The Top 8 Tools for Your Virtual Office – Part 1

By admin on October 31, 2009

The Top 8 Tools for Your Virtual Office – Part 1
By Gayle Buske, President and CEO, Team Double-Click® and VirtualAssistingUsA;

At Team Double-Cick® our clients often ask just how to go about setting up a virtual office in other words how does a small but growing business owner avoid renting bricks and mortar office space. Even the tiniest of offices can run several hundred dollars a month. Add to that the cost of the commute, the furniture and computers to furnish that office, and a full time assistant (whom you still have to pay even when you don’t have work to keep them busy).

Setting up a virtual office can seem a bit overwhelming at first, but once you embrace the idea and get a feel for the logistics, it’s really quite easy. We’ve put together a list of the top 8 tools we recommend you use when setting up your virtual office.

Getting the Phones Answered (By Someone Who Is Not You!)
TeleCenter:
A virtual phone system is a must for every virtual office. This system allows your callers’ calls to be answered by your virtual assistant regardless of where she is in the country. Through the phone system, she can answer in your company name (it alerts her that the call is coming from your business), handle those calls that she’s able to handle, and transfer calls to you or other staff members as necessary.

Team Double-Click employs this very phone system with great success, as have many of our clients. Even though we are located in places such as Colorado, California, North Carolina, Texas, Illinois, Michigan, Oregon, and Florida, the TeleCenter system makes it all seem like we’re sitting in the same central office.

And just as important,your assistant can set the system up so that it only rings to your (or her) office during the hours you choose. So if your office hours are 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, you don’t have to hear the phone ringing during off hours, those calls will go to voice mail where your assistant can retrieve them in the morning. The system can also hunt for you if you’re on the road a lot. Again, your assistant simply programs in all of the phone numbers you want to be located at. The system will first try, for example, your home office number; if it doesn’t find you there, it will try your cell phone, and so on until it runs out of numbers. If it does run out of numbers to try, it will transfer the caller into voice mail so you never miss a call.

Faxing: Most Importantly Having Your Assistant Fax For You

A virtual fax is essential so you don’t have to be the only one who can send and receive faxes. There are two companies we recommend using simultaneously for faxing to and from your virtual office.

eFax: http://home.efax.com/
With eFax, any inbound fax documents come directly into your e-mail inbox. You can open and forward the faxes to others, or store them electronically on your computer’s hard drive, thus, reducing or eliminating the need to keep hard files. With eFax you can SEND X number of faxed pages per month for a flat fee starting at $ 12.95/month.

Packetel: Unlimited Incoming Faxes for just $3.95 per month!
 https://www.packetel.com

The service offers a dedicated personal fax number with UNLIMITED incoming faxes at a very low cost ($3.95/month). The faxes all come in via email as a picture (.tif) file. This can be set up so you and your virtual assistant receive a copy of each incoming fax. Since it comes in as a picture file, your VA can easily upload those documents into your virtual filing system.

You should set up your letterhead and signatures, etc. so that your published fax number is the Packetel number because of the unlimited inbound capability. Packetel, though, doesn’t allow for outgoing faxes. That’s why we recommend eFax. Because both fax systems are virtual, your VA can fax anything you need. And you can fax files to her for processing very easily since they come in electronically. Just hang on to your hard-line fax machine or use your scanner to scan hard copy documents and you can fax to your Packetel fax number and your VA will receive that information as a picture file in an email. She can process this paperwork or send it on to someone else just as if you simply passed the paperwork across your desk to her.

Transferring Large Files
Have a file that you need your virtual assistant to work on, but it’s too big to send through email? There are two services we recommend for very easy file upload and subsequent download by your virtual assistant or a business associate. Both offer free accounts and both work very well.

They are:

Save File
www.savefile.com/
Send This File
http://www.sendthisfile.com

Filing

Your virtual office wouldn’t be complete without a filing cabinet! Now your virtual assistant can handle your filing with one simple piece of software. If you keep everything as an electronic file or picture file you can easily be 100% paperless, no more papers piling up on your desk, no more buying case upon case of copy paper!

Now, for your virtual assistant to actually do the filing, you will need an online or virtual filing system. The one Team Double-Click® recommends is through Xdrive http://www.xdriv.com . For just $10 per month you can store up to 5GB of files! You and your virtual assistant can both access your files similar to accessing a common file cabinet in the office or a shared hard drive.

