The digital age has transformed the world in so many ways. For example, it led to the development of new patterns of human behavior and interaction. At the same time, this phenomenon coincided with growing globalization and advancements in internet technology. Altogether, they helped usher in the development of new types of jobs and ultimately, led to the birth of virtual assistance. Virtual assistants(VAs) abound many workplaces today. In fact, many of them are occupying many of the roles traditionally assigned to other workers.
The Digital Age
It goes by many names including the computer age or the information age. This refers to the period which saw the pivotal shift from an industry-based economy to an information technology-based one. We have seen three stages of industrial revolutions. The First Industrial Revolution capitalized on water and steam to mechanize the production process. On the other hand, the Second Industrial Revolution relied on electricity to enable mass production. The digital age is the third installment in this series. At present, we even hear about the fourth industrial revolution. Dubbed as Industry 4.0, it refers to current developments in the area of manufacturing. It denotes the automation of manufacturing processes by building on knowledge and discoveries gained from the third industrial revolution.
Evolution of Virtual Assistants
A large number of the early virtual assistants were former secretaries or personal assistants who dealt primarily with routine administrative tasks. In other words, they made life easier for their employers by dealing with mundane but necessary tasks. This arrangement allowed people with higher positions to focus on core tasks. The benefits derived from such an arrangement brought to light the importance of designating certain tasks. The changing economy brought about changing needs and led to transformations in the nature of work. Dealing with these changes was facilitated by the development of new technology, new fields of learning, and changing work philosophies.
The idea of outsourcing became popular in the 1990s. This was a time when cost-saving became a major concern for many companies. Those years saw the growing importance of outsourcing as a business strategy. It was also a decade that was noted for a lot of major developments in technology and invention. The World Wide Web was opened to the public. Text messaging was also introduced during this period. Even social media had its roots in this decade. These paved the way for many epochal transformations in different societies. The following decades saw many significant developments that transformed many aspects of our lives. Virtual assistance emerged as a result of these events and owes its growing significance to occurrences during the digital age.
Nature of VA work
As new needs arose, the variety of tasks virtual assistants are able to perform grew in number and in nature. Most virtual assistants today still handle admin tasks as the bulk of their assignments. These can include call, email, calendar, and records management and conducting market research. Additionally, some of them can manage social media including the creation and distribution of meaningful content as part of the job. as part of the job. Highly specialized and highly skilled VAs can even handle website creation and management not to mention SEO and marketing tasks. The list continues to grow each day. Information technology work is already being outsourced by some companies. Many of the jobs found on LinkedIn Emerging Jobs Report of 2020 are among those that can be outsourced. These include work in the fields of Artificial Intelligence, Full Stack Engineering, and Data Science.
Back to the Future
We live in unpredictable times. For a business to thrive, it should develop a culture of resilience and the ability to adapt to change. This means having workers who are agile in terms of adjusting to a constantly changing setup. Their portfolio must also include a wide range of skills to handle different sorts of functions. Virtual assistants fit the above-mentioned descriptions for ideal workers. Thus, with VAs, you can develop a lean business model. It will allow you to minimize costs and save time. At the same time, you will be enabled to become very effective and efficient.
Discover why virtual assistants are an ideal addition to your team. Contact our Account Manager, Mia, directly at hello@evaoutsourcing.com to avail of our 1-Day Free Trial and get started today. Promo is valid until August 15, 2020.