If you are struggling to check tasks off your to-do list while looking for some more time to grow your business 24 hours a day, you might need the services of a qualified virtual assistant. Instead of stretching yourself too thin, you can hire a virtual assistant who can work for you outside Hong Kong office hours.
Virtual assistants can work from anywhere and often perform a variety of tasks on a flexible contract. With low overheads and limited commitment, virtual assistants are a cost-effective staffing solution for businesses of all sizes.
Read on to discover what a virtual assistant does, and how it could benefit you.
What is a virtual assistant?
A virtual assistant, sometimes just called a VA, is a qualified person who supports you as your personal assistant remotely. Your assistant will usually carry out tasks that will help free up your time, like dealing with your personal administration, booking appointments, managing your calendar, travel arrangements, sending emails, and making phone calls.
They usually work as an independent contractor and can be hired as either a full-time or part-time remote assistant. Virtual assistants are employed by companies of all sizes and across many industries. It is common to hire a freelance VA or to contract a company that will either charge you for a certain number of hours per month of assistance (paid per hour) or set up a retainer.
What does a virtual assistant do?
There are no set tasks that virtual assistants perform, and assignments vary depending on the employer. Here are some of the most common virtual assistant jobs:
Administrative work
Virtual assistants are most commonly hired for admin work. This includes scheduling meetings, booking travel, organizing calendars, and answering phones or replying to emails.
Bookkeeping
Virtual assistants can help with bookkeeping and managing budgets, making purchases, and tracking business expenses.
Data entry
Data entry is a responsibility that virtual assistants can take on. A virtual assistant can easily compile, enter and organize data, check for accuracy, and delete unnecessary records. This is beneficial for large customer databases and customer orders, patient recording, billing, postal work, and school administration.
Customer service
For companies offering a product or service, virtual assistants can be the first point of contact for customers as opposed to an impersonal AI-driven chatbot. Virtual assistants can address basic concerns and feedback, troubleshoot issues, and give tutorials. They can specialize in e-commerce and even assist with lead generation.
Social Media Production
Social media is fast-paced and can be demanding for businesses wanting to maintain an active presence online. Virtual assistants can help manage the demands of social media by scheduling a posting calendar, responding to comments, and communicating with followers, as well as engaging in some basic data analytics.
Content management and SEO
A huge amount of time, energy, and resources can go into online content development to drive traffic to your site, increase brand awareness, and engage potential customers across all your communication platforms. A virtual assistant can help manage a production calendar, produce copy, and facilitate various elements of the publishing process, making it easier for you to focus on developing your content strategies.
Research
Research is an essential part of the business. Market research, target audience research, product development, and production research can be necessary but are time-consuming, especially if you are trying to manage the daily operations at the same time. Many companies turn to virtual assistants who specialize in data management and analysis to assist with complying and even interpreting information into reports so it makes it more accessible for you to review.
Virtual assistant jobs in Hong Kong
You can opt to hire a single, dedicated person to be your virtual assistant. You can find them via online freelance sites like Upwork or post an opening on a job forum to attract candidates. Something to keep in mind when hiring a single person for the role is that if they are on holiday or sick, you might experience disruptions. Make sure you build plans into your contract for these times.
Another option is to hire a virtual assistant company that can provide you with 24/7 seamless coverage. These companies tend to have staff with different skills, which means you can benefit from a wide range of expert assistance.
There are several boutique virtual support agencies in Hong Kong with a pool of dedicated specialists to take on your virtual assistant role.
For those looking to take on a virtual assistant job in Hong Kong, there are dedicated job websites such as Glassdoor and Wishup advertising hundreds of positions for large companies and small businesses. With more and more companies in Hong Kong adopting a hybrid work model, which includes much more remote work than before the pandemic, the timing is great to grab a remote assistant job.
Many people working as virtual assistants choose to take up work residency at one of WeWork’s state-of-the-art coworking spaces throughout Hong Kong. WeWork takes the stress out of office work by providing top-notch tech facilities, private spaces, and collaborative meeting rooms while taking care of refreshments with freshly brewed coffee and snacks so you can refuel throughout your work day.
To find out more about WeWork’s business solutions and innovative workspaces, contact us today, and one of our representatives will connect with you soon.