The Virtues of Virtual

Busy lives mean we need more help, but in what form?

The use of virtual assistants is increasing as technology and communications improve. Ease of access, 24/7 emails, and shared cloud spaces like OneDrive are making it increasingly easy to benefit from the services and expertise of your very own VA. As we emerge, blinking, from lockdown, it remains to be seen if the recent boost caused by COVID-19 will last into 2021.

A virtual assistant is someone that provides services and support for another business or businesses from a remote location, and there have been VAs pretty much since the internet really got going in the 1990s.

The traditional market for a virtual assistant is with small business owners and entrepreneurs. When working in a small or solo business, the owner has to wear a multitude of hats and eventually this can become untenable.

Niche tasks that require a greater amount of skill, training and experience are when virtual private PA’s shine. Many small businesses may decide to invest more in social media and marketing materials, but don’t have the budget for a marketing expert. Someone who has expertise, who can work long or short term on a particular project as a self-employed worker, can be a godsend to anyone trying to juggle multiple work streams.

One of the huge benefits of having a virtual assistant is that they can be 75% cheaper than hiring a full-time employee, and there are the additional perks of not having to worry about HR, pension, and paid absences.

New BITA member Poppins PA i works with busy executives that are balancing demands of career, family and social life. They offer the breath-taking possibility of more time. Personal shopping and diary management, as well as services as a confidante, are a few of their services.

Speaking to Abigail Langridge, founder of Poppins PA, it is clear that she is passionate about what she does; “I have been working with Lyndsey [Gallagher] for a little over a year and I love working with someone that is so passionate about what they do, it’s inspiring. Being able to lighten her load and making sure that she has enough time to relax and connect with her family is incredibly rewarding.”

What does it take to be a virtual PA?

Although virtual assistant (VA) and personal assistant (PA) are the commonly used titles, there are many different specialities. Many VAs will specialise in data entry, some may run errands; whatever the job that needs doing, you will be able to find someone that specialises in that area.

Abigail says, “My clients expect me to be hyper organised and not only to be prepared, but to make sure they are as well. Board meetings, client meetings, holidays, diary management – these are just a few of the things that we cover and dropping any of those spinning plates would be disastrous for both us and our clients.

One of my favourite aspects of the role is when I become fully immersed in a client’s life, enabling me to better anticipate eventualities and future requirements and truly become their right-hand woman!”

According to startups ii , it’s estimated that the number of people using a VA will increase to 1.8 billion globally in 2021, so whether you are thinking of hiring one, or perhaps taking the leap into working virtually yourself, now could be the time.

Although there is no substitute for face to face meetings, we have heard from our members saying they are going to replace some of their regular face to face meetings with Zoom calls. In the coming months of belt-tightening, rising green awareness, and with even our most troglodyte staff members becoming au fait with technology, now could be the perfect time to make a foray into the world of the virtual assistant, should you, your business or staff need extra help.