Small business owners are often concerned about taking on extra staff with all the costs involved and so end up doing everything themselves. 

The beauty of using a VA (Virtual Assistant) is that it’s completely flexible so small business owners only pay for help when it’s needed. 

It lets them get back to doing the things they’re great at, rather dealing with piles of paperwork and admin tasks. 

As a result, their business grows.

Virtual Assistance is provided via online platforms, shared through a secure password manager.

Virtual Assistants are able to step into other roles within your company if and when needed- always adapting to your business needs, giving you peace of mind that tasks are completed to a High Standard, using a combination of skills, knowledge, and confidentiality, which solves time constraints and financial impact for you and your business, and better still you only pay for the work completed, logged on dedicated time per task

•Professional Indemnity, Public Liability, and Cyber Insurance.

•Approved member of the Society of Virtual Assistants

Have you quite happily suggested to a client that someone else is more suited for a job/ task that they have approached you to complete?

I have! All the time. In fact, I cannot help myself, I just keep doing it!

I have an overriding compulsion to offer great customer service, even if it is not directly benefitting me.

In the past week alone, I have referred, suggested, or mentioned to either an existing or potential client, that they might like to try something/ someone else. 4 in fact.

For example 'do I offer a call answering service?'

Yes, I can do this. but there are other companies much better suited to this particular service.

Susan Holme at Face for Business is great to talk to for this service, and she is lovely, so even better. why not check out their website www.ffb.co.uk

And what has been the result of this lovely deed? Well, quite simply put, other than a warm fuzzy feeling of do-googery (sorry, not an actual word, but hey it works for me!), more business.

What! How!?

1/4 have come back to me and asked me to complete another form of work for them.

1/4 have referred my services.

I am not sure about the other 2 yet, but I am happy with a 50% success rate with this particular situation and am pretty damn sure that the other 50% are really happy that they ultimately have received the result that they set out to get.

#multitasking #virtualassistant #virtualassistantscanhelp #outsourcing #thevaworkroom #success #business #work #help #customerservice #faceforbusiness

Wanting a good work-life balance is not always simple, but knowing where to start, to get to the balance ideal for your needs helps.

I am adapting to my life and work every changing needs and have found a way to make it work without missing out on key elements- As a Virtual Assistant, I am offering small business owners the support to do the same.

An example of a trigger that you need support would be that you are taking too much work home, working late, not sleeping well; you may be thinking that you need to hire an employee, but do you really want to have that commitment, are there funds to go down that avenue?

The biggest benefit of working with a Virtual Assistant is that work is completed as and when you need it- there is NO commitment, NO training, NO extra costs for office space, PAYE, Pension, Holiday etc.

Too good to be true? What's the catch? 

There is none. Don't get me wrong, the service is not free, but it is flexible, which means it works around your needs.

Work is paid for, as and when it is completed.

Please contact me if you wish to find out more, and to book your FREE consultation.

Emma Baker

07775 503758

emma@thevaworkroom.co.uk

https://www.linkedin.com/in/emmabaker1/

www.thevaworkroom.co.uk

Ok. so I have just got off the phone with a client- great guy, amazing within his chosen profession (Interiors) but, bless him, not with the paperwork side of the business.

I was brought in to help with his quotes, invoice, book-keeping paperwork, as well as Customer Service to ensure that each project was working with the customer's expectations.

In particular, we have been discussing the bottom line- what does he actually make on jobs, and what is his profit?

'well, I think I should make £x on that job' was his reply.

'MMMM, so how have you broken down the material costs, labour, time costs..... to name a few?'. I ask gently.

'Nah, as long as I make £x that should be ok'

'So are you including the VAT within your £x amount or have you taken that off of the cost of materials, for example?'

'oh. Yeah. no, I haven't. that might be why the figures don't add up'

This was his Lightbulb moment.

He knew he needed help, which of course I am giving him, but now he has realized that I am also here to point out ways in which the business can improve, and implement changes based on our mutual understanding of his business.

This comes with time working within his business, working the way he does, then being able to see the changes needed.

I am now working on a simple excel margin calculator where he can input actual costs of materials, labour etc; the spreadsheet will work out the margin, and final costs to his customer.

He is welcome to charge more than this calculated cost, it's his business, and he can do what he wants. But NEVER will he go under again. 

I will never pretend to rock your world, sprinkle fairy dust, or magic up extra profit, but I promise that I will look after your business with you, and care for it as much as you do.

