Vilejeane L. Pantoja

WHY OUTSOURCE? By. ArPantoja Many companies now opt to outsourcing because they find it easier, lesser responsibilities, lesser manpower, and a lot cheaper. Outsourcing is an economical package of employment. In some countries like Philippines, outsourcing firms sprout from every city. They hire partly or fully educated individuals, highly skilled or not, experienced or not but are willing to undergo full training that will give them the key for better future. Yes, that is exactly how they promise applicants! Hiring of employees in outsourcing firms in the Philippines is like a competition of promotional products in supermarkets. Aspiring applicants who wish to apply as outsource agent will get a sign-up bonus that is equivalent to one month salary. Some firms even offer higher sign-up bonus and other benefits to attract applicants. In contrary to the traditional hiring of employees, the applicant should appear as the most attractive person for that moment. He has to come all smiles to give a lasting good impression. He has to bring his complete portfolio of credentials to support his qualifications. And when he gets hired, he will be forced to accept a contract with little or a little lower than is expected. With outsourcing firms, the offer attracts the applicants and even the not-so-willing to apply in outsourcing firms. But why outsource? As mentioned on the first paragraph, outsourcing is easier than direct hiring applicants in your own office. You don’t take responsibilities in training the staff, and helping them in and out of the company. Being a boss, you don’t have to give extra efforts in building rapport with every new employee. With outsourcing, you can choose the best firm to hire and train staffs to do the work for you. It wouldn’t be your problem to advertise for job hiring and extract your power in human resource just to be able to hire the best of the bests. Opting to outsourcing is a lot cheaper. No job hiring advertisements, no extra rooms or office for new staff, no allowance to be allotted, no other benefits to be aligned with the salary and no additional responsibilities will be planned. All you have to do focus with the core area of your business or company, pay the outsourcing firm and leave everything to its expertise to do work for you—in your best expected output! These employees are best trained and are quite empowered to confidently proceed with their tasks. They are given responsibilities that challenge their best abilities and are motivated well to act like experts and well-oriented agents. Very good trainers can create high value employees who do not only deliver their services well but also embody a good lasting impression. They in turn, become the assets of outsourcing firms. And while they enhance and better their expertise, the outsourcing firms brag about them to attract more client companies, giving them bigger sum of money. Outsourcing is giving work to another person or company who will do the work you require for a fee. There are many reasons why outsourcing is a good idea. Firstly, it provides you with a skilled person to do a job better than you can yourself. It costs less money because you do not have to spend time and money gaining these skills for yourself. You can often find a free lance skilled person in a country where wages are lower. The fact that the person is free lance also saves you money. You pay an agreed price for their services and you don’t have to pay their tax or national insurance and of course, other benefits that you would have to give to an employee like sickness or holiday pay. Equally, there is a down side. Sometimes language or cultural difference can be a problem. If you employ a free lance for one job and then another for another job you may have to act as go between yourself. There are sometimes problems if your free lancer loses internet connection and can’t work. The technical infrastructure in some countries is not up to the standards we are used to. The time zones can cause problems if you don’t want to get up early to speak to your free lancer. All in all, the good reasons outdo the bad. The skills base for website building in India is second to none. In general the work ethic is very high, most free lancers take an enormous pride in their work and will stick at it until it’s all complete. Of course, India is not the only country which outsources. There are many free lance companies and individuals who provide an excellent service. It may be that you prefer to employ someone who shares your native tongue and live in the same time zone. There are companies that are based, for instance, in the UK, that have a team that is spread all over the world. However, your point of contact will be in the UK and English speaking. The choices available to you are endless, but the bottom line is, you can pay a fraction of how much it cost you to employ a person permanently and you can get a specialist that you might not otherwise be able to afford. Outsourcing seems to be the new mantra that's been talked about in many business circles. However, some smaller business units still have some reservations. In this article we will attempt a brief overview of outsourcing advantages and what it can really offer to your business. With the ever-changing facets of economy, it has become increasingly important to keep evaluating decisions and choices with respect to outsourcing various components of business operations. With the right providers, outsourcing can help your company save a great deal of money and grow exponentially. Outsourcing is expected to grow at a rapid rate in the next few years with many companies outsourcing both skilled and unskilled work to talented Asian companies. Needless to say, this boom has resulted in many new companies providing outsourcing services. The various outsourcing advantages are too obvious to be ignored, Let’s look at some outsourcing advantages: One major outsourcing advantage is that it allows organizations to focus on core areas, while they outsource, the less skilled, mass work. Many companies have adopted this approach where-in their back office operations are outsourced to capable 3rd party organizations. This results in categorization of work and hence the overall process becomes more manageable. Everyone wants skilled man power,but it doesn't usually come cheap. Skilled, trained and cheap manpower are the main outsourcing advantages. There are many economies around the world that has a currency exchange rate that is much less than the dollar and Euro, hence you could get that much more value per dollar from the employees working at those remote locations than you would from your own country. So it kind of results in the pleasant paradox where you as an employer actually pay less while your employee feels he has received more. A win-win situation for all. Internal development is another interesting and telling outsourcing advantage. If you land a large product which requires certain special skill that your staff does not possess, you could consider inviting others to join in and work side by side, thus building your employee skill sets for the long term. Technology is evolving at a rapid pace and there are innovations happening constantly. Various new methodologies and innovations have led to cutting edge machineries, software, infrastructure etc. But investing in cutting edge technology is expensive and it might not prove to be practical to keep abreast with technology all the time. Here is where you could use the killer outsourcing advantage. Pick and choose companies that have great technology in the different niche areas of your business. This makes sure that every stage of your product has been worked on using the best technology available. Isn't this a winning deal? If all this hasn't convinced you, here is another byproduct of all the outsourcing advantages Better productivity and Competitive edge. Now obviously all the outsourcing advantages like better technology, better staff, better costs etc will result in overall growth. You will be able to be more productive , you will be able to produce more in lesser time with lesser cost. Can this deal be beaten? All this will result in you being more competitive both quality wise and price wise. ---ArP--- OUTSOURCING MEDICAL TRANSCRIPTIONISTS By ArPantoja Medical transcription is the job that requires fast typing skills, excellent listening skills, English proficiency with very good spelling skills, and knowledge in information technology. Some outsourcing firms also hire editors who do the editing. These medical transcriptionists produce discharge summaries, physical examination reports, patients’ history reports, operating room reports, consultation notes, diagnostic imaging studies, autopsy reports and referral letters at home or in the office. As they listen to the recorded audio, they type everything, organize and submit to be edited. It is transcribing an audio file and then arranged into a report. The output is like a medical documentation and should not be tampered. Employment of medical transcriptionists is growing faster especially in the United States. US’ growing and aging population requires medical documentation that can be shared by providers, third-party payers, regulators and consumers. Currently, there is an increasing volume of transcription