BizBlog - Virtual Assistants Bizpro’s Business Blog

I’m a firm believer in accountability. That is, I feel that when someone is held accountable for something, and have someone to answer to they are more likely to achieve it. Most small business owners find they have to wear a number of hats, and have a myriad of tasks to achieve, but more often than not the only person who they are accountable to is themselves.

The difficulty with having no one to push you, no one to show that you did those tasks you said you were going to is that it’s very easy to let them slide. They build up and continue to grow and the bigger they get, the more we are likely to want to put them off. There will always be those tasks that you enjoy doing and those tasks that you don’t. Inevitably, the ones you don’t enjoy doing get put to the bottom of the pile.

Sometimes, they stay there, until they become so urgent you have no choice to complete them, and that’s were you find the task has become even more daunting.

Of course, this is where a virtual assistant could help you, by doing those tasks you keep putting off and, if you pick the right virtual assistant, they get to know you and your business and will be able to foresee and act upon these tasks as they come up, thus preventing you from that viscous circle of unimportant on non urgent tasks.

However, a business coach can also help here. If you choose the right one, they can help you to put your business plans and goals together, and keep your eye focused on achieving your aims. They can act as a sounding board & help you realise your vision and grow as a business owner.

Business coaches know about business, they also know about people. A good coach will be able to connect with you on your level, and coach you to look at situations outside yourself, enabling you to think more clearly. They hold you accountable for your actions and make you look at where you want to be and the steps you need to take to get there.

Generally business coaches have reams of tools, tricks and books to help you on your journey. They know what works, and what can make you more effective in your business.

Most business coaches will also recognise the benefits of outsourcing to a virtual assistant. By passing on the tasks you don’t have the time nor inclination for can enable you to spend more time working on your business rather than in your business.

I’ve recently been putting together my business continuity plans and procedures. Working out what Bizpro would do, and how we would do it should things go horribly wrong. It’s a good idea for all businesses, whether large or small to have a contingency plan, just in case.

This has, of course, got me thinking about what are the items that I really cannot function properly without, and, how I could work around them in the worst case scenario. Luckily for Bizpro, we believe we run a relatively tight ship. A lot of our work is based online, which means should our internet connection breakdown, we can still access our files and folders from anywhere that has an internet connection, such as the local library or hotels.

We are also fastidious in backing up files and keeping our virus protection up to date. All my work & emails are backed up online and offline, and, in my home office I have the choice of PC, 2 laptops and a netbook to use, so it is unlikely we would have much of an issue should we get a virus or one of the machines breaks down.

Of course, paperwork can be an issue, and regardless of how paper light we intend to be, there will always be some paperwork we need to keep. In an ideal world we would scan everything to ensure we have an electronic record, but in a small business this is just not possible. Instead, we keep most of our paperwork in a metal filing cabinet. It’s not ideal, but it should offer some protection in the event of a fire.

The real disaster for most small businesses is personnel. What would happen to your business if something happened to you? Would it just stop? Would those closest to you know what to do and who to contact? These are all things that every business should consider. Luckily for Bizpro, we now have a team of Virtual Assistants, and something as small as keeping a business diary (also kept online), allows them to know what is going on with the business, what I’m currently working on and who I’m currently working with, so I can rest assured my business is in safe hands should I be unable to work for a period of time. Not only does this give me peace of mind, it also means my clients can rest easy too, as their business is in safe hands.

Putting together a contingency plan is a worthwhile task for any business, regardless of size. Knowing that you are prepared should the worst happen, and you have a reliable and informed team available to step in or assist can be worth it’s weight in gold.

So, ask yourself a simple question – if the worst should happen, what would your business do?

Bizpro gets asked about telephone answering services a lot, and whilst we are happy to research the market for clients and get them the best deal, it’s not something we offer as a service ourselves. We believe that as Virtual Assistants & Virtual PA’s our focus needs to be on client work and not just answering the telephone. To us answering the telephone can be just as much of an interruption to our work as it can be to a client. We believe that if you are looking for telephone answering services you should look at a dedicated telephone answering service that is specifically set up to do just that.

And we should know!

We currently outsource all our reception calls to a firm called Kendlebell based in Swindon. We’re happy to admit we use a call answering service, as we are great advocates of outsourcing.

We keep telling our clients how beneficial it is, so we have to practice what we preach!

Kendlebell help to take the pressure off us. They know our service, what we offer, who deals with what, and we know our business is in safe hands. Answer phones aren’t really an option when it comes to business. Most callers won’t leave messages, and prefer to speak to a real person.

Who are we to argue?!

So many people shrink at the mere mention of that ‘C’ word, but like it or not it’s approaching, and approaching fast too.

So what are your plans? Are you organised, or are you a last minute person? Are you planning to take a well earned break or are you having to slog it out over the festive period? If you are lucky enough to be taking a well earned break for Christmas have you thought about what your competitors are doing? What your clients needs are?

