Every office needs an office manager to handle the administrative tasks effectively, which demands a massive financial investment. An in-house office manager can cost over $100000 US per year, factoring in retirement, health benefits, and payroll taxes, which could be a bit far-fetched for new and growing companies.
In such cases, a virtual office manager can be very handy, offering flexible pay and hours along with expertise in handling essential administrative tasks. Technological advancements have made the need for physical office managers obscene.
Let’s discuss more about virtual office managers if you need one, what they can do for you, and what benefits you can reap. Also, what qualifications should you look for while hiring, how can you hire the most effective virtual manager, and where can you find them? Let’s start:
What is a Virtual Office Manager?
A virtual office manager or VOM is an expert who helps you with administrative tasks from your organization remotely. While traditional managers are hired as in-office employees, virtual managers are appointed based on their expertise in handling day-to-day administrative tasks from a remote location.
There’s only so much time you can dedicate to administration and manually handling tasks. Whether it is bookkeeping, human resources, or supply management, virtual office managers can handle all of them for you. Thus, delegating these tasks allows you to focus more on growing your business.
Who Needs to Hire a Virtual Office Manager?
Whether or not you need virtual managers or virtual assistants depends on several factors related to your business operation, workload, and future goals. There are certain signs that would tell you if you can benefit from a virtual office manager. Then, you can understand if hiring them is the right direction for your organization.
7 Signs to See If You Need a Virtual Office Manager
As the decision maker of your organization, you should always be aware of its needs. Here are 7 signs to look for:
- You are spending too much time on administrative tasks like scheduling, emails, paperwork, bookkeeping, managing office supplies, etc.
- You are having difficulties in keeping track of communications, missing appointments, or your files are disorganized.
- You are challenged by the rapid growth of your business and struggling to keep up with the increased workload.
- Your organization is facing a lack of specialized skills, such as project management, HR, and bookkeeping, but not enough to justify a full-time employee.
- Currently, you don’t have the budget to hire in-house staff.
- You need flexible support to properly adjust to your business needs and hours.
- Your organizational challenges make you struggle to balance work and personal life.
If you have observed any of these signs, then you can start thinking of hiring a virtual office manager.
Figure Out Your Needs
Once you start thinking of hiring a VOM, you should start thinking if they could be a good fit for your business. Here are 4 steps for figuring out your need:
Assess Your Workload: List all the tasks you handle daily and identify the ones you could delegate.
Identify Pain Points: Determine the areas that are causing the challenges and making you feel overwhelmed.
Calculate Costs: Compare the cost of hiring a VOM and in-house manager along with the potential time and efficiency gains.
Set Goals: Define the goals that you expect to achieve by hiring a VOM.
With careful consideration, you can generate an informed decision if your business would benefit from hiring a virtual office manager.
What Does a Virtual Office Manager Do?
Now that you know your business requires a virtual office manager, it is time to define their role in your organization. Most business owners are overwhelmed about what tasks they should delegate, which often causes confusion as they delegate either too many or too few.
Therefore, you need to define what activities your virtual manager should perform. In general, virtual managers are responsible for performing the following tasks, depending on your organizational needs:
Administrative Tasks
- Scheduling: Organize and manage appointments, meetings, and calendars.
- Documentation: Prepare, edit, and maintain business documents and records.
- Data Entry: Input and update data accurately and efficiently.
Financial Tasks
- Bookkeeping: Track expenses, manage invoices, and process payments.
- Budgeting: Assist in creating and monitoring budgets.
- Financial Reporting: Generate financial reports and summaries.
Human Resources
- Recruitment: Assist with hiring processes, including ads for job posting, screening candidates, and scheduling interviews.
- Onboarding: Facilitate the onboarding process for new employees.
- Employee Relations: Address employee inquiries and maintain HR records.
Technical Support
- IT Assistance: Provide basic technical support and troubleshoot minor IT issues.
- System Management: Help manage and maintain office software, systems, and project management tools.
Handle All Internal Communication
- Coordination: Serve as a liaison between different departments and team members.
- Information Dissemination: Ensure that all internal communications are clear and timely.
Email Management
- Inbox Organization: Sort and prioritize emails, responding to routine inquiries.
- Follow-ups: Ensure timely response and follow-up on important emails.