You can simply forward your electronic files to her as needed, and she can file them away into the appropriate folders on Xdrive. Viola your filing is virtually done.

This also accomplishes off-site storage and provides for easy retrieval in the event of a fire, computer crash, or natural disaster.

Getting Started

These are our most commonly-encountered/perceived-hurdles to working virtually. Now that you’re armed with the first four tools, you can begin setting up your virtual office. Take your time and learn about the software once you get it in place. Your virtual assistant can help you with that! It may take a little time but if you weigh that against renting an office space you’ve just saved hundreds of dollars a month!

About the author:
Gayle Buske is the co-founder, president and CEO of Team Double-Click® and VirtualAssistingUSA. As the head of a virtual staffing agency with over 57,000 virtual professionals in its pool, Ms. Buske is uniquely qualified to aid small business owners in their growth and development through virtual outsourcing. Virtual Assistants across the globe look to Ms. Buske and her organizations for guidance, mentoring and motivation.

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Cost Savings For Your Small Business : Virtual Office Assistant

By admin on October 19, 2009

Virtual Office Assistant = Cost Savings For Your Small Business

By Gayle Buske, President and CEO, Team Double-Click®

In today’s economy small businesses are looking for new and innovative ways to cut costs yet still maintain their day to day business activities.

Many small businesses, self-employed individuals, and even large corporations are turning to a virtual office assistant to stay on top of administrative tasks while eliminating the need to fund a full-time staff. As USA Today wrote, “The savings come from being able to concentrate efforts on building the business instead of balancing the checkbook and typing envelopes.”

Your time and money are worth more when you are able to concentrate on what you do best and leave the rest to an assistant.

What exactly is a virtual office assistant?
Virtual Assistants (VAs) are independent entrepreneurs providing professional administrative, creative, managerial, technical, business office and/or personal support services. Virtual assistants use the most advanced means of communication, and the newest and most efficient and time-saving office products and work delivery, regardless of geographic boundaries. Virtual Assistants work from their own offices, on a contractual basis, and abide by an established Code of Ethics requiring integrity, honesty and due diligence.

~The Alliance for Virtual Business

What tasks can a virtual office assistant do for me?
Here are just a few tasks that a Virtual Office Assistant can handle for their clients:

  • Appointment Setting
  • Cold calling
  • Answering Phones
  • Database management
  • Newsletter preparation
  • Lead qualification
  • Internet marketing
  • Social networking activities

    • How much money can I save by hiring a virtual office assistant vs. an employee?
    Although exact dollar amounts will vary, you can expect to see a huge savings in the following areas:

  • Avoid buying an additional computer for your assistant.
  • Avoid buying a desk for an assistant.
  • Avoid paying FICA (Social Security Tax) legally!
  • Avoid paying unemployment tax legally!
  • Avoid paying for holiday, vacation, and sick time.
  • Have happier workers who are more efficient at their jobs.
  • Pay ONLY for the time used/work produced not several hours a week more due to a 9 to 5 workweek.
  • Finance your payroll with your credit card or PayPal account.
  • Get highly-skilled workers from around the country for a fraction of the cost of hiring locally.
  • Stay on budget with your staffing needs you can set a cap with the virtual assistant.
  • Get daily reports from the virtual assistant so you can see where your money is going every day.

    • Please visit us at www.teamdoubleclick.com to get your free consultation from one of our experienced Virtual Services Representatives. Let us help save you money today!

    About the author:
    Gayle Buske is the co-founder, president and CEO of Team Double-Click® and VirtualAssistingUSA. As the head of a virtual staffing agency with over 57,000 virtual professionals in its pool, Ms. Buske is uniquely qualified to aid small business owners in their growth and development through virtual outsourcing. Virtual Assistants across the globe look to Ms. Buske and her organizations for guidance, mentoring and motivation.

    Team Double-Click®, the country’s foremost staffing agency for trained Virtual Assistants – Matching Top Virtual Workers with Top Companies! Visit www.teamdoubleclick.com or phone 888.827.9129 for a variety of full-service virtual staffing options.

    VirtualAssistingUSA provides Virtual Assistants a place to upload their profile, advertise their services and get access to affordable training, marketing and billing assistance for their business. VirtualAssistingUSA gives small business owners direct access to our database of tens of thousands of virtual assistants – without the ongoing agency fees and gives them access to talent that is not available through other venues. Visit www.virtualassistingusa.com for more information.

