Should you hire an employee or outsource to a Virtual Assistant?

You’ve reached a point in your business where you need additional support but now face the dilemma whether to hire an employee or outsource the work. Hiring an employee may seem like the obvious choice, but before you decide whether this is the right option for you, check out our list of key benefits to outsourcing to a Virtual Assistant.

Remove an HR headache

Hiring an employee results in a significant amount of time being spent creating a job description, advertising, reviewing CVs, interviewing, creating a contract, setting up systems, purchasing equipment, dealing with payroll, national insurance, pension, absence management, annual leave requests, training etc. Everything that comes with being an employer! But also think about what you could have achieved during the time you have spent recruiting for the position.

Virtual Assistants are self-employed and other than an initial meeting, signing a contract and delivering training/overview of your business and processes, there are no ongoing tasks to deal with.

Flexible support when you need it

Running a business isn’t a 9-5 job. Virtual Assistants work flexibly and can often provide support outside of ‘normal’ office hours. Support when you need it!

Only pay for the hours you need

When using a Virtual Assistant everything is timed to ensure you are only paying for the time they are physically sat working. If you hire an employee, they will need to have a break and comfort stops throughout the day. A Virtual Assistant will still take these breaks, but you are paying for the time they are working!

Save money

Virtual Assistants are self-employed. Other than paying for their time, there are no other associated costs involved. Hiring an employee means you must think about payroll, tax, NI, pension, benefits, equipment, licenses, training, desk space etc. Why not check out our cost comparison and see for yourself how much it really costs to hire an employee versus outsourcing to a Virtual Assistant.

Commitment to quality

Virtual Assistants are business owners and can appreciate the obligations that come with wanting to provide a high level of service. Their own reputation is on the line, so you can expect to receive a high standard in the work carried out.

Skills and Experience

As a business owner, you wear many hats. When you decide you need some support, the chances are you will recruit someone to take on the administrative burden. However, you may find that their skill set, and experience is limited in what they can help you with. There are different types of Virtual Assistants who specialise in different areas, but you are likely to find there will be a lot more you can delegate to a Virtual Assistant. Don’t forget they are also a business owner and will have experience in customer service, finance, marketing, sales, strategic planning, as well as the general day to day tasks that come with running a business.

Ongoing training

Here at VASS, our team of Virtual Assistants are committed to continuing their professional development and keeping up to date with the changing demands and trends. However, this is organised and funded by our team, with the benefits of their training being passed down to our clients.

If you would like to discuss the many benefits of outsourcing to a Virtual Assistant, email us now on hello@wearevass.com to arrange a free consultation.

How to improve your workplace wellbeing – working smarter, not harder

Stress in the workplace is a common issue amongst businesses and can have serious implications on both your mental and physical health. Not only can it affect both employees and employers, but can also have an overall effect on company efficiency.

There are many techniques you can consider when it comes to taking away office stresses and workplace pressures. Our MD, Zelica, gives you an insight into her top tips for improving workplace wellbeing.

Manage your to-do list in small sections

It’s not uncommon for us to create endless lists, whether that be on your notepad, online, or even in your head. The key mistake we make, however, is creating an unrealistic list of seemingly never-ending tasks. What we should actually be doing is breaking these tasks down into manageable chunks. This way we can focus on a small section at a time, making our goals much more obtainable.

Prioritise... what is really important?

Too often we put pressure on ourselves trying to manage everything at once. Take a step back and stay realistic. Ask yourself which three things are paramount each day and focus on these first. If you don’t manage to complete all three, then simply move them to high importance the next day. You’ll soon realise that you don’t have to rush to do everything at once.

Change your surroundings

Where possible, take some time out away from the office and consider flexible working hours. We are all productive at different times so find out what works best for you. Sometimes we even just need to change our working environment every now and then to increase our productivity.

Sometimes the biggest stress in the workplace can be not feeling in control. Learn to outsource and don’t try to do everything yourself. This is why here at VASS, we can take away those simple tasks like organising your next event or managing your accounts, leaving you more time to work on your business and stay focused.

