Andy: Hi! This is Andy of the Contact Center Cactus Chat. Don’t change your channels. New host. So… you know… be easy. We just finished our series on company core values hosted by Kiezia. Kiezia is actually behind the camera with us today, congratulations on that Kiezia. We’ll talk some more later about what else we can do for the future.
With me today, and I think this is probably one of the more revealing interviews that we’ll be doing for the podcast, especially if you’re running a business and you’re having trouble figuring out all the day-to-day tasks that you’re supposed to be doing but at the same time also trying to figure out what you’re supposed to do to bring your business to the next level, we have here a veteran V.A. Yeah? Did I say it right? V.A?
Kay: Yeah
Andy: V.A. virtual assistant, (Kay: Yes, virtual assistant) her name is Kay.
Kay: Hi, Everyone.
Andy: Her name is Kay. Kay here, she’s been working as a virtual assistant with the collective work experience of about 8 months. Yeah? 8-10 months? Before that, Kay was a call taker selling flowers for special events so you can say that she’s an outsourcing specialist. Kay, how are you today?
Kay: I’m feeling fine today. Outside feels great even though it’s warm ‘coz it’s the summertime. It feels good to be outside right now.
Andy: Right on. Right on. Uhm, before we get to it, ‘coz I really wanna know more about being a virtual assistant. I’ve only probably heard about virtual assistant, the term virtual assistant about 4 or 5 years ago. It’s a fairly new term for me. But before we head to that, just for our viewers and our listeners at home, it’s Kay’s birthday.
Kay: Ah, Yes. Today is my 25th birthday.
Andy: Happy birthday, Kay.
Kay: Thank you!
Andy: 25th? You don’t look a day over 24.
Kay: Haha! Thank you!
Andy: That’s stupid, I’m so sorry. That’s so stupid. But thank you so much for spending your birthday with us. We’re really happy that you’re here.
Okay, VA. Virtual assistant. What is that?
Kay: Virtual assistant is basically an employee of yours that works from home. That remotely, works remotely, and doesn’t have to be in the office with you. You can just have calls and talk about what you have to do remotely, you don’t have to see each other personally.
Andy: Okay, but… I understand that you’re working for a company that deals with something that’s a technological industry? Tell us about the company that you’re VA for.
Kay: The company I’m working for is selling tools. Yeah, they sell tools, they get..
Andy: Tools like hammers and saws and nails?
Kay: Yeah, all the tools that you can think of. Like even the big ones like… what do you call that… saws for.. Even for lifts. For your trucks, they have that.
Andy: Those high-powered tools? Okay. I can imagine how a company like that can be quite busy. Do they have a big staff on hand?
Kay: Yeah, they do. They have like a lot of people. They also have a lot of VAs actually, they’re hiring a lot of VAs.
Andy: Okay, so you’re not the only one coming from Pac Biz. Okay, so you were made the favorite.
Kay: Hah! I think so.
Andy: Oh, it’s all right. I think some arrogance is great for this podcast. Because you know what, you’re doing. I think from what I hear from the great people at Pac Biz, you really are one of the more talented agents that they have. What does your client need more virtual assistants for? What kind of tasks do they get you to do?
Kay: For me, personally, what I do is I keep up the website because my client has, and their company basically has a website wherein you can order the tools there. So if there are any website discrepancies, or new products that I need to upload, I do that. So I update the website so that more sales comes to the company.
And also, for example, if other outsourced companies with their products, if they have like price updates, I also update the price.
Andy: Okay, so far, you’re telling me that as a virtual assistant, you fix and maintain their website, you deal with other partners, so you’re not just dealing with their clients, you’re also dealing with other partners, updating sales, so you got some sort of data analysis skills and transcribe, I mean not transcribing but data entry skills, and you’re also working with sales?
Kay: Yes, I also do orders.
Andy: And you’re also doing orders?
Kay: And returns.
Andy: That’s your job?
Kay: Yeah.
Andy: Basically you’re the every person for this company. They have so many of those?
Kay: Yeah, like a few. Like around 5 I think?
Andy: They got 5 virtual assistants, so they got 5 people who are paid at an affordable rate, considering that you’re not there and countries like where we are right now, in the Philippines, the labor costs are a lot cheaper. That’s okay to say that. You know compared to… where was this client based? What country is your client based?
Kay: In the United States. New York.
Andy. It’s tough you know, looking from what I hear, it’s tough to find a job nowadays. Not tough to find a job but it’s tough to find the right help. More power to you Kay. You’re doing all of that. At a cheaper price!
Kay: Yeah.