work being contracted out overseas and can’t be reduced in a swift by well-trained medical transcribers at home. Home transcription needs special software that can analyze and grasp the human voice and the English language in all its complexity. So, there is a continuous need of people who can transcribe and edit dictations to create accurate medical documents for those needing them. It is a big plus for medical transcriptionist if she has a wide knowledge of medical terms and jargons. That is why many medical experts want to get this job for part-time. Their ability to understand and correctly transcribe patient assessments and treatments reduces the chance of patients to receive ineffective or harmful care. Many countries have put into law the transcription of medical practices in order to protect the rights of every patient from any medical malpractice. Most medical malpractices severely affect the patients but remain unproven in court because of lack of evidences. Witnesses also shut their mouths for medical ethics. Consequently, the transcribed reports could mean life and death for medical practitioners. In the US, many doctors opt to work as medical transcriptionists because of the idea of online transcription jobs. They get the jobs from transcription outsourcing firms who subcontracts the jobs to home-based experts like them. There are medical audio reports readily available for transcription every minute of the day, so the demand for transcription grows at a fast pace. Outsourcing becomes the fastest and probably the best solution in job distribution. Many transcription outsourcing firms focus more on ‘medical’ because of the continuous and substantial outpour of audio files to be transcribed. And because it requires more skills, it also pays quite generously than other transcription jobs. There are several companies that solicit medical transcription jobs from doctors and hospitals overseas and then assign them to local transcription firms. India and the Philippines are the two countries with fast growing industry of medical transcription. -ArP- WHAT’S THE BUSINESS? OUTSOURCING By ArPantoja Outsourcing is like selling your business. Everything has to be attractive. Even if things get ugly, always try to modify, remodel and decorate. There’s nothing wrong with trying beautiful things to make what you have become more beautiful! And in agreements between the outsourcing company and the client-company, an “earn-out” is always possible. It is an agreement where the outsourcing company gets paid a percentage of the price and agrees to meet specific financial terms over the goals of the company being served with outsourcing. It allows the outsourcing firm and the client-company to compromise on what they feel the company is worth. It is also used when they need to stick around each other to maximize performance. Clients are always after the potential outsourcing firms. They always think that they gamble with your firm. So they should always be guaranteed of better results thus giving them ample sense of satisfaction and convenience. But that is not really a hard effort, because it is just like building a reputation that will make your outsourcing company more secure and more satisfied in the future. Efficiency and credibility are important and will always guarantee best returns. If your client-company thinks that it is taking a gamble, then you should always think the same but then, getting into a fact of a win-win solution can motivate you toward positive moves. The risks are with your client, but the endeavor is yours. And do not let your outsourcing company run into the ground. Remember that money is quite behind credibility in this kind of business. Encouragement is not just through advertising but also through the end-product produced by your company’s major capacity in dealing with staff and client as well. Keep in mind that to fail in one client-company may multiply into more failures. So the better thing to do is to make it a success even at its earliest. It will always be a challenge to find the real-world situation in this business, and finding more information will not even be easier. Just keep agreements simple and agreeable. That is very important because you have to be very careful about the benchmarks against which the performance of your outsourcing firm will be evaluated by your clients’ satisfaction. Your goals can be based on a variety of targets including your regular client and your regular employees. Your goals will oblige you to work further not only as a boss, but as a trainer and an employee to be able to go through every situation. Poor business decision is a risk that cannot be controlled but it can be avoided. A much higher overhead in hiring good staff is acceptable but having high overhead in other aspects could be something unpredictable. -ArP- ONLINE OUTSOURCING By ArPantoja It might be new to us, but the idea itself is not. Online outsourcing is the way online companies like oDesk and Elance advertise individual’s or company’s need for freelancer’s service. All transactions are done online. Individually, oDesk is classified as a global job marketplace and Elance is identified an online staffing platform. But both have the qualities and duties of online outsourcing firms. These online outsourcing companies do not actually employ staffs for regular employment online, but they bridge and mediate transactions between the contractor and the client. They stand as the media for advertising jobs and opportunities for freelancers and service providers. Elance is said to be a rising model of informal workplace communication employing social media tools as well as cloud-based applications to compel efficiency. Businesses can use its website to post jobs, search for freelance professionals to seek proposals. It caters to the escalating liquid labor marketplace by facilitating direct contact between contractors with specific skills sets and clients with specific need. The contractors applying for job are evaluated on their qualifications, work history, ratings, portfolios, and skills test scores. After the contractor is chosen, both the project communications and files can be exchanged through the Elance systems. The contractor is paid by the client through Elance’s system deducting a percentage of the fee for a commission. The freelancers can search Elance website for freelance jobs and post a profile displaying past jobs and feedback, a portfolio, and specific skill and educationalbackground information. It allows clients to create online workteams coordinated and paid through the company’s propriety software and website. oDesk is considered a fast-growing staffing business that refers to online staffing. It is a sort of a Talent Exchange consisting of an online platform, where dependent workers, contractors, freelancers can offer their skills and services for limited projects. Potential clients can post jobs for free, and freelance workers may create profiles and bid on jobs. oDesk collects 10 percent of the payment. The company’s software increases transparency and allows a client to have confidence in the billing done by a contractor whom the buyer may by no means have met and who may be half a world away. The specific areas of know-how supported by the site include web development and a wide selection of programming extension skill, graphic design, writing and administrative support. Company provides voluntary skills tests in various disciplines from English aptitude to specific programming skills, profiles include a feedback instrument. Online marketplaces frequently manage the payments and make adjust by charging membership fees and marking up on the billings of the freelancers. oDesk mark-ups are considerably less than the mark-ups of conventional recruitment firms, which in theory means you have to enter into an employ relationship with the workers. -ArP- WHAT GOES WRONG IN THE OUTSOURCING OPERATIONS By ArPantoja There is a broad nature of business utilities that can be outsourced and it is rapidly increasing in greater numbers. Many outsourcing firms focus mainly on the project itself leaving on the behind the executive support systems. The process of outsourcing decision tends to involve the leaders responsible for their specific function or department considering reducing staffs and costs. When the information needed is finalized in a business then, the board decides the final decision. The more positions are outsourced, the more the work process in the business is being affected by the escalating use of outsourcing, driving improvements. The opportunities for outsourcing have stretched its demand greatly over the years, as lesser positions are perceived as one. Relatively, outsourcing can force every department of the company to function. There is no organization that can possess all the required skills needed, so most of the time they have to explore outside the organization to access what is needed. Outsourcing has diverted from the repetitive process to analytical thinking and judgment process in terms of market research and data analysis. Many staffing providers have increased over the years as their value also increases. Choosing the wrong outsourcing provider has the potential to ruin business and drive customers to their competitors. They might even increase your cost asking