Should you hire a virtual assistant? Yes.
If you’re thinking of hiring one, it most probably means, you already need one. So what exactly are virtual assistants, what can they do, and how do you find the one that’s right for you and your business?
What is a Virtual Assistant?
A virtual assistant or more popularly known as a “VA” is a self-employed worker who supports businesses and business owners remotely. There’s practically nothing that a VA cannot do for you, except, maybe, serve you coffee in person. Their duties generally vary from performing administrative tasks such as scheduling appointments, making phone calls, and managing email accounts; to accomplishing specialized tasks like content writing, graphic design, social media management and internet marketing. Virtual assistants are armed with an extensive array of skill sets that can be applied to a wide range of industries. What’s more, they possess the flexibility to work for any type of business, anywhere in the world, in any time zone and currency. And even before the onset of the global pandemic, the rise of virtual assistant services has already been growing steadily. In fact, the Bureau of Labor Statistics notes that in 2018, there are approximately 3.7 million secretaries and administrative assistants in the US alone. Proof on how high the demand for these kinds of services is. Investing in a virtual assistant is a wise move for a business owner because it ensures that operations go well without the burden of the high costs this usually entails.
In a nutshell, a virtual assistant allows you to reap the benefits of a full time assistant with less expense and with more added value.
What can Virtual Assistants do?
Still unsure if you should hire a virtual assistant? We picked out 7 of the most common reasons why a virtual assistant is a must-have:
A Virtual Assistant makes every second of your everyday count.
A business owner who values his time knows that it is better to delegate tasks that are low-value and, often times, repetitive to a virtual assistant than be bogged down by them. An online personal assistant manages, oversees, and accomplishes undertakings that make up your company’s day-to-day operations, relieves you of an overflowing workload and enables you to focus more on tasks that directly build and grow your business.
Other administrative duties a virtual assistant can do for you and your business are: extending office support for supervisors and managers, fielding phone calls, responding to inquiries through emails or company website, creating spreadsheets and presentation decks and researching online.
What’s more, a virtual assistant who is knowledgeable and skilled on specific tasks enables your company to do more by cutting the production time it usual takes you to finish them. Online assistants who are equipped for more specialized and technical work may be assigned to the following: content management services, SEO, website development and design, blogging, digital marketing, software development, and medical and legal transcription.
A virtual assistant, therefore, will save you both time and money.
A Virtual Assistant gives the best care for your customers.
When you believe that the customer is king, you definitely have to have a virtual assistant
in your team. Not only can they work for you anywhere in the world, virtual assistants also have the advantage of delivering services beyond the usual business hours. By providing customer support 24/7, your company can rightfully claim that you are available for your customers and be at their every “beck and call.”
In addition, a virtual assistant is able to address complaints and requests for refunds or discounts in a timely manner. Moreover, a virtual assistant can easily step in for unexpected shortages on manpower, most especially, during national holidays or emergencies.
A virtual assistant, thus, empowers you to better serve your customers.
A Virtual Assistant improves your product or service
A virtual assistant can be your “eyes” and “ears” in the industry.
By monitoring the online behavior of your customer base, listening in on conversations about your brand, gathering feedback from your clients and observing what your competitors are doing; a virtual assistant guides your company straight to the hearts and minds of your target market. Moreover, with their research kills and online expertise, virtual assistants, will keep you abreast with the latest news and developments in your industry. Although, some of these tasks may seem simple, not only are they essential to your business, but they can be time-consuming, as well. When you have a virtual assistant dedicated to collate and make these data easily accessible to your employees, you are more likely to come up with products and services that will be best for your customers.
A virtual assistant helps you improve your products and/or services.
A Virtual Assistant shows that you value your people.
A virtual assistant finds and develops an organizational system with a framework that best fits your company. An online assistant does this by setting up a virtual workplace that provides structure to your organization’s workflow to cover everything from time-keeping, project management and file sharing, just to name a few. By setting up a well-documented process and system, a virtual assistant makes it easier for your managers to delegate work, track performance and collaborate effectively within your company. Your company’s level of productivity is largely dependent on two things, an effective system and an employer who genuinely cares for his employees. A virtual assistant, hence, authorizes you to utilize frameworks that will benefit your employees, increase their efficiency, and ensure that mistakes and oversights will be at a minimum.
A virtual assistant lets your people know that you care for them.
A Virtual Assistant empowers you to grow your company.
You know too well that hiring an employee creates financial, structural and emotional costs. And because not all businesses can afford these expenses like most startups and SMBs, hiring a virtual assistant is one of the best ways that you can grow your company without sacrificing your capital. Virtual assistants, are essentially business owners themselves, that is why having them in your team affords you with all the advantage of having additional manpower at a much lower cost versus employing domestically. Virtual assistant services, therefore, allows you to allocate more of your capital to expanding your businesses such as funding a digital marketing campaign or upgrading your operating systems.
