Mailbox Services for Non-Coworkers

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pa...@soarco-working.com

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Jan 18, 2019, 7:48:46 AM1/18/19
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Do you sell a mailbox service including your business address as a stand-alone service to non-coworkers?  If yes:
1.  Your price point?
2.  Pros?
3.  Cons?

Thanks in advance for sharing your experiences!

Paula Blair
SOAR Co-Working Inc.

Eric Haas

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Jan 19, 2019, 6:01:03 PM1/19/19
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Hey Paula, I have recently took over a coworking space in Amsterdam. Now in the process of setting up all the policies. A couple of weeks ago a client asked me whether or not I would be able to help him with the possibility for a legal registration on the physical address. My small investigation proves that this can be done as a coworking space (or multi tenant office building). My initial idea for the pricing is to charge €25/month and let the client choose the usage plan that goes along with it. From basic (€50/month) to flex (€150/month) and fixed (€250/month). In the latter the registration is already included in the package. Somewhere I've read that the registration is only legally valid if the person or company can prove they can more or less permanently use the space. 8 leave the choice and responsibility for accounting with my client.
So far my thoughts on this! Happy to learn more from you guys.
Eric Haas

Aloma Loren

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Jan 20, 2019, 4:42:10 PM1/20/19
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We have a membership that offers a suite number and mail service, it's $80/month but they are considered members and so they get access to the member only rates for conference rooms. They don't get to use the coworking spaces but they can book the conference rooms at the member rate and have access to the other member discounts we offer.

pa...@soarco-working.com

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Jan 21, 2019, 9:31:22 AM1/21/19
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Thanks so much for your input!

 

  1. Has this Membership sold well?
  2. Is it easy to manage?
  3. Does the Member commit to the service for a designated length of time?
  4. What’s your process if someone bails on the Membership and you’re still receiving mail?

 

I appreciate you sharing your experiences!  Thank you.

 

Best Regards,

Paula Blair

SOAR Orange 160x66

17401 Commerce Park Blvd., Suite 103

Tampa, FL 33647

813-498-1932

SOARco-working.com

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keyst...@gmail.com

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Mar 21, 2019, 11:11:01 AM3/21/19
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I saw Jerome from Blankspaces speak to this at GCUC USA last year. His presentation was compelling in favor of virtual mail. 

Jeannine van der Linden

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Mar 22, 2019, 6:05:11 AM3/22/19
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Hi, Eric,

In the Netherlands specifically the provision of this service is subject to anti-terrorism financing, anti-whitewashing, and anti-fraud laws (wwft).  In both Europe and the US it is covered by the KYC (know your client) regulations.

It is an excellent service and extremely popular;  it is also important to get right the first time, as the fines for violation are really not trivial.  So your basic approach is good I think but you will need to include in your pricing the cost of compliance.  

I have also already gone nine rounds with the KvK and the BD about what is necessary and what is not.  It is not that they have to more or less permanently use the space, it is that they have to have the right to do so.  Under certain circumstances the tax authorities require what is called a permanent establishment for the issuance of a VAT number but this does not affect the KvK address.
 
Feel free to contact me if you want to talk about it in detail (or in Dutch. :-))

Warm regards,

Jeannine
deKamer.eu

Eric Haas

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Mar 22, 2019, 9:31:04 AM3/22/19
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Hey Jeanine - dank! wat is je mobiele nummer? (volgens mij heb je mij niet al eerder een keer gebeld?) dan zou ik je graag nog even nader spreken! Thanks, Eric

Op vr 22 mrt. 2019 om 11:05 schreef Jeannine van der Linden <flexkanto...@gmail.com>:
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Lori Hamilton

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Mar 22, 2019, 2:20:45 PM3/22/19
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Paula:

I am a consultant in the Workspace Industry & for a Virtual Office/Digital Mail Service Channel Partner and can tell you that I see pricing all over the place for mail service only (Virtual Office Clients) $9.99 - $149.99 per month.  Sometimes the address pricing comes with additional perks like conference room time, coworking hours or directory listings added in, sometimes just straight use of address.  A main pricing factor will be based on the location of your Center and competitive pricing in your area.

I can't really think of any Cons to taking on Virtual Office clients, just Pros.  Especially if you do it correctly.  You don't just sign them on as a Virtual and then forget about them.  You need to include them as part of your community.  A Virtual Client has been a potential Coworking Member, full-time Office Space client, Conference Room user & Event Space booking.  You can offer ad-ons to the basic Virtual Client membership: conference room hours, directory listing, event space discount, digital mail service.  The best part, besides increasing your revenue stream, is that you don't have to provide physical mailboxes so your potential to grow this area of your business is endless (you can keep mail in locked/secured filing cabinets in file folders).  With a staggering 540,000 new businesses being formed each month (69% of entrepreneurs start their business from home and 52% of small businesses in the US are home based), you can see the potential for an amazing revenue source.  If you are serious about wanting to build your Virtual Client base and take advantage of this growing revenue source, I would definintely recommend using Channel Partners to help increase your Virtual Base in additional to your own internal efforts.  The Channel Partners can reach Virtuals that would probably never find your Center through your own organic efforts - most of the time from another area of the country or world.  

You do need to make sure that you have completed and filed a CMRA application (Commercial Mail Receiving Agency) with the US post office.  And if you go in and they look at you like you have 3 heads, just ignore them and insist on speaking with a manager and insist that they file it.  Sadly, the Postal System doesn't always know their own Rules & Regs.  Also, you will need to obtain a Form 1583 from each Virtual Client in order for them to use your address.  Again, these need to be filed with the Post Office but they may not even know what they are.  Just insist on doing it and maintain documentation.  If you don't follow the regulations, they could stop your mail delivery.  There are specific Rules & Regs as to who needs to complete the 1583s when it comes to coworking, office memberships & virtual clients.  Make sure you understand them.

I hope this information was helpful to you.  If you have any questions or need any additional help, please don't hesitate to reach out to me.

Warmest regards-

Lori Hamilton
Hamilton Virtual Business Solutions/
Get Spaced, LLC
Lo...@HVBSolutions.com
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