To connect with all your clients, you need reliable phone and internet service. Yes these are called “Technology,” but they are also services you have to pay for evey month, like gas and electricity, so I have grouped discussion of them together as your “utilities.”

Let’s take phones first.

You may use a landline, your cell phone, a VOIP option or any of a number of web-based phone services.

What will not work is to run your practice from your personal home phone number. So, from the outset, your budget will need to allow for additional $$ for the approach you feel will suit your needs best.

Some VAs offer live phone service, and if that’s your intent, you’ll need either a multiline phone system, or a service such as Ring Central that enables you to have distinctive rings for various clients, retrieve messages, manage faxes, etc.

If you do not plan to be reachable live by phone during your business hours, you may be able to use one line with answering capabilities, and then check messages and return calls on a routine basis. Many VAs who do project work prefer this option, and convey to their clients at the outset that they schedule phone conferences on an appointment basis only.

If you will be conducting meetings or teaching classes virtually, or making arrangements for clients who do so, make certain your phone service allows for conference calling. Or, look for online meeting capabilities. Here’s a link to an earlier post in Loosely Speaking that reviews a number of these: Online Meeting Rooms.

Victoria Santiago has several relevant posts on how to choose the right telephone setup for your office on her blog: www.homeofficetelephony.com. You’ll find additional useful information here: www.yourtelecomadvisor.com.

Also, take a cruise through Jeff Zbar’s (the Chief Home Officer) entire category on Telework & Virtual Officing for more to chew on as you mull your connectivity options.

Which is a nice segué, actually, into

Internet Service

You may have been a happy AOL user for many years, but when you launch a professional service business from home, most people agree that you need to go in a different direction. Your two choices are dsl (through your preferred phone company) or cable service, but PLEASE don’t try to run a VA practice today using dialup technology only.

Why not use AOL? Think of it as a consumer level, rather than professional level service. When you, or your mom or grandma made your first forays into internet communications, AOL made it easy. But in setting up a home-based business, you want to convey that you are a professional and taking the next step up to acquiring an online identity that reflects your business name is an important move. Trust me, general consensus is that AOL does not convey that. Keep that email address for personal correspondence, if you like, or for back up when you are traveling or the like.

Internet technology introduces potential for security breaches. Websites and blogs can be hacked (this one was earlier this week, in fact!). Sensitive data can be hijacked.

You are responsible for many of your client’s digital assets, so don’t open up shop without learning how to plug up those security holes. Security Lapses in the Home Office, by Chief Home Officer Jeff Zbar will help you review your set up.

Also, check out Skunkage: Risk Management for the Self Employed elsewhere on Loosely Speaking for additional security considerations.

This wraps up our series.

I’d love to share other home office setups here on Loosely Speaking.

Let’s keep talking about what you have found you can’t live without in running your home-based business. You can email me (ktcosmos at Loose Ends dot net), comment or send me a guest blog post of your own. Pictures are welcome.

Previous posts from this series:

Equipping Your VA Office: Assessment (Part 1).

Equipping Your VA Office: Furnishings (Part 2)

Equipping Your VA Office: Software (Part 3)

Equipping Your VA Office: Hardware (Part 4)

Equipping Your VA Office: Office Supplies (Part 5)

Equipping Your VA Office: Reference Material (Part 7), by guest blogger, Alan Eggleston