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View more presentations from voss1.

View more presentations from voss1.

Kelly Sims asked:


One of the first questions I get when speaking with new or prospective clients for the first time is “how does it work?”. Although every virtual assistant or “VA” works differently, there are a few basic guidelines that you can follow to optimize the benefits of working with your VA:

1. Delegate, delegate and delegate some more! Create a list of tasks that either take you away from the money earning aspects of your business, or that you simply don’t like to do. Review your list with your virtual assistant and discuss how he/she might be able to take some of those items off of your plate.

2. The basis of any good client/virtual assistant relationship is communication. When you begin working with a VA, let them know how you prefer to communicate and what your communication style is. How will you be contacting him/her? Will you call, email, use a chat service? Do you plan on being in touch frequently each day, once or twice per week, or a couple of times per month? Some virtual assistants set a schedule for communicating with clients in order to remain efficient and may not be able to respond within your expected time frame, while others answer calls at any time throughout the day. These are all things that should be discussed up front in order to prevent any surprises down the road.

3. Once you and your virtual assistant have worked together for some time, you will both know what is expected of you. In the beginning though, it will be a learning process for you and for even the most seasoned virtual assistant. Until your VA learns your working style, it’s best to give clear, concise instructions. He or she might not feel comfortable taking the reins (so to speak) on project ideas when they don’t know how much leeway they have.

4. Discuss task turnaround time. If you hire a virtual assistant and expect that each task given will be completed the same day, you might be in for a surprise. Unlike an in-house assistant, you are not the only person a virtual assistant is working with. He/she may have to juggle numerous clients and thus numerous projects each day. If you have a deadline, discuss it with your VA to be sure they have the time to get your job done on schedule.

Working with a virtual assistant is a great way to grow your business without the stress, hassle and cost of hiring an employee. Ensuring that you and your assistant are on the same page is an important way to make certain that not only will you begin the working relationship on a positive note, but that you will also improve the chances of a successful long term association.



Singapore Virtual Office

Melissa Brewer asked:


How many times have you wished that there was a work at home opportunity for an entry-level office job applicant? Do you daydream about the time you would save each day if you didn’t have to make that commute to work? Do you wish you didn’t have to dress up to attend that lame morning “pep talk” during your first cup of coffee?

You’re in luck – the times are changing. Many men and women across the country have changed career paths – and their lives, by cashing in on the latest trend in the travel and tourism industry – homeshoring. For reservation agents that work-at-home, the commute is simply moving from one room to another to start their day. It’s happening on a regular basis in the time (and sometimes cash) strapped travel and tourism industry, and most of these companies provide local training before their employees take their virtual jobs home.

Companies that hire homeshoring workers in these industries provide a full course of paid training. If you’re looking for a work-at-home opportunity, and have a home office complete with computer, Internet connection, and a second phone line, then you may be able to find employment as a reservation agent with airlines such as Jet Blue, American Airlines, Continental Airlines, or hotel chains such as Outrigger Hotels, Marriot Global Reservations, or Fairmont Hotels and Resorts.

JetBlue’s virtual opportunities set the homeshoring trend.

Jet Blue, who started their work-at-home program during the company’s infancy, quickly saw a 25% increase in productivity once employees were allowed to work from home. It is for this reason the company continues to hire work-at-home reservation agents today and why so many other companies are following their example.

In an effort to control the costs of operating traditional call centers, many US-based companies have created programs that allow employees to work-at-home instead. As a result, fewer jobs are being outsourced to countries like India and Mexico. Because most US customers would rather speak to someone whose native language is English, these companies feel they are providing better customer service in addition to providing jobs to those in the US. It’s also easier for them to schedule people during peak hours when the weather’s bad – an essential component for an industry whose reputation is at stake during the holiday season.

Currently, there are about 112,000 people working from home as customer service representatives (reservation agents, telesales, insurance agents, etc.). By 2010, this number is expected to increase to about 330,000.

Jet Blue Airlines is a success story because the company has always relied on work-at-home employees to help Jet Blue customers book reservations and answer their questions or complaints about flights and airline policies. Based in Salt Lake City, Utah, Jet Blue Airlines employs over 1,200 reservation agents who work locally.

In fact, many of the companies who hire people to work from home expect them to work locally so they can be contacted quickly to work extra shifts or to cover shift changes. Some companies even provide additional space in their home offices for employees to complete their shift if employees are having technical difficulties with home office equipment.

Looking for an opportunity as a virtual reservation agent?