#business #work #interiors #customerservice #help #project #thevaworkroom #virtualassistant

Hello! I am Emma, and I am a Virtual Assistant at The VA Workroom.

I am currently completing #sprintchallengeday5 . This final challenge involves talking about myself- CRINGE.  I do not like to BIG myself up but tend to just get on with the jobs that I love doing and like to think I am good at. So, this has not been easy, but here goes……

Pre- lockdown, I had so many people say ‘so, what do you Actually do?’, now instead I get asked ‘So, you just work from home?’ is this because they now do not care what I Actually do, or because working from home is the new Normal that it is irrelevant what I do??

Because I feel that my job is really rewarding, and I get to meet and work with so many inspiring people, I am going to tell you what I Actually do.

With over 20 years’ experience within Managerial, PA, Customer Service, and Sales, mostly working within large corporations, combined with a wealth of experience and skills in many sectors, and a proven track record of meeting targets has given me the necessary skills to take on most working situations.

So when my husband said one day ‘Hey babe, you are awesome, why don’t we set up our own business’, I replied ‘ooooooo, yes, lets….. this is going to be so much fun!’

Little did I know that it was going to be way way more challenging than anything I had ever taken on previously. The learning curve was steep…. All of the jobs in other departments within the businesses I worked at before, were now my responsibility- Including the tasks that I had not had greater depth on before like all the Financial side (PAYE, VAT returns, TAX, Invoicing, chasing bad debt….. ), HR (searching the right employee to fit in with the team, subcontractors, employee personal issues, holiday entitlement…..), Making sure the Tea, coffee & sugar was topped up, or the loo roll was changed in the staff toilet! The list goes on.

There were good days, and bad. Sleepless nights, if I remembered to go to bed as there was so much paperwork to do, and adrenaline-fuelled days.

Call it a bit mental, or plan stubborn, but never once did I want to give up on the business venture, we had dreamed so much about. I was not happy, and maybe a little depressed throughout the bad times, but never wanted to give up- it was not an option. I was not ready to get off the roller coaster yet.

Fast forward 7 years… the business is doing great. So much so, that there was not a huge need for me to work IN my business, but ON.

Scratching around for things to keep me busy as over the years we had fallen comfortably into front and back-office work roles. I needed to start my next challenge, so I set up The VA Workroom, to help out other small businesses to live their dream of working ON not IN their business.

Managing the massive hurdle of having to put on so many ‘hats’, when all you want to do is concentrate on growing your dream business is Hard, no matter how easy some people make it seem. What I do, is help out in the background, looking after the Bookkeeping, HR, Administration, Payroll, offer advice, (or just a person to vent to that never takes offense- I don’t market this bit, as it is Complimentary)…. Virtually. 

In a small business, when you are trying to expand, there is no need to hire staff members, for you to just spend your time micromanaging them, or paying for them to have a natter or cuppa on your time/ money. I get paid for the work I am tasked to complete, in my own office, using my electricity…. Plus, I have been there, got the t-shirt…… I feel their pain when things go wrong, I can relate to almost anything a client comes to me with.

 It’s a no brainer. And do you know what one great thing is, for the businesses I work with, and for me?

TIME.

They gain time to do what they prefer to do in their business, and I get to work the hours that suit me, that fit in around my family.

Being a Virtual Assistant gives me the ability to have the Work/ life balance that I believe that everyone, not just in the business world, needs for a healthy happy life.

In amongst trying to take on the business world, I had 2 adorable, feisty, strongly opinionated, resilient, independent children (one of each, in case you were wondering!), but that is a story for another day!

#sprintchallengeday5 #virtualassitant #delegationhelps

My job as a Virtual Assistant is to help people with the jobs that take up too much of their time, that they do not like doing, or find tedious, enabling them to concentrate on other areas within their life.

Recently my services involved helping an individual with their household paperwork, and bills as it had become too overwhelming for them to deal with. If you have read my profile, you would know that my usual client requires support with their Business, mainly within the Property Improvement Sector.

Reasons why I chose to work as a Virtual Assistant, involved my overwhelming desire to help others, and so Naturally a yes person, coupled with the fact that I genuinely care about helping others out wherever possible, I said, you guessed it- YES.

As this was a different requirement to my other clients, our initial meeting started with discussing what the client found overwhelming, what ideally, they would like to not have to deal with, and what they would want the outcome would look like, as these were questions they had not yet actually asked themselves.

