As we approach the end of another year, now is the time to take stock & reflect on the successes & the challenges 2021 has presented.
With the fallout from the Covid19 pandemic still affecting businesses, charities & busy homeowners, everyone is having to rethink & adapt.
With shifting work patterns now the norm & plenty of employees having changed roles during the pandemic either due to loss of employment, extensive furloughed or simply looking for a change; how we employ people to undertake certain tasks is also changing.
Therefore, when businesses, charities or even those running a busy home are considering another pair of hands, do they need to consider another person on the payroll, or is there another way?
The upsurge in VA’s (Virtual Assistants) & OBM’s (Online Business Managers) doesn’t show any signs of slowing, as more & more people are taking advantage of the remote working ethos & going it alone. With co-working sites springing up & supply & demand driving this innovative working method; how can business owners benefit from employing a Virtual Assistant, Online Business Manager or Freelancer to support their business?
Stage one. Why do you need another pair of hands?
If you have noticed that administration, invoicing, answering email, answering the telephone, travel arrangements, expenses & keeping on top of policies, legislation & procedures is taking you away from the day to day running of your business; it might be time to consider hiring another pair of hands. A VA/PA/Executive Assistant or OBM can transform your business, by supporting you & enabling you to get back to running your business, charity or busy home.
Stage two. How to choose the right person for you? Skills set, experience, etc
When you have made the decision to hire a VA/EA or OBM, you will first need to consider what are your key area’s you need help with. Some VA’s & OBM’s can specialise in accountancy for example, others in full VA/EA/OBM support & others specialise in social media, the list goes on.
If you are struggling with the day to day running of your business, it might be better to seek out a VA/OBM with a full breadth of experience & skills. This will enable you to have more confidence in approaching & finalising the list of tasks you require support for. However, if you are seeking someone to support you in building & maintaining your social media presence, then a Social Media VA would be a better point of call.
There are also VA’s/OBM’s specialising in specific sectors now & using specific industry knowledge to support others in those sectors. Tapping into these skills sets & knowledge bases could transform your business, project, charity or even your home.
The most important phase of working with a VA/EA/OBM is the ability for you both to interpret the business needs & for the communication to be free flowing.
Helena Parrott – Director/VA Virtually Smart Ltd has spent the past 20 years building her business repertoire & knowledge of the inner working of a variety of industries. It is this expertise & vast amount of skills, which now has other business owners & teams of people rely on Helena, to guide, advise, support & transform their business’s.
Stage three. Contract & expectations.
Once you have found the right person, setting up a contract is the next stage. One thing to remember, is that a VA/OBM is not a member of staff, they are a freelancer & they will have their own contract arrangements to be agreed upon.
With this in mind, a freelancer or VA/OBM will have a set amount of hours to undertake the tasks arranged. If additional tasks are required, it is advisable to check with your VA/OBM that they have the capacity to undertake them. Most VA’s/OBM’s will have more than one client, all with allocated hours & expectations throughout a working week.
Stage four. Developing relationships.
Once you have your VA/OBM as part of your business, the communication going forward is imperative. Helena Parrott’s skills set enable her to be flexible & proactive to her client’s needs.
Ensuring your VA/OBM is fully briefed, has access to all of the relevant passwords, accounts & business programmes in advance of your working relationship; will enable a seamless flow of information & before you know it, you’ll be reaping the benefits of hiring a VA to support your business. In addition, being able to trust your VA/OBM implicitly is a core part of the relationship you can build with them.
Therefore, if you are juggling or struggling to keep all of your metaphorical balls in the air; maybe it might be time to consider the benefits of hiring a VA/OBM to help your business, your charitable organisation or even your busy home.
If you would like to find out more about the support & services Virtually Smart can offer, please do contact Helena Parrott in the first instance: Mobile: 07954 994 769, Email: helena@virtuallysmartltd.com
Written by Katy Jane on behalf of Virtually Smart Ltd
