Running a business in times of financial recession is a difficult task. As people tighten their purse strings so do businesses have to find ways to reduce their overheads if they are to survive through the worst of the recession. For those companies running a business in London, reducing overheads can seem like an overwhelming task. London property prices are well above national averages, both to buy and rent. Yet for a company seeking to carry out business within London this seems to be a necessary expense.

However, in the age of all things virtual, it is now possible for a business to carry out daily services and activities in London as needed but relocate its main office to a more budget friendly area outside of London or indeed even a private dwelling if the budget demands.

Telephone companies now offer virtual London phone numbers which allow a company to keep a London number, however, the number is actually just rerouted to either a landline or a mobile.

The idea of a virtual London number is advantageous for a company as customers will still see a London telephone code and therefore believe the company to be locally based. Customers can be suspicious of mobile numbers and also may desire to contract a local company and therefore search solely for businesses with the 020 dialling code. Whilst this can be purely psychological, it still affects a business' ability to attract clients and therefore must be dealt with.

For companies struggling financially this is one way to avoid the elevated price of London property and London rent yet maintain a presence within London from a marketing perspective.