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    Getting It All Done – A Virtual Guide to Multitasking

    By admin on October 18, 2009

    Getting It All Done – A Virtual Guide to Multitasking
    By Gayle Buske, President and CEO, Team Double-Click® and VirtualAssistingUsA;

    As I look around my office I have to wonder how I’m going to complete my task list today. In my efforts to cut costs to try and combat the economy that also means I have more work to do and less time to do it.

    I used to hire my marketing done and had someone to assist me with things like answering phones and responding to emails. On a personal note I hired a service twice a month to do the heavy house keeping (since I work from home this was a nice luxury) and I hired a high school student to walk my dogs each evening. As the economy began to decline, however, all that changed. The first thing I did was cancel my dog walker. I need the exercise anyway. Next I cancelled the cleaning service. Like I said, it was a luxury and I decided I could do without it so I cut costs.

    That started my journey on cutting costs but I soon learned it wasn’t enough. Next I had to get rid of my secretary. I began taking on my own marketing and PR tasks and I became my own project manager.

    It didn’t take long before my business, my home and my health began to suffer as a result! There are only 24 hours in a day and one person just can’t do it all. That’s when I sat down and created a plan. Below are a few simple things that I did and that you can do too in order to cut costs and still get it all done!

    Prioritize
    Decide what makes you the most money and what only you can do. If your business will only grow when you’re out networking and talking to clients then you absolutely MUST do these things!! Maybe it would be nice to have some extra flyers or a cool PowerPoint presentation on hand but those things can probably wait. Unless you’re really efficient and skilled at doing those things you’ll probably end up spending tons of time trying to make them look good. In the meantime you aren’t out doing the things you know will bring in more money for your business.

    Use the right tools
    There are a lot of simple, free tools available that you can use to get organized. Below are just a few that I highly recommend

    Online Meeting Software – www.dimdim.com Need to schedule more time with potential clients but no time or money for travel? Dimdim is a free web conferencing software that allows you to deliver synchronized live presentations and share voice and video over the internet. Expand your network globally and meet with your clients at no cost to you!

    Note Taking Software – www.jott.com Do you have post it notes and note pads all over your desk? Jott is a talk to text application that allows you to call a number, speak your notes or messages and have them automatically sent to the right people via email, text or web updates. This can save a ton of time, help keep you organized and is absolutely free!

    Project Management – www.project2manage.com Project2Manage is a free project management solution that allows you to keep projects organized, assign tasks, post messages and manage to-do lists. It’s easy to use, free and an absolute must have for any virtual office!

    Ask for Help
    This is the hardest for me to do. I don’t like admitting when I can’t do something. I don’t like admitting I’m not superwoman. The reality is, however, that if I want to accomplish the thousands of tasks I’ve set out for myself then I need some assistance. To be perfectly honest, there are some things that I shouldn’t be doing at all. Some things I’m just not good at and if I insist on doing them myself then they won’t get done well and in many cases they won’t get done at all.

    Hiring a good virtual assistant is one of the easiest and most cost effective ways to get the help you need and still come in under budget. A virtual assistant will allow you to hire an expert in graphic design, marketing, sales or general assistance and keep you on track with your deadlines.

    If your multi-tasking has gotten out of control then it’s time to take action. Prioritize, get the right tools in place and hire a virtual assistant to save you money and get things done.

     

    About the author:
    Gayle Buske is the co-founder, president and CEO of Team Double-Click® and VirtualAssistingUSA. As the head of a virtual staffing agency with over 57,000 virtual professionals in its pool, Ms. Buske is uniquely qualified to aid small business owners in their growth and development through virtual outsourcing. Virtual Assistants across the globe look to Ms. Buske and her organizations for guidance, mentoring and motivation.

    Team Double-Click®, the country’s foremost staffing agency for trained Virtual Assistants – Matching Top Virtual Workers with Top Companies! Visit www.teamdoubleclick.com or phone 888.827.9129 for a variety of full-service virtual staffing options.

