About six months ago, we (NetAge) completed a process that had begun many years earlier. We went completely virtual. Jeff and I hadn't had desks in the physical NetAge office for at least a decade. For most of our lives, we've worked from home with our systems wired such that when a call came into the office for one of us, we could seamlessly pick it up from our home office. No biggie. Just a few extra bucks to the phone company, about which I cede to Ernestine, who can explain the "service" aspects of this far more succinctly than I.
It finally occurred to us that no one else needed to be in the office either and so we arranged to all go virtual.
For those of you able to make the move, highly recommended. Cuts down on the commute, wardrobe budget, cafeteria expenses, and so on and etc.
From a logistical standpoint, mainly it requires filling out change-of-address cards. And getting a post office box, which will enable you to realize, if you haven't already, how little mail of substance you actually receive. And how little of your office stuff you actually need.
Long before we vacated the premises, we moved our banking all online--paying bills, payroll, and receivables. We send electronic invoices to clients; they pay via direct deposit.
Imagine my surprise then when, after doing a recent presentation on virtual work, I submitted expenses, requesting direct deposit, and the client tells me that they cannot make the electronic payment without a physical address. A PO Box won't do. Mind you, there's nothing physical about the payment. Just a bunch of numbers streaming through the ether. When I explained that we didn't have a physical office, they said fine, that they'd send a physical check to the PO Box. OK. A bit irritating but OK. THEN, a few hours later they updated the arrangement, saying they couldn't send a physical check to the PO Box either, that Sarbanes-Oxley requires them to have a physical address for that as well.
Since I do want the reimbursement, I've reluctantly supplied my home address. And re-requested the direct deposit. Let's see what happens. My guess? A physical check may come to my home address.
By the way, I find this very odd. Other clients, also publicly-traded companies, have had no problem with this. Special SOX rules just for this company? I've requested interviews with those in charge so I can follow the money, so to speak, or, more accurately, the rules around the money. Meanwhile, virtual companies, beware. You may have to have a physical office just to be paid!
