Virtual Assistant: The New Sheet Anchor Of Small Business Success

Posted on Friday, June 14, 2013 by

 By Mike Viena.

Optimum utilization of skilled manpower is a challenge for all types of companies and businesses. While big companies enjoy the luxury to hire any number of full-time employees, the small and medium size businesses cannot afford that luxury because of resource constraints.
But small businesses are overcoming that handicap by hiring the services of remotely working virtual assistants. In other words outsourcing of virtual assistant services is the new recipe for business transformation that translates into higher productivity and profits.
How they Work?
An assistant can work from any part of the world. They can make the time flexible and customize it according to the needs of the client. The task may be for a few hours a week or a full-time job of 40 hours a week, the rate per hour or per project basis pricing variable and depend on the skills of the virtual assistant.
A virtual assistant is different from regular employee in many respects. To hire an assistant means hiring a professional on a contractual basis. The demand is soaring because hiring Virtual assistants or virtual secretaries are incredibly cost affective compared to the traditional method of placing a full-time staffer for a particular task.
Best Services
A virtual secretary can support a business office with the following functions such as:
 
• Administrative Assistant
• Executive assistant
• Personal assistant
• Telemarketing
• Lead generation
• Bookkeeping
• Accounting
• Real estate assistance
• SEO
• Social Media marketing
• Web Designing
• Web Development
• Content Writing 

 
 
Gains Galore for the Client
While hiring a VA, a client gets huge saving in operational costs and the service of a high quality professional at affordable costs. This is immediately reflected in the higher efficiency levels in the business processes leading to better productivity and sales. While hiring a secretary, the Client is not committed for any employee-related wages or taxes; logistical systems such as equipment, software, extra office space or obligations on paid holidays or sick leave. The secretary is paid only for the hours worked.
Unlike temps or freelancers, Virtual assistants or a Secretary's service will be long-lasting as they perform as substantial partners of the business clients with clear goals. There are at least 5 things make Virtual assistants special:
• Professionalism
• Perfect Project Management
• Round the Clock Availability
 
Impact on Business
The positive impact of hiring a virtual assistant makes a direct contribution to the efficiency and productivity of a business organization. All Virtual Assistant jobs are contract jobs and they are paid on hourly rates. Once a tried and tested VA takes over, the hiring business owner can enjoy peace of mind. Yet another benefit is that the VA can also be kept as a retainer without any liability of orientation or training.
Overall Assistant jobs and services mark a paradigm shift in the way businesses are working. This new genre of remote employment is not limited to any specific place or region. The Virtual assistants bring to table the option of multiplicity as different specialists can be tried as against the conventional practice of hiring a single person to meet too many skill requirements.
For more information on Intelligent Office virtual assistants, please contact:
Richard Rey
Business Development Manager
Intelligent Office Miami
rrey@intelligentoffice.com
www.intelligentoffice.com
Tel: 305-777-1300

How Self Employed People Can Benefit From Virtual Office Services

Posted on Tuesday, June 11, 2013 by

At first it is highly likely that many people used to working for themselves will say no. Those who are self-employed individuals do tend to become rather protective of their brand, wanting to answer every call, respond to every enquiry and answer every question, even whilst trying to carry out the work for other customers at the same time.

It's never been tougher for self-employed entrepreneurs or tradesmen, trying to cope with demand in a timely fashion whilst also carrying out quality work that doesn't become rushed. The financial climate right now is not good, and those who are self-employed individuals are finding it increasingly tough. So might outsourcing office services actually be an answer?
 
If you're up a ladder, answering the phone isn't ideal. If you're driving, you really can't use the phone, because even if you do use a hands free kit, you're almost certainly not going to be able to concentrate fully on both the customer and the road. If you're stuck behind a washing machine, turning over a garden or lugging a double wardrobe up a flight of stairs, you really can't be answering your phone.
 
Which creates a problem self-employed people don't like. Missed calls. A missed call doesn't look good for your business, and it's very likely that the customer will simply call the next number in the telephone directory. A missed call doesn't just mean one missed job, but each enquiry could potentially lead to a long term, loyal customer who keeps coming back.
 
But of course not every call is a potential new customer. Sometimes it's a wrong number. Sometimes it's simply a call to find out prices, or check on an appointment time. These calls can easily be dealt with at a later time if needed. But when the phone rings, you never know whether it will be a wrong number, a simple enquiry from a existing customer, or the next Big Job.
 
All of which means that as a self-employed individual working in the current financial climate, outsourcing to a virtual office is not just good sense, it's essential.
 
Now let's just clear up one thing here. Because many people will be thinking that virtual office services are not for them, because it must mean redirecting their customers to either an overseas call centre, or some warehouse stuffed full of thousands of operators, most of whom only know your business because it flashes up the script for them to use on their computer screen. Loyalty? Forget it. Commitment? None.
 
But the truth is that while these sorts of virtual offices do exist, that's not the only type there is.
 


Because you really can find more personal virtual offices. These are remote receptionists who do have a loyalty and commitment to your business, who do know you and your customers, and can become a part of your business your customers become familiar with, and who they trust.
 
