Amitabh Sharma, Features Coordinator

It is the e-age; technology has changed the way we work and how we work. Through its applications, technology has also managed to break down the office walls ... well literally.

Office space is no longer confined to the four walls that one is used to, with rise in real-estate prices, small companies, especially start-ups are looking at options that do not shoot their overheads to the roof.

In a virtual space

A viable option is to have virtual office space; like the demand for 'plug and play', it is a ready-made office where one moves and starts operations from the word go.

Such a facility exists at the Virtual Tenancy Programme, University of Technology Innovation Centre (TIC) in St Andrew.

"This programme provides varying kinds of business services to entrepreneurs without a large overhead for physical office space," says Dionne Palmer, incubation manager at the TIC.

The programme, which started in 2002, is aimed at business owners who cannot afford or do not require a permanent physical space to operate their businesses.

Services at fingertips

Here's how the virtual-client programme works: Each client can access the facilities at the TIC which are basic - a cubicle with a computer, Internet facilities and a phone, at his or her convenience. The client is given the requisite access to the building 24 hours, seven days a week.

In addition, "The TIC offers access to its common area, support services such as fax, printing, laminating and binding services. Personalised mail boxes are also available, and clients are welcome to TIC's networking sessions and speaker forums.

Expertise and consultancy services

According to Palmer, TIC clients can benefit from intimate interaction with the university's students and might even capitalise on their expertise." The environment facilitates a secure area, which is conducive to work and networking opportunities," adds Palmer.

She says the biggest advantage for the clients is that they do not have to worry about maintaining office space, "one may just plug in, work and then plug out and leave," she says.

Different levels

The business incubation programme has different packages from which clients can choose according to their needs.

There is a prescribed application process, Palmer informs, and a selection process that must satisfy the TIC. "Each applicant is required to speak with the incubator manager, as we must ascertain that each entrant will be a good fit for our programme," she says.

On a growth path

"When 876 Media was incorporated, we knew that critical to our success and survival was to be in an environment that would provide the kind of support necessary to function well," recalls Fitzroy Lamey, vice- president operations, 876 Media Ltd, publisher of the LetsEatOut Restaurant Guide.

"There were several advantages that we saw, first the overheads were low, we had a professional support and back-end infrastructure (telephone, mailbox, fax, etc.), and most importantly access to developmental workshops and seminars," Lamey informs.

Lamey's company has not looked back since, and he says that they owe their success to this programme. "Since being at TIC and with our strategy of controlled, measured growth and development, we have used the time spent here to our advantage."

He says that his company is now in the process of moving to a physical office at the TIC. "We hope that we will get the same level of professional assistance and guidance from both managers and the support staff," Lamey says.

amitabh.sharma@gleanerjm.com