How is it for you?

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JustineUKAVA

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Jun 15, 2009, 9:51:22 AM6/15/09
to UK Association of Virtual Assistants
I had an interesting question from a potential new virtual assistant
today and answered according to my own experience but wanted to open
this one up to the floor.

The question was:
I am interested in becoming a VA but wanted to know what the market is
doing in the recession. I could see it going either way at the
present.

My response was:
I can only say that it has been positive with more businesses looking
to save on fixed overheads such as staff and office space, we have
gained more clients

But what has your experience been?

Over to you gang...

Best regards,

Justine
www.ukava.co.uk
www.my-va.com

TMWSecretarial Services

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Jun 15, 2009, 11:15:51 AM6/15/09
to UK Association of Virtual Assistants

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Hi everybody

 

My experience at the start of this global recession was that my clients panicked.  They cut back hours and put more on their in-house staff. I was able then to put in more time to my adhoc clientele but there has been a gradual come back from my clients who pulled back originally. Their in-house staff couldn’t cope with the volume of work being put onto them. I basically do the job of 3-4 people due to the amount of hours a week I am able to work, plus with my fast track pace, so this was adding more work to at least 3 in-house staff who already had full-time positions with existing work.

 

They were finding that in-house staff were taking time off with sick leave because of the pressure and this wasn’t benefitting anyone at all… they’ve come back almost as they were before the recession and I have increased my client base with others that left with the intention of it being permanent, coming back to me as they are themselves too busy to take on the work themselves.

 

You will get some say that they are doing well off the back of the recession and others that won't so it's six of one and half a dozen of another… depends how you view it, how you go about gaining and keeping your clients; we are all different and work in different areas of expertise within the VA industry.

 

Warm regards

 

 

Tina

 

Tina Woollard MIPA

Senior Partner

TMWSecretarial Services &

Tesla Typing www.teslatyping.co.uk &

VA-Directory.Com

 

NEWS FLASH!! Tina Woollard MIPA won Runner up in the ‘most outstanding Virtual Assistant of 2009’ in the National VA Awards 2009 hosted by President and Founder, Carmen MacDougall, the UK’s leading expert in VA training and coaching at the Women’s Business Mastermind Conference on 24 April 2009 http://www.getreading.co.uk/business/s/2050954_reading_businesswoman_delighted_with_virtual_award

 

 

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Tina Woollard MIPA Finalist“Most outstanding Virtual Assistant of 2007”

It is unwise to pay too much but it is worse to pay too little.

When you pay too much you may lose a little money, that’s all.

If you pay too little you risk losing everything because the thing

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you bought was incapable of doing the thing you bought it for.

The common law of business prohibits paying a little and getting a lot.

If you deal with the lowest bidder it is a good idea to add something

For the risk you run. If you can do that you will have enough to

pay for something better.                          Quote by: John Ruski

Denis T

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Jun 16, 2009, 8:49:07 AM6/16/09
to UK Association of Virtual Assistants
Fantastic!
Market is hugely bouyant for small businesses (in general) but most
specifically for outsourced services such as ours.

More work as businesses in recession-affected sectors - building,
finance etc - look to cut fixed overheads.

More work as more start-ups and other SMEs realise the value of
outsourcing, where they only pay for a share of the people they use.

We are busier than busy things and still taking on more work. I have
my work cut out making sure I have enough staff and that our telephone
system is upgraded to cater for more businesses and more callers.

And the Marketing trick is to shout from the rooftops about being
there, about being busy and about being helpful to other SMEs.

As I've heard a number of other small businesspeople say "What
recession?" And the signs are getting better for recovery as well -
one of my busier clients recently is an Estate Agent here in Swindon.

Anyone need a top-class, very happy and very busy Answering
Service?!?!? ;o))

Theresia Piggott

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Jun 16, 2009, 9:17:29 AM6/16/09
to uk-association-of-...@googlegroups.com
Hi Justine
 
I didn't think I would still be on the group list! 
 
I haven't been taking on any work due to studying full time - I have just finished doing an HND Administration and IT and HNC Accounting and PDA Advanced Medical Administration, all in the last 9 months.  It has been extremely hard work but I'm sure it will be worth it.
 
Here's hoping that all of us benefit from extra work thanks to the "Credit Crunch"
 

Kind Regards

Theresia Piggott
Angus Business Support

"My business is to support your business"

 

 Telephone:  01307 819119

 

http://www.angusbusinesssupport.co.uk




From: JustineUKAVA <in...@ukava.co.uk>
To: UK Association of Virtual Assistants <uk-association-of-...@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Monday, 15 June, 2009 2:51:22 PM

Subject: How is it for you?
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