Comments came up, ‘I just do not want to deal with it’, and/ or ‘I hoped if ignored, it will go away’. Throughout the meeting, I reassured the client that it is ok to feel overwhelmed, and to have these thoughts but now it the situation can greatly improve.

Within 1 week, I had gathered the paperwork stashed in drawers, left on the counter, still in the post box, etc, and made lists to call suppliers (e.g. phone, electricity, food), and called them explaining the situation. There was a definitive cost of bills outstanding. And a, albeit lengthy, list of tasks needed to make the client's situation more manageable, which was only made longer as it minimized the action needed into smaller tasks that were achievable, and genuinely got the larger task completed faster.

The client loved having the support to be able to help themselves, and when they were not feeling up to it, I took over. The process was quite straightforward and rewarding, for us both.

I am proud to say that all my clients have come to me through recommendations; I feel privileged that this individual approached me and asked for help. It is so important, not just around these unprecedented times, but throughout our lives, to look after our own mental health but also each other.

#helptheelderly #mentalhealthmatters #embracechange #virtualassistantscanhelp

Do you have a backup plan if you are unable to work, due to an illness, for example?

Bills will still need to be paid, Customers still need to receive Customer Service........ your business does not need to stop just because you have to.

Working with a Virtual Assistant can mean that the general running of your business can continue and generate income for you.

The beauty of using a VA is that it’s completely flexible so small business owners only pay for help when it’s needed.

DM me, email, or call if you wish to arrange for a FREE consultation to discuss how we can help you in your business.

emma@thevaworkroom.co.uk

07775503758

https://lnkd.in/eEYGrMt9

Or follow this link to book a FREE 1 hour Consultation call:

https://lnkd.in/epujkzff

#virtualassistant #virtualassistantscanhelp #outsourcing #thevaworkroom

What is the highest amount of emails in your inbox before you start thinking 'sod it, I will just delete the lot. if it is important they will come back to me?' As this is a more favorable idea than going through them?

Ignorance is bliss? Or just a little silly because you could be missing out on potential leads.

Whatever the figure, The VA Workroom can help you clear this down to the current day's emails which will make your Inbox much more manageable.

______________

Whilst watching a presentation from an influential businessman, I couldn't take my eyes off of his inbox figure- it was huge!

(he was sharing his screen and so I couldn't unsee it).

Later in the day, I was chatting with someone that had viewed the presentation also. We were discussing Inbox/ email management, and he admitted that he had over 52,000x emails in his inbox.

This shocked me, but I know it is not uncommon, which is why one of the most popular services we provide is 'Inbox/ email management.'

The service can be done as a one-off task, or as an ongoing service, which also incorporates Project Management.

How exactly are we going to filter the emails?

Sorting and organising: for example- Potential leads, Other businesses selling you their services, Spam, Client Contact, out-of-office replies, Invoices..... the list can go on and on.

Once these have been sorted they can then be put into a category- Delete, Action, Information, Save for later.

At this point, it is passed back over to you, or we can continue to deal with them accordingly.

Diary Management is a strict game to play because there are just not enough hours in the day!

Having basic Rules for your Diary Management can alleviate the stress of juggling your time and the people you are meeting with;

Here are some tips:

-Setting aside 'pockets of time' in your diary purely for meetings means that you are not scheduling meetings at random inconvenient times, thus causing unnecessary stress on your time.

If you have not got a meeting scheduled, bonus, you have got time to catch up on something else!

-'Pockets of time' can be 1 hour, whereas the actual meeting duration could be 45 minutes, for example. this leaves time for preparation before and after the meeting.

-Having a set time for a meeting duration is important otherwise that meeting could easily leave you falling behind on other work commitments if the time goes over.

-Reschedule date changes in the same way as if it is a new diary booking; if you try to squeeze the meeting outside of the 'pockets of time' then you are running the risk of falling behind in other areas of your business.

-Be prepared for the meeting- have an agenda of what needs to be covered, and try to stick to it.

-Write up any notes made during the meeting, sooner after the meeting ends. If you leave it for a later time, you may not remember what that 'squiggle' meant.

-Try to follow up on any actions as soon as you have written up your meeting notes, or as soon as the meeting has ended.

THE ESSENTIAL EVENT OF THE YEAR!!

