“Outsourcing is always overseas”
False
The majority of our business is done here in the UK, where we have our largest team based remotely all over the country. However, we also think overseas support should also be seen as an advantage, so if you require localised international knowledge, or need to work to different time zones, we have Partners in locations from Japan, the USA and all over Europe.
For businesses in Australia, the time difference might mean they find the growing outsourcing hub in South Africa the most useful, or for any international business.
“I would be able to do it better than an outsourced team”
False
This is the most common assumption, especially in small businesses. The most important skill you will ever master is the ability to delegate. Just because a job needs doing, it doesn’t mean you are the one to do it.
“Outsourcing is only for large companies”
False
The assumption that outsourcing means that you need to have enough work to preoccupy a large team is outdated. The beauty of scalable outsourcing is that you can bridge the gap between having a good level of busy and hectic, which might only be the difference of a few hours a week. We recommend starting by creating a list of all the tasks you don’t like doing as they are more likely to take you longer than they will take someone else and therefore are perfect for outsourcing.
“Outsourcing will save on recruitment costs”
True
Outsourcing should be looked upon as a cost-effective recruitment alternative. Instead of hosting someone in-house, you save on real estate space and technology overheads. You also avoid paying those ever-increasing recruitment fees, estimated to be in excess of £5000.
“Outsourcing is only for non-critical tasks”
False
Sometimes, it is the tasks that you may at first think require all of your attention each day that are the easiest to outsource. You should start to think about outsourcing as filtering out the noise. Emails, diary management, incoming calls, these are the first ones to consider relinquishing control over as they provide the biggest distraction.
“Outsourcing will disrupt communication”
False
Outsourcing requires a certain level of communication in order for it to work. However, you might already have the best practice systems in place. If you are used to employees working remotely or utilise a work management platform such as Slack or Trello, you will be able to integrate a remote worker very easily into your team. You’re actually more likely to see your whole team’s communication improve overall.
“Most virtual PAs have limited skills”
False
Whether you need an expert in document production, Microsoft Office or Google Suite, a researcher, someone to take care of your bookkeeping, or something else entirely, SmartPA will be able to find a solution that works for you.
We have virtual PAs from a huge range of industries, with specific skill-sets that could enhance your business. For those who believe that talent in the virtual PA industry is becoming increasingly diluted, the exact opposite is true. In fact, it's becoming more and more diversified. We know that no two businesses are the same and that every company has its own set of individual requirements. That's why our service will provide you with a virtual PA who can cater to any specific needs your company may have.
Overall, growth has been a good thing for the virtual PA industry.
It has boosted the talent level, simply because more experienced PAs have chosen to enter the profession, excited at the opportunities it provides them.
Have you been surprised?
Chat to our team today to find out how outsourced remote assistant support can work for you in your business.