for more service prices everytime you ask for something outside the limitation. There should always have a true partnership with the outsourcing provider because it is given that both of you have common goals and objectives. Both of you want to increase the depth of the relationship and deliver better value for money and excellent services. Some of the common mistakes companies make when assessing potential outsourcing providers are: too much focus and attention on the brand of the outsourcing provider rather than the actual people delivering the service; they focus on the lowest bidder; and selecting a provider through the procurement department which has a different objective at times. Outsourcing firms that stand and survive the tests of time are not exactly the ones gaining a lot of profit and better reputation, but these can be the ones that stood firmly on the ground and held strongly to their objectives when everything else went wrong. Value-added services have become of greater importance to the clients than the actual delivery of services. It is because that’s how they view future in terms of having larger market, least focusing on the services delivered. It is mainly why many outsourcing firms spend millions for their advertisements, billboards and recruitment process. When clients see that outsourcing firm has the ability and knowledge in sorting clients in the marketplace, they consider it as highly efficient as it is the kind that has the greatest potential to help them increase overall market share. -ArP- OUTSOURCING EVENTS By ArPantoja Many jobs are being outsourced these days. As technology rises, ideas also come in not just once in a while but in bulk! And one of the latest is outsourcing events. Why ouotsource events? There are so many reasons and factors to consider why occasions, whteher an individual’s or a company’s, turn to event planners or event management services. One main reason is they want the occasion to be truly memorable leaving no trace of failure or unwanted remark. What is an event outsource? It is the latest in the outsourcing industry which opened the doors to the public to give unlimited services from conceptualizing, purhcasing, implementation and keepings. These are events management companies or services that are usually teamed with professionals and specialists when it comes to planning events from the smallest to the biggest and most essential details of the occasions. They have the closest and best access with hotels, restaurants and even club houses and other venues. They are also equipped with knowledge of the best themes and concepts. To any client, they can offer as much choices as they have. And outsourcing an event saves time and energy. And for all you know, to get the most wonderful memories, outsourcing an event saves you money. What services can outsourcing events give? There are so many services events management companies give. Here are just some of them:  An event management company will help you conceptualize the event based on your goals.  It provides a long list of ideas to choose from with estimated budget.  It helps you develop appropriate risk management and back-up plans.  It provides list of venues and services to choose from to meet their desires.  It coordinates with suppliers and restaurants or catering services for your choices of foods and menus.  It is time saving for you that event management services look after the invitations and the expected attendance.  It provides on-site management, making sure that all else is properly placed, maintained and utilized.  It also manages transportation, online registration and communication, sponsorship and staffing.  It makes sure of the photography and videography are well managed and are delivered for keepsake.  It follows through after the event with all the thank you notes and closing of accounts. -ArP- WHAT IS GLOBAL OUTSOURCING By ArPantoja Global Outsourcing services are well-organized business processes that flouts them into unified parts or modules that may then be dispersed across geographies. Because of that, work gets worn out the place that will it quicker, higher and cheaper. The worldwide delivery model has created this potential. And the outsourcing service providers take responsibility for the complete project that is managed in standard fashion in numerous locations, countries and time-zones, through partners, vendors or branch offices. Every outsourcing service provider takes queries and responsibility for managing the outsourced business method module assigned to him, and delivers it to satisfy industry-standard levels of quality. Global outsourcing is thorougly sanctioning business with no limits in an exceedingly unlimited world. Today, there ar job titles like "Chief globalisation Officer" and "Strategic Services Manager" that simply goes to point out that organizations ar taking seriously the impact of worldwide outsourcing on the revenue growth and business worth of their corporations. Outsourcing is not any longer simply a brief term quick-fix to attain price reduction. As customers become hard to please, business rivalry gets a lot more intense and life cycles of produce shrink. It is obvious that there is a rising pressure on operational margins. As businesses presume international contacts, their outsourcing models have modified to imitate the bigger businesses. International outsourcing uses a mix of onsite, offshore and close to shore outsourcing solutions to attain strategic business objectives for the outsourcing company. Global outsourcing takes a long-run holistic examination of the consumer enterprise in order to align its goals to the outsourced service offerings. In distinction to military science, short contracts take a gradual project-by-project or straightforward "outtasking" approach to outsourcing. The complications in worldwide cross-border business management presents new challenges as corporations attempt more durable to remain agile, profitable and innovative. Encouraged by the slight progress mechanism technologies and evolving client desires and challenges international outsourcing. It takes a standard approach to service delivery. This business copy was galvanized by the wear and producing industries, that have realised large edges from outsourcing parts and later, high-end style and engineering to lower-cost countries with a talented hands. Global outsourcing delivers through international links. Business processes have to be compelled to be versatile and adjustable to modify individuals to reply quicker to dynamical business desires. Services outsourcing should be aligned to business goals, instead of be seen as simply a tool for enhancing operational potency. Global outsourcing alleviate the risks for the clients because it isn't specific or geography-dependent. It permits a lot of freedom and adaptability in decision-making process and operations throughout the outsourcing method, allwoing businesses to find out, adapt, grow and evolve whereas guaranteeing certainty in quality and delivery in their business processes. -ArP- Benefits of worldwide outsourcing By ArPantoja Global outsourcing started serving the worldwide market in 2002. At the start, it has a tendency to offer simple customized computer code development. However before long there seemed to have a tendency to give a large variation of specialised business method outsourcing solutions designed to satisfy quickly the increasing market demands. The outsourcing call is not actually dependent on location or country. Work gets finished at the place where it was best handled and transacted in delivering worth in terms of ability, price, and resources obtainable. The outsourcing company gains access to the specialised data and technological infrastructure of service suppliers in numerous elements of the globe. So, that’s how when global outsourcing was rated, it came out to be beneficial in most aspects and criteria. This service provides the benefits of compatibility in culture among countries, linguistic ability using English as a medium and similar time zones. It also provides solutions initializing the good thing about economical data transfer and understanding of consumer needs and processes, whereas egg laying the groundwork to transition the method offshore. Solutions from countries situated in numerous time zones provide unlimited access to specific skills, higher quality and therefore the 24/7 service advantage for timely transactions. International outsourcing controls a mix of those solutions to supply the consumer best-of-breed services at the simplest worth, and follow-the-sun flexibility. In case disaster hits a region, work is quickly transferred to disaster recovery centers. So, explanatory risk gives service redundancy and permitting business to hold on. Global outsourcing permits consolidation of services and operational force across borders. In international delivery service, it watches out of the arrangement of management system for a total worldwide venture. There is more freedom and adaptability in decision-making and operations throughout the outsourcing method of global outsourcing. Businesses don't seem to be so much attached into obsolete or static processes. However modification to satisfy new business challenges are taking advantage of the certainty and quality of service