It is correct to assume that you may be thinking of hiring a virtual assistant for your office, particularly with the holiday season fast approaching. Consumers tend to always scramble to get things done right before Christmas despite the fact that they have the same number of days to prepare every year for the big holiday. As usual, business is going to be somewhat crazy for everyone, starting from last-minute projects and assignments, to needing last-minute favors and help.
Depending on your situation, you may be considering bringing in additional help during the festive season, seeing that it never misses bringing the same amount of stress and chaos each year. As a result, if you want to maintain a steady routine, and keep your head above water, what choice do you have other than securing extra help?
However, rather than bringing in additional personnel, it may be much more beneficial for you to hire a virtual personal assistant.
A virtual personal assistant is an excellent alternative to hiring extra staff members since they can work whenever you need them and do not have time limits. If you would like to save money when it comes to hiring costs and still get an extra pair of hands this holiday season, your best option would be to bring on a virtual personal assistant to handle some of your tasks.
We can all agree that the holidays tend to be a busy time for everyone, and we could all stand to benefit from some bit of help here and there. Luckily, if you have a virtual personal assistant, you will be able to handle a variety of tasks with their support.
The following are some ways on how a virtual personal assistant can help with Christmas:
Brainstorming gift ideas and finding the best prices
For some people, gift-giving is one of the most stressful aspects of the holiday season. You may like to hand out presents, but hate to shop for them, since you never quite know what to get for those closest to you.
Fortunately, there are literally dozens of online resources for finding the best Christmas gift. Providing your virtual personal assistant with a list of the people you are shopping for and a little bit of information about each one of them will enable your VA to find some of the most thoughtful presents for everyone on your list. After picking out each piece, you can have them compare prices in different shops in order to find the best deals.
Arranging travel plans
If you intend to travel over the holidays, you should let your virtual personal assistant handle flight and hotel reservations. On the other hand, if you plan to stay with relatives, your VA can book you a relaxing and soothing getaway for when you get home.
Research for your year-end tax-saving tips
Every year, there are certain tax strategies that you can take advantage of. The good thing is that your VA doesn’t have to be a financial guru to help you out. They can simply do the necessary research on various tax sites in order to find the best year-end tax breaks available. The truth is that investing in a virtual personal assistant could end up saving you huge chunks of money next year.
Ordering and mailing holiday cards
Christmas cards are a fun and exciting tradition that most of us treasure.
However, the time required to make and send them out can be quite much at times. As a result, instead of handling such tasks on your own during the holiday season, you could send your VA some pictures and have them come up with a couple of designs using built-in software such as TinyPrints or Shutterfly. After they send in what they have, you can pick your favorite.
Take care of things in your absence
It is always a good idea to take a bit of time off over the holidays to be closer to your family and friends as you reflect on the years’ events and mentally prepare for the upcoming challenges. However, for some of us, it is not that easy to leave work behind, and this is where a virtual personal assistant can prove to be quite handy. They can cover all your bases while you are away so that you can have peace of mind over the holidays.
Expressing gratitude on your behalf
While you are running around, trying to make everyone happy during the festive season, your best and most loyal customers may feel unappreciated more than usual. Since it is that time of year to give thanks and show appreciation, it is vital that you show your top clients how grateful you are for their loyalty to your brand.
You can even go the extra mile this year by hiring a virtual personal assistant who will send out Cards showing your appreciation. They can even include some kind of generous gesture like offering a discount. Such things will help to show your top customers that you are grateful for all your dealings throughout the year and would like your business relationship to continue and prosper.
Conclusion
We are on the cusp of the festive season, and you could have schedules filling up, orders coming in, and your time being pulled in all directions. Faced with such a situation, a virtual assistant can prove to be a huge asset, not only for your sanity but your bottom line during this busy time of the year.
Also, consider…
If your virtual personal assistant has been providing you with adequate help for most of the year, or they have added substantial value to your life, you could consider paying them some kind of year-end bonus or giving them some extra days off. After all, they would also like to be appreciated. Such small gestures can end up paying big dividends when it comes to long-term success and loyalty.