...or is it time to hire a Virtual Assistant.
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Can I Do It All Myself
Sometimes we feel that we are handling everything just fine. You’re a business owner and your list of clients is growing leaps and bounds as you hoped it would. The money is coming in and you may even enjoy spending an extra hour or two at the office to get caught up at the end of the day or early in the morning before the phone begins to ring. This is how you wanted it but if only you had those one or two extra hours every day. The new blackberry is fine but you know you need a back up at the office 'just in case'. Your growing stack of business cards is piling up in an ever-tightening rubber band in your desk drawer and you promise yourself that you'll be organizing them into some sort of filing system 'one of these days - soon.'
The promotional letter and the mailing list you were going to do on Tuesday will just have to wait a few more days because an out-of-town client unexpectedly called and needs some of your time. You've lost the whole day but you don't mind because it's part of the job - reshuffling and rescheduling other clients and duties is a normal part of the business and you have to keep your priorities in order - after all, you do care about giving your best and it's the client who keeps the money coming in.
While you're at the client you remember one more thing that has you distracted from the matters at hand. You were supposed to call and make an important lunch appointment with a 'potential' client you've been hoping to get and it completely slipped your mind. As you sit, you feel sure you left the name and phone number of the restaurant the client suggested on a slip of paper on your desk. This week isn't going quite as well as it should - 'those days' are becoming 'these weeks' are they are happening too frequently lately. Business is growing but things aren't being done in the timely manner they used to be.
You're now losing ground in other important areas and so the once well-oiled machine is showing a bit of a strain. Instead of focusing on your clients, you're becoming bogged down with administrative office duties and they're piling up fast and furious. You lost the piece of paper, Wednesday appointments didn't get rescheduled on time, the database isn't being maintained and the invoices haven't been sent out - not to mention all the daily correspondence that isn't being taken care of.
On and on it goes. If only there was an extra hour or two in your day just to finish things up without distractions. Somewhere in your mind you remember clicking on a website that provides these services - some kind of an assistant over the internet that helps out and you don't have to pay for more than what work is done - even down to ten minute increments. As you jog your memory you remember some of the words you're - Connected Virtually to an Office Assistance - or something to that effect. You probe your mind a little deeper and you remember the words Virtual Assistant. You type the search and see they already have office machines and software and they're experienced professionals.
Instead of wondering how you'll get caught up, you contact a Virtual Assistant and tell her what you want done. Suddenly your burden has become lighter and you feel the tension leave and you're focused again. All you need to do is fax, email or upload files and your VA takes it from there.
In a short time the meeting has been set up, old appointments were rescheduled, a reservation was made and you get reminders from you daily planner. Your VA calls you with any unexpected changes that have arisen or are anticipated and she has booked your business trip to the west coast next month - even finding a better price on the airfare and hotel, so you actually saved money. Now you're undivided attention is given to the client and you can increase your business potential.
You sigh with relief knowing that you need never feel like things are getting ahead of you again. As an added touch, your VA called you later to see how the meeting went - you tell her you got the client. Your Virtual Assistant congratulates you then smiles as you both hang up the phone. Both have had a good day.
Johan MacLeod owns and operates Virtually Connected Office Assistance in a suburb of Montreal, Canada. Ms. MacLeod has over 25 years of experience in the administrative and secretarial field.
Email: vcoa@care2.com
URL: www.virtuallyconnectedofficeassistance.com
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