When someone mentions a virtual mail address, we assume that they are referring to an email address. However, the same term can also signify a physical mailbox address in commercial context. In other words, if the context is related to regular commercial mail, virtual mail addresses can mean real life, physical locations.
In fact, several small to medium sized companies rely on virtual mailbox addresses for regular correspondence. What are the benefits to doing so and are those benefits significant enough to make a difference? A closer look at the practice and the advantages it brings with it should help us get some answers.
What is a Virtual Mailbox with Address?
The term virtual is somewhat misleading here, because all mail sent to a “virtual mail address” reaches an actual mailbox with address. It’s a real street address which leads to a real location, just as stated in the address. However, the company using that mailbox address will not have a physical presence at that location. Instead, the mail will be received by the authorized physical address provider.
Will the Mail Reach Its Intended Recipient?
The answer is yes, the intended recipient will receive their mail from their mailbox address provider. Virtual mail addresses are supposed to act as a buffer and a cost cutter for small businesses, but it would make no sense if businesses lost all access to their physical mail because of it. For example, Physical Address is an international, cloud-powered virtual mail address provider to thousands of small companies. They forward all received mail in high definition scanned copies to each client’s respective cloud mailbox, maintained privately on the provider’s own secured servers.
Why Do Companies Use a Virtual Mailbox Address?
It stands to reason that if several companies all around the world are using a particular service, there must be commercially justifiable reasons for it. The same is true for real mailbox address providers as well. Let’s look at the most important benefits to see exactly how the real mail virtual service works in a business scenario.
Professionalism without Sacrificing Privacy
Businesses that work in very sensitive fields of work often need to keep their physical address a secret to protect their privacy. On the directly opposite end of this spectrum are home based business owners who are not comfortable with making their personal address publicly available.
While the need for privacy is understandable, pitching to clients with just a website and an email address does not come off as very professional, unfortunately. The same problem becomes even more evident if the company is trying to launch a digital marketing campaign.
For online-only companies and e-retailers, not being able to provide a real mailbox address can indeed become a real credibility issue. In each of these instances, a mail virtual service solves all problems related to privacy, secrecy, security, business model, and professionalism.
Huge Cost Savings
If a company does not necessarily need to be present at a certain location to provide their services/deliver their products to that same location, just having a physical mailbox with address in the vicinity should be enough. Even that may not be necessary, but it provides the customer with a sense of assurance that they will be able to contact the seller/provider with regular mail if needed. Since the mail will indeed be forwarded to the intended recipient online, that is exactly what will happen.
In the meanwhile, the client business will inevitably save thousands of dollars every year by not having to pay commercial rent for an additional office which they don’t really need at that location. Especially for online companies and brand-new ventures, the money saved by skipping the unnecessary rent is nothing short of a small fortune.
In fact, it’s not just about the rent either. Something as simple as a local mailbox with address also ensures that there won’t be any commercial electricity bill, local employee cost, business insurance expense, or any other cost of maintenance. Keep in mind that these would be the bare minimum expenses that a company would have to pay for if they opened even a small office in any new location.
Upon closer inspection it is clear that there are certainly potential benefits to choosing a virtual mail address for small and medium sized companies. For any company that stands to gain from the advantages mentioned, getting a real mailbox address in a location where the company does not have a physical presence yet can indeed make a big difference.
It is possible that the same company may decide to or need to open a real office nearby in the future, but the mail virtual service will remain a cost saver until that time. For even large online-only enterprises though, virtual mailboxes will remain perpetually beneficial.