levels. Strategic business objectives are met by gain-sharing arrangements outlined wherever an outsourcing service provider's financial gain is expounded to key metrics of a client's business success. There is also the transformation which leads to massive leaps and innovation by optimizing and simplifying advanced business processes to supply added edges. The banking and monetary services business, the aid business, the medium business, the important estate business, the retail business, the IT business, the insurance business, the travel business, the engineering business ar a number of the key industries that have used international outsourcing to their competitive advantage. Specialists in global outsourcing believe that corporations want to keep captive the distinctive capabilities that discriminate them from market rivalry and contribute considerably to revenue growth. -ArP- SELLING ONLINE By ArPantoja Customers always matter. And in doing online transactions, there are stages that we have to be aware of. The key is to listen, understand and build rapport. Traditionally, this is the sphere of marketing and research. A telemarketer should listen to his customers’ needs, wants and concerns. Questions like ‘what would you like us to do more of and less of’ and ‘what would you like us to start or stop doing’ are important to be asked. Customers should easily learn about your product. This stage of exploration will open up the horizon for long-term partnerships with your customers. Not exploring your customers and their world will only earn you a reputation as a mere ‘order taker’ just like a waiter in a restaurant. At the agreement stage, proposals and suggestions are properly presented. The way you offer dproducts should be clear and concise and should directly hit the customer’s concern. All possible questions the customers may ask should be well prepared in detail. As a marketer, you should know what those necessary details are. Customers are not hypocrite enough not to praise you if you’re someone easy to deal with. They will thank you and admire you. So, always have the goal of hearing the same praises over and over again and you won’t get wrong in your online transactions. But then, always come up with a contingency plan. It is essential since not all customers are the same. There may be those who are sarcastically unfriendly people who will never say a single hi to express herself. With the agreement made online, execution and fulfillment of the promise should follow where it means that customers already understand all the terms. It is very important to let your customers know the full details of the delivery including date and time. You should know that delivery update is one thing customers admire in online marketing. There should be no delays unless it is valid. One thing that sets apart world-class businesses is that their ability to declare a break down rather than hide the problem. The earlier you communicate the earlier the solution is put into place. A sales transaction should not end with the delivery. A well-executed assurance will help secure future transactions. Remember that no business ends with the delivery. It has to go on and on and on to be able to multiply sources and succeed. Check if customers can promise to you and you to him in order to face another transaction. Make sure that your customer was satisfied with your online transaction. Giving excellent service translates into a higher yield. It will often lead to large sales. Your business should not end in a day, it has to greatly hope for tomorrow’s new online undertakings. But just relax. Let the flow continue. -ArP- THE VIRTUAL EMPLOYEES By ArPantoja The cyber world is now infested with virtual employees. And the web is already filled with online staffing sites hiring anybody of his own expertise and skills based on the demand. Businesses all over the world have acknowledged and later utilized the presence of contracting freelancers than hiring regular and permanent employees. For freelancers, this is a huge world of opportunities. What’s even better is that, a freelancer can choose the kind of job available. Freelancers create a business profile and portfolio to highlight their expertise. And best, it can be a good opportunity to take it seriously as a business. Seriously, there are more than a hundred freelance marketplaces available on the net. Some that are known with good reputable standing on the cyber world are Guru.com, oDesk.com, Elance, RentACoder.com, and freelancer.com. And anyone who wants to go into freelancing may sign up or register on these sites. It all depends in your capacity when it comes to accepting job offers. Some small sites are also beginning to boom. In some marketplaces, basic membership is free but upgrading account will charge some dollars every month. But the latter will give more opportunities. Some of these are Guru.com and Elance.com. Elance.com is better known for its outsourcing solutions for medium to large enterprises. It is a big marketplace in the net and paying a little more for your membership will give added value to your profile, and eventually showcase your portfolio. Elance has a registration fee that range from $5 to $30 a month, depending on the type of package you buy and what type of service you offer. In the case of oDesk.com, membership is free and charges are just deducted from each job accomplished. A finished project of a freelancer is submitted based on how the client wants it to be submitted, which only the contracting parties can view. It has personal service that protects the mutual investments of both the freelancers and the client. These sites have excellent help and support systems. Freelancers create a business profile and portfolio to highlight their expertise. These are the basic services of most marketplaces but each one differs from the other in its own way. Payment term options are also available. Some projects may be paid soon after it is finished whether the cost is fixed or based on per hour rate, while others may give an upfront payment which is a few percent of the total project cost. This is how great the internet now is. Many are now earning the way they want. It has revolutionized people’s workplace. Online freelance marketplaces such as the ones mentioned above offer freelancers a platform to gain as much client as they can, as long as they can do the tasks well. This is the best time to work conveniently at home. Showcase yourself and earn! -ArP- RUN A VIRTUAL OFFICE AND BE HAPPY ABOUT IT By ArPantoja The hassles of 9-5 job can be very stressful—traffic, domestic duties, office demands to name a few. Many workers whether they are executives or regular employees come home stressed, overly-fatigued, hungry and irritable. And the usual reason they have is due to work pressure. But in the surfacing of the internet and the evolution of online technology, virtual offices can be established in your most comfortable place. Looking at the advantages, they are many! It doesn’t really mean to eradicate the traditional and conventional offices, but it has changed the progression of office activities in more aspects like speed, accuracy to wider opportunities. That’s why many who are into business opt to establishing their own offices at home where they can run their transactions fast without wasting any time. In creating your own virtual office, you will realize the flexibility of your time, skills and roles as a person. Make your office truly suitable for work and not too relaxed to rest all the while. List your goals from the most to the least important so that you won’t miss a thing. Focus on the aspects that your business or virtual office can deliver. Create a personality for your office that will display not just confidence but also its competency in the services that it offers. This enables people to work without so many worries like taxation, employment contracts and required government documents. Having a virtual office might be boring for some because of your confinement in that corner of your home. But it’s not. It is actually a beautiful opportunity to meet some virtual friends from different parts of the world, whom you may sooner or later meet in person. And that’s not impossible. Everything these days is fast--even faster than we could ever imagine. Even the development and flow of the minds of virtual workers are getting faster each day. They become more creative and flexible in their profession by exploring the broader world of clients’ demand. Virtual offices may not be big in terms of its space, but it is huge in terms of the substantial services it can provide. That’s why many companies would prefer contracting services from virtual firms, where contracts, output and payments are all delivered online without the irritating physical distractions. That means happy workplace, happy hours of working and happy life. A virtual office allows other companies to run the same day and have the flow of work continuously. Many markets have virtual office providers which offer a variety of virtual office services. Though they require degrees in technology, their professional services are excellent and worth the pay. The clients get higher levels of satisfaction and realize a faster turn-around of time in increasing numbers of production. -ArP- WANTED: HOMEBASED VIRTUAL ASSISTANT