Networking is great to get yourself and your business noticed; it helps you connect with future clients, as well as keeping you in the loop of changing business needs.

Not all Networking is the same; it is not a 'one size fits all' situation and so it is important to get yourself out there and mingle.  If a group is not for you, then move on to the next until you find a group you feel comfortable with, and will be able to not only learn from but also help others with your expertise.

The UK VA Conference is a must for me; 

And essential to the running of my business is the support from the great community that I am part of.  I am really looking forward to seeing and showing my support to VA's starting out through to the long-established VA's.  #collaborationnot competition

#virtualassistant #virtualassistantscanhelp #outsourcing #thevaworkroom

Is there profit hidden within your Inbox?

Let me help you find it.

Completing an email sort for a client, 28 potential leads were identified.  This was for emails received between June to September 2022 (3rd week).

There were so many emails, a mixture of actual work-related emails, spam, Facebook notifications, reminders of the dog's haircut etc, that these were not noticed.

Once the emails had been sorted, I got started on contacting each of the 28 to see if the job was still looking to go ahead, if they were contacting to find out information/ just wondering, or if this lead was now lost.

The outcome:

15x Were just getting the 'feelers out', so I made a note to contact them at a later date.

7x Had gone elsewhere

6x Were still looking to have work completed, either prior to Christmas or in the New Year.

Just because the enquiry in the Inbox dates back a couple of months, does not mean that it is a waste of time to follow up.

If you are a Small to medium-sized business wanting to sort through your ever-increasing email/ inbox to find potential leads, please get in touch.

This example was from a Builder that did not have the time after a long day at work to check emails and was only dealing with enquires which came directly to the mobile.

DM me, email, or call if you wish to arrange for a FREE consultation to discuss how we can help you in your business. 

emma@thevaworkroom.co.uk 

07775503758 

https://www.thevaworkroom.co.uk/about-the-va-workroom 

Or follow this link to book a FREE 1 hour Consultation call: 

https://calendly.com/emmava-121/va-consultation  

#virtualassistant #virtualassistantscanhelp #outsourcing #thevaworkroom #management #projectmanagement #help #email #business

A BOM is a Business Overview Manual - a handbook for running a business.  It outlines the tasks, processes, procedures and policies for how a business should run and gives you a point of reference for best practices. 

After many years of solely offering remote administration support, it became obvious that some businesses needed MORE.  When a new/small business grows fast, processes and procedures are often forgotten about or not properly adhered to. What often happens is that everyone 'mucks in' and they no longer work effectively - you find you are treading water. 

If you have a small-medium sized business that isn’t working to its best potential, let us help you.  We can cast a new light at a new angle; detecting weaknesses, opportunities and missing links and practices. 

Do you remember why you chose your line of work?  Started your business?  Took that management position?  It’s most likely because you had a passion for it.  Under the daily grind of stress, stuff and nonsense, it’s easy to lose sight of that.  

Be it through remote assistance support or the application of our popular BOM service, you can start to ease your workload by effective delegation, allowing you to regain focus on what it is YOU want to do! 

Something ‘wrong’ with your business?  Is your business not quite working in the ‘right’ way?  Sometimes you need to bring in a fresh viewpoint – someone from the outside.  It can be difficult implement changes, especially if it involves staff/employees... 

Maybe you just need some extra administration assistance to ease up your workload? 

Let us help you make your wrong, right. 

#businesshelp #thevaworkroom #businessoperationmanual #BOM #businesssolutions #remoteadministrator #remote #support 

... until the employees love it first."

- Simon Sinek

As with people, a business’ good health comes from the inside.  The cogs.  The employees.  Everyone needs to work in harmony and be happy and feel appreciated.  If something is wrong, missing or not quite fitting, we can help complete the puzzle. 

If you haven’t heard of our BOM, check out our Services page for more information! 

#happystaff #thevaworkroom #businesssolutions #employeehealth #businesshelp #BOM #businessoperationmanuals #remote #support 

File sharing is often the simplest and most efficient way to provide someone with the information that they need.  This does not mean that they can access your photos/files, unless: 

-You give them your login details, including password 

-you give them access rights to your account (actively link your account to their account) 

-you leave your account open/do not log out  

-you share files with others (they will only be able to view or amend that particular file, depending on the sharing access you give them) 

Social media (Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn) presence is a great way for businesses to stay relevant and to connect with their customers.  