Andy: I actually need a virtual assistant. Kiezia’s here with us again, just reminding you all. Kiezia’s there in the background. Kiezia, let’s get us a virtual assistant for this podcast, man. This is so cool!
Okay, so you’ve talked to us about some of the tasks you’re assigned to do. What about your fellow virtual assistants? Are they doing the same thing?
Kay: I believe no. I think I’m the only one doing all of these. I do know one other person, she does most of the orders and returns but I don’t know if she does the website things but I think I’m the only one who does that.
Andy: Okay, so basically what other things do virtual assistants do? I’m asking for like if I were to start my own business, what else can I expect a VA to help with?
Kay: Well, basically, a VAs can help your work become easier because you can assign the tasks to them so that every day tasks, every day jobs is easier to do and you won’t like get stressed in thinking what to do because you can ask the VA what suggestions that they can tell you that probably would help your business become better. Because VA’s are not only there to work for you. They can also be outsourced for other information like suggestions to become better. As a person and as well as for your business.
Andy: So when you hire a virtual assistant, you’re not just hiring a soldier. You guys have the initiative, the what the client’s company to succeed. That’s incredible. That’s amazing.
From there then, what then are the challenges that you guys go through because the way you’re talking about it, you make it sound so easy. But I’m writing down everything you’re telling me. Uhm, there’s so much that you guys do.
Kay: So when I started with this company, my client trained me. We had a one-on-one training and as the person that he’s employing, I have to work for myself. So I don’t just wait until… to do what he tells me to do, I have to figure it out on my own and there’s this program that I’m new to. So I haven’t seen it before. Or haven’t experienced it. So it was a hassle because there are a lot of buttons on that program.
Andy: When you say program, do you mean like a tool that the client expects you to know how to use?
Kay: Yeah.
Andy: Like a software?
Kay: Yes, exactly! Software. And basically that’s what I face everyday because that’s where I edit for the website. To update the website. So I have to figure things out on my own. To figure which part I should do… I have to… there’s a lot of steps since I have a lot of tasks to do. Like product uploads, updating pricing, it’s different windows in that software so having the first month of training was a bit hard. It’s a challenge because everyday, coming to work, I’m scared because what if my client would like, “she’s not cut out for this,” “she’s not gonna do well.” But fortunately, my client was very kind and patient and understanding with me and until now, he likes me. Like really, really do.
Andy: I believe you. I believe when you say that because again all the talk that I hear from this company when I asked about you to prepare for this podcast, for this episode, I only hear good things. You work real hard.
So the main challenge for a VA is how to deal with clients expecting the VA to have the initiative to just to have all the expertise ready because there are so many tasks that they are expecting you to eventually help out with. What then do you do? How do you? So they tell you “Okay, you gotta use this program to fix the website.” What do you do for something like that?
Kay: So what I did I wrote down each instruction step-by-step so that I would have a copy for future references. And for example if they wanted to have more VAs and like do the same job that I do. I can like train them. They can ask me to train a specific VA to help them and their business as well.
Andy: Wow so getting a virtual assistant from a company that has even more benefits right? Because they get you, they train you, then they don’t have to train the next person if they need more people because you already know, you can help, you can tell them how to do the job.
That’s incredible. That should help any business, really. I guess there would be some challenges when a client first starts with a company, but it all goes smooth from there.
Kay: Yup!
Andy: Alright.
Andy: Kay, I wanna thank you so much for your time today, sharing your expertise on and your experience working as a virtual assistant. I’m convinced. I mean, I’m not starting a business anytime soon but who knows? At least I know that there’s a service out there that can help me deal with the day-to-day because company growth, that’s number one. Right? And it’s you guys who can pretty much be, not the backbone of the company but the people to keep the company afloat. Will you agree?
Kay: Yeah, I do.
Andy: You gotta love Kay. You gotta love Kay. I don’t know what you guys…
Kay: Thank you for having me today.
Andy: Yeah! And thank you for your time!
Andy: Kay, thank you so much for your time. I have learned a lot about what virtual assistants do. If anything, the only thing we didn’t cover is what virtual assistants don’t do because it sounds like virtual assistants can do everything. And we sound like an absolute hidden gem for any company. Yeah? For them to grow.
So I’ll the episode on how? How do we get started? How do we get amazing talents like you?
Kay: Well, people can get these talents by visiting the Pac Biz Outsourcing Webpage. It’s pac-biz.com. It’s spelled as P-A-C dash B-I-Z .com and you can see whatever services may it be virtual assistant or other services that you want. And also set a meeting with the founder, Eric Mulvin or with their team. I don’t remember. I don’t remember. Haha!
