'Renting' a business ADDRESS

trap4

Now that my home-based business is 'growing up' I need to use a postal address on our website and business cards. However, I don't want to use my home address for that purpose.

I'm sure I read somewhere before that some Irish companies provide a service whereby you can rent a business ADDRESS (ie. just the address, not a physical building or location). Is that the case?

I presume it's a different thing to a PO number? Talking of which, what the options available for these? Has anyone used Mail Boxes Etc?

Thanks,
-Jim.

The Corinthian

A lot of Business Centre will try to up-sell their services, in particular call answering. Some will only act as a postal address if you take the whole package. This is both expensive and often superfluous to a lot of small start-ups.

We used the Mespil Business Centre when we started our company, before moving into offices of our own. A postal address there is just €100 per quarter, plus VAT, plus €100 deposit.

dahamsta

Got a 404 on their individual services page (hello cobalt), do they forward the mail or wha?

I have a P.O. box, which is handy but it does tend to put some people off, and the price has more than doubled in the past year or so. Plus An Post tends to laugh at you when you ask about mail forwarding, even though it's listed as a service on their website.

adam

trap4

Thanks lads.

What is the general view on PO Box numbers on business cards and websites? Does it tend to look unprofessional or even dodgy (as you have hinted at Adam)?

dahamsta

Actually, what I said was wrong: I have no proof that the box number puts people off, I just imagine that it does. No-one's ever actually said anything to me, but then it could be argued that they didn't say anything because they were put off.

It's a risk I'm willing to take because I'm not all that worried about people that would be spooked anyway. Anyone that knows what they're looking for will know why I use a box number. I don't really care about people that don't know what they're looking for.

adam

The Corinthian

Originally posted by trap4
What is the general view on PO Box numbers on business cards and websites? Does it tend to look unprofessional or even dodgy (as you have hinted at Adam)?

If you have a business address, you can give the impression that you have physical offices and thus look larger or more established that you actually are and as a rule clients are happier to do business with established companies. A P.O. Box number would definitely reveal that you do not have physical offices, giving the impression of a less stable, smaller and less established company.

Additionally, many fly-by-night operations and scams have been know to operate through assumed addresses, and while not all assumed addresses are P.O. Box numbers, P.O. Box numbers are the easiest to recognize and remember.

trap4

Hmmm, that's what I suspected.

Has anyone dealt with Irish Office ? They can provide a Dublin street address but is that appropriate for a business based in the south west of the country? Even if 90% of our business is international?

-Jim.

The Corinthian

Roffle. I know some Moldavians who would love to use that sevice... :rolleyes:

Specky

If I remember correctly Viking Direct have a PO Box address, and they're a pretty large company here and in the UK....doesn't seem to have done them any harm but obviously it makes an impression otherwise I wouldn't have remembered the fact.

It obviously depends on the type of business you're in (didn't you mention that most of your business is international??) but if no-one is going to come visit your premises why do you think it's important to change? Why not wait until you actually are moving into premises and then change rather than possibly giving the impression of flighty-ness by changing addresses too often?

We used a mailing address service when we first started and to be honest it was a pain in the bum. Had to go there every day to pick up parcels and post and stuff. Way more trouble than it was worth (even though the service itself only cost IR£50 and lasted about a year).

I don't see where the value in having a good address is if the people who read it don't know it's a good address. You could be anywhere for all they know. If they come to visit you then meet them out somewhere, hotel or whatever, or rent a meeting room in an enterprise centre somewhere (always available at excellent rates and with cheap coffee on tap).

Phone answering is a different kettle of fish and is very often worth having.

casper-

Originally posted by trap4
Hmmm, that's what I suspected.

Has anyone dealt with Irish Office ? They can provide a Dublin street address but is that appropriate for a business based in the south west of the country? Even if 90% of our business is international?

-Jim.

LOL -- I was just reading through their page.

"We can also send you some blank Irish picture postcards. You fill them in, send them back to us in an envelope and we will post them using Irish stamps. As far as the recipients are concerned you are on holiday in Ireland."

WTF?? People want to trick their friends into thinking they went to Ireland on holiday?

Specky

WTF?? People want to trick their friends into thinking they went to Ireland on holiday?

'mericans.....

Wish they had the same service elsewhere so I could trick my friends into thinking I can afford to go on holiday. Anywhere.....

Why doesn't somebody have a web based service where you can upload your face and have it superimposed onto a whole bunch of sites in exotic holiday locations so you can trick your friends into believing you've been off in the sun? Fab biz idea #243

STaN

Check out http://www.ccsols.ie/

You have a choice of Dublin City Centre addresses and they can do phone answering if needed.

A bit pricey but professional.

Victor

There are a few mainstream places in Rathmines offering retail-style post boxes, but I believe without the "box number" style address.