Although many companies know they would benefit from social media, they often don’t know where to start.  Other times, social media posts get left to poor old Bob in sales, or Janet on reception, who don’t really know what they’re doing.  A bad social media presence can be worse than not having one at all!  

Get in touch and have a chat with us about how we can take that off your plate, to allow you/your staff to focus on what they do best! 

For “Fight Procrastination Day”, we encouraged one of our main clients to action an important task that he had been putting off for several weeks – allowing us to implement Automation Set-up for his business contacts, processes and procedures. 

He can’t get over how streamlined his business is now and wishes he did it months ago! 

We have all been victims of that powerful urge to push an important task to a further date.  

Sometimes, procrastination could be a result of the daunting nature of the task or simply because you’re not feeling up to it. No matter the reason, procrastination can be a major spanner in the works; straining mental and physical health. 

https://drmelaniegreenberg.com/50-encouraging-things-to-say-to-yourself/?fbclid=IwAR3wJRDKnOk9CXBTCFyFmXEsn8bYdQym_IWUH-0AzGtQ-LXTUwIi69KpKws

Let us revolutionise the way you work.  No more laborious processes that waste time and leave you feeling drained. 

We can streamline your operations to improve your efficiency and promote a consistent and professional brand image. 

If you’ve ever thought, “there must be a better way”, get in touch.  There probably is!  And we bet you we can show you what it is. 

So, you know you need to outsource (otherwise you might burn out) but you struggle with the “it takes me too long to explain it... I could have just done it myself” stage of releasing control? 

This is a very common obstacle but, once that barrier has been challenged once, it becomes easier.  Trust us. 

Then comes the next challenge – where you feel you need to digress from what you’re supposed to be focussing on to ‘check in’, just to see if you can do anything differently.  Then you wonder why the tasks you set yourself haven’t been done...  No matter what you try to tell yourself, this is called ‘micromanaging’ and it’s something that any successful manager needs to avoid, at any costs.  It’s not healthy, not productive and does not send out good messages to your workforce. 

We at The VA Workroom are professionals in our field and well versed in assisting small-medium sized businesses with a vast range of working practices.  You never know, we might even find a better way of doing it! 

Do you have undiagnosed OR diagnosed ADHD or dyslexia?  Anxiety or depression?  Or another physical or mental health condition or disability that means you need support to do your job or get to and from work?

Then you need to hear about Access to Work!

Access to work is a grant that funds practical support if you have a disability, health or mental health condition. The aim is to help you start work, stay in work or be able move into self-employment or start a business.

The grant can help pay for specialist equipment and software, interpreters, traveling to work, vehicle adaptations… and even a Virtual Assistant!

So what’s stopping you?

Oh yeah, the overwhelming application forms.  

How about we do them for you?  Then, you know who we are if you require some remote administration assistance.

Sorted.

...that you forget to make a life"

- Dolly Parton

Just like in our diets, to stay healthy and energized for the long haul, people need variety. When it comes to work-life balance, people need to engage in a variety of activities and rest. We tend to fall into the trap of believing that we can be productive all the time, or that an eight-hour day at work equates to eight hours of output. However, that is hard, if not impossible, for many individuals to achieve. 

Overworking has negative consequences for both employees and employers. Workaholics and those who struggle to practice self-care find themselves at higher risk for burnout, fatigue, and stress-related health issues. Poor work-life balance can also leave employees working more hours but being less productive. 

An unhealthy work-life balance occurs when work becomes overwhelming and takes precedence over personal life, leading to negative consequences for an individual's well-being. It's so important to find a balance that works for you and promotes your overall well-being. We can help you find that balance with our remote administration support services – get in touch to find out more. 

Well firstly, let’s just confirm what a VA actually is and who needs one. 

Small business owners are often concerned about taking on extra staff with all the costs involved and so end up doing everything themselves. The beauty of using a VA (Virtual Assistant) is that it’s completely flexible so small business owners only pay for help when it’s needed. It lets them get back to doing the things they’re great at, rather dealing with piles of paperwork and admin tasks. As a result, their business grows. 

Do you... 

Have a To Do List that is getting out of control? 

Have difficulty keeping your diary organised? 

Struggle to keep up with invoicing and chasing unpaid ones? 

Get lost updating your website or social media? 

Have difficulty returning phone calls during the day? 

Waste time hanging on the phone wating for someone to answer? 

Would you rather be driving your business forward?  Or even taking some time to relax, recharge and refresh?! 