If you’d like to find out more about our services, give us a call on 020 3370 4075.

Thinking of starting a business? Here are our top tips

People set up their own businesses for many different reasons. It could be that they want to escape from the 9-5 working day or they’ve spotted a gap that they can fill. Whatever your reason, growing your own business is a challenging yet immensely rewarding experience.

It has never been easier to start your own business journey. Read our top tips.

Start with a plan

There’s an old saying – fail to prepare and prepare to fail. Jumping straight into a business without planning is one of the worst mistakes you can make.

Take a look at what you want to achieve from your business and how you will get there. Many new businesses fail within the first few years because of a lack of planning for when times are difficult. Make sure you are up to date with what your competitors are doing, the demand for your product or service, and how you can stay one step ahead.

You might also be able to access funding to get your business off the ground. Whether this comes from your bank or through a charitable organisation such as The Prince’s Trust, a robust business plan is essential.

Showing you mean business

First impressions always matter in business. Often, the first impression comes from your website, your logo, even the name of your business. In the early stages of building your business, you may have to rely on word of mouth, so it’s important that people remember you for the right reasons.

Websites with spelling errors and hastily constructed logos are just two examples of how to build a poor impression. After all, would you hire someone who didn’t dress smart at an interview or hand in a scruffy CV?

Focus of showing that you understand your potential customer’s problem and be clear on how you can help them.

Office or work from home?

Depending on what you plan to offer as a business, choosing the right office space can be a challenge. Though working from home could be an option, an office not only gives you somewhere where you can truly focus, but it can help add a level of credibility.

Take some time examining what you will need as you grow your business. It could just be that you need a hot desk but if you need to hold materials, then security will also be a factor, and of course, somewhere you can present proudly to your clients.

Keep on top of the books

Managing the finances is a challenge faced by businesses of all sizes. You might well be able to handle them yourself up to a point, but it is highly likely that you will need to find some additional support from an expert accountant.

This is also where the plan we mentioned earlier comes into its own. Make sure that you meet your tax deadlines and that you have a contingency plan in place.

VASS has a wide network of accounting and tax experts who will be more than happy to help you, from bookkeeping through to tax and VAT returns.

Managing the balancing act

Every new business owner will have to learn how to juggle the different sides of their company. There’s bound to be pressure on your shoulders, but by finding some extra help, you can carry on focusing your efforts where they are most needed.

Contact VASS to find out how our business support services can help your company grow and succeed.

What makes a top VA? An insight by Zelica, our Virtual Business Support Manager…

When thinking of what a ‘Virtual Assistant’ involves, it can seem like a very broad term. However, here at VASS, we employ only the most dedicated and enthusiastic VA’s with skilled specialities. It takes the mind set of a Business Manager and an expert brain to become a truly experienced Virtual Assistant, and that’s exactly what VASS look for.

So, what makes our team special?

We want to make our clients feel like they can earn back some extra time for themselves. We look after those all-important tasks that are time consuming, enabling you to concentrate on your core function. We help you to grow your business by taking care of jobs from invoicing to organising your diary, and managing events.

Why is VASS different to other agencies?

When VASS was set up, I didn’t want to be known as an ‘agency’, but more of a ‘one-stop shop’. We are a highly personable company and act as your department whilst offering you support along your journey. We are the bridge between having to ‘do it yourself’ and employing a full-time team. Our united ambition is to offer you flexibility through helping you with your growth strategy.

How we get the right team members…

I like to look for the ‘wow factor’ when adding new members to our team. It’s great to see candidates who have worked for a wide variety of people. We’re certainly impressed by those who work at the top of their game – the top events planners, the top marketers. It’s also an added bonus to see those who have had a great deal of experience in lots of areas.

How do you know if VASS is right for you?

