The world has become a virtual one. While the media used to herald the upcoming age of virtual reality , they missed the boat on the idea that the world would find ways to operate virtually. From virtual pets to virtual offices, virtual workers to virtual boyfriends and girlfriends, technology has created a world where the virtual interaction has supplanted the physical — which usually results in a more efficient and cost-effective result, at least in the business world. The world may not be as virtual as the Matrix, but the virtual office is growing in popularity.

A virtual office is one that pretty much exists only as an idea. Instead of renting or buying office space, equipping it with computers, machines, and furniture and bringing staff in every day to do the work of a business, companies can decentralize. This means that the workers stay at home and use laptops, internet connections, and cloud computing options to complete and submit their work. They use internet conferencing and collaboration tools and communicate via email, messaging, and video chat.

The only thing an owner or CEO of a company has to maintain is the illusion of an actual office. This is accomplished by setting up the address for the office and, perhaps, employing a company to handle mail and switchboard duties. There are many companies that specialize in providing a virtual office, New York , Los Angeles, Washington DC, and other major cities are good places to look for such agencies. The official address will be in New York, but the work will be accomplished in home offices and coffee shops all over the country — or even all over the world.