Rather than two thousand operators in a battery chicken style warehouse, imagine an office with half a dozen operators, all who share the same teapot. Imagine them not even needing a script because they know you, your business and your customers. Imagine your customers being able to get through to the same virtual receptionist every time.
 
This means that you can confidently leave your business in safe hands, while you concentrate on dealing with your customers and their needs face to face, either up a ladder, down a drain, under a car or in front of an obstinate computer.
 
The virtual receptionists can then decide on your behalf whether you need to be disturbed or not. If it's a simple enquiry your receptionist can handle themselves, then you don't need to be disturbed at all. You'll simply receive a report at the end of the day which informs you of the calls and the action taken.
 
On the other hand, you may want to have some calls sent through to you in the form of a text message, so that you have a written record of people you need to call back, or changes you need to make to your schedule.
 
Then there will be some calls you really will need to take. But at least you'll know that if your phone rings, it really will be important. Either that or it will be your partner reminding you to pick up some onions and a loaf of bread on your way home.
 
For more information on Intelligent Office virtual assistants, please contact: 
Richard Rey
Business Development Manager
Intelligent Office Miami
rrey@intelligentoffice.com
www.intelligentoffice.com
Tel: 305-777-1300






 


Virtual Assistant - A Boon for Online Business

Posted on Friday, May 24, 2013 by

"You can't do today's job with yesterday's methods and be in business tomorrow". This popular saying fits perfectly in today's scenario of tough competitions. Today's business demands quality with perfection and innovation.

Big entrepreneurs and officials in large business organizations are looking for innovative and supportive solutions for generating more and more profits in their business. With their common concern, a term virtual assistant services is said to be quite beneficial for the businesses. Though a new concept but more and more people be it a small business entrepreneur or an individual businessman, are accepting it.
A lot of discussion has been made on this term but still people are confused with its real meaning. When a business organization outsource its various administrative services to a person sitting miles away from him without actually meeting him physically then that person is said to be working virtually for the organization. This is the meaning of virtual assistant services.
Availing the services of a virtual assistant never cause any added cost to your business. This is because you neither put any infrastructure or resources nor there is any need for insurance and health benefits. In fact, you can hire a virtual employee as per your project's requirement. Quality from a virtual assistant is assured because the success of your company will give him/her better rewards thus adding positive aspects of his/her career. Additionally, as the person can be hired from the global market, you have an amazing choice of skilled and expert personnel in the required field.
For contacting a virtual employee, you can use communication sources like email, telephone, facsimile, courier and other postal services. There is no need to have any physical meeting with the person.
What activities can a virtual professional handle?
You name it and they have it, yes!! A virtual employee can efficiently handle transcription services, designing and maintenance of websites, setting appointments, desktop support training, answering your calls, travel and transport arrangement and a lot more. Even all types of secretarial and personal assistant jobs are handled perfectly by this virtual service provider.
Owing to the growing popularity of these services, there are several organizations who have started virtual services for their offshore clients. These organizations have a team of experienced and skilled professionals who carry expertise in different arenas and thus deliver their services to the remote clients.
If you also want your business to take a leap towards success in available resources then virtual assistant services are fruitful option. When such person would handle your daily tasks, you can channelize your energy in some productive ideas and innovative tasks. Go ahead and search for reliable services on the internet and see the change after outsourcing business to virtual professionals.

Virtual Office Help Means More Green For Your Wallet and the Environment

Posted on Sunday, May 12, 2013 by

With gas and food prices rising along with the expectation to go green, virtual office assistance has now found it's place in the competitive world of administration. Currently most companies, when in need of office help, have to pay for wants ads or staffing agency fees, spend hours going through resumes and interviews and then spend additional money for federal taxes, benefits and overhead costs. Now there are a growing number of administrative assistants who provide all of their services virtually (hence the name) via phone, fax and internet based technology. Most daily office tasks such as faxing, copying, returning emails, data entry, mass mailings, travel itineraries, internet research, word processing and bookkeeping can all be done from a home office with the right equipment and training.
If a company has a database that is internal, then the company can use an online tool such as http://www.gotomypc.com which allows them to set up a log in to the company database from a home computer. This allows greater freedom and financial control and also allows businesses to only pay for the time they need an assistant. For example the cost to hire a new individual can be up 100% of their salary. This can impact the bottom line of a small business tremendously especially if the individual may not be needed 20-40 hours per week permanently. Hiring a virtual assistant requires a phone call, email or fax entailing the job needed to be done and an estimate to approve for the job task entailed. Once the estimate is approved, the job is completed and the payment is made. The taxes, overhead costs and other usual full time employee expenses do not apply since you are hiring out an independent service provider.
An added benefit of using a virtual assistant is the impact you are making on the environment. Since these individuals provide their services virtually, the daily commute to and from an office location is eliminated thereby saving hundreds of gallons of gas and vehicle emissions that pollute the air. Most practices also use recycled office paper, ink cartridges and eco-friendly office supplies.
Hiring an intelligent, trustworthy and trained individual who can provide convenience and long term financial savings while helping to protect our precious environment is a benefit to any company.