If you don’t have the time or the interest to do aspects of your business that are important, then we can certainly help. It could be credit controlling, invoicing, or even managing the marketing and PR. If it’s something you don’t have an interest, skill or time for, then you need VASS! If you could find 2, 3 or even more hours in the day that could be spent better doing something else, then it makes sense to outsource it to our expert team at VASS!

Join our team!

If you’re an experienced Virtual Assistant, and are interested in joining our team, then please get in touch.

Blog by Devenia Besant, The Visability Queen

Because of the school holidays, I've been working from home so that I can spend time with my children as well as work on client tasks. But I'd soon stopped dressing up and started working in an old t-shirt and shorts as I did when I first started my business. I read Devenia's blog a few weeks and reinforced something which I had been thinking myself. Why do I dress up for others but not myself?!? Please read her blog as it is just brilliant and may make you think twice about putting on those old clothes just because you are working from home.

My boots mean business to me!

A few weeks back I’d been ill for a few days and had quite enough, I wanted to get back to work, so I decided enough was enough and got dressed. “I thought you were ill, where are you going?” my husband said to me. I think he thought I had gone completely mad (probably not far from the truth!!!) as I had come downstairs and put my boots with killer heels on and off I went back upstairs to my office, my reply to him was “I’m off to do business”.

1-2 days of being out of action was driving me mad, yes I still felt poorly but it was time to get back to work, doing what I love, who else was going to do it for me. Yes, it’s important to rest when you are not well but sometimes you just need to show up no matter how you feel.

Now as I work from my home office I could have easily gone into my office dressed in my PJ’s but just how productive would I be?

When you are working on your business I think it’s really important to get in the right mindset and part of that for me is looking the part.

Being visible working in your business isn’t just about knowing your stuff it’s equally important about how you feel, putting on my makeup and my fabulous boots made me feel 100 times better than I did.

In my opinion, you can only put maximum effort in when you feel good about yourself –confidence is key and you can’t do that when you look like you’ve just fallen out of bed. If you worked in an office you certainly wouldn’t rock up like you’ve been dragged through a bush backwards so treat your own business with that same respect.

There’s a great quote:

No matter how you feel…

Get up.

Dress up.

Show up.

and Never give up!

CoCo Chanel said “If you’re are sad add more lipstick and attack” and I say “On those rough days put on the most fabulous boot’s that you can find in your wardrobe and get to work”.

Remember how you make yourself feel MATTERS and will help you remain VISIBLE!

Dee has 20 years experience-starting out in the corporate world of business support and for the past 7 years she has successfully run her own business, whilst juggling family life as a wife and mummy to 3. She's here to support you every step of the way to grow your business, motivating and inspiring you to be Seen, be Heard and be Remembered just by being you!

Website: http://deveniabesant.com/about-me

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Who are VASS? What do you do?

This is always the first question on everyone's lips, just who are VASS and what do we do?

VASS is the perfect support to help with your company. VASS is built up of dedicated teams to help support your day to day business. We support business all around the world with their day to day duties that they no longer have time to do. We can provide you with administrative, accounting, legal, hr event co-ordination, marketing (including social media management) support, leaving you with more time to focus on your business.

VASS is a fully virtual team, which means that they will not require any office space or equipment, our team work from their own home offices across the country, allowing them to spend more time supporting you, and less time travelling. This means that VASS can save you money by only invoicing you for the work that has been carried out, rather than the time spent onsite.

All members of the VASS team sign a non-disclosure agreement before any work commences, guaranteeing that your work is dealt with in a confidential and secure manner.

So who is a typical VASS client?

· Any business person who just doesn't have enough hours in the day;

· Would like to expand their business and take on bigger clients of their own.

VASS will be there to help with all tasks from answering the phone to replying to emails. From creating a social media content, to managing your social media platforms. VASS's team of freelancers have decades of experience between them and are highly enthusiastic and professional individuals.

So if you have a business, but not enough hours in the day, contact VASS and see how we can help. We have a range of packages for you to browse through, and also offer bespoke packages for you and your business. VASS are here to support you as we want your business to succeed just as much as you do.