To become a virtual agent, you may need to have prior customer service experience or you may receive on-the-job training in a nearby facility. Depending on the company, you may have the option to work part-time or full-time, you may have to work weekends and holidays, and you may be asked to cover additional shifts when necessary.

When researching possible virtual opportunities, finding companies that are within driving distance is important because many companies require that you be able to commute for on-site training. Paid training is usually provided. Keep in mind that you may be responsible for finding your own health benefits, however, as some companies do not provide health coverage for those who work from home.

Job duties vary based on the services provided by the company, but for many virtual reservation agent opportunities, you should be able to research flights, hotel room availability, make recommendations to customers about travel, quote accurate prices, input reservation data, send verifications, and answer most questions or address complaints that customers have.

The income level you can earn for most of these virtual opportunities will vary based on company criteria. Most jobs start between $7.50-$10.00 with salary differentials given on weekends and holidays. All paid employees reap the benefits of the travel industry, such as free and discounted travel, as well as qualify for standard benefits after a certain probationary period.

Although salaries tend to be on the lower end of the spectrum, home based reservations agents save, on average, up to $4000.00 on their commuting expenses alone. Not sure you can take a salary cut? Add up the cost savings of wardrobe, daycare, and eating out for lunch – and you’ll see there’s a lot more take home pay in the home-based reservation agent model. And don’t forget that you can often write off your job-related expenses in your taxes.

In the end, most employees find working from home, especially in a job that can be stressful at times, allows them to remain focused, relaxed, and gives them more time to spend with family or to pursue other interests.



Virtual Office

Darvy Kaitlin asked:


If you want to run a business in UK, Wales or Scotland, you would certainly like to create a good impression on your customers. You would like to make them feel that yours is a business of impressive stature. For this you have to have a registered office in a renowned location. It will be the official address of your business farm. It must be registered with the Companies House. All the mails and letters issued to you will be sent to this address. Your company secretary will be in charge of maintaining it.

Big companies have their own space in valid places to run a registered office. It is the relatively smaller organizations that face problem in getting an address for the purpose. The legal matters connected with this office also make things a little more difficult. According to UK company law, the registered office of a business organization must be in a legally valid place. The name of the company should be displayed in front of the office. The products of the company also should have the address printed on them.

All these formalities make it a must to get an office in a suitable place. Now it is a big problem for any small company. No matter whether it operates its business from some remote place in UK, Wales or Scotland or from foreign location, it must shell out big amount to manage a registered office in a valid area.

Fortunately, there is an easy solution to this problem. There are farms and agencies that offer the service of registered office. They manage address for such kind of office for others and maintain them on their behalf at a certain cost. They observe all the legal formalities and forward the mails sent from Companies House. They charge a reasonable fee for this type of service. Their service can be availed via the internet.



Singapore Virtual Office

Rene Graeber asked:


Running a virtual corporation takes an entirely different skill set and frame of mind than working at a physical location.

The popular conception of people who work from home, or telecommute, is a rather skewed one: when you think of working from home, you’re likely picturing a leisurely individual clad in pajamas and bunny slippers, lounging poolside with a laptop and a cool drink.

This erroneous image of a glamorous freedom from responsibility, all while earning more money than you could possibly spend, has become the impetus for many disgruntled office employees and homemakers to fuel the growth of work-at-home scams.

The reality of operating a virtual corporation is much less dazzling.

Ask anyone who runs a business from home, and they’ll paint a more accurate picture of long hours, endless responsibilities, and struggles with clients that would never occur in the regular business world.

The VC business model is not the easiest form to tackle.

However, make no mistake: it is the most rewarding, and eventually, the most fun. And it does get easier.

By arming yourself with the facts about running a virtual corporation before you begin one, you can turn a potential disaster into the best and most satisfying career you will ever have—and someday you will find yourself in the lounge chair by the pool, with a laptop and a cool drink, while everyone is asking you how you did it.

We’ll start by discussing the aforementioned character traits you need to be a successful virtual corporation.

Passion: Does this one come as a surprise? Passion may not seem like a difficult trait to come by, but it’s one of the most important for anyone working from home. You are going to be spending a lot of time thinking about your business, developing your business, working on your business, and convincing potential customers to give you business. That makes your passion for what you’re doing an essential element of your skill set for two important reasons. One is that you will live and breathe your product or service. The other is that when you believe in what you’re doing (or selling), that passion will shine through in your work, and your customers will feel confident in dealing with you.

