According to Brunt Work CEO Winston Ong, while the pandemic certainly made a lot of things virtual, virtual office assistants have been a thing for quite some time now. The coronavirus pandemic merely placed it in the spotlight.
“The pandemic proved that employees don’t necessarily have to be in the office to be productive,” says Ong. “At times, it’s even beneficial to have them out of the office.”
What Is a Virtual Assistant?
A virtual assistant is essentially an administrative assistant who helps with various professional functions to support a company remotely. They are also known as online secretaries or online assistants.
“Essentially, anything that can be done on a computer can be done by a virtual assistant,” shares Ong.
Many of them handle the same types of tasks as a traditional secretary, but without the need for a physical space in the office. Various technology tools allow them to carry out jobs from afar effectively.
Advantages of Hiring Virtual Assistants
There are many reasons why outsourcing administrative tasks to offshore virtual assistants is a good idea. At the top of most employers’ lists is the savings these assistants translate into the business.
“The quality of virtual assistants is extremely high while their cost, particularly for assistants from developing countries, remains relatively low compared to traditional employees,” notes Ong.
Some entrepreneurs say they’ve switched most of their business to using virtual assistants because of the money they save. In some countries, they could find English-speaking virtual assistants for as low as $5 an hour.
On top of cost-effectiveness, business analysts have found that entrepreneurs have used virtual assistants for all tasks. These include content writing, search engine optimization, social media management, and managing calendars and email accounts.
How BruntWork Keeps Their Talent Pool Competitive
As businesses seek out virtual assistants, analysts begin to see a marked shift in direction for this space. There’s an implicit call for outsourcing firms to remain competitive.
“At BruntWork, we ensure our pool of virtual assistants have college degrees, valuable skills, extensive work experience, and the perfect disposition to work effectively in a remote environment,” says Ong.
He explains that even though virtual assistants can do almost anything, it doesn’t mean they can do it well. When employees do not work in an office, businesses lose control and cannot monitor and micromanage.
Working hand in hand with a virtual assistant can be a step forward in optimizing a company’s processes. But finding the right person is crucial. Ong believes “identifying specific needs and qualifications is key to finding someone who’s a good fit for the virtual assistant role.”
