Listening to a discussion on the radio earlier this week about the impact of the recession on small and medium-sized businesses really highlighted to me that as a Virtual Assistant I have a lot to offer.
Taking on staff is a headache at the best of times. It's time consuming, costly and, occasionally, you find yourself wondering if it was all worth it when the new recruit doesn't cut the mustard. Equally, using agency staff can provide a short-term solution but believe me, if you've had the same temp back twice you've been lucky. The strength of a Virtual Assistance service is that you get the best of both worlds: a low-cost, low-risk injection of extra help AND the benefits that building a long-term relationship can bring.
Virtual Assistants are, by their very nature, resourceful, enthusiastic and committed individuals. VAs have had the gumption to establish themselves in the marketplace, develop a client base and respond to varied requirements from day one. The goal of course is to develop a fruitful, long-lasting relationship with clients so that you can slot straight back in whenever you're needed.
For those who haven't used a VA in the past, it can be something of a leap of faith that using a remote worker is feasible. My advice: give it a go. An initial meeting to discuss the project or assignment is always a good starting point, and regular contact by email, Skype or online meeting is absolutely vital and much easier to arrange than you might think.
We also tend to use online shared workspaces to facilitate project work. It means that you have access to project documentation, minutes, meeting updates, templates and presentations whenever and wherever you need them. Working "in the cloud" quickly becomes quite natural.
So, at times such as this when SMEs need to respond to customers' requirements or, quite literally, risk going to the wall, knowing that you can call upon a VA is a real strength.
