Last Updated on September 13, 2023
Hire a virtual data entry assistant: Data entry is a clerical task that entails capturing various forms of data (typed or voice) into computers. Data entry is used in diverse sectors, from healthcare to retail.
For many, data entry is no fun at all. It is laborious and monotonous. But for auditing, filing, and efficiency, it is useful. It is also so much better if you don’t need to do it yourself. Many believe hiring someone else to do mechanical work instead of taking on the job personally would cost a fortune. Not true. Hiring a virtual assistant to do your data entry can be cost-effective. You are then able to use your time for more critical projects. Your virtual assistant can address the office tasks − and for less than it would have cost you to do it yourself.
Moreover, any entrepreneur or small business owner would know three critical factors that can affect your revenue. These are your time management, the quality of your product, and the overhead costs. Regarding time management, you need to know where to spend your energy. You only have 24 hours a day; much of it is taken up by personal responsibilities. The eight working hours you have per day must be spent astutely.
Data entry is not a task requiring high intelligence – it is simply a waste of your valuable time. Also, while ensuring that your product and service are high quality, your admin work can bog you down. Spending too much time on admin work will negatively affect your service quality. This may rub off onto your clients, sending them elsewhere. You need to ask yourself whether your competition is dealing better with their admin work than you are. This could be the case, to your cost. On cost, who doesn’t want to save money and make more profit? Why waste money by doing the work yourself? Thinking smart, you can simply outsource your work. This will save you money. Your overhead costs can drop, and you can become more competitive than your rivals, increasing your profit margins.
What is a virtual data entry assistant?
Simply put, this is someone who works remotely and can help with admin tasks. You must delegate your work to the outsourced worker as the business owner or manager. What you benefit from hiring a virtual assistant are money, time, and effort savings. This means that you run your business more efficiently!
How to accomplish more with a virtual data entry assistant?
As a business owner who wants to hire a possible assistant, first draft a list of tasks required for your business and divide the list into two sections: the time-wasting component and the functions only you can perform to add value to your company. Group and label these functions into, for instance, admin tasks, social media, and other digital-marketing copy, writing of job descriptions, and ensuring your customer support is perfect. Ask yourself some questions to determine how much time each task requires. Ask yourself how much time you need to spend scheduling your social media copy, which includes adding images and shortening your URLs using apps such as Bit.ly – it may shock you how much time you spend daily on these tasks. Once you have assessed the time spent on each aspect of your work, you will know which tasks to delegate and how much time they should take to complete.
Onboarding your first virtual data entry assistant
For many, hiring a virtual assistant is a strange process. Selecting a handful of promising candidates from many applicants can be overwhelming. However, outsourcing work is nothing new – many businesses are resorting to this trend to reduce costs and to hire on-site staff in more senior and critical roles. Also, delegation is part and parcel of effective management and upscaling your business quickly and efficiently.
Here are the critical steps you should tick off when hiring a virtual assistant for your business.
Draft your plan
Warren Buffett once said, “An idiot with a plan can beat a genius without a plan.” Planning is essential to your success. This does not mean everything will always go to plan, but you must always remain agile. A method for onboarding a virtual assistant will set down what you require; you are then ready to move to the next step.
Draft your task list
You should already have taken this step since we mentioned it above; however, if you haven’t, lay out your daily tasks, and add the tasks you skip (yes, we know you miss some!). The list is crucial in deciding on the skills needed to complete these tasks. For instance: do you need to know how to use Excel? How difficult is this work?
Compile a document of the info your VA may need
A document of protocols and rules gives your assistant the knowledge of what to do and what not to do. Within the paper, list the login details for the sites you want them to access. You could even let your assistant create a free LastPass account, sharing the information via this platform. This is a helpful app to secure your codes using encrypted passwords while giving assistant access.
How to successfully delegate your data entry tasks?
Simply assigning tasks for your assistants to manage is not effective delegation. You want to avoid a learning curve scenario (as much as possible since it costs money and is frustrating). To delegate like a pro, take note of these tips:
Believe in the process!
Something you don’t know can cause doubt. However, you can upscale your business by up to 40% (or more) when offloading your tiresome tasks to an assistant. Instead, please focus on the results you want to achieve, much of it relating to being more efficient.
Maintain high standards and learn from your mistakes
Do not drop your standards to achieve the process sooner. Worse still is to rely on yourself to hire a virtual assistant. So many have burnt their fingers on such a project. You need a specialist approach to the selection of personnel. As an owner or manager, you must set a clear goal for your new hires. This can be simple, such as stating that all entries should be perfect and done in a certain way. The new hire will then have a clear expectation of what to do from day one.
Allow for change
Your assistant will need a period to adjust – this is normal, so bear that in mind. Remember that the adjustment period usually is short − a good assistant will adapt quickly. Conversely, you should not allow a protracted adjustment period to become the norm.
“You are now only one step away from hiring your first virtual assistant!”
Hiring your first virtual data entry assistant
You are now only one step away from hiring your first virtual assistant! Make life easy, and use Aristo Sourcing to source you the best help. We have been in business since 2014. Our company specializes in finding great people who will help you grow your business with all due speed. All you need to do is:
- Book a free consultation with our sales agent, Janus. Janus has 11 years of outsourcing experience. Moreover, he has worked with some of the biggest companies globally that have used virtual assistants, such as IBM and Concentrix − high-value business services, and Nasdaq-listed companies. Janus will advise you on the proper action plan for you and your company.
- Onboard your candidate. Specify exactly your requirements in terms of assistance. The resource team will then find you only the best candidates via a thorough screening process. These candidates will be presented to you. You can then choose whoever you deem most suitable. At that stage, you can onboard your first virtual assistant.
- Once you have signed up, a dedicated success manager will assist you, liaising with you regularly. When you onboard a virtual assistant, we don’t leave you high and dry – we will support you for the duration of your contract. You have assured peace of mind and the full cooperation of a success manager to resolve any problems speedily and efficiently.
Do you still have some questions?
If so, please click here: see our question and answer section for much more information.