Motivation: Are you driven to work for yourself? The reasons behind the decision to work from home in a virtual setting are as varied as the people who do it. For many, it is the freedom of creativity and the challenge of making all the decisions themselves that drives them away from an office setting. Some are simply tired of lining other people’s pockets with the fruits of their labor. Thousands of parents make the move to virtual corporations in order to spend more time with their families. Still another great reason to work from home is the expense you will save on gas, travel time, professional attire, and takeout lunches. Whatever your reasons for choosing to start or transition to a virtual corporation, make sure the motivation behind them is powerful enough to keep you working when the going gets tough.

HELPFUL HINT: Determine your motivations for running a virtual corporation right from the start: “I want to be here for my family,” or “I’m sick of dazzling clients left and right just to make my boss look good,” or “If gas prices rise one more time, I’ll have to start riding a bike to work.” Then commemorate those motivations in physical form: make a poster, use the marquee setting on your computer’s screensaver, or write it with a marker on a coffee mug. Keep your driving force on display at your home office desk and glance at it every once in a while—like after you’ve just argued with a client over why he should pay the invoice you sent him thirty days ago, or while you’re up at two in the morning trying to put the finishing touches on a proposal. It will remind you why you’re doing this, and what your rewards are.

Determination: If you’re the type of person who gives up easily, running a virtual corporation will be challenging at best. The good news is, determination is something you can develop. You may find that otherwise well-meaning friends and family members have difficulty understanding that even though you’re home, you’re working; and no, you can’t run to the grocery store or dog-sit for them, nor can you enjoy a leisurely chat over coffee in the middle of the afternoon. Determination to make your virtual corporation successful will help you learn to say “no” to requests that would seem reasonable, if only you weren’t working. Start out by informing everyone you know (especially those who are potential interruptions) that you are starting a business from home, and briefly explain what your job will entail.

Self-discipline: As someone who will report only to yourself, you must keep in mind that the work will not get done unless you do it. You’ll also have to deal with the temptation of distraction, especially in a virtual setting where the internet provides all kinds of lovely sidetracks that are just a click away. Most people don’t naturally possess the amount of self-discipline necessary to run a virtual home-based business—but this skill is also something that can be developed. It’s a case of practice makes perfect: the more often you remind yourself that you’re sitting in front of the computer to work, the more natural the process will become.

HELPFUL HINT #1: Set a schedule for yourself and stick to it. Because you are working for yourself, you have the ability to create a flexible schedule that fits around the rest of your life. Perhaps you are able to devote the hours of 9 to 5 for work. Or, if you’re following the virtual model in order to spend time with your family, you may choose to work while the kids are at school, and then put in a few more hours at the end of the day, after they’ve gone to bed. You can give yourself weekends off, or schedule additional hours on the weekends in order to have more free time during the week. Whatever schedule you set for yourself, the only important thing is to make sure you follow it as strictly as possible so you’re not scrambling to get things done.

HELPFUL HINT #2: If you’re able, have two separate computers: one for work, and one for leisure. One of the most difficult challenges in running a virtual corporation is setting boundaries between work and personal time; more often than not, beginners blend everything together and end up feeling like every waking moment is spent working. Having separate computers helps you distinguish work from leisure in your mind, and allows you to maintain your professional side while still finding time to unwind. Do not install instant messenger programs, chat room applets or computer games on your workstation computer; save those for private time.

Personal responsibility: For everything that goes right—or wrong—in your virtual corporation, you will be the one solely responsible for it. Those who work from home must keep in mind that when problems come up, they are responsible for solving them in the most professional manner possible. On the flip side, however, you get to take every scrap of credit for jobs well done. The pride and satisfaction you can take in running a virtual corporation is unmatched.



Virtual Office Address

Ty Ralot asked:


Working in a busy office can get overwhelming but for many employees, there is always a method to the madness. However, that madness does not always translate well from one employee to the next. In order for a business to increase productivity, it is essential that everyone is working on the same page so that everyone will have a clear understanding of what needs to be done to stay on top. While some offices will have devised some complicated system to stay on top of messages, notes, and to do lists, many will find it difficult to train new employees in the disorganized environment.

One solution to simplify office communications is to implement the easy to use virtual PBX phone system into the office. The virtual PBX phone, along with a toll free number will connect all of your employees, regardless of their location, and essentially streamline your entire communications network. Your toll free phone number can help you to increase your sales or service profits because you are opening your business up to a wider audience and no longer limiting yourself by using a local phone number. As business increases, your productivity will need to follow suit and being unorganized is not the way to start out your plan for growth.

