Stop thinking outside the box, start thinking outside the office!

By Dee Matheson

Recently I had the opportunity to pop into my ex employer’s office and found that although I had moved on into the virtual world of business, they were still very much encased in the old corporate humdrum life with very little work life balance and some very archaic practices. This set me to thinking, why are some companies not using the opportunities to work virtually? Why are they still stuck in a rut and don’t think outside the office?  Practically everyone in the working world has a Laptop, Desktop or Tablet. We don’t need to go into a brick and mortar office any more.

In my search, while pondering this question, I came across an article by John Meyer, the CEO of Arise Virtual Solutions and thought I’d share some of his findings which are a real eye opener for those old fashioned businesses that have not moved with the times of doing work virtually.

It’s been predicted that by 2016, just 3 years from now, 63 million Americas will be working virtually, that’s a sharp rise from the 2010 figures which were 34 million, according to Forrester Research. If that’s the case in America, can you just imagine what it will be worldwide in 2016? The mind boggles as to how this will impact the far-reaching economies worldwide as labour may become cheaper and accessible 24/7.

In order for private enterprises to keep up with the shift to virtual business and ramp up their efforts, they emulate other major companies that have already embraced and taken the lead in changing their working environment and model into the virtual workplace. As the global economic conditions are also hurtling to change, one of the quickest ways to cut costs is to reduce the size of your office and even eliminate it completely.

One of the advantages of a tough employment situation is that it’s inspiring more workers and their bosses to change the way they work. In the wake of a slowly recovering economy worldwide, many college graduates are already giving up on brick-and-mortar jobs and switching to a virtual work environment. Here are some reasons as to why a virtual workforce is not a pie in the sky idea, but already very much present:

·         The workforce has changed since the economic meltdown of 2008. The traditional model of work has become a lose-lose scenario for both employers, who are facing changing business needs, and employees, who may want to work non-traditional hours and don’t always live near their employer.

·         With virtual workers, companies are able to operate with zero unnecessary overheads, often saving up to 30%.

·         Increasingly, workers are marching to their own drum, based on their individual needs and desires. Virtual workers, including those who are their own business owners, are often more accountable, take on more responsibility and are more passionate about their work than brick and mortar worker, which enables them to achieve better performance.

Now for this to succeed, I believe the Chamber of Commerce and DTI should promote working virtually and boost and support virtual business owners.  Why don’t they channel some of the funds that are earmarked for small business development to the virtual industry? This might encourage larger companies to use the virtual business owner and might uplift the economy as more people will be generating an income and contributing back into the economy instead of waiting for hand outs from Government and charities.

A ‘one-size fits all’ strategy will not work in this case, each enterprise should consider creating their own personal approach towards going virtual.

People who scoff about working virtually remind me of those who laughed at Electronic Data Systems when Ross Perot started talking about outsourcing in 1962. Look where we are now and it’s only going to grow and become the norm within the next 5 – 10 years. As John Meyer says: “The virtualisation of business is like outsourcing on steroids: not only is it highly efficient, but it is probably the most advanced and evolved economic system yet devised”.

If you need more information on how to work virtually with a Virtual Assistant, please contact Dee Matheson on 082 925 7757 or email her on dmatheson@worldonline.co.za or visit her website on www.dfm-virtualassistant.co.za

 

The bottom line, how do I work successfully with a Virtual Assistant and save money?

By Dee Matheson

Now at long last the decision has been made and you’ve found a Virtual Assistant to help you with all those tasks that you’ve had sleepless nights over but does this whole thing actually work? How are you going to save money?

Well think of it like this, what would you do if you hired an on-site employee? How would you start with them and what would you be paying them? Chances are you have a task list a mile long and you need someone to help you immediately and if you are looking for an experienced on-site person, you will very likely have to wait for them because they have a resignation period, you will have to pay an employment agency a percentage of that person’s annual salary and then there are all the overheads, such as medical aid, pension fund and office equipment, to name but a few. Just on this alone, a Virtual Assistant can save you a small fortune because she has already got all the office equipment in place and you don’t have to pay her for any additional overheads and she is very likely available immediately. These are the basics and one thing to remember when working with a Virtual Assistant, she also runs a business and that both of you should treat each other as equals striving for the same goal, to be successful.

All this is quite understandable but now how do you work with a Virtual Assistant? Here are some ideas that might help:

• What is your budget for a Virtual Assistant? Determine how much time you can afford your Virtual Assistant for, keep in mind that a Virtual Assistant can get a lot more accomplished in an hour’s time than an on-site employee, however, do be realistic and don’t expect the impossible.
• Now that you have an idea on how much time you need your Virtual Assistant for, make a list of tasks you need completed in order of importance and allocate a realistic time to these tasks.
• It is vital that you build a good relationship with your Virtual Assistant, she knows that you’re not made out of money, so be clear on what needs to be done and by when so that no time nor money is wasted.  Discuss all the main priorities with her so that she can understand what’s important to you and let her advise you on estimated time as she will very likely know best how long some tasks may take.  For example, if you need your Virtual Assistant to transcribe an interview or discussion, take into account how many people are talking, is there background noise which makes it hard to hear and are there any accents involved. All of this does take time and should be discussed and taken into account.
• As a Virtual Assistant myself, I find it’s vital to keep my client’s updated all the time. Make arrangements with your Virtual Assistant to give you feedback on tasks as frequently as you would like to be briefed. Not only will you know how the tasks are progressing but you will see if there are any issues that need to be dealt with immediately or any room for improvement.
• Once you have worked with your Virtual Assistant for a short period you will get a feel for how best to work together. So as time goes on, keep adding to your list of tasks and in no time at all your business will be running smoother and more efficiently than ever before.
• As your Virtual Assistant is a business owner too, ask for her opinion on a topic or area you are looking for feedback on. Chances are that she will have some valuable information for you and if she does not, she might know someone who does. Virtual Assistants work with lots of other business owners in various industries giving them a wealth of information through their connections and at their fingertips, but remember the confidentiality clause. She might not always be able to give you direct links but can advise you on the way forward, tap into this resource, it’s waiting to help you.
• As a business owner, the hardest thing for you will be to delegate tasks to someone you don’t know, that’s why it’s important to have a trial period with your Virtual Assistant to see if  you can work together and become a team.  I always work with my clients for a 2 month trial period at a fixed rate and negotiate a longer period on a retainer basis once the relationship has been established. It’s the same as employing someone on-site, they also have a trial period before they become permanent staff.

If you need help and are not sure what direction to go in, call me, Dee Matheson on +27 82 925 7757 or email me on dmatheson@worldonline.co.za , no obligation. I’m looking forward to helping you go to the next level with your business.