By ArPantoja The most popular search in online opportunities is the home-based kind. And among the home-based jobs, the most commonly advertised is the virtual assistant job. But it also appeared to be the least understood. Yes, least understood, in a sense that not all willing to apply and get the job knows exactly what a virtual assistant should do. The job title sounds well-branded and hi-tech! To some online jobseekers, it is the job that requires intensive training on video calls applications. Some excellent choices of clients for this are skype, yahoo messenger and msn. So in applying for a virtual assistant job, it is always required to indicate either your messenger or skype ID. If you don’t have one, you can sign up at www.skype.com or on www.yahoo.com for yahoo messenger and on www.msn.com for msn live chat. Having at least one of these accounts will also indicate your literacy if not proficiency in live chatting and video calling. And that will always be a plus to your credentials. While some jobseekers think that live chatting or video calling is the best skill required, many virtual assistant aspirants look a lot closer and more mindful to their English conversation skills. Since English is the world’s second language, it is always assumed that companies or individual clients hiring virtual assistants would require proficiency in both written and spoken English. That’s why some experienced office assistants cannot just simply shift from desk to virtual if they are not communicatively competent using the English Language. Although there are few clients who require native English speakers for the job, it is still not a hindrance if you’re not. Being fluent in both written and spoken language with a little twist of accent can deliberately exceed others’ speaking skills. It is just a matter of articulation that will eventually make one an expert. Fluency on the language can be easily attained through constant practice following guide videos or audios from the internet. There are also individuals giving short drills for speaking skill enhancement. They can also be accessed through the net where they advertise their online services. Speaking skills enhancement is better learned online, because it is an actual application of the drills. A combination of the two important skills plus expertise in office applications, most especially excel and word or their equivalent, e-mailing and search engine optimization skills with proper attitude toward work, one can absolutely become successful in virtual assistant job. This job does not have any age-limit and does not require business attire for everyday work. But this is one fulfilling job that will not only let you get away from the heavy traffic of rush hours, but will also get you into a more gratifying online career. -ArP- TIME TO HIRE A VIRTUAL ASSISTANT By ArPantoja Hiring virtual assistant to do online transactions for you is a smart proposition. As it is a growing trend, virtual assistants will not only keep you updated, but will also cut your overhead with less worries but more exposure and possibilities. Virtual assistants are paid per hour of work. And that is at a fixed cost. There will be no additional benefits to pay, no incentives and no other obligations as an employer. When your network seems to grow larger you can’t anymore comply with your usual tasks, and additional side obligations become unworkable, then you need a virtual assistant. When your work requires more time in the field and your other duties and important responsibilities are left undone, then it’s time to hire a virtual assistant. When projects keep coming and commitments start to disappoint your colleagues, then it’s the best time to hire a freelance virtual assistant. Professionals, entrepreneurs, politicians and even a private person can all hire a virtual assistant, depending on their needs. There are so many reasons why a virtual assistant should be hired, as to there are so many things a VA can do for you. In a business, an extensive range of network is a must. But the larger the network becomes, the bigger the responsibilities. Most of the time, at least two of the day’s tasks are left undone. So they are added to the following day’s assignment. The moment you feel exhausted, your tasks become a burden. But don’t let it happen because the only help you need is a Virtual Assistant. That is just a small amount compared to how much you’ll earn when your network and compliance capability grow simultaneously together. A VA can work either full-time or part-time, can multi-task and still deliver quality service. E-mailing and replying might be a simple job, but nearly a hundred of emails a day can multiply to an outrageous sum if left untouched. A VA can simply do that for you, same with other tasks on logistics and other related commitments. Virtual Assistants are diligent people who utilize time well. Their output is concrete and satisfactory, which will come to you at the end of the day like a trophy, good as paycheck. They need not be trained because they have multiple skills and can creatively adjust to your demand. Many Virtual Assistants have mastered the art of passionately working under time pressure. So if you demand for a job be soon as soon as possible, it will be delivered to you sooner than you expect. Things may be quite complicated in terms of dealing with a VA since she works at home while you work either in your own home, office or in the field. But one thing for sure, a VA will invisibly stand by you for as long as you need her service. -ArP- A DAY IN A LIFE OF A VIRTUAL ASSISTANT By ArPantoja I am a virtual assistant and I love my job more than any other jobs I had. Upon waking up, I fix myself a cup of coffee and sit right away in front of my computer. I don’t wash my face, I don’t brush my teeth. I just hand-comb my hair and tie it up. Although it’s quite a lazy move, I make sure there’s no strand of hair bothering my face especially my eyes. Sipping my coffee, I raise my right foot up to give myself a more comfortable position. Touch on my computer mouse and start checking everything. I am a virtual assistant and I’m good at it. My skype stays online 24/7, same with my email, google account and many other accounts I use. They receive the messages while I’m at rest. Yes, I’m good at it. I work on other nations’ time and I love it. Tasks are sent on my email and some are on skype. Abruptly upon reading my tasks, I send back messages of compliance. ‘Yes’ is the answer I give all the time. I enjoy my position on my chair. I am myself. Probably not my own boss, but I own my office. I enjoy the keyboard. I enjoy my thoughts exploring anything. I enjoy the clickings of the mouse, the beeps on skype and the cracklings of my knuckles whenever I feel tired. Whatever task came in first is from which I start doing. After I finish each task, I feel the fulfillment in me. I feel priceless. I stand up after each feat to give my back a stretch. Drink some water and get back to work. I’m a jolly person. I work fast because I love what I do. I think too much and there’s no skipping. I read a lot too, as if I’m always running out of something to read. Yes, I am a virtual assistant. This is my convenience. I value my client’s money as much as I value my time. It might be too silly but everytime I finish a task, I want to hug my client to let her know how grateful I am for the opportunity given me. It’s not about the money, although I am not rich. It’s not about the pay and the value of each task. It’s about the contract of trust that no matter how far we are from each other, our connection is made possible with respect. There’s no cultural divide in this kind of work. And from it I learn, I give, I do, I earn a living. It’s not just a life. It’s a meaningful life. After I finish all, I take a good bath and prepare for a peaceful rest. I lie down on the bed, said my prayer and close my eyes. I love being a virtual assistant, but one more thing I wish I could be one day—a virtual friend. -ArP- THE VIRTUAL EMPLOYEES By ArPantoja The cyber world is now infested with virtual employees. And the web is already filled with online staffing sites hiring anybody of his own expertise and skills based on the demand. Businesses all over the world have acknowledged and later utilized the presence of contracting freelancers than hiring regular and permanent employees. For freelancers, this is a huge world of opportunities. What’s even better is that, a freelancer can choose the kind of job available. Freelancers create a business profile and portfolio to highlight their expertise. And best, it can be a good opportunity to take it seriously as a business. Seriously, there are more than a hundred freelance marketplaces available on the net. Some that are known with good reputable standing on the cyber world are Guru.com, oDesk.com, Elance, RentACoder.com, and freelancer.com. And anyone who wants to go into freelancing may sign up or register on these sites. It all depends in your capacity when it comes to accepting job offers. Some small sites are also beginning to boom. In some marketplaces, basic membership is free but upgrading account will charge some dollars every month. But the latter will give more opportunities. Some of these are Guru.com and Elance.com. Elance.com is better known for its outsourcing