Technology has given new meaning to the phrase “it’s a small world after all.” With connectivity and immediacy, we’re able to link to parts abroad as if there were no borders or little space between. Save for time zone and language differences, we’re able to think globally unlike ever before in terms of business opportunities. We can sync and sell with innumerable points on the globe from our own zip codes, without leaving home if we so choose. That’s the amazing thing about virtual offices; we can be anywhere, from Los Angeles to New York, without going anywhere these days.
If you’re a business owner, either established or start-up, think beyond the borders about how your business may hold international viability and profitability. Do you trade in goods that could have global appeal? Could your services translate for other cultures?
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Welcome to the Era of The Entrepreneur! The economic downturn of the last two years has caused corporations to do lots of shedding, and that’s left many talented, experienced professionals without jobs and suddenly diverted from career paths that once seemed tried and true.
And for those professionals with entrepreneurism in their DNA, this jarring of reality hasn’t been bad news; it’s been the necessary nudge they needed to start their own businesses.
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Rumor has it the economy is showing signs of improvement. While numbers may be trickling in to support such news, many small business owners in the trenches have yet to see tides turn.
Savvy company leaders are proceeding with great caution and reserved optimism to face the here-and-now wisely so that they can be more successful down the road. Just as a tree deepens its root system each time it endures a blustery storm, small businesses that survive these challenging times will surely stand taller and grow stronger when the sun shines again.
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Surely this has happened to you. You dial a business number fully anticipating to get voicemail or an automated system and are taken aback when an actual person answers. Sometimes we don’t know what to do at the sound of a live receptionist on the line and nearly fumble our words. Pleasant and welcomed as human interaction may be, nearly all of us are trained to expect a recording or automated system just about anytime we make a call for business.
The companies that field phone calls with live receptionists are the stand-outs, and they certainly stand to gain when it comes to customer loyalty and satisfaction. Customers commonly dislike systems that require them to press or speak responses; they prefer human interaction to ensure direct information, explanations and immediate resolution Simply put, it’s comforting and assuring to connect with a person instead of a machine. Direct contact builds relationships that ultimately grow brands and increase sales.
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The virtual assistant career path is not a new one, but it’s certainly gained popularity in recent years. Thanks to burgeoning technologies, evolving workplace models and shifts in growth industries, opportunities for virtual assistants have been on the rise. At last, business people who themselves are working remotely in increased numbers are open to aligning with virtual assistants who may be based far away but are always close at hand, virtually providing support in a variety of ways.
As demand for virtual staffing has grown, so has the number of people interested in the career path. Though at first glance career opportunists may think this path is a simple one to break into, reality proves otherwise. Today’s demanding business owners need virtual office assistance that’s not only reliable, long term and consistent but intelligent, proactive and highly versatile. Being a successful, highly productive virtual assistant requires much time, dedication, training and willingness to face challenging situations.
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