Business owners often find themselves with too much to do and very little time to get it all done. When you are overwhelmed by your workload and you have already stretched your staff thin, you should consider hiring a virtual assistant. This a great option when finances are tight and you can’t afford to hire another full-time employee. It also becomes a way to get some help with areas where you don’t have the skills or interest need to be efficient. Regardless of what you think your budget looks like, the benefits of hiring a virtual assistant are worth the small investment you will make.
Reduced Labor Costs
When you hire another employee, not only do you have to pay out a salary, but you also to worry about providing benefits. These could include sick days, holiday leave, medical benefits, and workers’ compensation. You also have to create a room within the office or work location, adding on extra costs for furnishings or utilities. If you are self-employed, this adjustment could cost a lot of money. Having a virtual assistant solves this problem. They work as independent contractors, paying their own taxes, expenses, and insurance. If you are already using a virtual phone system, it’s a snap to connect in a virtual assistant.
More Flexibility
You are limited by your office hours and your manpower. When you have a virtual assistant answering your phones and scheduling tasks, you don’t have to stick the regular 9-5 office hours. This assistance can operate in a different time zone than where you are, allowing you to create a schedule that will maximize output. You aren’t limited by eight-hour shifts or the inability to find someone to work with the weekends. There are a lot more assistants to choose from when you try a virtual option. You don’t get this kind of flexibility with a full-time, on-site employee.
Increased Productivity
There are a lot of distractions in the average office environment. Checking emails, headed to the breakroom for coffee, or jumping online to order some new things from Amazon are constant interruptions for employees. Your virtual assistant won’t have these same distractions. They work differently and are able to focus on what it takes to get tasks done. As a self-employed individual, they realize the importance of client satisfaction. If they start missing deadlines or failing to deliver results, they realize it could mean the end of their contract and poor references. These assistants are often more motivated and have higher productivity rates than a typical employee.
Better Work Quality
As mentioned, the distractions of the work environment can keep you from work that needs to be done. Even though you are working through an inbox or managing the website, at the end of the day, you probably experience frustration over how little you seemed to accomplish. At the very least, you haven’t done one thing well but barely got things finished. With a virtual assistant handling the busy work, the overall quality of your business will improve. There is a dedicated person addressing important tasks like email and phone calls, while you spend time training your employees and working on new products. Virtual assistants also tend to be aware of the newest technologies and software for streamlining operations, saving you valuable time in trying to get your current staff up-to-speed.
Lower Risk for Growth
The nature of your business may lead to fluctuations in profit, and you may be unsure of what you should do next. You want to prepare for growth, but you aren’t sure that you have the finances to do so. You don’t want to commit to hiring a full-time employee for a position that you aren’t sure will pan out a few months down the road, and then have to let them go. A virtual assistant is a solution that takes on less risk. You can have the extra help while you need it without hurting the budget. If you find that growth occurs more rapidly and you need extra help, considering hiring on another virtual position before investing in a full-time hire.
With a virtual assistant, your office or business gets the skills and help it needs to run efficiently. You are given a break from picking up all the pieces, and your budget doesn’t feel the burden of new hire expenses.
