How to take a Holiday when you run a Small Business
Anyone who has ever owned and operated his or her own business will agree that holidays, at least in the early days, come few and far between. Even if you are a thousand miles away on a golden beach, really, you are still in work mode. A business never sleeps and to find someone who you can trust enough to allow you to fully switch off is a difficult task. But, that said, holidays and time off are essential to keeping productivity up and to keeping you focused on what is important: the business.
We all know that, in reality, businesses can’t just shut down operations for a week or two. So, for the entrepreneur who perhaps doesn’t yet have staff who can handle all the admin and client/customer interaction, what are the options?
An assistant you can trust
Virtual Support is more than just a concept, for many independent business owners, it is a lifeline. A reliable and trusted virtual assistant can be the point of contact for your business while you are away. The frustrations of a customer who receives automated reply after automated reply are immediately eliminated and, while it may not be running at full capacity, the business doesn’t “shut down” in your absence.
A virtual assistant can handle administrative duties for you – provided, of course, that you supply them with sufficient and relevant information to answer the kind of inquiries you would expect them to receive. The virtual assistant with the right knowledge can effectively deal with all inbound communication traffic that your business will experience in the time you are away; this might include taking telephone calls, handling quotes, taking notes and answering customer queries.
How do you find a quality virtual assistant?
The most important thing you need to do before you start contacting a virtual assistant company is to work out exactly what services you are likely to need. Begin by deciding what you would need a virtual assistant to be able to do in your absence. This might be taking customer orders and responding to customer service inquiries, or simply taking messages. The duties you intend them to undertake will influence who you are likely to choose – based on the level of skill required and whether they will be interacting with your customers by phone. There is a wide range of Virtual Assistant companies, with varying quality levels, so choose a company that has an outstanding reputation and check their independent reviews and testimonials.
Once you have picked your ideal candidate, you can train them up in the basics of how your company operates so that they are able to offer a knowledgeable response to any inquiries they might receive. Your new assistant can help you with creating a knowledge base. By setting your virtual assistant to work before you leave, you will be able to assess their capabilities and answer questions that will undoubtedly arise in the first few days of working for you; this will also leave you much more confident in their ability and able to fully relax and appreciate your break.
The benefit of hiring a virtual assistant is that you are able to decide how much they work, how often, and the level of interaction they have with your business and customers or clients. A well thought out and implemented virtual support system will leave you with the greatest peace of mind. Bear in mind that there are companies who can support you and your business with almost any function that can be done remotely, so it’s best to shop around and find a service that suits your needs. Who knows, your virtual assistant may become an invaluable and more permanent feature of your business once you get back.
