6 top concerns when outsourcing to a virtual assistant

Have you considered outsourcing to a virtual assistant, but wondered if it’s really right for you? Many people hesitate – with good reason.

Why?

Because you absolutely should think twice before you hand over a key part of your business to someone else. After all, you’d certainly think very carefully before taking on a new member of staff . And, effectively, that’s exactly what you’re doing when you’re outsourcing.

So there are questions you will want to ask. Answers you will need to have. Reassurances you will, quite rightly, require.

The good news is that we have those answers. And we have those reassurances, too.

So here are the six top issues new clients are raising with us. And, of course, our answers…

‘I’m worried about the cost of outsourcing to a virtual assistant’

Let’s face it, you wouldn’t even consider outsourcing if you weren’t dealing with a heavy workload right now. Which leaves you just two other choices.

a) You can continue to struggle. Or
b) You can hire a full- or part-time employee.

Option a) is obviously not for you, or you wouldn’t even be reading this. And if you’re worried about the expense, option b) will be very expensive – especially if you don’t already have employees. Don’t want to navigate the minefield of employment law on your own? Then you’ll need to pay for professional help with the contract. (Don’t risk doing it yourself – the cost of getting it wrong could wipe out your business.) And once you’ve done that, you’ll need to find a salary for your new employee, and – almost certainly – contribute to their pension.

When outsourcing to a virtual assistant, you pay only for what you use. With no complications, and no hassle. So as well as saving money, you’ll also save a huge amount of time.

‘I’ve always done this myself – I’m not sure anyone else can do it’

Actually, they can. We’ve often heard this question from single-person business owners. We’re full of admiration for them. It’s amazing that they take on so many different tasks and still manage to create and grow a profitable business. Even so, however talented they may be, they simply can’t be good at everything. (And they certainly won’t enjoy everything!)

So that’s where we come in.
Because outsourcing is our specialty, we can assign exactly the right team member to your specific task. A designated Virtual Assistant who has the knowledge and expertise to do precisely what you need, and does it all the time. So when you talk to them, they will listen. Of course. But they won’t stop there.

They’ll check out the whole process, asking pertinent questions about the way you are working. About your systems. And – if you have a team – about their contribution to what’s happening. And then they’ll do it exactly the way you would. Or not…

Because they may well be able to suggest something else. Something that might work better. Get done faster. And cost you less.

‘How can I manage people remotely?’

True, you won’t be sitting at a desk, in sight of the person doing the work for you. But you (probably) wouldn’t be doing that anyway. And if you were working with a new employee, you absolutely wouldn’t know how well they were doing the job. Until the job was done…

By outsourcing to a virtual assistant, you’re also choosing reliability and experience. For which you’d normally have to pay a premium. And you’re getting that at a competitive hourly rate.

Of course, you’ll need regular contact with your designated Virtual Assistant, especially at the beginning. And we encourage that, so they will be available any time during normal office hours. The idea is that they ‘feel’ just like a member of your team (so you can contact them whenever you like) but you will only pay when they are actually working on a task for you.

Bear in mind that anyone who works in outsourcing is, in the classic phrase, ‘only as good as their last job’. We know that to be true – and that’s why we work hard to ensure that every job we do hits the mark. Every time. Just ask our existing customers…!

‘It’ll be quicker if I do it’

Will it? Of course, that’ll be true for the first job. But consider how much of your own time you are spending on repetitive tasks. Tasks that could, by their very nature, be delegated.

How many times a month, or a year, are you doing that job? So how much time would you save – in a month, or a year – if someone else did it?

Especially if it’s one of those jobs you dislike and tend to put off!

‘How can I keep control of the process?’

Of course, you want to monitor your processes – that’s good management practice. And because we work with so many different businesses, we have wide experience of different business systems that will help you do exactly that.

But the best way to keep control is to have good communication with your virtual assistant – which we encourage. You may not be in the same office, but technology makes it incredibly easy to connect. We also encourage regular catch-up sessions (on the phone, video call or at our offices) to help create a strong and long-lasting relationship of trust with your Virtual Assistant.

‘Suppose outsourcing to a virtual assistant doesn’t work out?’

In two words – it will. Provided, of course, that we understand what you need. Which depends on good communication.

With many years of experience behind us, we have tried and tested systems in place to ensure that we carry out your instructions to the letter, and charge only for the work we have done. If we aren’t doing what you want, please tell us – the client is always right, and we will happily make any changes that you need or want.

We operate under a clear, written contract so you’ll know exactly what you’re getting, what it will cost and what our terms of the agreement are. But – most importantly – our mission is to deliver the best service you could possibly ask for. So that you won’t either need or want to go anywhere else.

Still not sure about outsourcing to a virtual assistant? Then give us a call on 01638 741079, or come in and have a chat. We’d be delighted to answer your questions, and tell you anything else you’d like to know.