Just in time for Earth Day, we’re looking at ways to make your life easier while also helping make your business greener! The wise use of technology may indeed be your best friend; it may also reduce your carbon footprint at the same time!

We’re already well on the way to a greener way to conduct business. We use email instead of imposing on the mail service; we send electronic documents that can be signed online, eliminating the need for travel/photocopies and faxes; and we organize virtual meetings through videoconferencing, saving thousands of dollars in airfares, taxis, hotel rooms, etc., not to mention the consequent reduction in our carbon footprint. Many companies are moving closer and closer towards a truly paperless office. What more can we do? Go virtual!

You likely already use virtual assistants when you try to access customer service for your phone service/software, etc. but what if you need a part-time, live assistant to help with the organization of your business? Virtual assistants can be chatbots but they can also be real live people – they simply work remotely – when you need them. You save on medical benefits, pensions, etc. and they save on commuting – greener options again! Also, your virtual assistant can be anywhere – instead of being limited to a pool of local applicants, you can hire someone from anywhere in the world and pay them just for the time you need them. It’s a win-win situation.

You might also want to consider a virtual office.

This is a terrific solution for small- to medium-sized businesses, offering all the benefits of a full office facility for just a small monthly fee. Packages vary, offering anything from answering services and mailboxes to the sharing of ‘virtual’ staff, use of conference rooms on an occasional basis and much more, all for a tiny fraction of the cost of renting physical office space. A greener option that gives you a truly professional image and saves you money!