How Executive 24-7 Virtual Assistant Services Can Help Your Business Meet Its Goals
There’s no question that hiring virtual assistants on a full-time basis is a fantastic way to expand your company. There is a very good reason why so many businesses are turning to remote employees and virtual personal assistants to expand their businesses: it saves cash, it is an easy way for you to increase your company’s bottom line, and it allows you to completely disconnect from your job-which really is important if you want to become a more efficient worker. But hiring a virtual assistant full-time? Shouldn’t be a last resort for any business with a limited number of employees.
Truthfully, the best time to begin hiring virtual assistants (or any other form of outsourcing) is while your company is still growing. Virtual assistants will be much cheaper than full-time staff members once your company has grown significantly. And since virtual assistants are used to performing a multitude of tasks that might otherwise be handled by a person in your company (such as data entry tasks and secretarial tasks), you can actually save money by outsourcing these tasks to them instead of having to hire them. Here are a few tasks that most virtual assistants can perform very well.
24-hour customer support is one of the most common duties provided by virtual assistants, especially for small companies with one to three employees. Small companies are notorious for their frustrating customer experiences and virtual assistants are a perfect solution to the frustration many customers feel when trying to contact their support representatives. A quality 24-hour customer support department provides assistance to customers immediately, often with video recordings that provide a more detailed explanation of what exactly is happening with your account. Additionally, most customer service departments offer help through email, phone calls, and live chat options. This accessibility and high-level of support to help customers stay satisfied with their account.
Data entry tasks are also one of the most common tasks outsourced by assistants. A quality data entry assistant can complete tasks such as entering names and dates into lists, managing data through spreadsheet applications, and adding data entry corrections and clarifications to the end of each day’s schedule. Some virtual assistant services may even offer additional tasks such as creating letters and memos for clients, scheduling appointments, handling online payments, setting up presentations, and mailing letters and newsletters. Because this task requires little skill on the part of the employee, data entry tasks can be completed by any employee with a computer and an Internet connection-a common prerequisite for many virtual assistant services. Data entry tasks can be performed at any time, providing relief to small business owners who do not have the time or skills necessary to devote to such tasks as a full-time employee.
Virtual assistants are well-versed in the many different fields of advertising, selling products and services, financial services, information technology, client management, medical transcription, legal assistance, and online marketing. Because they work at anytime, executive 24/7 virtual assistants can respond to customers or business prospects in a personal, business-like manner. An assistant can be scheduled to work several hours per day, providing a steady flow of work for busy executives. Because their schedules are so flexible, executive 24/7 virtual assistants are able to meet many deadlines, such as helping a customer order a product online or making sure that a client receives his or her credit card bill upon receipt. An assistant working for a large corporation may be required to answer secretarial or email messages; however, because the business owner controls all scheduling and time management, the assistant is free to spend the necessary time completing the tasks assigned. Many business owners enjoy the added flexibility, an executive assistant provides, allowing them to remain completely focused on running their business without being bogged down by daily office duties.
A skilled virtual assistant can offer the business owner valuable services such as data entry, managing and updating client files, proofreading documents and communications, transcribing speech for telephone conferences, greeting calls, mailing letters and other correspondence, scheduling appointments, making appointments for clients, and more. Any and all services above can be scheduled for a specific period of time, which maximizes efficiency and profitability. Because of their innate abilities and technological savvy, virtual assistant services are in high demand and being hired more frequently as business needs increase. The ability to effectively multitask and stay updated on the business’s daily operations enables these individuals to help increase profitability. Businesses are seeking out reliable professionals, which are also well-trained in computer applications and highly skilled in performing administrative and secretarial duties.
