Ever feel like you have too much on your plate? From managing your team to growing your business you feel like you have to wear too many hats to keep up with your business. I feel you. However, you don’t have to be stuck in this never-ending cycle forever. With the rise of remote working, Virtual Assistants (VAs) can help you save time and become more productive. A Virtual Assistant is a great investment for businesses that need more hands on deck, without wanting to commit to hiring new staff.

VAs are essentially your businesses’ right-hand – skilled pros who help with specialised tasks remotely. They’re not just cost-effective but also have a range of skills under their belts, handling tasks you have no time or resources for. Your to-do list? Handled. Your time? Free to strategise and boost that business growth. Your money? Well-spent.

In this blog, I cover just some of the many benefits of hiring a Virtual Assistant as well as go over how to hire the right one for your business.

Cost-savings:

One of the biggest benefits of hiring a Virtual Assistant is the cost-savings that come with it. No more hiring new employees and spending time and resources on training them. VAs are equipped with a range of skills and dive in straight away. The best part is, you’re in control over your budget. You can implement a pay-as-you-go system so you won’t have to dish out cash when you don’t need the business support. 

Forget about coughing up money for their workspace, internet, office supplies, or any other office extras. VAs work remotely. So, no more office overheads and no need to provide them with a full employee benefits package. Just pay their rates and you’re good to go. 

Increased Productivity:

Having a VA is a game-changer if your business days are always fluctuating. When there’s a certain surge in workload or a key member is out of the office, you won’t have to stress because of the sudden lack of support. You can keep things smooth sailing and maintain or even increase your level of productivity during these off-days. 

The best part is, that VAs are incredibly adaptable and flexible. Busy business period? They’re on it, taking on more tasks. Slow periods? Their workload can be adjusted to meet your demands. This is great for increasing productivity as the tasks get done while giving you peace of mind. 

Access to Diverse Skill Set:

Hiring a full-time specialist for every skill? Expensive and not always practical. VAs are perfect for businesses that want to handpick a person with skills that match their needs. It’s like expanding your team’s capabilities without the hassle. Plus, many VAs often go through specialised training and certification courses, so you’re tapping into some serious talent when you hire them for specific tasks. 

Hiring a Virtual Assistant also helps you keep up with the latest technological advancements. They’re known for their tech wizardry and knowing their way around the latest tools and features. Quick to adapt, tech-savvy – VAs help keep your business ahead in the competitive space.

The best part is you can find talent from across the globe. You no longer have to settle for local employees who don’t have the experience or expertise. This means you have the chance to broaden your cultural diversity, language boundaries, and time zones your business operates in. 

Add an extra hour to your day:

We’ve all heard the expression “time is money,” and it’s truer than ever in business. Time is the most precious asset and once it’s gone, it’s gone for good. That’s why it’s important for you as a business owner to have as much time on your hands so that you can focus on the task that really matters – growing your business. The best way to free up your time is to hire staff that you can rely on to delegate to. 

If you’re a business owner who’s drowning in administrative tasks, that’s a recipe for disaster. Quick reality check: how much of your daily checklist is purely administration? Checking your emails, answering phone calls, scheduling meetings – you know the drill. Hiring a VA can add an extra hour to your day and make your life 10 times easier. Virtual Assistants help tackle those time-consuming tasks that take up most of your day, giving you the breathing room to grow your business. You no longer have to waste your days and instead put your strategic leadership skills to good use to boost your long-term success. 

You can also say goodbye to constant employee training. Training up your employees can take up weeks if not months to get them to a standard you’re comfortable with. Instead, hire a professional VA who’s already a pro at everything you need. This means less time spent training and more time spent elsewhere.

Improved customer service:

Virtual Assistants who specialise in customer service can seriously level up your business. Having a VA to manage your inbox, sifting through the important ones, and replying to routine inquiries can be a game-changer. They help keep things organised so you can be laser-focused on the important emails. This means you have more time to provide a well-thought-out response to the customers and stakeholders that matter.