Of course, there is always a very simple answer – outsource! With the exception of Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Years Day, Bizpro will be hard at work doing the jobs you don’t like or just don’t have time for. We can take care of those last minute requests on Christmas eve, or perhaps even put together that database you’ve been meaning to do. We can even send your Christmas cards for you, so all you have to worry about is enjoying yourself over the festive holiday!

I’ve always been a real advocate of Microsoft office. It’s superior layout, ease of use and sheer ability puts it streets ahead of the competition, or so I thought until two days ago. Being a software geek, I’ve always insisted on MS office and have had the complete package installed on all of our laptops & desktops.

You can only imagine my horror when it came to setting up my new net book, it doesn’t have the memory to support such a large set of programmes so I had no choice but to look for alternatives. I’m now the proud owner of a net book with OpenOffice installed, and I am amazed! So far so good, it installed very quickly, has a lot of the functionality I would expect of MS, similar layout so the easily confused, (such as myself on a bad day), can navigate around easily enough, and the best bit of all, it’s free! Yes, completely free! I’m very impressed. Not only does my shiny new net book have a writer, it also has the software for spreadsheets, presentations, databases. What more could a busy VA want?

Of course, one of the most important things is that it’s all still compatible with MS. After shelling out for all that MS software I’m certainly not going to give it up in a hurry!

Want to know more? Find it here

I’ve just taken delivery of my new toy, and it’s not even Christmas! I’ve recently been travelling into London quite a lot for one of my clients, so I bought a Samsung NC10 notebook so I can utilise the time spent on the train by updating my blog and writing articles for both Bizpro and my clients.

Netbook

I’m very pleased with it, with a 10.2 inch screen, and weighing in at only 1.3kgs, it’s a perfect size for on the move, and it’s not so heavy to be troublesome either. I can even fit it into my handbag so no one need know I am carrying a netbook!

It’s completely versatile and does pretty much everything I need it to. I have wi-fi internet access for my emails, forums and blogs, and I’ve uploaded openoffice onto it so I have access to a writer, spreadsheets, presentations etc. It even has a webcam! Coming in at under £300 I would say it’s my gadget of the year, and it means that my time is utilised more effectively, and my travel time is put to good use..

This new netbook typifies the service Bizpro are offering. We’ve offered various services for some time now to help busy business travellers; not least of all our specialised phone service which enables callers to leave their dictation whilst on the move, travelling between meetings, etc.

Definately worth a look!

For any job you do, whether in work or home life, having the right tools for it certainly makes life easier, if not quicker. It makes sense to look at the bigger picture when faced with a job that you either don’t have the right tools for, the right training, or the right frame of mind. Sometimes, it can be much more cost effective to pay someone else to do the job for you, especially when they seem to have all the right tools, training, and experience, etc. However, sometimes things aren’t always as they appear and sometimes you can be temporarily blinded by your own need for that person to be able to do the job. So how can you safeguard against this? How can you tell you have the right person for the job every time? How do you check their credentials?

It’s an interesting point, and something that I’m careful about myself. I like to think I’m a reasonably good judge of character, but I’ve had my fingers burned, too (albeit rarely, thank goodness). In business, I am a firm believer in testimonials. They are possibly the most powerful tool you can get which validates your business and your work. They’re certainly not fool proof, (personally, I would always be aware of testimonials whose author would only put their initials to the statement), but if used correctly, they are valuable. I make it a point in my business to ask for testimonials from my clients, if they are happy with the service they have received. On the same side, if they are not happy, I would also like to know about it. Far better for you to be made aware of your faults so you can take steps to remedy them, than it is for everyone else to be made aware of them!

I use feedback forms for training, and feedback forms for my work. Any feedback or testimonial is worth its weight in gold as I know how constructive it can be for a business to know where they are falling down, and where they are exceptional. Likewise, I always try to leave a testimonial or feedback for my suppliers too.

As for the right tools for the job, if we didn’t have them, we wouldn’t be here. ;o)

It’s finally here!

Bizpro has a funky new look and a great new website to go with it. It’s a vast improvement on the last one, more user friendly and packed with lots of useful tips and information too!

Designed and produced by the fabulous Duncan Michael MacGregor from Duck on Water; a very patient and understanding web designer who has amazed me with his knowledge of websites, gadgets and his ability to know exactly what I am looking for and what looks good.

It would be good to get your feedback and comments on the site, so feel free to let me know!

Bizpro-video

Bizpro’s new testimonial video is now live, and I have to say I am very pleased with it!

It’s a great way of letting visitors to your website know what your clients have to say about your business, and it can also provide inspiration to them, helping them to decide how they can free up more time by utilising the services of a Virtual Assistant.

Of course this video wouldn’t have been possible without the wonderful testimonials from 3 of my most valued clients, so I am very grateful to them, along with the wonderful Julian Wellings of JW Films, www.jwfilms.co.uk who has put it all together so wonderfully.