What exactly is a virtual assistant? Virtual assistants are independent contractor that provides administration services to companies remotely. “Virtual Assistant” was the term used to describe “virtual assistant” was coined in the 1990s to refer to the growing trend of virtual workdue to massive technological advancements, employees can now share documents and making important business calls outside of their offices.
Virtual assistants have risen in popularity in the past few decades because of the changing business environment. A lot of companies are choosing to cut costs on huge offices and overcrowded teams, and instead investing in flexible working scheduling and arrangements. This results in an agile and contemporary method of team management as well as project administration.
Different types of virtual assistants
Virtual assistants are equipped with a variety of abilities and specific areas of expertise. They can each assist you in a particular task or section of your business. Here are a few examples of the various types of virtual assistants that are available:
1. Bookkeeper – Excellent for the tracking of budgets and accounts for many projects.
2. Administrative Assistant Schedules meetings, handles routine reports, and manages the communication between executive and external organizations.
3. Scribe Notes are written during presentations or meetings.
4. Social media manager – Manages the various social media accounts of the company.
6. Designer – Creates logos, presentations, infographics Flyers, presentations and other collateral that is visual.
7. Research Analyst – Performs interviews or research and analyses business data.
The job that a virtual assistant plays could be different according to the company. Certain companies might even employ virtual assistants who can handle multiple duties at one time.
Reduce operating expenses
A Japanese virtual assistant is able to provide low-cost but valuable services to your business which allows your business to lower costs. They could also allow the hiring of freelance helpers on an as-needed basis, instead of a full- or part-time.
Reduce time spent on projects and initiatives
The majority of tasks performed by virtual assistants can be a bit repetitive or tactical for example, making notes or submitting monthly or weekly expense reports. These tasks may distract from the more urgent issues like meeting with clients or generating leads. When managers delegate time-consuming work for virtual helpers, they will be able to concentrate on more crucial tasks that are on their agenda.
Greater work efficiency
However, it’s not only leaders who gain from this. Other team members could also have plenty to handle and may require at least a few days or even more frequent support. Social media administrators, for example are the most efficient in distributing research, writing or graphic design assistants, which allows them to concentrate on editing and presentation.
A more healthy, flexible and healthier workplace
Remote work can change the culture of your business. The ability to work from anywhere could have a huge impact on the health of employees. Think about a mother who is expecting and needs an escape from work or someone who is a digital native who prefers working on the move. Both employees are able to do their job just like everyone else, but having the capability to work remotely can provide them with more satisfaction because they are able to more effectively manage with other needs or demands.
5 Ways That A Virtual Assistant Could Help You to grow your business
Data entry
Accounting, finance companies, as well as data-related firms rely on well-organized information for their budget or findings of a massive study. Although entering data is relatively easy however, it can be tedious especially if your abilities can be better utilized elsewhere. A dedicated virtual assistant that focuses on data entry could make your life easier and help you develop a more accurate method of collecting data.
Customer service
Based on Microsoft that 96% of consumers believe that customer service is a major aspect in their decision to choose loyalty to the brand. Customer service, even though it is essential in today’s business world, is still to be a second priority for many businesses. In the end, prospective customers and leads are at risk of getting a negative experience that could affect the brand’s reputation and satisfaction. In the event that someone, even an assistant virtual, assist with these inquiries from customers can have a an impact on a business’s image.
Administrative tasks
Meetings scheduling as well as following up on emails communications, keeping documents… These are simple tasks, and they can be completed by almost any person. However, to accomplish them efficiently is to hire an expert who is skilled in this particular area of work. With less administrative work to manage your team will be able to concentrate on areas in which they can provide real value, based on their unique abilities.
Sales outreach
Sales are the survival of a company but outreach and activity tracking procedures can be costly time-consuming investments. Virtual assistants are frequently educated to handle cold-calling emails, cold calling, and other tasks related to logistics. Because a lot of these tasks can be accomplished via phone or laptop computers, it could be the ideal task for virtual assistants.
Management of social media
Despite the increasing usage of social media in the present yet, many business executives do not see the value and value. This is often due to the fact that it is so time-consuming to create entertaining content consistently. A virtual assistant who is dedicated to social media could be the difference, ensuring that your business has an online presence, while also creating an opportunity to keep your customers loyal.
How to Hire and manage a virtual assistant
Establish expectations right from the beginning
Always begin with the scope of the project as well as the duties expected by an assistant virtual. How long should the project last? What will the VA be compensated? What is considered to be in-scope as well as what’s a stretch-goal? These are the kinds of questions you’ll want to be asking yourself, as you can be sure that your virtual assistant will inquire after being appointed. This is why it’s important to give clear guidelines and documents for processing like the SOW (Scope of Work) to define the boundaries and responsibilities. This will avoid any confusion and increases the chances of the success.
Set a daily timetable
After all contracts have been executed The second step would be to establish an established timetable for work or to check in. Since virtual assistants don’t physically present at offices, it could be difficult to make sure they remain on track or to communicate effectively. Contact the virtual assistant to inquire about their availability, and then look for any overlaps between your schedule and theirs. If they’re from abroad, you’ll have consider the difference in time into consideration.
Set the budget
One of the main motives to employ virtual assistants is the cost. Virtual assistants are far cheaper than full-time employees. If you don’t have a budget, you could easily end up spending more than you plan to. When you are preparing an initiative for the services of a VA make estimates of the amount of time each task will be completed, and the amount each job will cost based on the rate of the VA. Make sure you are as transparent as you can regarding your budget and you will avoid any potential conflict or disagreements over pay.
Keep track of time and tasks
It is crucial to be accountable in remote work. Virtual assistants aren’t able to stop themselves from making claims that they been working on something they didn’t, or working for hours on a task and not having it recorded. Although self-tracking is based upon the principle of honor but it’s still an effective method to monitor projects’ completion as well as the overall workload. Utilize project management software such as Mavenlink, Asana, or Basecamp to assess the progress and effectiveness that your assistants are able to provide.
Give useful feedback on performance
To really encourage and support those virtual assistants you have to be better give them monthly or quarterly reports. This can be as easy as a one-on-one chat however it is important to focus on the top strengths and potential to improve. The virtual assistant you assign to your job will be grateful for your sincerity and will repay you with their effort.
Virtual assistants are not simply remote employees. They can be the foundation of your company even while you take on other tasks. Their work might not always have a direct impact on the bottom line. However, their presence will be felt by all members of the team, especially when they shift their focus away from routine tasks (such as the use of social media or data entry) to other areas of focus. Make sure they have the right objectives and direction and virtual assistants will really change the way you work.