solutions for medium to large enterprises. It is a big marketplace in the net and paying a little more for your membership will give added value to your profile, and eventually showcase your portfolio. Elance has a registration fee that range from $5 to $30 a month, depending on the type of package you buy and what type of service you offer. In the case of oDesk.com, membership is free and charges are just deducted from each job accomplished. A finished project of a freelancer is submitted based on how the client wants it to be submitted, which only the contracting parties can view. It has personal service that protects the mutual investments of both the freelancers and the client. These sites have excellent help and support systems. Freelancers create a business profile and portfolio to highlight their expertise. These are the basic services of most marketplaces but each one differs from the other in its own way. Payment term options are also available. Some projects may be paid soon after it is finished whether the cost is fixed or based on per hour rate, while others may give an upfront payment which is a few percent of the total project cost. This is how great the internet now is. Many are now earning the way they want. It has revolutionized people’s workplace. Online freelance marketplaces such as the ones mentioned above offer freelancers a platform to gain as much client as they can, as long as they can do the tasks well. This is the best time to work conveniently at home. Showcase yourself and earn! -ArP- AN ENTREPRENEUR’S GUIDE TO HIRING A VIRTUAL ASSISTANT By ArPantoja Many entrepreneurs are hesitant of hiring a virtual assistant because they all want to be hands-on of their business. They want to focus well on it from the smallest to the biggest details. But being entrepreneurs, you too are human. And you are a matter. As a matter, your most amazing property is that you cannot occupy two spaces at the same time. So definitely, you cannot use the same time at different places. As your enterprise grow, your property as a matter become even more complex for you. And when it happens, a virtual assistant is what your enterprise will call for. A virtual assistant is basically an assistant who can do everything for you virtually. You can send him out if that includes her task, but she will always come back virtually still. But when hiring a virtual assistant, you need to find someone who can do tasks that your enterprise call for. An enterprise requires mathematics and record keeping. So choose someone who can do bookkeeping for you. She has to be skilled in MS Excel or any other bookkeeping application where she can keep record of bills, expenses, sales and other bookkeeping matters. You should trust your virtual assistant. You will have to share your password and access keys to your accounts, as a way of entrusting her full duty as your assistant. She has to be at least knowledgeable of the basic legal requirements of an enterprise. Next, an enterprise needs regular updates and innovations. Require your virtual assistant to be at least capable of doing online research. If she’s not, then try to teach her simple search engine optimization (seo) techniques that she will later enhance as she proceeds with her job and continuously do the task. Give her some cue words that will guide her as she goes on researching. Make a list of sites that are of use to your enterprise. Marketing sites and sites that exhibit the same craft or business that you have will be very useful. Data entry and data presentation are also important skills that you should look for in a virtual assistant. She has to learn how to keep and maintain database which is very important in an office. Skills in powerpoint is also a plus. It is an advantage for you if your virtual assistant can transform raw data into a nice presentation. In business transactions and meetings, a good presentation is worth the result. And lastly, choose a virtual assistant who can manage e-mails and social responsibilities. She has to regularly check mails and answer queries that might come. She has to be equipped with proper etiquette in handling business correspondence. If the business has its site, she has to regularly update it and be able to reply to comments. Other social responsibilities like updating social networking sites and receiving updates from supported foundations, if any, should be habitually attended to. -ArP- WHY CHOOSE BPO? By ArPantoja BPO or Business Process Outsourcing is actually a move of letting another firm to do important tasks for your company. Those tasks usually include operations, advertising, distribution, payroll and accounting and many other forms. But the most common is distribution. Many manufacturing companies just rely on BPO firms to do the distribution of their products. Distribution may include accepting payments and maintaining accounts of distributorship. BPO firms also become responsible for remitting payments incurred. In most cases, companies that rely on BPO usually choose to assign to them the tasks and forms that require more manpower. And the advantage is on the budget which is very minimal compared to the money that may be allotted without the outsourcing. Notice some companies delivering products, product parts and other supplies that are of different names or brands. It is obvious that the delivery service is the contracted BPO for distribution, while the brand name of the products is being taken-cared of as if their own. And that is a part of the contract between the two firms--a disclosure agreement that will maintain product standard and quality. Most manufacturing companies that outsource their distribution are those that manufacture computer parts, chips, and accessories. Another thing that companies usually outsource is their customer service. Perhaps all companies do that. And it has so many advantages since the focus of customer service outsourcing is only in that aspect. BPO firms give the training which is their expertise. For companies, they have all the favors since that move saves time and money without the dilemma of the hiring process that usually takes longer than expected. Delays are often uncalled for. Customer service departments of companies were given trainings to answer inquiries, problems and at most, complaints. The customer service representative assigned for a certain company is given necessary orientation on the products, services and visions of the company. They are also trained in managing clients of extreme personalities. Customer service representatives should maintain a steady mood that compliments well with anybody’s mood. One BPO may be serving as much as 100 companies for customer support, so training and orientation may vary according to assigned company. Yet problems and complaints on technical aspect of service or product is the most common reason for seeking customer support. Many BPOs serve multiple companies in all forms. And since its emergent, considered as trial period, BPOs have already popularized their unique advantage. Companies who first tried were followed by other company one after the other. The stability of progressive development of these companies created positive impact that leading business magazines would continuously feature BPO services for months. These outsourcing firms dominated the business world as they hire employees continually over the years. . -ArP- Establish your own BPO with Confidence By ArPantoja Putting up your own Business Process Outsourcing firm could be something that will squeeze off your efforts, money and energy. Anyone who wants to venture into a business thinks that monetary capital is the only thing they should gather at first. But whether or not you’re ready in it with all your finances on-hand, what should you be more ready is your confidence. Build, maintain and project it. That is one basic rule. Even before you have walked into the decision of putting up your own BPO, your confidence should have long been established. And it should be firm and strong. Because it is one thing you should maintain having when all else run out. Remember that a BPO is not just a single responsibility. It is going to be a multiple responsibility and a lot of trusts to ascertain. Companies who will opt for the services of BPO firms wouldn’t want your money or wouldn’t ask how much capital you invested in it. They would rather look at your confidence and test your credibility. They will measure your vision by the confidence you portray. So, once you start dealing with these companies, exude a quiet confidence and strength. In this kind of business, that’s all you need to close a deal. It is not much necessary that one must be immersed in a BPO business to talk about it and venture into it. When you walk into the door of your target client with that state of mind, you can close the deal before you even ask the question. Nothing keeps you grounded and allows you to handle curve balls better than having a solid passion for what you offer and its value for the customer. What differentiates you and your service from competitors is the knowledge of your service to develop factors that separate you from the rest. And that is the confidence that keeps you through and lifts you up when sudden collapse attacks. There’s something about the power of confidence that can move