Research is an integral part of any business, but it can take time to manage if you have other tasks. That’s why many small businesses turn to virtual assistants for help.
Before hiring a VA, set up a video interview and provide them with a detailed training document for the tasks they’ll be performing. This will ensure that they’re meeting your expectations. This article will go over everything you need to know if you intent to outsource virtual assistant services and all its benefits.
You Save on Staff Costs
Outsourcing tasks like customer support and administrative work to a virtual assistant frees up your time to focus on other aspects of your business. This can include developing your marketing strategy or building new relationships with clients. In addition, virtual assistants can monitor your company email and social media accounts so you can respond to inquiries quickly.
VAs are typically experienced people who have years of experience in their field. They aren’t greenhorns who need to prove themselves in the workplace, and you can hire them for a single monthly retainer instead of paying hourly wages.
In addition, you can track their hours with tools to ensure they are only billing for actual work. This eliminates the chance that your mobile workers are inflating their time to get a larger paycheck. The tool also allows them to work offline to log their time when their internet connection is disrupted. This brings consistency and quality to the way you manage your remote staff. It also saves you money on health insurance and vacation leave.
You Save on Training
When you hire an employee, there is a period that you need to spend on training. This can be costly if they don’t perform well or leave after the training period. It’s expected that you would hesitate when making your decision. An accurate assessment is crucial when choosing a virtual assistant vs employee. A virtual assistant does not require any exercise because they will only work on tasks that you assign to them.
For example, if you have an online course that you need to create, a VA can help you with the setup of funnels (opt-in pages, thank you pages, and email follow-ups). They can also help you create content like slideshows, infographics, and videos that you can use to market your course.
Another area that they can save you time is by doing basic research for your business. They can search the internet quickly if you are looking for specific information. This could be a huge time-saver for you as you run your course. They can also do other research if you want statistics, examples, and quotes for your content. They can also make this content ready to publish by formatting and adding links.
You Save on Office Space
While virtual assistants can work from home, this saves you a lot of money on office space. Renting a commercial property or buying office equipment and supplies can add to your operational expenses. With a VA, this is not an issue because they work from their own homes.
You also do not have to pay payroll taxes, unemployment insurance, or worker’s compensation. This can add up to a substantial amount throughout an employee’s career with your company.
Virtual assistants typically have high research skills and can quickly find the best deals on your required products or services. This can benefit you because it will allow you to focus on income-generating tasks while they tackle all the other administrative work for your business. This will enable you to spend more time on your hobbies, personal growth, and even that long-overdue vacation you have dreamed of.
You Save on Insurance
Virtual assistants typically work on a per-project basis, so you only pay for the hours that they’re working. This eliminates the need for costly benefits like health insurance, vacation days, and maternity leaves that you would otherwise have to pay for with an in-house employee.
Additionally, if you implement productivity tools on your team’s desktop computers and mobile devices, tracking your VAs’ time on each task is easy. This helps keep your VAs accountable and keeps them focused on their work.
Hiring a virtual assistant will save you money on office equipment and supplies. The rise in commercial property costs can be huge for small businesses. With a virtual assistant, you can save on these expenses by eliminating the need for office space and providing your VAs with the technology they need to complete their work remotely. This includes messaging apps that enable quick conversations, video conferencing software for meetings, and project management tools to track task progress.
You Save Time
Having a VA is a great way to save on the time it takes to perform specific tasks. For example, if you are overwhelmed with emails and calls from potential clients, hiring a virtual assistant can free up your time so that you can focus on making sales.
In addition, VAs can help you stay organized by setting up folders and filing emails appropriately. This can make a massive difference in productivity. When you hire a virtual assistant, you can also save on training costs.
Many VAs are professionals, so they can start working for you immediately. However, it’s essential to clearly outline the scope of work with your VA, as this will ensure that they understand precisely what needs to be done and how long they should spend on each task.
