Have you ever wondered what administrative virtual assistants (Admin VAs) can do for your team? In this blog, we’ll consider the necessity of hiring a virtual assistant. In addition, we will explore the various tasks you can assign to them. Specifically, we will focus on administrative VAs on this one.
Outsourcing as the new norm and remote work as a growing trend
Outsourcing may be as old as business itself. It helps you save resources such as time and money. It also allows you to deliver on areas outside of your expertise through the use of independent contractors. These days, it has become the answer to a lot of challenges a business is facing.
Rapid developments in technology have enabled workers to perform tasks away from the workplace. Coupled with the growing trend towards digitalization among businesses, it has encouraged the increase of available remote work. Recent studies point out that 37% of U.S. jobs can be performed entirely at home. This only proves that remote work is an expanding field. Furthermore, LinkedIn has released its report on emerging jobs. Among the top fields include Customer Success Specialists and Sales Development, Specialists. These are jobs that can be handled remotely or even outsourced.
Where do Administrative Virtual Assistants fit in?
Admin VAs deal with routine but essential tasks. The major reasons why a good number of businesses outsource these tasks to VAs are cost and time savings. With VAs, you won’t have to worry about overhead, additional equipment, and training expenses. Aside from these, you can save time by delegating certain tasks. Time is getting scarcer in this always-on, always on the go culture we have. Bear in mind what Zig Ziglar said. “Time is the only commodity we deal with which cannot be counterfeited, stolen, or placed in inventory. Remember, time is irreplaceable.” By saving time, you can focus on core functions essential to growing your business. You can also invest your savings in quality time with people who matter most.
Tasks you can assign to Administrative Virtual Assistants
Calendar Management
This area covers appointment setting and cancellation, or even rescheduling. Your VA can help arrange appointments and provide reminders when necessary. Additionally, they can help inform your contacts about significant matters. For instance, they can inform people when you would be out of town or something similar. A well-managed calendar will allow you to have control over things. Putting some order amidst the chaos will then lead to a more balanced and enjoyable living. A good life is what you deserve after putting in the work.
Email Management
Tasks under this category include adding contacts and updating their info. In addition, it also covers email filtering and screening. With tons of emails you receive on a daily basis, it pays to have someone take care of them. This way, you can focus on essential tasks. Moreover, having an organized email makes it easier to locate a particular item if you have to. Finally, your VA can help manage your Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system. It can be a time-consuming endeavor where VAs can be of great help. This makes a lot of sense especially if you’re paying for CRM services.
File Management
It is another activity that can take up a lot of time. You’ll find VAs extremely helpful in this area. For example, they can help create and manage your Google Drive and Dropbox. Your VA can create folders and subfolders to organize your files. This will enable easier and fruitful searches in the future.
Lead Generation and Data Mining
Lead generation is done to acquire new customers. With so many providers in the market, you must develop an effective system for getting quality leads. Seasoned VAs have keen eyes for identifying the best prospects. Thus, they would be a good supplement to your team. On the other hand, data mining attempts to find trends or patterns based on data previously gathered. The findings are then utilized to create effective strategies to boost revenues or minimize costs. This is another area where experienced VAs can be of great help.
Online Research
Research is the currency for success in many endeavors. This applies to business as well. Market research is one of the fundamental aspects of a business. It is the driving force behind every trade. You must ensure that you have the right people doing it for the best results. The good news is that research is integral to the functions of a VA. With this in mind, rest assured that you’re in good hands.
Receptionist duties
Soft skills are very essential in certain areas of business. This is especially true in the case of handling customers. Also, your VA can prove invaluable in dealing with partners. For example, a good liaison officer is crucial in ensuring good working relations. Hence, you’ll want someone with good communication skills and a knack for call handling skills. Moreover, the ability to work with others and to relate with them would be significant characteristics. Furthermore, you may need somebody to act as an intermediary between you and other workers. It pays to have someone with exceptional handling skills do it for you. Finally, your VA can help you manage members of the team working on a specific project. This would ensure seamless communication lines among the involved parties.
Personal errands
Your VA can help with personal tasks to make things easier. They can make online purchases or book a flight for you and so much more. If you require aid in something that doesn’t require physical presence, your VA can help you with it. These are only some of the tasks you can assign to your VA.
In summary
Outsourcing has become the norm for many successful business outfits. Along with this, the trend for certain outfits who adopt remote work has seen a lot of growth. Among the foremost reasons for hiring administrative VAs are the savings it can help generate. Another would be the time they can help save. Moreover, it will give you access to quality work by experts. These are just among the many reasons why businesses outsource.
Now you know the benefits of hiring an administrative virtual assistant. At the same time, you’re also aware of the different tasks they can do. We love to help businesses become more productive. Book your free discovery call and discover how we could be of possible help.