Virtual assistants are administrative workers hired online to help with general administration tasks around your home and office. They can do anything an in-person assistant would do, but only if they can be done remotely. From making phone calls, to scheduling doctor’s appointments, to finding a good plumber to fix your toilet, a virtual assistant can be a great addition to your team.
1. Appointments and scheduling
If you’re an extremely busy person, you might have trouble managing your own calendar and staying on top of when you’re meeting with people. You can outsource this task to your virtual assistant, and they can coordinate with the people you’re meeting to find a good time in your schedule that’s mutually agreeable. Plus, they can call and schedule appointments with service providers such as dentists and doctors.
2. Finding service providers
Everyone wants to use the best-rated top service providers that are worth the money, but not everyone has time to sift through the reviews online and find the best value. If you don’t have time to do this, it can actually end up being expensive in the long-run. Your VA can find a plumber when your pipe leaks, and can even schedule a visit and pay them for you. This common household task can cost you a lot of time, and it can be worth it to outsource to a virtual assistant.
3. Product research
Another great way to use a virtual assistant is for product research. Nowadays, the choices are endless, even for something as simple as a pair of sunglasses. Fortunately, you can assign your VA to look at the reviews on Amazon or other websites and provide you with a list of just the top 5 products, avoiding the possibility of wasting hours shopping online.
4. PDF splitting and formatting documents
Nobody enjoys fiddling with microsoft word and adobe reader trying to get their files in the correct format. Once you’ve filled out a form, you can send it off to your VA to have them format it correctly for you. Plus, they’re often quite good with computers and can manage complicated tasks like splitting and merging PDFs, as well as the usual microsoft office skills. After they’re done, they can send it where it goes via email.
5. Send out greeting cards
Your virtual assistant can actually take on personal errands as well, such as sending out greeting cards to friends and family around holidays. You can even give your VA a list of birthdays and have them send cards for each one. Some virtual assistants can only do e-cards, but others will gladly send a regular card. Plus, these days you can order flowers online easily, meaning your VA can send out flowers on your behalf.