You also get your hands on global support. These VAs aren’t bound to regular business hours. They’re here to help your customers at all times, making sure you’re catering to a global audience. So, whether it’s day or night, customer inquiries and issues get tackled ASAP, giving your customer satisfaction levels a boost. It also gives you an edge over competitors who are leaving their customers waiting hours or days for a response. VAs can also handle live chat support, making sure to engage with customers in real time. 

Not only are VAs excellent at actually communicating with your customers, but they’re also great at gathering feedback from them. From conducting satisfaction surveys to presenting the data, they’re your go-to when it comes to identifying areas where your products or services could use a little improvement.

And let’s not forget about the power of automation. These handy assistants can set up automated responses for those common customer queries, giving instant answers to frequently asked questions. They can also help you streamline the whole process and boost your efficiency levels. The knowledge and expertise they have under their belts also means they can give you new communication ideas that you’ve never even thought of.

Shift your focus to growing your business:

With everyday tasks off your plate, it’s time to dive into the good stuff – strategic planning and decision-making. When it comes to shifting your focus to things that truly matter, virtual assistants are your right hand. What’s more, is that you can delegate tasks that help expand your business such as lead generation and marketing. They can get more customers through your door and entice potential clients and customers to grow your consumer base. 

If your VA comes equipped with marketing skills, use this to your advantage. You’ll be able to create killer marketing materials, blog posts, social media content, etc. that help gain more traction for your business. This helps keep your online presence lively and keeps your audience engaged.

Get the business support you need:

One of the major benefits of hiring a Virtual Assistant is that you get all the business support you need right at your fingertips. They work hard behind the scenes, taking care of a bunch of tasks so you can focus on what truly matters. Here are a couple of tasks you can delegate to a VA:

• Email Management: VAs can tackle your inbox and respond to any emails you may have, making sure your communication game is on point and bringing some organisation back into your business life.
• Manage your calendar: You can appoint a Virtual Assistant to schedule appointments and manage your calendar so you never miss an important client meeting again. They can also help you prepare for the meeting so that important topics of conversation are not forgotten about.
• Market Research & Competitor Analysis: Market research and competitor analysis is your best friend in the world of business. But, not many businesses have the time to conduct them. VAs can help gather data and provide insight into your industry and competitors to help you make much better business decisions.
• Project Management: Having a project with no project management is a recipe for disaster. VAs help keep your projects on track, manage deadlines, and ensure all tasks are completed on time. They can also identify opportunities for task automation to help make the project process a lot more streamlined. This means projects are completed quickly and overall efficiency is at an all-time high.

Now, these tasks I just mentioned are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to what Virtual Assistants are capable of. Seriously, the possibilities are endless when you team up with one!

The best part is you get to pick and choose the specific skills that your business needs. Most VAs offer a tailored service, meaning you’ll get the support you need for your unique challenges and goals. No more having to stick to a one-size-fits-all solution that doesn’t even work for your business.

If things change within your business, it’s no sweat for a VA. They’re flexible and adapt to your business needs. Need to amp things up? VAs have your back. Got a lighter workload? No biggie! You can scale it back down – adapting to whatever your business throws your way.

You may also like: How To Become A Virtual Assistant In The UK: The Ultimate Guide!

How to hire the right virtual assistant:

Now, after reading this blog, you’re convinced to hire a VA, it’s important to hire the right one. When you bring a Virtual Assistant on board, you’re not just getting a task-completer, you’re hiring a new team member. This means it’s important to hire someone that synergises well with your business.

The first step is to identify the tasks and responsibilities you want your VA to carry out. Are you looking for a generalist VA who can handle a bit of everything? Or a specialist VA who’s an expert in a specific field? Identifying this will make it much easier to hire the right one for your business.

Next up is to look at what skill set your ideal VA should have. Do you want someone who has a way with words and is a great communicator? Or someone who is creative and knows their way around graphic design? Be clear about what you’re looking for so that you can narrow it down even more.

Last but not least is your budget. Establish a budget for this position, and take into account the level of expertise you require. You should also look into the average rate for VAs with the skills you’re on the hunt for to get a better idea of what your budget should be. It’s important to keep in mind many Virtual Assistants charge an hourly rate while some charge based on projects. So, it’s important to ask before hiring to make sure you keep within your budget.