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/1230861






Location: Hotel Felix 111 West Huron Street, Chicago

Hiring virtual office services: Call center services

Posted on Sunday, May 5, 2013 by


Author: WebNetLet
Hiring virtual office services can be as complicated or as straight forward as you like. Multinational virtual office providers have delivered exponential growth during the recent recession as companies seek to downsize their operations in remote locations while at the same time, correctly, not wishing to show signs of retraction from their desirable markets.

In these times of 24/7 constant online communications, customers and suppliers alike expect and demand to be able to talk to their contacts at a time that they wish and it is interesting that the larger companies who embrace unified communications are the slowest to adopt all that this technology offers. Perhaps their view is we’re big, you’re small, or at least not as big as us, so “speak to the hand” or the usual “leave a voice mail after the tone” and maybe they will get back to you eventually – this is a huge mistake.

Users and customers are not lacking in the intelligence department, they want to speak to a human being. In a recent survey, most callers valued the option to speak to an operator or call agent as worth 90% more than most of all the other options presented on an Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system. Essentially, they just want to talk to somebody and often wanting to be able to clarify doubts easily.

Virtual office services therefore divide themselves into two categories and therefore, 2 price ranges. If for example, you are a US company with the need to service your clients in Portugal and you are considering virtual office services but only comfortable negotiating for these services in English, you will have to pay a certain premium. If however you have someone on the ground who has a mother tongue in Portuguese, this is another matter; a locally brokered deal will work better for you every time. The basic maxim is “the further away you are, the more you will pay”.

Before buying or contracting a service, ask for user references from companies similar to yours, the most important thing is that the call agents should be professional and look after the caller, even if they know that the party sought by the caller is on a sales trip to Timbuktu and cannot be reached for 2 weeks, they should be seen to try to transfer the call. If all fail, note the caller’s correct name and contact details and promise to get the called party to get back as soon as possible to the caller.

The call agent from a virtual office service center should also take note of the callers who have called in, even if the agent who took the call is not working on the shift, they should pass the details on to their colleague with key details. Assuming the caller has something urgent to discuss, the real value of the virtual office services come into play here. If the operator is able to say with true conviction that they have talked with the called party and he or she understands the matter is urgent and will get back to the caller as soon as possible with the caller being satisfied, the mission will be accomplished and the reason for using a virtual office service will have been justified.

Posted in Articles | Tags: call center services

Location: Sunny Isles Beach Sunny Isles Beach

Virtual Assistant Service Provides Crucial Emergency Communication Service for Business Owners

Posted on Wednesday, April 24, 2013 by



Virtual Assistant Service Provides Crucial Emergency Communication Service for Business Owners


Miami, Florida, April 24, 2013  

Intelligent Office of Miami, a virtual and professionally staffed office concept that provides concierge-style business and back office services, has rolled out a new virtual assistant service designed to help businesses with their communication needs during emergency situations.
Many businesses have experienced a down phone system, flooded office, building evacuation or even a receptionist that has called in sick at the last minute. These interruptions can halt normal business operations and cost money. Intelligent Office's Intelligent Assistant service can come to the rescue in dire situations like these.  
Intelligent Office of Miami’s highly trained Intelligent Assistants can ease the woes of a business emergency by temporarily handling phone calls, emails and other vital administrative tasks while businesses deal with getting their operations back on track.  Intelligent Assistants are local and professionally trained virtual receptionists and assistants who can handle a wide array of other administrative services.
Intelligent Assistants can be hired temporarily to mitigate the effects of many emergency situations like disabled or down phone systems, power outages, last minute receptionist absences, unforeseen office closures, hurricane or storm closures, building evacuations, and any other business emergency that calls for extra manpower. 
Recently, one of Intelligent Office of Miami’s clients Gina Polo, who runs a busy law firm, experienced the benefits of using an Intelligent Assistant in an emergency situation.  “Intelligent Office’s Intelligent Assistants came to the rescue when our office phone system stopped working,” said Ms. Polo. “All I had to do was call Intelligent Office and explain the situation. Within a few minutes, our phone lines were transferred to their system, and our new emergency virtual assistants were there to answer all of our calls. They answered our phones for six full business days before we were able to get back up and running. I don't know what we would have done without them.”
Prices and service plans for Intelligent Office’s emergency virtual assistants are uniquely tailored for every situation and budget. For more information about Intelligent Office of virtual assistant service and customizable packages, please contact Richard Rey at (305) 777-1300.


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About:  Intelligent Office Miami is a virtual and professionally staffed office suite concept that provides, virtual assistants, concierge-style business and back office services, located in the heart of Downtown Miami on the 37th floor of One Biscayne Tower.  The location features private office space, two conference suites, a kitchen, and private, locked mailboxes, all of which are available 24/7.  You can rent office space by the hour, day, week or month. For more information, please visit http://www.intelligentoffice.com/locations/florida/miami/miami-downtown.aspx

SOBE SPRING NETWORKING EVENT

Posted on Tuesday, April 23, 2013 by