We know you are giving everything to your business but it turns out that doing everything doesn’t leave you with much time! Being an entrepreneur is a constant juggle and one which inevitably leads to a few balls dropping on the floor. Hiring a virtual assistant (VA) can be a game-changer leading to significant savings in both time and money. Here’s some of the ways in which a virtual assistant can help streamline your operations and help your business to create, organise and grow.
1. It’s cheaper and easier than bringing in staff
If you’ve ever looked into hiring staff you will know that it’s not an easy process. Not only do you have to consider how much you’ll pay them but you also have to think about annual leave, sickness cover, equipment, training – the list is endless. A virtual assistant on the other hand comes with none of those additional considerations. Instead you hire a virtual assistant either to complete an agreed project for a fixed price or on a monthly retainer, where they work a fixed number of hours doing a variety of tasks each month. You know what you are going to pay and you file their cost along with all your other invoiced expenses each month. Virtual assistants are skilled at getting started quickly and working independently so you’ll soon see the time you are gaining back.
2. Access to Expertise
Virtual assistants often have specialised skills and experience in various fields, such as marketing, social media management, systems and processes and website design. Instead of spending time and money training an in-house employee, you can leverage the expertise of a VA to handle these tasks efficiently. We’ve also got experience of running our own small business, plus insight into many other companies so we can share best practice and business development ideas.
3. Flexibility and Scalability
As your business grows so do your needs. Virtual assistants offer the flexibility to scale their services according to your requirements. During peak periods or special projects, you can increase the hours of support you need. Similarly, you can also reduce hours during slower periods.
4. Improving Work-Life Balance
One of the less tangible but equally important benefits of hiring a virtual assistant is the improvement in work-life balance. As humans we are not designed to be everything to everyone but so many small business owners try to be. By delegating tasks to a VA you can reduce your workload and stress levels making you healthier and less stressed. Of course, that then means you’ll be more productive and those creative juices will start to flow once more.
5. Enhancing Customer Service
Emails into your business can be one of the first things to be overlooked when you start getting too busy. But your inbox is probably full of important leads, customer enquiries and growth opportunities. While it doesn’t need your skills and experience to deal with it, it does require prompt action to ensure customer satisfaction and loyalty. Virtual assistants can manage email communications to ensure that every one is dealt with and you have a gatekeeper ensuring you only have to deal with what really needs your attention.
6. Streamlining Operations
When you first started your small business, especially if you were working alone, you no doubt did things in a way which worked for you, that you understood. Over time this can mean that you are doing things less efficiently than you could be, simply because it’s the way it’s always been done. VAs can provide a fresh set of eyes, bringing in their expertise in systems and processes to organise your business to work better. This might mean things like project management, document organisation or workflow automation, ensuring that your business runs smoothly. Improved operational efficiency can lead to cost savings and better resource allocation, further enhancing your bottom line.
7. Focus on Revenue-Generating Activities
By offloading routine tasks to a virtual assistant, you can dedicate more time to activities that directly generate revenue. This focus on high-impact areas can accelerate your business growth and improve profitability.
8. Avoiding Burnout
Running a business can be exhausting and burnout is a real risk for many entrepreneurs. Virtual assistants can help alleviate the workload, allowing you to take necessary breaks and maintain your energy levels. A well-rested and motivated business owner is more likely to make sound decisions and drive the business forward.
It’s our mission at COG to help business owners grow their companies in a way which works for them. While the idea of bringing in a virtual assistant can feel a little overwhelming, there’s a whole host of benefits to come once you begin working together. We would love to hear more about your business and identify the ways in which we could help you so please do get in touch today.