7 reasons to hire a blueumbrella virtual assistant
A virtual assistant (VA) offers you and your business all the services you’d need from an executive assistant (EA) or PA. The difference between a PA/EA and a VA is that your VA works remotely and for themselves. VAs offer huge advantages to companies of all shapes and sizes - we have clients who work for themselves, as well as board-level executives who need support.
Having been in the VA business for 20 years, we’ve been able to identify the seven main reasons why our clients hire VAs.
1) They save you lots of time
When you run your own business or a busy department, you have to take on administrative and management tasks, all of which can be overwhelming, not to mention time consuming. By outsourcing as many of these tasks as possible, you’ll be able to concentrate on what you’re good at, which will benefit you and your business more than you think. Our clients tell us that having the services of a blueumbrella VA has made them more efficient and has given them the chance to operate at a higher level. Others report that having the extra help has been beneficial to customer relationships, which has resulted in increased revenue. As one of our clients said in a testimonial: “It is a sound investment to make in your business as they enable you to focus on what you’re good at.”
2) They do more than just admin
blueumbrella VAs are all experienced board-level PAs or EAs and more than capable of taking on additional duties. For example, many will be capable of managing your company’s social media accounts and writing blogs for your website, whilst others will be happy to organise events on your behalf. When it comes to online issues, many have the skills to keep your website up-to-date and keep an eye on the analytics; others will help you implement new IT systems. Tell us what you need from your VA and we will introduce you to someone who can help. Our VAs can learn to be two steps ahead of you at all times. As one client commented: “She doesn't just handle my diary and bookings; she thinks about what I need, trying to waylay problems that I haven’t even yet realised I’m about to have!”
3) They’ll provide exactly the amount of work your business needs
You only need to pay for the work your VA does, which means your business will benefit now and in the future. As your business grows, so will your workload, and if you have a trusted VA supporting you, they’ll be able to take on more work as and when you need them to. Being able to rely on flexible support that will grow with your business will give you tremendous peace of mind when you’re writing your next business plan.
4) They provide additional staffing needs without the expense of an office move
One of our clients recognised the need for an additional PA, but there was neither the workload nor enough space in the office to bring on a new member of staff. The solution was to take on a VA, who has become a valuable member of the team, without the need for the company to go through the hassle and expense of needing to move to bigger premises.
5) They are cost effective
By only paying your VA whenever you use their services, you’re using your business’s money extremely efficiently. If there isn’t enough work to justify employing a full-time EA then the benefits of a flexible VA are obvious. As one client told us: “We have all the benefits of having a highly experienced assistant whilst only paying for the actual time that she’s undertaking work on our behalf.”
6) You’ll always have backup
By outsourcing your VA through blueumbrella, backup can be provided if your VA is on holiday, unwell or you simply need an extra pair of hands to get a task done. That way you can rest assured there’s always someone you can rely on.
7) blueumbrella will always have you covered
One of our USPs is that you will always have the blueumbrella managers as part of your team. Jill and Harriet will help you find the right VA, guide you through the onboarding process, make sure everything goes smoothly, and be there to help if any issues arise.
All our VAs have experience working at board level in PA or EA roles. They will help you with everyday tasks such as diary and inbox management, travel arrangements, etc., but they can also support you in other areas such as website management, social media, marketing and PR. Get in touch to find out more.