the world. Once we understand that, all the obstacles in putting up a BPO firm vanish before you even begin dealing. A BPO business is a game of inches that will either bury you or catapult you past the competition. But confidence can speed up your firm’s progress and can make your company’s profit soar high. It is different from pride. It is a beautiful thing that builds credibility, while pride may destroy it. Once you establish your company as an expert outsourcing, you can leverage relationships with client companies. Remember that BPO firm clients are companies and not individuals, so the better you perform with your dealings, the more referrals you get. You don’t have to push through deals too quickly. Make each deal an excellent one and maintain it. -ArP- Lifting the Spirits of your Telemarketers By ArPantoja In these indecisive economy times, efficiency can immerse alarmingly as fear causes employees to work less, seek better opportunities overseas, or spread damaging rumors. In a world of telemarketers, there is always a competition. They compete unknowingly for time, because they compete for recognition. They compete for clients. They compete silently over the kindest treatment of their boss. They are often oriented with teamwork but they are also taught to be competitive. Yet to be competitive doesn’t always mean your spirits are lifted and will then push one to be confident. One of the weaknesses of a telemarketer is the emergence of low spirits that eventually leads to false hopes. A telemarketer has to be highly-spirited, because it is from where she gathers her confidence, and without both, telemarketing would never be easy. The boss on the other hand, has to be responsible in uplifting the telemarketers’ spirit. A boss should always instill in their minds that pessimism doesn’t have anything to do with their job and it should not, in any form or manner, succeed. The following are ways to lift your telemarketer-employees’ spirits: Be transparent. Let your telemarketer-employees in, and then get on how the marketing is doing by presenting small appropriate charts that explains. It helps the telemarketers easier to move and sell the company’s business when they are more secured and hopeful. Stay Around. Always be visible in the place of work. And keep in mind that you have to work hard as a boss to show leadership. Taking into considerations, a boss should always assure the telemarketers that he is into them and that they are together for the business. Show your care. One suggestion for this is to offer incentive program for top performing telemarketers. Start Talking. Keep communication lines open at all times. Be able to instruct each team to have a vision of its own. Rumors should be addressed and corrected. If any unpleasant information has been relayed, just tell the simple truth and be ready to take responsibility if needed without blaming someone. Raise to the Challenge. Come up with a deliberate plan to conquer difficulties and strengthen your company’s competitiveness. Reconnect with your Customers. Improving customer service and keeping in touch with them can go a long way to gaining their loyalty and allaying the telemarketers’ fears about directions. Toast Triumphs. Boost confidence and morale by sharing victories no matter how small, such as better sales, new clients, lower overheads, and success stories. A good boss in telemarketing firm has to be one of the best telemarketers of her/his time. He has to be the best critic and the best adviser of telemarketers because he probably had the best and worst experiences in telemarketing. His encouragement is possibly the best one that can either make or break a telemarketer. -ArP- HOME-BASED TELEMARKETING EVEN WITHOUT A BUSINESS By ArPantoja Many people especially women who are getting tired of their daily office routines may choose to retire in their most upsetting moment. Women of positive attitude towards work will barely meet difficulties in periods of adjustments. Hard work is gratified when payday comes, so someone who used to have money during payday may eventually suffer from uneasiness. Putting up a home business is one of the best ideas to beat boredom and anxiety. This idea will also gain back one’s financial freedom. But, if establishing a home business seems impossible, then try working for someone else’s business in the comfort of your own home. Yes, work for someone’s business in your home as a freelance telemarketer. There are so many telemarketing jobs available in the internet. Before applying for any, be sure that the job is offered as ‘home-based’ wherein transactions will be virtual. Some people who are not used to online transactions will find it hard to cope and to give trust. But that is the true essence of virtual jobs. Both parties—client and contractor, need to sign a contract called ‘trust’. If by then difficulty comes in between, take the easiest step first. Contact your friends and relatives who own business. Ask them to give you telemarketing jobs which will help selling and advertising their products. Start with four businesses and gradually increase as you get better with your telemarketing skills. Ask your friends how they want to compensate you with your effort. It can be in a fixed price to be paid either twice a month or once a month. But the most common is by commission. Basically, products that are sold via networks give 20-25% commission. That is based on the market value of the product. Meet your friends who own the business and tackle details that you will need in your marketing job. With all the details on-hand, prepare a telemarketing plan. It should be understandable enough. Remember that you should not commit any mistake, as much as possible. Specifications, advantages, disadvantages, effects, payment, shipment or delivery and all other details must be listed and posted in front of your working table. Possible questions should also be listed and answered well. Always have this copy with you to be ready with any probable Q & A portion in the course of your call. Before you start dialing numbers on your phone, have a list of your target clients. Since you are just starting, have your friends and relatives first on your list. Based on the interest, hobbies, character and personality of your friends and relatives, categorize your products. One friend may be interested in one and not in the others. Selling to friends and relatives is not a hard work. Just do it with passion and care, and they will never say no. -ArP- PROPER HANDLING OF CLIENTS in TELEMARKETING By ArPantoja Telemarketers keep and regularly update their long list of clientele. Every one they meet along their way could be a potential buyer. Luckily, social media now have wide data base that are easily accessible. Telemarketers take the social media advantage to collect names and phone numbers and try their luck in every call they make. Some telemarketers go straight to the point of selling and while they religiously praise their products, clients get trapped. Transactions over the phone flow fast without noticing that in a flick of a finger, the deal gets closed. These telemarketers are the likes who guard the conversation heavily by talking too much and allot very little gaps for the other one. On the contrary, most telemarketers have learned the art of pulling patience and drawing hopes, even when chances slip away unreasonably. They have sharpened their fingers to do non-stop dialing and calling. They have steeled their backs to bear long hours of sitting. They have strengthened their immunity to sarcastic and indifferent clients and stand steadily on the insults thrown to them on the phone. They are the telemarketers who made their way to the very heart of their customers, and still manage to muddle through their minds for them to come back. They usually begin the phone conversation with fascinating questions that lead to the client’s interest, followed by few promotional lines which actually intend to persuade the client, and gradually set the client’s mood to purchase the product. It takes quite longer. While the former values both time and money, the latter values clients and long-term relationship. But no matter how the telemarketers do the selling and strategize to close a deal, proper handling of clients is an important aspect of a business that should not be neglected. Clients should be treated as life of the business. They should be valued as the prime movers of the business. Customers who feel appreciated always have the tendency to turn around and come back. In telemarketing where faces are not seen, the product seems to be the main factor to consider of return customers. But then, surveys showed that no matter how good a product is, if the seller shows indifferent attitude, chances are, there’ll be no second time around. In the business world as a whole, clients who keep on coming back are called ‘return customers’. Retaining customers is a lot cheaper than scouting for new ones. Promos and freebies can encourage clients to come back, but the best thing for them is that: customers need to feel wanted, appreciated, loved and trusted to keep coming back. Keeping customers is like having free ads for your products. Word of mouth of return customers is probably the most reliable form of advertising. Many business firms have agreed that they