The virtual PBX system offers many inclusive features that can help with the declutter. First off, there is no longer a need for the physical presence of a receptionist. All incoming calls are handled automatically, even if they are received simultaneously. Without having to rely on one person to take handwritten notes that may or may not be urgent, employees have better control over their customer/client communications. They no longer have to worry about misplacing a message on paper and can instead rely in their customizable voice mail box to collect calls when they are not available. Employees can also have all calls to their individual extensions forwarded to another phone number such as a home phone or cellular number. In addition to eliminating the paper notes, the messages from callers can be saved, stored, and retrieved at any time to help keep miscommunication to a minimum.

Decluttering your office is an essential part of staying on top of business and the virtual PBX phone system is a great place to start. Once the automated system is implemented, employees will be able to focus their efforts on organization and the important work instead of repeatedly being interrupted by calls that are not necessarily a priority. With a new year in full effect, an organized business is a successful business.



Virtual Office In Singapore

Brandi Cummings asked:


If you are considering a home office, you may feel a little overwhelmed at the logistics of getting started. After all, there are a lot of things that need to be considered. Setting up your home office should be an exciting time, not a stressful one. Taking it one thing at a time will make it easier and a lot more fun. Most of the things that you will need fall into 3 categories: work station, organization, and communication. Here are a few ideas to get you started.

Work Station

Your work station will most likely involve the most planning and expense. This is going to include your desk, chair, and computer among other things. You can go simple or extravagant. If you are just starting out and don’t have a big budget, keep it simple and put your money into the things that will help you work more comfortably and efficiently first.

Keep your desk functional and space appropriate without being flimsy. There will be plenty of time to upgrade to that cherry desk with the marble table top later. One with a file drawer and CPU cubby built in will help you maximize the use of your space. An “L” or “U” shaped desk has the advantage of giving you a workspace for your computer and keyboard while also allowing for space to spread out documents that you are working on and/or a writing space. Many people find that a desk that has a keyboard tray allows them to sit more ergonomically correct while others prefer to use the keyboard on the desktop. The other ergonomically important aspect of your office will be your chair.

Your chair should be something that you splurge on. You will want a chair that has adjustments for height and back support. You should be able to sit at the back of the chair, with your feet flat on the floor and have about 2 inches between the seat of the chair and the back of your knees. For those people with shorter legs that are not able to set the height of their chair to comfortably reach their desk, and still have their feet flat on the ground, a foot stool is recommended. A cushioned chair with fabric is also usually preferable to leather or a hard surface. The cushioning will pad your backside while the fabric allows it breathe during extended sitting. You may be spending a lot of time in this chair talking on the phone or staring at a computer screen and you want to make sure it is comfortable.

Next you will need to consider your computer and monitor. If you already have a computer, evaluate its efficiency and ability to handle the increased demands that will be put on it while going from recreational use to full time business use. Do you have enough memory and processing speed to handle the additional files and workload? You may be able to either simply upgrade your current computer to handle the extra load, or it may be necessary to buy a new computer. The major computer makers (Dell, Gateway, Mac, IBM) can usually help you with what you will need in terms of memory, processor speed and hard drive space for what you plan on using the computer for. Check out the websites or go to your local electronics store and talk to the sales people. They are generally very knowledgeable and willing to help.

Your monitor is going to be a work station tool that you don’t want to skimp on. A flat screen is best. They take up less space, they are better on your eyes, and also use 50% less energy. Shoot for 19 inches if you can get one within your budget. If you do a lot of detailed graphics work, 21 inches will be preferable. Just like your chair, the return on your investment with your monitor is going to be less stress and strain on your body and allow you to work more comfortably for longer periods of time.

Organization

As I stated before a desk that has a file drawer built in will save you the most space, but the most important thing is that you do have one whether it is attached or not. Some people may also be tempted to combine their personal and business file cabinets. I wouldn’t recommend this unless you can devote a complete drawer or drawers to business only. The co-mingling of personal and business files only leads to confusion and you will be able to find things much more quickly if they are separate.

Another organizational tool that you may consider is a contact manager. Only you will know if this tool is something that you can use, but if you deal with a lot of different clients or if you need to keep a list of potential clients and business contacts, a contact manager is going to help you tremendously. It will allow you keep a list of all of your contacts and their essential details such as where you met, personal details about them, and what services they may be interested in. It will also keep track of your appointments and to do list to keep you organized and on task.

Communication

Your communications are going to be vital to your new home office. This is another place where you want to make sure that you don’t skimp. Make sure that your entire communication system, from Internet access to fax is efficient and projects an image of professionalism.

