The Gritty Virtual Assistant Blog

Here’s an article published today in “The Portable Business™.” If you’d like to subscribe, go here…

One of the ways I’ve been able to run my business smoothly and take good care of clients while I split time between the U.S. and Germany is by using a web-based tool called HyperOffice. Any business owner who wants to have more freedom from the office and collaborate more easily with virtual partners should take a look.

First a little overview… Imagine an office space with, among other things, a desk, calendar, rolodex, file drawer, to-do list and message pad. Perhaps there’s also an attached room for holding meetings and discussion groups. This is exactly what HyperOffice is—only virtual. You can create as many “offices” as you need, organizing them by project or client. Each “office suite” that you set up has its own desktop, calendar, contacts, documents, task/project manager, lists, email, notes, reminders, forums and blogs—all of which can be shared with just those people you allow. You can even “decorate” each of your virtual offices individually.

What HyperOffice allows you to do is centrally store and organize information online so you and those you work with can access that info and work together from virtually anywhere, using their own Internet access and computers (and not logging into yours). You control who has access to what. Unlike no-cost solutions that can be slow, unstable and “here today, gone tomorrow,” HyperOffice is fast, secure and reliable with nightly backups and 99.9% uptime.

There are lots of web-based virtual office solutions out there, but HyperOffice offers a few completely unique features that the others do not. For one thing, HyperOffice customers enjoy worldclass customer support and training. They have excellent video tutorials, and I’ve never failed to get a friendly, helpful person on the phone to answer any question or walk me through any set-up.

Another distinction HyperOffice offers is actual, real-time document sharing and editing. All the other solutions out there, both paid and no-cost, do not offer this. What they do instead is version-tracking where users must download, then reupload, documents in order to make changes. It gets real cluttered and real confusing, real quick. (The only exception to this is Groove which is a standalone software for which you must find your own hosting. Since it is software and not a service, you do not get any customer support.).

On HyperOffice, you simply open a document, edit and save. It’s all done instantly with no tedious uploading and downloading. Your team is then working off the very same document. This is what also makes it so fantastic as a place for centrally storing and managing the most current versions of your client guides, SOPs, training manuals and all other manner of documentation many users must share, print and work from. Some of the other solutions don’t offer central document storage at all!

So you might be thinking, “Geez, another software to learn? I don’t have the time or patience!” Well, that’s what can be great about working with a Virtual Assistant who uses HyperOffice. As her client, she might offer you one of her suites. Or, she might have you purchase your own service and set things up for you according to your wishes. You don’t necessarily have to learn how to set things up yourself in order to use it. Your Virtual Assistant may instead enter and manage the data and give you a tour so you know where to find documents, how to view the calendar, etc.

What features you use and what you don’t is completely customizable and up to you. And HyperOffice integrates with many tools such as Outlook (including calendar, contacts and email). I’ve used, tested and reviewed just about every single service out there, and HyperOffice truly does it best!

RESOURCE: HyperOffice is Mac and cross-browser compatible. In addition to virtual collaborative office space, HyperOffice offers integrated solutions for web conferencing, online database creation and sharing, and more. Visit their website to get in on the next live virtual tour or take a test drive for 30 days at no charge.

About the Author: Danielle Keister is a business advisor, innovator and thought leader in the Virtual Assistance profession. A veteran Virtual Assistant of 12+ years, her logical, no-nonsense approach to business development has gained her recognition as one of the leaders in the field. She loves what she does and is passionate about sharing her knowledge and know-how with the world. She’s all about inspiring others to reach for their highest excellence. When not taking care of clients in her own Virtual Assistant practice, The Relief Virtual Assistance, she is busy leading the Virtual Assistance Chamber of Commerce.

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