What could a virtual assistant do for your small business?

Technology is ever growing and constantly improving, and businesses must keep up with it. Technology has allowed businesses to improve their processes and it has introduced a new type of assistant: the virtual assistant. Outsourcing daily administrative duties allows business owners to focus on more important tasks.

Virtual assistants don’t just take on administrative duties. They can be in charge of managing social media accounts, telephone inquiries, CRM, organising events, research and even virtually ordering you a coffee/lunch via UberEats!

5 ways in which a virtual assistant can streamline your business:

Streamline costs

Virtual assistants are only paid for the hours they work and this is the biggest perk. If they don’t do the work, then they don’t get paid.  Unlike hiring an employee, it is between the business and the assistant to come to an agreement on the hours worked per week/month.

As the assistant is a business owner themselves, it is not the company’s responsibility to pay them any extra benefits. VA’s will also charge less than an in-house assistant and you as a business owner do not have to incur overhead costs associated with an office space, computer and superannuation. 

Improve efficiency

Time is the most valuable asset to a company. By delegating and oursourcing daily, essential tasks to a virtual assistant, business owners have more free time. Jobs that can be outsourced include:

• Filtering and managing emails
• Organising events
• Managing calendars
• Phone handling
• Website management
• Industry research
• Database entries
• Creating graphics
• Follow up emails

Improve productivity

With no office distractions, virtual assistants work alone. This allows them to hit maximum productivity. They have greater autonomy and therefore have the freedom to get more done. Virtual assistants are highly experienced. This means that business owners do not have to spend time, money, and effort training them.

Increases flexibility

Since virtual assistants can be hired from anywhere in Australia or the world, they are not constrained by a 9 to 5 work schedule. Hiring someone from the other side of the Australia or someone from Perth who works from home/after-hours gives companies the option of having their business managed 24/7. Different time zones play an important role if entrepreneurs want greater flexibility in their business.

Increase and maintain competitiveness

Virtual assistants are the businesses eyes and ears; therefore, they monitor any changes within the market.  VA’s keep tabs on the current market and competitors, and collate any feedback from customers. By constantly documenting changes, virtual assistants can improve current operations or implement new strategies. This not only maintains the company’s competitiveness, but can also set a new standard in the market.

What to do next

Hire a virtual assistant of course! They are a valuable asset to any company, especially when they are integrated correctly. Many think that virtual assistants are hired to do a few hours here and there, but in actual fact, delegating the right tasks and jobs to the right candidate can be much more resourceful. Remember they work in their own time and can be more effective and efficient than an in-house assistant. It definitely is an investment for businesses to bring in more permanent staff and build them into future growth plans.