get higher revenues from return customers than new ones. -ArP- TELEMARKETING: Don’t just sell your product. Sell yourself too. By ArPantoja When customers buy from you, what do you think are they really buying? It’s not just your product or service. In essence, what they’re actually buying is you—and if they don’t like you, they won’t feel compelled to buy from you. In telemarketing, first timers are hesitant of taking the call and go through the conversation, especially when they feel they might be convinced fast. They wouldn’t want to get hooked on a situation when these telemarketers would frequently ring their phones and offer one product after another. But that is actually what a telemarketer should aim for— to establish rapport on the telephone line. If first-timers don’t buy anything because they’re in research or observation mode, it is the duty of the telemarketer to do follow-up communication that will remind them of your product and offer and that they may contact you anytime they’re ready. Customers want to talk with telemarketers who don’t put up fronts, not arrogant and whose voice and words they enjoy. Nobody has the right to offend anybody, and when the seller or the marketer is relaxed, so is the client. When the telephone line is less tense, there is a better sense of how far the selling conversation could go. As a telemarketer, believe in what you do and be passionate about the product that you sell and want to add value to your client. Come across naturally and effectively with your talking so the customers on the other line will feel the real you. As someone who markets over the phone, you should not forget your good sense of humor. Yes, it is true that time matters a lot in telemarketing, but a little sense of humor will break down barriers and help your clients feel a little at ease. Remember that as human, you also may have the ability to laugh at things that go wrong. But what’s more important is that your client becomes reasonably happy of your service. The ultimate goal in telemarketing is not just to make a sale but to create a bond between you and your client so that the next time she will need the product, she would probably make her way back to you on her next purchase. There is etiquette in all our actions and in expressing our words to others. As a telemarketer, the way you say things and the manner you speak will reflect your true personality. It will also make the listening party sense how happy or sad you are with your job. Being yourself is one thing a telemarketer should know to sell herself. It means being relaxed and comfortable enough in your own skin to let the phone conversation flow naturally. -ArP- Go Virtual By ArPantoja Like the job of an office-based assistant, a Virtual Assistant or VA provides professional, technical and even creative support and services. Most of these professionals polish and enhance their skills through the services that they provide in their day-to-day tasks. But thinking about the difference, the traditional office assistants rely on the daily routine in the office which makes them like human robots who become true experts yet enclosed only in their field. Because they do the same tasks over and over again, even with eyes-closed, they can deliver their job on time. They are usually the ones working on forms and formats and are responsible for keeping them. They come to the office regularly well groomed, properly dressed and fresh. But at the end of the day, they come home either exhausted or burnt out. With the emergence of virtual assistant job on the internet, the whole concept of the job is not just modified, but also lined with more advanced skills. The word virtual itself on the title is the first major modification of the job, which many people couldn’t simply define. It is a word that sounds so powerful yet tricky. First time online jobseekers thought that this job might require a list of qualifications that they haven’t acquired yet. Maybe it does, maybe it doesn’t. For those highly skilled in both administrative and computer usage, this job is just an overnight adjustment. It varies from administrative, technical, professional and creative virtual assistant jobs. And each variation has its own required skill and experience. Virtual clients looking for virtual assistants require Skype or MSN accounts, which line should be kept open during the work period. Fresh jobseekers think that this is not by far different from a regular office assistant job where the boss keeps his eyes keen to the working assistant. But that is not true. Keeping the skype or msn line open doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re being tracked by your boss. They are required to be kept open or online for the virtual transactions and inquiries and be able to deliver the service output without network hassles. Remember that when you get hired as virtual assistant, you are working as an independent contractor. There is no requirement of good grooming and office attire. You come to your computer and proceed with the virtual job. Take note that every service delivered has to be compensated. Some clients that get pleased with the performance of the virtual assistant can hire them full time. They also require office skills for virtual documentation and record keeping. Records that use forms and ledgers strictly require expertise or at least above average skills in data entry and some necessary programs. These skills will lighten the task of entering, computing even analyzing data manually on specific forms. It also lessens time requirement for such task. Jobseekers initially check how much is offered for each job before running through the other details. Accomplished jobs are paid via virtual bank like Paypal and the like. Job price measures the enthusiasm of the jobseekers. The higher the job price, the greater the enthusiasm! Some jobs are offered with $8- $15 per hour which is pretty higher than the salary of a non-virtual assistant if computed to an 8-hour engagement. Some jobs are also offered with a fixed amount for a bulk of a specific virtual assignment that ranges from $150-$300. Others are even higher. But too high paying jobs require too much qualification. While very few can meet them, the rest of the aspirant just stay on the lowerpaying ones where requirements are met yet the competition is tight. Though the virtual world becomes a battleground for the intellectuals, the convenience of being a virtual assistant is totally gratifying. -ArP- Virtual Assistants in Managing Online Community Networks By ArPantoja Many Virtual Assistants (VAs) are hired to manage e-groups and blogs that support online community network. These sites are given extra-attention by hiring assistants whose skills are more inclined to managing e-groups and online communities. They generate and share knowledge that is a lot useful for the business. Online communities are a niche market that can be used for highly targeted marketing campaigns. A lot has changed and developed in the internet. Many tasks have been simplified and made a lot faster. Internet banking is now used as an advancement of ATM (Automated Teller Machine) banking. Distribution of media content has been made easier by Podcasting. Online shopping is now fast and simple. And the ideas of online community and e-groups have made a great change in the so called unpredictable initiative of opinion survey which is done in actual communities. This kind of virtual assistant job is quite easy to manage since the focus is on the threads where conversations begin and end randomly. The VA has to respond to any query and should not miss anything. Those who opt not to talk over a messenger video call for long hours can decide to pick this kind of virtual assistant jobs. Although at some points, the company commissioning these jobs would check on their VA’s, it is not a monitoring system but a kind of attendance checking, and of course update check, at its utmost. But then, this kind of Virtual Assistant job may only pay a little lesser than the allaround VA jobs, depending on the number of e-groups, online communities and blogs that can be handled by the VA. But then, it doesn’t end there. Since a virtual assistant job is home-based, a single VA who would concentrate mainly on managing e-groups and online communities may accept as much jobs (of the same kind) as she could which will certainly double or even triple her earnings. Originally these kinds of opinion surveys for products were given big budget allotment by the company, longer time-frame and enough manpower. But now, the internet has made a unique detour to make people from different countries meet at one point to share, converse, suggests and etc. via threads. Virtual assistants who are skilled in creating these sites and threads are also hired to maintain them. Maintenance of these sites is time-consuming because of the regular responsibility of checking and responding. But this way of generating ideas, knowledge and opinion is practical, economical and may be formally or informally expressed in well-written forms. People who would be re-directed to these sites or online communities are at least 80% knowledgeable of the topic. While a VA is hired to maintain, manage and control these sites, VA themselves, alternatively are monitored by the commissioning firm. -ArP-