The world has seen a rapid increase in remote work in recent times. Following the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, more and more companies have slowly started recovering and growing their businesses, and subsequently, their responsibilities. Amidst this business growth, business owners have realized that they have less time to dedicate to the administrative aspects of their businesses, which are equally as important as the management of the core operations of their companies.
To resolve this issue, business owners have started turning towards the services of virtual assistants. With virtual assistants, they are able to focus on the day-to-day management of their business, while having a virtual employee provide administrative support and take care of the less specialized tasks that need to be completed.
This article will take a look at how hiring a virtual assistant can be beneficial to your company It will also discuss how South Africa is the best place to find the right virtual assistants for your company.
What is a virtual assistant and why do you need one?
A virtual assistant is a remote employee that offers administrative support to your company. They essentially are hired to perform tasks that busy executives are otherwise unable, or do not have the time, to perform. These tasks are usually administrative in nature, including scheduling appointments, managing diaries, making phone calls etc. However, some virtual assistants provide specialized services, including bookkeeping, paralegal work, and even copyrighting. Virtual assistants oftentimes work as independent contractors, although can be employed as full- time employees.
Virtual assistants can be incredibly useful to the overall management of a business. As companies grow, it becomes increasingly difficult to manage some of the more minor, but necessary, daily tasks that are vital to the company’s continued survival. Virtual assistants are able to provide invaluable aid in this regard, as they can seamlessly bridge any gaps a company may have as a result of their continued expansion.
Here are some of the ways that a virtual assistant can help your business:
- Virtual assistants save you time
Hiring a virtual assistant can help you save time.
Business owners often spend hours on mundane tasks, such as organizing their inbox or scheduling meetings. This is time that can be better spent focusing on more essential matters of their business. A virtual assistant can take care of all of these administrative tasks, which gives business owners more time to concentrate on their more important priorities.
- Virtual assistants can provide specialized skills
Virtual assistants are not just there to answer the phone and respond to emails. They can also help with a variety of tasks, including research, website management, customer service and other tasks.
If you need someone to help create and manage your company’s social media presence, but don’t want to hire a full-time employee, then a virtual assistant is the perfect solution for you!
- Virtual assistants will keep your business on track
Business owners are usually juggling many responsibilities. They need to make sure that their employees are happy and productive, manage and keep track of finances, handle customer services, and more.
But what about keeping track of the little things? Things like booking meetings or setting up appointments? These tasks can fall through the cracks if they’re not handled regularly. Not only that, but in order for these kinds of tasks to get done right away (or even at all), there needs to be someone dedicated specifically towards each one of them - and oftentimes this means hiring multiple people whose sole job is just doing those small jobs around the office.
That’s where virtual assistance comes into play! Virtual assistance will help keep your business on track by handling these kinds of minor yet essential activities so that everyone else has more time for what matters most: growing their business.
- Hiring a senior virtual assistant is cheaper than hiring an in-office employee
Hiring a senior virtual assistant is cheaper than hiring an in-office employee.
Many business owners think that the cost of hiring a virtual assistant is comparable to hiring an entry-level employee, but that isn’t always true. A senior virtual assistant can be hired for less money than an entry-level employee and doesn’t require benefits or insurance packages that would add significantly to your overhead costs.
Hiring in South Africa
South Africa is a multicultural country, bursting with highly qualified and skilled professionals. As English is the main language of communication in the country, this makes South Africa a great location for those seeking to hire remote employees.
South Africa has a plethora of skilled professionals who have extensive experience in their relevant fields of work. South Africa also has a time zone that is compatible with most Western countries, including the U.K., Canada, and the U.S. This means that most South African employees are able to work within normal business hours of most Western countries.
Other reasons why hiring in South Africa is a fantastic option for a company’s global expansion plan include:
- South Africa’s abundance in technical knowledge and expertise in their professions;
- South Africa’s excellent cultural compatibility with Western countries; and
- South Africa’s workforce of incredibly hard-working individuals who have fantastic character and professionalism.
Remote Talent specializes in sourcing the best candidates that can add value to any company they are placed in. Remote Talent has an extensive database of virtual assistants that are all highly proficient and experienced in their work. Our virtual assistants all have experience using popular platforms and software, including Slack, Microsoft Teams and Microsoft Planner, and Google Workspace, and they all have excellent project management skills. Remote Talent can help match you with the right candidates that can take your business to the next level!
Conclusion
If you’re a business owner looking to build a team and scale your business, hiring a virtual assistant is one of the best investments you can make. Virtual assistants can save you time, keep your business on track and help with everything from accounting and marketing to customer service. They also give business owners more flexibility when it comes to working hours and location because they don’t need office space or equipment - all they need is internet access.