    VirtualAssistingUSA provides Virtual Assistants a place to upload their profile, advertise their services and get access to affordable training, marketing and billing assistance for their business. VirtualAssistingUSA gives small business owners direct access to our database of tens of thousands of virtual assistants – without the ongoing agency fees and gives them access to talent that is not available through other venues. Visit www.virtualassistingusa.com for more information

    Posted in small business support | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a response

    Finally Business Process Outsourcing For The Small- to Mid-Sized Business

    By admin on October 17, 2009

    Finally, Business Process Outsourcing For The Small- to Mid-Sized Business
    By Gayle Buske, President and CEO, Team Double-Click® and VirtualAssistingUSA;

    For years the big guys have known how to cut costs and have known about business process outsourcing or BPO. Now, even small businesses can take advantage of what is essentially business process outsourcing. Virtual assistants are BPO for small businesses! The big guys have been talking about and doing business process outsourcing to save money and grow even bigger for nearly three decades. Isn’t it time your small business gained the same advantages of business process outsourcing by utilizing virtual assistants to their fullest potential?

    According to Wikipedia, Business Process Outsourcing is “a form of outsourcing which involves the contracting of the operations and responsibilities of a specific business function to a third-party service provider”. That is exactly what virtual assistants and virtual staffing agencies do for the small and/or home-based business. Virtual staffing agencies, like Team Double-Click®, work with the client to assess their staff needs, and match the right virtual assistant(s) for the job(s).

    Virtual staffing agencies have access to thousands of virtual assistants, which have been interviewed, skills-tested, and trained. From this pool of quality-tested virtual assistants, a virtual staffing agency can place as many or as few virtual assistants with the client as needed. This allows a small business owner to simultaneously obtain help in areas such as reception duties, online marketing, customer service, and accounting without hiring full-time employees for each position. The company pays only for the time used by each virtual assistant.

    This allows small businesses all of the benefits of having an employee (or many employees) without having to hire actual employees, which come with added expenses like health care, worker’s compensation, sick time, maternity leave, FICA, Social Security, and vacation time. Hiring virtual assistants through a virtual staffing agency allows the business to avoid all of these extras and simply focus on the tasks that need to be done to grow the business.

    Many small businesses are utilizing virtual staffing agencies and virtual assistants very strategically in order to grow their businesses while simultaneously saving thousands of dollars a year. As the business’ tasks grow beyond what the owner can reasonably manage themselves, the small business owner often brings on a single virtual assistant to answer phones or perform minor customer service tasks. As growth continues, the owner may bring on a virtual assistant to assist with research or even internet marketing. This pattern repeats with other strategic positions as the business gains more and more clients. The result is a full-fledged virtual staff without the overhead of a bricks-and-mortar staff or a bricks-and-mortar office.

    Virtual staffing agencies can also help the small business become a much larger business. The virtual staffing agency acts as an outsourced human resources department for the small business. They don’t charge for their time managing the virtual assistants, nor do they charge for interviewing, testing, or matching those same virtual assistants to the business client. Rather, their profit is earned from the ongoing work performed by the virtual assistant. So all the small business owner need do is work with his or her representative at the virtual staffing agency to determine which positions they need to have filled and the virtual staffing agency goes to work locating the right candidate and making that match. This allows the business owner to focus all of his or her attention on growing the business.

    Through the services of virtual staffing agencies, it is entirely possible for a small business to grow into a much larger company, even in tough economic times. In fact, in these tough economic times, virtual staffing agencies have access to even better talent than ever before due to mass layoffs by the big guys.

    So why not save your company a significant amount of money and grow your business at the same time by hiring a virtual staffing agency to staff your business? Why not spit in the eye of recession and show the big guys that growth really is possible in this economy?

    About the author:
    Gayle Buske is the co-founder, president and CEO of Team Double-Click® and VirtualAssistingUSA. As the head of a virtual staffing agency with over 57,000 virtual professionals in its pool, Ms. Buske is uniquely qualified to aid small business owners in their growth and development through virtual outsourcing. Virtual Assistants across the globe look to Ms. Buske and her organizations for guidance, mentoring and motivation.

    Team Double-Click®, the country’s foremost staffing agency for trained Virtual Assistants – Matching Top Virtual Workers with Top Companies! Visit www.teamdoubleclick.com or phone 888.827.9129 for a variety of full-service virtual staffing options.

    VirtualAssistingUSA provides Virtual Assistants a place to upload their profile, advertise their services and get access to affordable training, marketing and billing assistance for their business. VirtualAssistingUSA gives small business owners direct access to our database of tens of thousands of virtual assistants – without the ongoing agency fees and gives them access to talent that is not available through other venues. Visit www.virtualassistingusa.com for more information

    Posted in small business support | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a response

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