| Rising fuel costs. Interest rates going up. Returns | | | | outsource the remainder to a VA - or even more |
| on investments going down. Dire warnings about | | | | than one - saving the associated on-costs. In this |
| the economy sliding into recession. It's clear that | | | | way, you can keep your business running through |
| there has been an abrupt slowdown in the | | | | the difficult times until things pick up again, at |
| Australian economy over the last year. In the | | | | which time you can either continue the VA |
| current economic climate many business owners | | | | partnership, or build your staff levels again. |
| begin to worry how they're going to survive this | | | | The alternative to cutting back on staff is to |
| slowing economy. Generally there are two options: | | | | increase their productivity. A VA can help you in |
| cut expenses or increase your revenue. | | | | this regard too. Personal assistants are required to |
| Many business owners choose the first option and | | | | do more than just type letters and make coffee. |
| begin to rethink their expenses. If you're going to | | | | Many are instrumental in the running of the |
| stay in business the best way is to reduce your | | | | business: scheduling appointments; arranging sales |
| overheads. Makes sense: reduce the amount of | | | | calls; fielding customer complaints; arranging travel; |
| money going out whilst maintaining the amount | | | | juggling multiple diaries. Outsourcing those tasks |
| coming in. The biggest overhead for many | | | | your PA doesn't have time for - dictation, |
| businesses is the cost of staff. But how can you | | | | document formatting, mail outs, report |
| stay in business if you don't have adequate staff? | | | | preparation, presentations, emails - can free him |
| One solution is to outsource your non-core | | | | or her up for helping track down new business, |
| administrative tasks to a virtual assistant - or | | | | researching leads and other revenue-generating |
| remote secretary. | | | | activities, whilst still enabling the day-to-day work |
| Virtual Assistants (VAs) are independent business | | | | flow to proceed. |
| owners who provide secretarial and administrative | | | | A VA can handle a great deal of the projects |
| services to clients, usually from a home-based | | | | in-house staff would normally look after. Many |
| office. They are contractors, and will charge an | | | | VAs assist their clients with bookkeeping, internet |
| hourly rate or per project rate, invoiced at regular | | | | research, corporate travel, looking after customer |
| intervals - the cost of which is fully tax deductible. | | | | mailing lists and mail outs, website maintenance, |
| Additionally, since the VA is not an employee, | | | | marketing activities like gift purchases for clients, |
| clients are not responsible for the traditional staff | | | | arranging holiday cards/gifts, handling customer |
| on-costs of superannuation, leave loading, time in | | | | orders including shipment - as well as personal |
| lieu, worker's compensation, payroll tax and so on. | | | | tasks like booking holidays, researching better |
| So whilst the hourly rate of a professional, | | | | insurance deals and reminding clients of important |
| experienced VA will appear quite high at first | | | | dates. |
| sight, it can actually end up costing the business | | | | If you have sales staff on the road, you can |
| significantly less than on-site staff when the | | | | increase their productivity by having them utilise |
| above on-costs are factored in. In addition, the | | | | the services of a VA. Instead of waiting until they |
| VA will only work when required, so clients pay | | | | return to the office and inputting data |
| only for time on task - and not for time taken | | | | themselves, the sales team can be dictating follow |
| for cigarette breaks, lunch or chatting with office | | | | up notes 'on the fly' using either a dial in system |
| colleagues. | | | | or digital voice recorder, for transfer to the VA |
| If the economic climate is really biting hard and | | | | who can then input the information directly into an |
| you have to relocate to smaller premises, a VA is | | | | online database or customer relationship |
| a great solution because you don't need to | | | | management program like Act! |
| provide them with equipment. Working from their | | | | By utilising the services of a professional VA your |
| own office, there is also no need for you to | | | | business stands a good chance of surviving in |
| provide space, lighting, power, and telephone. | | | | difficult or uncertain economic times, without the |
| By rethinking the way your business handles its | | | | need to lay off all your staff, overload existing |
| administration there may be an opportunity to | | | | staff or wind up doing all the work yourself. |
| retain a core team of administration staff, and | | | | |