Virtual assistants in the office space industry
January 28th, 2008 | by James Welch
Having just read a great article about the use of technology in the property industry, I thought that I would share the part about virtual assistants with you….
Q. Explain the concept of the virtual assistant.
A. These are people who are highly trained in subspecialties. They are industry contractors; all the costs associated with having employees go away. They typically don’t have to be trained, because they’re the experts.
Q. What does a virtual assistant do?
A. Anything that doesn’t require them to be present. Just about anything. They can handle all the details with a transaction. It doesn’t matter where they’re located.
Q. Is there any concern that the agent not dealing with the details of the transaction will concern consumers?
A. It frees them up to do the schmoozing. If they’re managing all the transactions, they are running all around. This frees them up to do what they do best: face-to-face contact.
You can read the rest of this great technology in the office space industry here.
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2 Responses to “Virtual assistants in the office space industry”
By Dawn Lane on Jan 28, 2008 | Reply
Hi James
I am a virtual assistant (VA), based in Cornwall,UK and have been running my own VA company for a little under a year now.
As a VA I offer traditional PA services remotely from my own premises. As you say, almost any job/project that a PA would generally do in an office can be done remotely. My clients range from a gas appliances spares provider, coaching association, through to small businesses advisor organisation and a doctor.
I carry out roles from managing email enquiries and diary management through to more complex roles like assisting with conference arrangements and database management/report writing.
With more and more small businesses and business executives working from home and not having the space or equipment for an ‘on-site assistant’, the use of a VA is very cost effective. No tax/National Insurance/pension to pay, no red tape of employing staff, no worries about holiday and the cover required when staff are off sick. As a self-employed business women I cover all that myself.
The other good thing about working with a VA (not employing please!) is that they can become the backbone of the business administration leaving their clients free to get on with the core role of their business - building their business foundations, growing the business and increasing their profits. An experienced VA, someone who has a number of years’ experience in the corporate world, is an asset as they can, as an outsider, see in many instances ways in which the procedures and policies within a business can be improved to help the business run more smoothly.
Whilst there are many outsourcing agencies around (locally, nationally and globally) who are relatively cheap, it is vital that any business person working with a VA selects the best person for the role required, and not base their decision solely on cost, after all, as they say, ‘pay peanuts, get monkeys’. A good VA, like a good PA/EA, is worth their weight in gold, and whilst they do cost more than using an outsourcing agency, their clients are rewarded by knowing that their business is running effectively and efficiently and thet the cost of paying the VA is more than met by the increase in their own productivity and income. Around 25%-30% of any bsuiness’ time is spent carrying out administration tasks - time that could be better spent carried out on improving the business.
There are a number of VA Associations around the world that are able to help businesses find the right VA - here are just a few:
A Claytons Secretary - Australia
VA Network - America
VA Chamber of Commerce - America
Society of VAs - UK
IAVA - UK
By James Jones on Jan 28, 2008 | Reply
Great response, Dawn. Welcome to the site.