Are you working smarter or just working harder?

Over the years I have worked for many different managers and companies and this has given me a very broad view of office working techniques.

When I worked for the government in the local tax office work didn't seem very hard at all. Obviously, I was much younger then and new skills came very easily to me, but looking back I didn't even understand the word 'stress' as related to work. My line manager used to check my work and there were seldom any errors. I used to have plenty of time to chat with colleagues and still completed my work on time. Admittedly we had people doing the filing, making the tea and other necessary office jobs to ensure the smooth running of the office.

Nowadays we each have to do all these things for ourselves. There is less of a hierarchy - no junior to do all the menial tasks in most organisations. And certainly for the small business no-one to do all the administration.

Some of my earlier articles have mentioned Virtual Assistants and I feel it's important to mention these again. They are ideal for use by the small business owner who is trying to do all the admin as well as the main work of the company.

Let's take an example - the local plumber. Apart from actually going out to homes to mend pipes, plumb in washing machines etc. he/she also needs to take new telephone calls, run a diary system, keep a record of clients and tasks completed, complete invoices and do the banking. These are just the main tasks needed to run the business efficiently.

The actual amount of admin work often doesn't warrant employing someone full time, or even part time as the amount of work can vary from week to week. By employing a Virtual Assistant he/she would only pay for the number of hours worked. Also he/she would have no Natioanl Insurance or tax to worry about. Just an invoice to pay either weekly or monthly. It is up to he/she to decide which tasks the VA will do. Most VA's are fully trained in all aspects of office admin so it is just a matter of adapting their skills to each individual business.

For more information on Virtual Assistants please go to my website: www.margaretgammons.co.uk

How to find a Virtual Assistant

The obvious answer is 'on the Internet'! But where?

Not wishing to teach my grandmother to suck eggs.......by using the keywords 'Virtual Assistant' a whole host of websites appear, so how do you choose? There are several websites which have lists of Virtual Assistants who have been checked out and are therefore bona fide people to use. Three of these websites have links on my website. They are 'Free Index', 'Society of Virtual Assistants' and 'UK Association of Virtual Assistants'. There are many more. Also, all Virtual Assistants have their own websites so you can look at these. It can be a little daunting, but is less time consuming than the recruiting process used by employers today.

Most Virtual Assistants will supply references which helps reassure employers. This is no more complicated than employing a temp and less hassle!

Work can be sent through in a variety of ways depending on what is needed. There are sites on the Internet which specialise in this and also guarantee privacy and confidentiality.

So to finish, it is really easy to get a Virtual Assistant once you have done the research. And when you have found one that suits your business needs they can be used as often as required.

What is a Virtual Assistant?

Virtual assistants are independent entrepreneurs who work remotely and use technology to deliver services to clients globally. Virtual Assistants (VA's) are qualified administrative specialists who offer their services 'virtually' to other businesses via the use of today's growing electronic technology, and have adapted traditional skills to a virtual marketplace. They are business owners themselves who provide a variety of skills to help small business owners and other professionals manage their back end administrative activities and creative services. These skills include administrative, executive, marketing, secretarial, customer support and others that can help small businesses become more effective and productive. Virtual Assistants is the largest UK employment agency resource which matches people that work from home with the businesses that need their skills.

One really useful thing about using VA’s is that they can help you get your work done without increasing your payroll. Virtual Assistants most often charge an hourly fee or a monthly retainer, and charge only for actual hours used on projects. They are very cost effective because you only pay them when they work. Also there are no payroll costs i.e. National Insurance, tax, pensions, training or HR admin. Another is, as mentioned above, you only pay for the time taken to complete any work. You don't pay for lunch hours or tea breaks!

And how do you find a VA? See my next article due to be published early next week.

How to save money and time

Paying for software to help with the day to day running of your company can be expensive. Also most software applications are not always exactly what you want or need to help you be more efficient and cut down on precious time which could be spent more effectively. Another consideration is that admin staff don't always have the time to look for more efficient ways of using spreadsheets and databases and this is where a Virtual Assitant is useful. If you are not sure what a virtual assistant is, my next article will explain this.

One thing I love doing is setting up administration systems, tailor-made to suit a company's needs using basic Microsoft office applications, mainly excel and access. I have found that by looking at current spreadsheets or databases I can often make them more efficient and easier to use. I have also found that looking at companies' admin/record keeping systems, 80% can be improved or overhauled to make them simpler to use and cut down on time spent entering information. As a busy manager you may need to know how certain products/services are selling or how many current clients you have. This can all be programmed into spreadsheets or database so that at the touch of a button you can have current reports, charts or graphs. This can save you and your staff time and money and give you very accurate reports.

In this Blog I will be giving some basic tips for the novice excel/access user so watch this space!

My website link is below, so please visit this for more information.

http://www.margaretgammons.co.uk/