices are used full time by one client, some have sharing among a limited number of clients, some are used on-demand by clients. This flexibility reflects and enables varying client needs. Using such flexibility, office availability is maintained, and clients are not burdened by excessive and unnecessary office overheads. 

  

An OSI client has access to an electronic portal enabling that client to schedule office and conference room use, from any computer, tablet, or hand-held device, from any on-site or off-site location. 

The OSI system  is designed to provide immediate  connection between OSI clients and their clients. All OSI system clients can be notified immediately of any visit by any person seeking physically to visit an OSI client during business hours, whether the OSI is on the premises at the time of their client’s  visit or not, and whether the OSI client has scheduled an office use for one of its clients at the time of the visit or not.  

OSI also incorporates mail and phone connectivity. If an OSI  client wishes to have mail service, any mail received at the OSI offices can be kept there for access by the client, or scanned and emailed to the OSI client, and/or physically forwarded to the OSI client, according to client preference. 

Records are kept of incoming phone calls managed through the OSI phone switch, mail scanned and emailed out, mail forwarded to the client , and OSI member office use.  Access to offices outside normal business hours requires access codes. Premises are camera-equipped to record client use.. 

OSI company records show that the The 87  offices provided by the OSI companies are regularly scheduled and  used. Though records of office hour-use of each and every person using each and every office is not necessary as to  offices with sole-business owner use, or limited sharing by a small number of business owners, the OSI  offices  are available for use and are used thousands of hours per month.