Help! Advice needed please - admin outsourcing

[RebeccaPA]

Hi everyone. I'm new to the site and would really like some advice/feedback. I'm looking to start up an outsourcing admin business. My background is office management, PA/secretarial, office support working for CEO's/FD's. I have extensive admin experience. I want to target small businesses who maybe dont want the hassle or cost of recruitment and dont want to employ someone full or even part time, who have an admin related task or need someone to help with sending their invoices, setting up spreadsheets/databases, mail shots to cutomers. Help with websites/social media sites. Organising events or ad hoc tasks which they simply dont have the resources or knowledge to do.

Are you a small business? Would you consider using a service like this as and when you require, no agency fees for temp staff just pay for what you need.

I would love to hear from you positive or negative. Or if you have used a service like this before, what was your experience?

Many thanks
Rebecca

 

[ethical PR]

There are lots of VA type services out there. So do some research see what others are offering and at what cost. You can then look at what you can offer, at what cost, how you differentiate yourselves from your competitors, your target customer praofiles and how your marketing strategy.

If you search this forum there are lots of posts about VAs and also you can google for VA forums.

 

[RebeccaPA]

Hi, thanks for your reply. I'm really grateful. I've been doing quite a lot of research which has been great and will certainly take your advice to search this site. I was also hoping people who may have used these kinds of services before will comment on what their experiences have been and if they use them regularly etc. thanks again Rebecca

 

Go and have a look at the Society of Virtual Assistants - there are loads of VA's there, some very successful, and they are always keen to help.

 

[kevin.doran]

http://www.ukbusinessforums.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=283694

 

[yuzi87]

http://www.ukbusinessforums.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=283694

Nice work!

 

[Alan]

Yes, with the economic uncertainty and with the high risks of employing people due to employments legislation a lot of small businesses use the sort of outsource services you provide.

My top tip is to network with your local business associations and any other local business networking, local business trade exhibitions etc you can find. There are lots of VA services out there but businesses are very likely to pick people they have seen in the flesh, at least once, as it is very reassuring.