Successfully Outsourcing Virtual Assistant Services

The objective of most webmasters is to improve search engine ranking positions, increase traffic, and generate leads at a low cost.  There are wide ranges of ways to improve your ranking on search engines and generate the amount of business leads you need to grow your business.

Optimizing your web strategy is a time consuming and arduous process, and can divert your attention away from your core business practices.  As a result, many business owners, webmasters, and domainers choose to hire virtual assistants from offshore call centers to do their dirty work.  

Offshore virtual assistants provide the advantages of working from inexpensive remote locations, can be employed on a by-contract system, and often don’t require the set-up associated with hiring someone internally. Additionally, by engaging an outsourcing company, your business may only be invoiced for the exact hours the virtual assistant has spent working on the obligated projects.

In recent years, a cottage industry has developed of books and services implying that outsourcing is a sort of magic elixir that can propel your business to new heights at a minimal cost. However, to quote a famous axiom, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. It can often be difficult for someone with a different cultural background decipher and evaluate differences between spam and quality websites, etc.  

Key Term: Assistant

Many entrepreneurs make the mistake of hiring a virtual assistant, and expecting a virtual replacement.  If you expect to hand over your job and continue the level of output you currently experience, you may have another thing coming.  The goal of outsourcing is not to unload your job duties while you sip martinis by the beach.  Companies that are successful with outsourcing, maintain the same hours and level of dedication even after hiring an outsourced employee.  

Determine which time consuming activities eat up your time, are repeatable, and can easily be trained.  Provide specific instructions, maintain a log of both completed and incomplete tasks, and stay in close contact with your assistant.  This way, should a problem arise, the issue can quickly be resolved.  Remember, just like any other employee, your offshore assistant may be afraid to tell you if there is something she doesn’t understand.

KISS Principle

When engaging an offshore call center for the first time, follow the KISS principle (Keep It Simple Stupid).  Start with basic research, content writing, and link building.  This will give you a quick sample of her work which you can evaluate to get a feel for her capabilities.  Once you are satisfied, you can begin to assign higher-level tasks and duties.

In conclusion, call center outsourcing services are not going to solve all your problems, but can help you save money and boost productivity if managed properly.  Understand your assistant’s limitations, appreciate her skills, and work side-by-side with her to create a powerful tandem.  If you make the effort, outsourced virtual assistants can help your business grow, and help your work week get closer to the four hour dream some have promised.