Employee vs Virtual Assistant: 

1. With a VA you only pay for the work completed, logged on dedicated time per task. 

2. With a VA you will NOT pay for: Drink/ Toilet Break - Office Space - Training - Chatting/ socializing - Holiday - Lunch Break – Sickness. 

3. VAs have their own Professional Indemnity, Public Liability, and Cyber Insurance. 

4. Varied skills, always adapting to your business needs. 

It’s important to know when you've got too much on your plate & seek ways to help yourself.  This week celebrated World Mental Health Day, which is a charity that is very close to our hearts.  A percentage of The VA Workroom’s profits gets donated to MIND, the mental health charity. 

Sometimes in business/life you need that extra little bit of support, just to keep you on top and mentally in check.  Sometimes more.  With our range of business support services, from remote administration support to our business operation manuals and automation set-up service, we’re sure to be able to take something off your plate to help you stay on top. 

Remember when your computer was new and the desktop was clean and organized?  The trash file was empty. The only files on the computer were the ones the manufacturer created.  No viruses.  No documents.  And your computer was fast, too.  You were ready to create, design and program.  

A clean and organised space offers fewer frustrations.  Everything is in its file and you know where to find it.  Archive old files.  Create short cuts.  This will help your computer run faster and help you find them more quickly.  Pin favourite apps to the start menu.   

Name photos and put them on a thumb drive.
Clean out that email, too.  Delete unused icons.  You can do the same thing with your phone.  Are there games you don’t play anymore?  Eliminate them.  Make sure your virus protection is up to date and run it.  Make sure it runs on a regular schedule.  

LIKE THE SOUND OF IT BUT HAVEN’T GOT THE TIME?  WE’LL DO IT FOR YOU!

"No-one gets it! My brain hurts. I know what I need to do but cannot get started. Heeellllpp!"

This is a sentence that we were approached with by a potential client; during the consultation call they admitted that they had concerns over their ‘faults’ stopping them from having a thriving business, but the business idea itself was great. 

We pointed out "Your ‘faults’ are actually not faults, they are just a way of your brain wanting to slow down; I bet you are on fire, getting stuff done, kicking arse, then suddenly wham! Totally forgot what you were doing..... oh, shiny thing.... Sound familiar?" 

Evaluate Your Life Day is a great opportunity to figure out where you are on your path and look to seek help with outsourcing some of it, to free you up to do the things that you lead you to start your own business in the first place. 

"Thanks so much you're amazing. Finally found a professional who's sound."   This was the comment we received within half a day of working with this client. 

For better or for worse, many small businesses don't end up where owners thought they would. Largely because of all the different things an owner has to organise on a daily basis, which takes them away from the real reason they started their business in the first place! Then, as you grow, you realise you can no longer handle it all yourself and you have to delegate tasks – which is where you consider hiring staff. This brings its own hurdles - and it may not go the way you thought it would. Many business owners are not cut out to have employees because they don't know how to get them to operate the way they need them to.  

This is where Virtual Assistants shine.  Hiring a full-time, in-person assistant can be expensive. Apart from paying their monthly salary, you’ll typically also have to provide medical insurance and other benefits, worker’s compensation, paid leaves and sick days, office space and supplies, etc. What will you do if a big client stops using your business? How will you replace that income? 

Virtual assistants work as independent contractors. You only need to pay them for the number of hours they work or for the tasks completed. Here are just some of the benefits from using a Virtual Assistant: 

Time savings 

Improved turnaround of time-consuming tasks 

Reduced costs for staffing and operations 

Increased scale of operations 

Expanded reach 

Improved customer service 

Renewed focus on core business services 

Improved work-life balance 

Increased productivity 

Enhanced emotional well-being 

Throughout the different stages of owning a business, you will undergo different levels of enjoyment. A growing business is going to have its ups and downs. You need to focus on what is important to your business and let the little details go. Remember if you are not enjoying running your business then you are doing something wrong and you need to make some changes. Some people grow their business to the point that they had to quit because they hated it so much. Make sure you are constantly assessing your small business to ensure that it is something you are proud of and that you enjoy. 

Have you ever thought - "There MUST be an easier way to do this!" ?

We bet you have.  And we bet there is!  Often, processes are laboriously repeated, over and over again – completely unnecessarily!  Yes, it’s daunting the thought of setting up an automatic process, but we can help you with that!  And think of all the time you will save.  Time you can spend on more profitable endeavours. 

