Virtual Assistant: A Simple Definition

When you hear the term Virtual Assistant, your mind may think of the likes of Google Assistant, Google Home or Alexa. However, amongst the world of Virtual Assistants, there is a human equivalent that can also help you with reminders, manage your bookings, sort out your calendar and emails.

So, what is a human Virtual Assistant? A Virtual Assistant (also referred to as a VA) is typically a self-employed individual or agency providing professional and personal administrative services to entrepreneurs and businesses. Amongst these services, many VAs also provide technical and creative support.

Generally speaking, most VAs work from their own home offices or their own business premises where they work with clients on a remote basis. However, there are some that will also work on site or at events when required.

What services do they provide? There are different types of VAs, offering a variety of different services. The largest pool of VAs tends to fall into the general administrative and PA category, where services include diary and email management, data entry, typing and research. However, as the industry has grown, there has been an increase in more advanced and technical support. From web design, IT support to social media management, brand design and marketing.

This is where you will also notice a variety of different titles other than VA/Virtual Assistant. Terms such as Freelance PA, Virtual PA, Online Business Manager, Social Media Manager, Web Designer, Marketing Consultant; these are all becoming increasingly popular with VAs niching into different areas of expertise.

How do they differentiate from an employed PA or office assistant? A VA is typically a self-employed individual, or an agency who are contracted out to provide support to clients in their area of expertise. As they are independent contractors and not an employee, it means the VA or the VA agency are responsible for tax, NI, benefits, insurance and legalities.

Another benefit of using a contractor over an employee is the flexibility of contracts. When working with a VA you typically purchase a set number of hours or time, meaning you are only paying for the actual physical time the VA is sat working. This also gives more flexibility at times of the year when your business may be a little quieter as you adjust the number of hours as you need.

Using a VA for a specific specialised area also means tapping into their area of expertise as and when you need that area of support. They have the experience and have funded their own training to call themselves an expert, allowing you to utilise their specialised services as and when you need them.

There are a lot of benefits of working with a Virtual Assistant and you can read about some of the reasons why you should hire a VA in our blog here.

If you would like to find out more about using the services of a Virtual Assistant, want to know more about what we do and how we could help, call us now on 020 3370 4075 to find out more.

9 key skills an administrator needs and why they are so valuable to your organisation

An administrator is often seen as someone who carries out general admin tasks, inputs data, answers the phone, gets the coffee or does the filing. However, the reality is that the administrator is often the foundation of a business. They are someone who contributes towards the overall function of the business and are an integral part to any organisation. They often perform critical operational activities that ensures the smooth running of the business.

Here are our top key skills an administrator needs to have and why they are so valuable to your organisation.

Verbal and Written Communication Depending on the size of your organisation, an administrator can sometimes be the first point of contact between your company and your customers. They are also often found dealing with a variety of seniority levels within an organisation, so it is imperative that they have both excellent verbal and written communication skills. Being able to communicate with their peers and customers alike, ensures matters are handled professionally, both face to face encounters and in emails and letters.

PC Skills In a digital age, it is vital to have good PC skills and be familiar with general email and calendar systems, but also Microsoft Office software including Word, Excel and PowerPoint. The ability to navigate other systems, such as an invoicing or CRM system, will ensure they can perform the duties they are required and allows them to get on with the tasks at hand.

Typing Typically, many recruitment agencies and employers will expect a minimum typing speed of 50 words per minute from an administrator. Having a good, and accurate typing speed, can be seen as a way that you will get more work done in less time, helping to increase the productivity for a business.

Organisation Organisation skills play a significant role in helping to achieve a company’s goals. Having good organisational skills will improve the efficiency in the way an administrator works. It can help to reduce stress for the administrator and their colleagues, and can instil trust and professionalism from those around them. Even simple things such as having a well organised filing system will result in things not going missing, or becoming misplaced and helps the rest of the team in being able to find what they need.

Time Management Being a versatile member of the team can result in an administrator being required to support a variety of team members or departments. To ensure an administrator is working as a crucial resource to their team, they need to accurately plan their tasks and time, making sure that their tasks are managed, deadlines are met, team members are updated, and that they are not stretching themselves too thinly.

Customer Service Good customer service skills are essential in being able to handle one-to-one interactions with clients and key stakeholders. An organisation wants to ensure they are keeping their customers happy and providing a good and quality service. Ultimately providing a good service to their customers will impact their revenue. Being able to confidently and professionally deal with any situation that arises will instil trust and professionalism, resulting in happy customers who will compliment and buy again. As an administrator often is the first port of call for a customer, this is an important trait they should possess.

Problem solving At first glance, problem solving can be seen as something straightforward, but not everyone can successfully problem solve within the workplace. It requires a certain set of skills to help identify a problem, look at ways to deal with or handle the situation, making a decision on the best course of action and then implementing the chosen solution. It’s a skill desirable in all roles of a business, but being an integral part of the business, an administrator can be a key asset to assess and find a solution quickly and effectively.

Adaptability Having an administrator in the team who is able to adapt quickly to change is a valuable asset to an organisation. Businesses have, and need, to adapt and change with the times. This makes it increasingly important to have someone who can adapt with the ever-changing demands of a workplace. Having someone with a “can-do” attitude rather than “that’s how we’ve always done it” will keep up the productivity levels and reduce the stress that can come with significant changes.

Initiative An administrator who can use their initiative will stand out from their team. Having a good initiative will help with identifying problems and honing in on problem solving skills, but can improve the efficiency of an organisation, allowing more proactive work to take place. Being able to think ahead and plan things in reduces the risk of problems arising and improves the productivity of an organisation, instead of waiting and then reacting when things happen.

Our Business Support Managers have all these attributes and more! We understand the pressures of running a business and our flexible support will help to reduce your workload and increase your organisation’s productivity levels. If you would like to find out more information on how VASS could help you and your business, call us now on 0203 890 6990.