Office Supply Management
- Inventory Tracking: Monitor office supply levels and reorder as needed.
- Vendor Management: Coordinate with suppliers and vendors for office supplies and services.
Manage Company Event Planning
- Event Coordination: Plan and organize company events, meetings, and conferences.
- Logistics: Handle event logistics, including venue booking, catering, and travel arrangements.
Objection Handling
- Customer Service: Address and resolve customer complaints and objections.
- Issue Resolution: Work to find solutions to problems and improve customer satisfaction.
Project Management
- Task Management: Assign and track tasks and deadlines for projects.
- Progress Monitoring: Ensure projects stay on track and within budget.
Appointment Setting
- Client Meetings: Schedule and confirm appointments with clients and stakeholders.
- Reminders: Send reminders to ensure meetings are attended.
Manage Employees and Guide Them
- Supervision: Oversee employee performance and provide guidance.
- Training: Assist in employee training and development programs.
- Motivation: Foster a positive work environment and motivate team members.
In short, the diverse skill set of a virtual office manager can enhance your business efficiency and productivity by managing essential tasks.
Benefits of Hiring a Virtual Office Manager
You get a multitude of benefits when you get a virtual office manager for your organization. The most significant benefits you can gain are:
Become More Efficient and Productive
A virtual manager can implement efficient processes and systems to smoothen the operation of your whole organization. You can delegate administrative and routine tasks to your virtual office manager and put more focus on core business activities and strategic planning.
Reduce Cost
By hiring a VOM, it is possible to reduce significant costs associated with physical office space, such as utilities and office supplies. You only pay for your virtual manager’s hours or the specific service your organization requires rather than a full-time salary and benefits package.
Access to Expertise
You can hire virtual managers with specific skills, including administrative support, HR, bookkeeping, and project management, necessary for your organization. Your organization will benefit greatly from these professionals’ experiences without the need for extensive training.
Better Communication and Scalability
VOMs ensure effective and consistent communication within your organization and customers. As a result, collaboration between teams improves, and customer satisfaction skyrockets. Additionally, you can easily scale your VOM’s support level to your business needs.
Improved Work-Life Balance and Flexibility
With the help of VOMs, you can free up your time and reduce the stress associated with managing every aspect of your business. This allows you to spend more time on strategic initiatives and personal pursuits.
Raise Professionalism and Save Time
Last but not least, virtual office managers help maintain a high level of service quality, ensuring consistency and reliability while enhancing the professional image of your organization. These professionals can quickly integrate into your business, reducing the wait period needed for an in-house office manager.
Qualifications to Look for While Hiring VOM
For the best possible results from your virtual manager, you should consider checking the following qualifications before hiring one. This will ensure that your office manager has the appropriate skills to handle your organizational needs:
- Administrative Skills: Look for someone with experience managing calendars, scheduling meetings, and handling paperwork. Strong organizational abilities are essential.
- Communication Skills: Your VM should possess effective communication skills and can adapt to various communication channels.
- Expertise in Digital Tools and Software: Proficiency in using tools like project management software, virtual meeting platforms, document-sharing tools, etc. is a must for a virtual office manager.
- Time Management: Prioritize candidates who demonstrate excellent time management skills. Time zones, deadlines, and task prioritizing are crucial skills for a VOM.
- Leadership Skills: Your virtual OM should be able to motivate and guide other employees as they will need to lead teams and coordinate projects.
Remember to assess both technical abilities and soft skills like communication, adaptability, and leadership to find the correct fit for your organization.
Hire Your Virtual Office Manager Now at YesAssistant!
Finding an appropriate virtual office manager can be a game-changer for your organization. It will help conduct day-to-day administrative tasks with the utmost expertise and professionalism. Additionally, you can delegate tasks requiring specialized expertise and focus on your core business activities.
You can use several online platforms, such as YesAssistant, to find your VOM. We have a massive list of experts capable of handling administrative support, financial management, HR tasks, project coordination, and more. Our charismatic professionals have 10+ years of experience handling organizations of different sizes and requirements.
We pride ourselves on ensuring a seamless integration into your team and transforming your business operation into an efficient one. Contact us today and fill out our form for a trial run to experience the benefits firsthand.