First of all, dial up just won’t do. It may have been fine for your occasional surfing or for the kids to do their homework. But dial up does not move at the speed of business. You will be wasting enormous amounts of time waiting for your downloads whether it is web pages or email. It will be worth it to upgrade to DSL or cable.

For your phone and fax communications there are a number of options. When establishing your home office communications important things to consider are image, flexibility, and space. Instead of the expense and hassle of installing a second phone line, consider a virtual phone system that will forward your calls to your already existing phone line. There are a number of advantages of setting up your communications this way.

Your image is going to be very important as you establish your home office. One of the first impressions people will get of you and your business is when they call you. First and foremost, it is important to keep your personal calls separate from your business calls. Nothing screams unprofessional louder than your child answering a client’s call. A virtual phone system will assist in the professional image department in a number of ways.

One, it will allow you to have the call announced to you so that you, and your child, know that it is a business call coming in and can handle it appropriately. Two, most virtual phone systems have an automated attendant, just like the Fortune 500 companies have, that will allow you to greet your callers with a professional recording such as, “Thank you for calling ABC Consulting. For sales press 1, for billing press 2″. Third, it will have voicemail that you can access online, through email or over the phone. That way, if you do miss a call, and regardless of where you are, you can get your messages quickly, easily and get back to your clients in a timely matter.

For flexibility a virtual phone system can’t be beat. It will allow you to transfer your business calls to anywhere you are. So when you are in your home office your calls will forward to you there and when you need to leave, your business calls can follow you on your cell phone. After all, one of the advantages of working from home is the freedom to step out when you need, or want to.

For saving space in your new home office, combine your fax communications with your new virtual phone system. Fax machines take up a lot of space, not to mention ink, paper and maintenance. Most virtual phone systems will have fax features as well that will allow you to send and receive your faxes right from your computer. With electronic, or virtual, fax you can scrap the fax machine completely.

Establishing a home office is an exciting time. Don’t let the logistics of it overwhelm you. Breaking things down into categories helps you to focus on one thing at a time. You need a work station, organization and communications. Taking each one separately and determining what you will need for each will make things easier on you. You’ll have your home office set up in no time.



Virtual Office In Singapore

Brandi Cummings asked:


Now more than ever, the home offices and home based businesses that are sprouting up across the United States can have all of the conveniences of their big business competition. There are a whole host of cool tools that home offices can use that will increase your productivity and enhance your professional image. These tools are so good that people that do business with you may never even know that you are working from home.

One such tool is Internet fax. Internet fax allows you to send and receive faxes on your computer. When a fax is received it is attached to an email. The files come in as either .tiff or .pdf files, either of which can be easily viewed with free software that is most likely already on your computer. The incoming Internet faxes do not interfere with your existing phone lines and therefore you do not need a separate line for phone and fax. This also eliminates an even worse scenario of having a shared line for phone and fax that needs to be toggled every time a fax is expected.

Sending faxes is just as easy. Faxes can be sent either straight from a word processor, using similar steps already used to print documents, or from an online interface. Either way, Internet fax makes it convenient for people that work from home to get their faxes out quickly and easily.

The top 3 benefits of Internet fax for a home office include:

*Increased office organization and decreased costs by getting rid of bulky fax machines that need toner, paper and maintenance.

*Increased efficiency since sending and receiving faxes can be done without even leaving your desk.

*Enhanced professional image due to the 24/7 availability of your fax number (without having to switch the line from phone to fax and back again.)

Another great tool that allows home based businesses increased productivity and enhanced professional image is the virtual PBX. While this technology has been a round for awhile now, it is really making a surge in popularity due to the increase in people working from home.

A virtual PBX is a phone system complete with automated main menu greetings, multiple voice mailboxes and extensions, faxing, email delivery of voice and fax messages and more but without any hardware or software required. Calls are forwarded to you wherever you have programmed the system to reach you. The phone systems are all run and housed by a virtual PBX provider and therefore you can have all the same conveniences and outward professional appearance as a larger company, but without the expensive and cumbersome equipment and maintenance.

The top 3 benefits of a virtual PBX for a home office include:

*Projection of a professional image due to the automated main menu greeting and multiple extensions.

*Efficiency of consolidating and unifying all communications to one place. Voice, fax, and email messages all to your computer.

*Flexibility of having calls forwarded to you anywhere you wish and the ability to change it on the go.

These are just two of the great tools available for home offices today. The home office revolution has been creating a need for technologies such as this and providers are rising to meet those needs. With tools like Internet fax and virtual PBX, most consumers would be hard put to say whether the company they are working with is a home office or a large company.



Virtual Office Address