10/ 27/ 2006
by Marcia Passos Duffy
If you're in sales––or you need to visit clients or customers on a regular basis––you probably spend a lot of time in your vehicle. You may have even joked about putting your office in your car or van.
With the cost of doing business along with gas prices steadily rising, equipping your vehicle with some sort of office equipment to avoid shuttling back and forth to the office is a practical move.
While you may already have your cell phone and a laptop in your vehicle, you can turn your car or van into a more comfortable, efficient office space––and perhaps leave your storefront or office space behind forever.
Equipping your mobile office
It does not have to be costly to equip your vehicle for its new life as an office; you probably already own the mobile technology and gear to make the leap. But before you throw your laptop and a box of files into your vehicle, follow these tips to make the transition to a rolling office a smooth ride:
- Make sure your vehicle is mobile-office friendly. Do you have enough storage space? Will you have to take a seat out to make room for all your files and equipment? Do you usually have passengers or workers with you who would prohibit this? Depending on how much equipment you require, you may have to reconfigure seats in your car or van to make this work.
- Check with your insurance carrier. Tell your insurance carrier what you plan to do and ask if your current insurance will cover any loss, damage or theft to your vehicle if you use it as a mobile office. If you fail to report this, you could invalidate your vehicle coverage.
- Have the right equipment. The basic components of a mobile office are simple: You'll need a laptop computer, cell phone and a printer, all of which you probably already have. You will also need wireless connection. A personal digital assistant (a PDA such as a Palm Pilot or iPaq) is also a good way to help you keep up with your schedule. You'd be wise to trade in your large office printer for a smaller one that does multiple jobs like scanning and copying. Also helpful (and possibly even the law) would be a hands-free headset for your phone if you plan on talking and driving at the same time. You should also do daily backups on a CD, in case of theft or system problems.
- Get organized. Having a mobile office means that all this stuff needs to be anchored down somehow, so it doesn't fly around the vehicle in case of a short stop or an accident. You also need to be very organized in such a small space. As mobile offices have become more popular, many mobile organizing companies have sprung up offering storage units for keeping paper, pens, cell phones and CDs. For your bigger equipment, such as your laptop and printer, mobile office equipment companies can help customize your van or car with a workstation, including a removable small desk and platform for a printer, without drilling holes. (Google no-drill vehicle desks or no-drill mobile desks––and don't use quotes––for a list of manufacturers that make these products).
- Make sure your vehicle is secure. With all this added equipment in your vehicle, all you need is to have a thief break in and take your vehicle, and you're done. While an alarm system will help, a GPS tracking system might be the best option for your vehicle and perhaps a fuel shutdown. This system can be used by you and the police to track a stolen truck or van. There are many systems available out there. For a primer on how to choose the right one, see http://www.ehow.com/how_17640_choose-car-tracking.html. Another handy device available is a security cable to lock down your laptop. For other items in your mobile office, purchase a lockable storage unit that you can bolt inside the vehicle. And, at the end of the workday, take all your valuable electronic equipment out of the vehicle.
- Don't work and drive at the same time! In this age of multitasking while driving (and the sometimes tragic consequences of talking on a cell-phone and trying to change lanes), it should go without saying that if you have a mobile office, you don't work while the vehicle is moving. Companies involved in making mobile office equipment are working on devices that prevent laptop use while the vehicle is in motion for those who can't resist the temptation to multitask.