Let us revolutionise the way you work.  No more laborious processes that waste time and leave you feeling drained. 

We can streamline your operations to improve your efficiency and promote a consistent and professional brand image. 

Ask us about our Automation Set-up Service. 

A new client requested that we visit his business as we may not quite understand the ‘bigger picture’ with regards to the extent of support he ideally would like us to provide; we rocked up on time for the appointment, but unfortunately no client was in sight.   

After a quick phone call, the client admitted that he was aware that we were visiting but completely forgot what time it was but should be about 5 minutes. Whilst waiting we got chatting with the staff- we soon found out that this client: 

-Regularly loses track of things 

-Often forgetful 

-Rarely finishes day-to-day actions 

-Starts a lot of projects but they never seem to get completed. 

Around 40 minutes later the client arrived, looking quite frazzled.  We soon put him at ease and subsequently, the meeting went really well, and we have now onboarded this client. 

4 months later, this client still has his own personal hurdles to overcome or work around, but his business no longer suffers, and he is happier, as are the staff, as a result of our services. 

‘Chaos Never Dies Day takes the stance that the perfect, quiet moment everyone is hoping for, striving for, and anticipating, doesn’t exist (and likely never will) and that it is better to make the most of now - chaos-and-all - and embrace the moment. With practicing being and living in the present moment, the chaos can be embraced, and even perhaps enjoyed, as each day is lived to the fullest!’ 

The Virtual Assistant has become an important part of many businesses, but often tends to have a stigma attached. 

Here are some common myths that have stopped business owners from hiring these resourceful, highly motivated individuals: 

1. Anyone Can Be a Virtual Assistant.  

To excel in this profession VAs need a high level of qualities, such as organisational skills, ability to multi-task, be driven, have initiative, team players, and not forgetting the ability to consistently learn new skills, software, people/ communication skills. The list goes on. 

2. Virtual Assistants cannot seriously help my business.

Actually, we can work with you to: 

-Reduce costs  

-Increase productivity  

-Improve the quality of work  

-Introduce business flexibility  

-Streamline your processes, and much more.

3. Virtual Assistants cannot stick at a real job.

Personally, I hate the commute to work as it is time that I am not being productive.

Working from my home office enables me to be highly successful in my business and that of my clients' businesses.

4. A Virtual Assistant is Just a Secretary.  

The key word here is ‘just’; VAs are highly skilled in their chosen profession and are well versed in fitting into the wants and needs of their client. 

VA’s also come under the title Outsourced Support, Home Workers, Remote- anything virtual really! 

5. You Can’t Have Effective Communication When You’ve Gone Virtual.  

Have you ever emailed a company to order something or made a call asking for more information?   Yes- thought so. Working with a VA is very similar.

Regular check-ins and clear communication with your VA will ensure that the work is completed as and when you need it. 

6. A Remote Virtual Assistant Will Just Be a Virtual Headache.  

Ummm, Have you ever employed staff before? - no comment.

Passwords are a huge part of keeping our details safe, but on the other hand, it is a nightmare trying to remember what your password is and adding an extra number on the end of a password that requires renewing is not the way forward. 

These days, electronic devices such as smartphones, tablets, and computers make up an important component of our everyday lives. While communication has become easier and more efficient than ever before, these technological advancements have brought with them new concerns about privacy and security. There’s even a holiday dedicated to keeping your online data safe and secure – it’s fittingly called National Computer Security Day.  

We use Password Manager software called ‘bitwarden’.  Many of our clients have started using this software and are so thankful that now they only need to remember 1 master password.   

Here is some information taken from the bitwarden site, for your reference: 

Generate, consolidate, and autofill strong and secure passwords for all your accounts.

Bitwarden gives you power to create and manage unique passwords and passkeys, so you can strengthen privacy and boost productivity online from any device or location.

Securely share encrypted information directly with anyone

Bitwarden Send is a feature that allows all users to transmit data directly to others, while maintaining end-to-end encrypted security and limiting exposure.

https://bitwarden.com/  

An important factor of many corporate insurance policies is a Business Continuity Plan.  A BCP is a written document summarising steps to take in the event of a disaster - man-made or natural - assessing the business' ability to recover from the loss event and subsequent business interruption.

Having a BCP in place will be seen as a positive risk feature by Insurers as it means the business is more likely to recover quickly and effectively from an event.