Having a virtual assistant, does not only cost less, but it also brings in more value to your company. What’s more, because virtual assistants are already experts in specific fields and are already experienced professionals, you do not have to spend for their further training. But should you wish to build your own team of domestic employees, having a virtual assistant will not in any way hinder you from doing so. This way, you can still increase the value of your business without incurring the high costs it usually entails.
A virtual assistant energizes you to grow your company.
A Virtual Assistant is your very own digital expert.
A virtual assistant is your best bet for all things digital. In this day and age, you know that having a strong online presence is crucial in making it in almost any industry. As a key player in the digital landscape, a virtual assistant can support your company in implementing effective online strategies. A VA creatively repurposes existing content by giving new life to old podcasts, blog posts and webinars and skillfully converts them into other types of content such as slide shares, infographics, and e-books. Virtual assistants, also provide content production services such as blog writing, proofreading and graphic design. Additionally, they can be tasked to keep your company informed on the hottest news and trends, which may be further reused as material for new online content on your website.
A virtual assistant is your go-to person for all things digital.
A Virtual Assistant allows you to care for yourself.
A virtual assistant is, not only good, for your business but for your personal life, as well. Because your days can get overwhelming sometimes, with both professional and social responsibilities calling for you, a virtual assistant is a must to have for your mental and physical well-being. We all know how stress wreaks havoc to our bodies which causes us to underperform at work and worse, leads to health problems. A virtual assistant alleviates this and more by allowing you to unload some of your tasks so that you can enjoy ample leisure time for your loved ones and for yourself.
Say goodbye to hours of sifting thru your inbox every day. A virtual assistant can manage your emails. You save a lot of time by having your VA filter your inbox, highlight the more pertinent ones and respond to the rest on your behalf. What’s more, social tasks such as sending out birthday cards and thank you notes, and even handling personal social media accounts, can easily be handled by your online personal assistant, as well.
Virtual assistants manage calendars. May it be a professional or a personal one, you can be sure that having someone make appointments, deal with invitations, plan events and remind you of these can make a huge difference in your busy lifestyle. And with a personal virtual assistant managing your schedule, you never have to worry about missing a crucial business appointment or an important family event any more.
When you make hundreds of decisions each day and carry the weight of their effects on others and your business, it is imperative that you are always at your best. And in order to be at your 100%, you need to take care of your body, mind, and heart. Hiring a virtual assistant allows you to do this and more.
How Do I Find a Virtual Assistant?
One of the most important investments you can make is having a virtual assistant in your team. But how do you do this when they could be thousands of miles away from you, right? There are two ways to go about this, doing it on your own and hiring an agency to find one for you.
There are numerous freelance sites to choose from should you decide to take matters into your own hands. This requires you to make a listing on their site where applicants respond directly to you. It sounds simple enough, as long as, you are prepared to sift thru hundreds of replies to your ad. Another caveat to this is that the screening process of these marketplaces for freelancers leave much to be desired. With no set interview procedures or strict guidelines, the burden of filtering applications solely rests on your shoulders. Bogus applicants included.
Going thru an agency that offers virtual assistant services is your second option. Unlike freelance marketplaces, these are companies whose job is to provide you with a virtual assistant based on your requirements. With a secure screening process in place, these recruitment firms are, not only, reliable but they will also be on hand should problems arise between you and your VA. And just as there is an abundant number of freelancer sites, there are also several agencies to choose from online. The secret is connecting with the one that will provide you with a virtual assistant who is most apt for your needs and budget.
Whether you choose the first option or the second one, it is imperative to understand the particulars of employing remote workers. Aligning with those who are, not just experts in the field, but those who are truly committed and passionate on helping you live your best life should be your utmost priority.
OkayRelax, a USA-born company that offers cost-effective and efficient virtual assistant services, is one of the top agencies to ally with in your quest of finding the right balance between your professional and personal life. Let these dedicated individuals help you connect with the virtual assistant who is most suitable to complete your team. With a controlled and strict screening process and intensive training program, you can be assured that OkayRelax VAs are among the best of the best.
What’s more, OkayRelax, offers simple and affordable service plans that will surely fit your budget. The flexibility of their packages allows you the convenience of choosing between a monthly or an annual setup, with a specialized pricing that is set according to the number of tasks you need done. Packages start at a low price of 29.95 USD a month for the Starter Package which is inclusive of 5 tasks, the Professional Package which is inclusive of 25 tasks is priced at an affordable rate of 99.85 USD per month, and the Executive Package which covers a full range of 100 tasks for only 299.95 USD monthly.
Get started on your journey to a better and more relaxed professional and personal life today. The best investment you will do for your company and yourself may just be a click away. Let OkayRelax show you how.