Back-office functions can become hurdles toward efficient and productive business operations.
This is especially true for small business owners without access to considerable human resources. Typically, small business owners handle both their front and back-office functions.
While doable, this practice limits a business’s capacity to grow and achieve its maximum potential. When business owners are too preoccupied with running day-to-day operations, they can’t think up ways to grow their business.
To overcome this dilemma, some entrepreneurs hire virtual assistants – a move that has proven to be highly effective at driving business growth and efficiency.
What are virtual assistants?
Virtual assistants, or VAs, are professionals with varying fields of specialization. They are either independent contractors or employmed under outsourcing firms.
These assistants typically work from the comfort of their homes and provide assistance thru online channels and methods, hence the term virtual assistants.
Employers hire virtual assistants to perform diverse tasks ranging from administrative duties such as data entry, to creatives, like graphic design.
Because hiring virtual assistants costs less, small business owners often turn to VAs as one or two people can handle the functions they need.
Back-office functions virtual assistants handle
In contrast with contact center agents who typically only handle calls-related tasks, virtual assistants cover many different jobs.
As mentioned earlier, these jobs range from mundane administrative tasks to more specialized and complex tasks.
Below are just a few of the tasks that employers can delegate to virtual assistants:
Social media management
Social media platforms have become great tools for increasing a small business’s brand awareness.
However, handling a brand’s social media profile, keeping up with the latest trends, regularly publishing content, and responding to comments and messages take up too much time.
That’s why business owners hire virtual assistants to do these tasks for them so they can focus on formulating business strategies.
Bookkeeping
Small business owners rarely need an entire team of bookkeepers to keep track of their finances and other business transactions.
A single virtual assistant is often more than enough to maintain a small business’s records and help it stay abreast of expenditures.
Personal assistants
On-the-go entrepreneurs can hire virtual assistants to serve as remote personal assistants.
These VAs handle the same functions as regular personal assistants, their tasks may consist of:
- Organizing calendar appointments
- Buying supplies
- Ordering food
- Booking flights or tickets
The only difference is virtual assistants cost less and execute their duties online.
Content management
Managing the contents of a business’s website is another time-consuming task often best delegated to virtual assistants.
Content management responsibilities include creating engaging content, such as blog posts, and optimizing a website and its contents for SEO-friendliness.
Graphic design
Small business owners may hire virtual assistants specializing in graphic design to augment their marketing efforts.
These VAs’ tasks may include designing brand logos and creating compelling marketing images. They also collaborate with marketing teams to develop more impactful advertising campaigns.
Why should you hire virtual assistants?
Similar to offshoring business functions to business process outsourcing (BPO) firms, companies also gain numerous benefits when they hire virtual assistants.
Some of these advantages are discussed below.
Cheaper labor
Hiring a virtual assistant, whether an independent contractor or from an outsourcing firm, costs significantly less than hiring a full-time employee.
When businesses hire virtual assistants operating in developing countries, such as the Philippines, they can save up to 70% on overall costs.
For instance, graphic designers in the US are paid an average of 22 USD per hour, while their Filipino counterparts have an asking salary as low as 2 USD per hour.
Moreover, a virtual assistant removes the need for additional space and other equipment. VAs typically use their own or are provided by the outsourcing company employing them.
Improved productivity
Delegating tasks to virtual assistants increases productivity both in the core business processes and the functions assigned to them.
By transferring portions of a business workload to a VA, business owners can focus more on running the organization and crafting plans to drive business growth.
In the same vein, virtual assistants will be more productive with the responsibility given to them. They will have complete focus on the task, unbothered by the other aspects of their employers’ business.
Improved flexibility
Virtual assistants are capable of working around a business owner’s schedule rather than sticking to a daily 9-5.
This gives their employers ample flexibility to shuffle workloads in schedules that work best to their advantage. One example is by having them work during business peak hours that may not coincide with their own schedule.
Moreover, VAs are amenable to having “on-call” availability. A perk that works best with entrepreneurs with erratic timetables or managing businesses in different time zones.
