Why Use A Virtual Assistant?
Recently we had a friend ask us to refer them to a Virtual assistant. They had heard the term before but didn’t understand why they needed one to grow their business or how it could be beneficial to their business.
In response to our bud’s uncertainty, we’ve put together this little rite of passage to those looking to outsource some of their work.
When we say virtual assistant it no longer conjures up images of some fictional character in an empty office tap tapping away at their computers. Virtual does not mean something that does not exist. It means you’re replacing yourself with a real but for the most part unseen, qualified person.
How do people get so much accomplished in 24 hours while the rest of us struggle to keep up with our daily routines? Simple, they hire someone to take care of repetitive tasks. This gives them to time to focus on the more challenging day to day activities.
In the past few years, the virtual assistant/freelance market has blossomed to become a very real resource for businesses who wish to tap into the valuable experience and expertise that can only be found remotely. Agencies such as Fiverr, Upwork and Rent-A-Coder provide an army of ready-to-work professionals who provide quality and speed.
Why Virtual Assistants?
Virtual assistants often work as subcontractors for specific tasks or projects that have short timeframes. For example; building a new function into a website, handling social media tasks or content creation. Anything that can be broken down into a step by step process can be outsourced. The agencies that subcontract these assistants claim a percentage of the final sale for being facilitators. Everybody wins,
But the industry of virtual assisting goes beyond providing small tasks. Many assistants provide administrative assistants, sales support and many other functions normally associated with a full time employee. Companies forward calls to remote workers, redirect emails to offshore admins, and conduct meetings and email negotiation without ever picking up the phone themselves. These modern workers provide almost every service an on site assistant might do at a fractions of the cost.
The VA world has obvious benefits for businesses looking for qualified help. It allows employers to expand their talent pool to a global market. Many VA’s have specialized knowledge and skills. The variety of workers on sites like Fiverr, Upwork make it easy to find the right worker where you need them, when you need them and only for as long as you need them.
In addition tot he benefits that VA’s have for businesses looking to fill their need for skilled workers, it is also an excellent resource for talented workers who want to generate income outside of a 9 to 5 job structure. Virtual workers typically work from home or wherever they can find a solid internet connection. Often the work is task based with a deadline so the worker can select the hours that best fit their lifestyle. And, like working for a temp agency, the employee can build a resume that improves the quality of work they get over time.
Virtual staffing has matured in the last few years to become increasingly beneficial for all those involved. We can safely say that the Virtual Worker model will grow steadily over the upcoming years as more workers are looking to supplement their incomes. The more the talent pools continues to grow, and the more businesses become comfortable with outsourcing tasks, the more the global market benefits from the shared capital gains