Outsourcing Archives - Page 3 of 15

Outsource financial admin and you’ll be well on the way to running an efficient business. But if you’re a business owner who doesn’t like finance, you’re not alone. And if you’re thinking of setting up a business but you’re worried about the numbers side, we’re here to tell you it shouldn’t hold you back.

In this blog, we talk to finance administration expert Holly, who answers the top questions new business owners ask.

Where do I start with business finance?

Holly: Finance platforms like Xero and QuickBooks have made life much easier for business owners – I’d strongly recommend subscribing to one. I personally like Xero but it’s a good idea to watch some YouTube demos, read about what the different platforms offer and choose the one that you feel will work for you.

It’s important to remember that these platforms don’t take away the finance work completely. You will still need to do your own reconciliation, which is when you prove your income and expenditure with receipts and invoices.

I’m a bit disorganised – how do I keep track of receipts and invoices?

Holly: Don’t worry – you’re not alone! The easiest thing to do is set up a dedicated email address for suppliers to send invoices to so all the invoices are in one place. This means you can find them easily when it’s time to reconcile the accounts.

There are also some great “receipt” apps which are compatible with Xero and other platforms. For example, if you meet a client for coffee, you get a receipt and photograph it using the app so the information can be added when you’re reclaiming tax. This means the information on the receipt is stored in the right place and you can throw the paper one away.

How do I chase unpaid invoices?

Holly: Automation has definitely made chasing invoices easier. Instead of making an awkward phone call, you can now send automatic reminders via an app. There are a number of apps available. I personally like Chaser, because it’s really easy to personalise the message if you need to. It also lets you turn off reminders if, for example, you’ve heard from the client and already know the payment is going to be late. Automation doesn’t have to undermine a good working relationship!

What about VAT and tax thresholds?

Holly: Tax can get very complicated but the important thing to know is that how much you pay is based on your profits and turnover. This means that you probably won’t have to worry about VAT registration when you first set your business up. You can find more information on the HMRC website here.

I do what I love but how do I make it pay?

Holly: Most business owners work in a field they know and love – it’s the best way to stay interested in what you’re doing. But to stop it from just being a hobby, consider what income you need to make from it, and what expenditure you are likely to have.

You can gather financial reports and profit-and-loss data from your accounting app, which should give you a sense of how well your business is doing. With this information, you can forecast your figures, identify next steps like how to sell more of your product, and make key decisions like whether to take on more staff.

Outsource financial admin to Get Ahead

Get Ahead provides financial administration services to a wide variety of businesses across the country. We know that finance is both a business essential and a source of stress, so we’ve put together a range of resources to help you. Check them out!

Blogs:

Is Xero a replacement for my accountant? – Get Ahead VA

Why are financial goals important for my business? – Get Ahead VA

Effective ways to chase unpaid invoices – Get Ahead VA

Regular accounting tasks for small businesses – Get Ahead VA

Infographic:

Regular Finance Tasks for Small Businesses – Get Ahead VA

Many business owners experience barriers to delegation – potentially disastrous as your business cannot grow without it. Sometimes there is a deep-seated reason why you can’t ask for help; for others, it just hasn’t occurred to them!

In this blog, we look at common reasons business owners struggle with delegating, and consider the ways you could overcome them.

Common barriers to delegation

1. Imposter syndrome

When we experience imposter syndrome, we believe that we’re an imposter in our sector. We feel like we shouldn’t be in the role of a business owner, or we don’t feel like we’re qualified to work in that industry. Imposter syndrome – unlike actual fraud – is when we have all the qualifications and experience to do our jobs, but we still feel like we shouldn’t be there.

Imposter syndrome is a barrier to delegation because if we don’t feel entitled to do our jobs, how on earth can we take the lead when we ask someone else to do it? And how can we give feedback with confidence?

Sometimes, all we need to overcome imposter syndrome is a quick reality check. Look back at your qualifications, if you have them. And if you’re a graduate of the University of Life, spend time remembering how you learned all the skills that got you where you are today.

If your imposter syndrome is more serious than that, it could be helpful to talk to a life- or business-coach. We have quite a few in our business family – talk to your local regional director if you would like an introduction.

2. “It’s quicker to do it myself than show someone else.”

We’ve all said this at some point! But the truth is, showing someone else is a long-term investment in your business. Certainly, the first time you do it, briefing your staff member or outsourced support will take time. However, once that initial briefing is out of the way, your business now has two people who know how to do it, instead of just one. This means one less thing on your to-do list; it also gives the business flexibility as either one of you can take responsibility for it in future.

Accepting that you will “lose” an hour while you brief someone else on how to do it is easier when you also see the long-term advantages you’ll gain in return.

3. Micromanagement

Micromanagement is often a symptom of a lack of trust. If you don’t trust your staff or external support team, ask yourself why not. If their work is rubbish, stop micromanaging and hire someone else! And if the problem is with you, take action. Remind yourself that your team doesn’t want to do a bad job – they’re on career paths too.

Overcome barriers to delegation when you outsource to Get Ahead

If you’re struggling to ask for help, Get Ahead could be a good way to start. You’ll have a single point of contact in the form of your local regional director – they’ll be able to introduce you to the right expert who knows your industry and also has the right personality.

Often, they’ll encourage you to start small, perhaps with some outsourced diary management. If that goes well, you have the option to increase the amount of support you receive. You’ll never be locked into a long contract, and there’s always the option to add or subtract services as your needs change. We hope it will all go well, but if anything doesn’t make the grade, you can discuss it with your regional director. This means you don’t have to give feedback directly to your virtual expert if you don’t feel comfortable.

If you’re ready for Get Ahead to support you, get in touch today – we’d love to hear from you! And if you’d like more information on how to outsource successfully, download our ebook here.

If you sell products on Amazon, you’re probably aware that it’s a great opportunity but one that’s hard to stay on top of. Continual changes and paid advertising are just some of the challenges AMZ retailers face on a regular basis, all of which can eat into your time and profits.

Fortunately, help is at hand. At Get Ahead, we understand the opportunities offered by Amazon, but also the challenges. We’re committed to supporting businesses of all sizes, helping them secure an efficient, affordable solution for their needs. That includes helping you sell products on Amazon!

In this blog, our virtual expert Leo shares some of his insights as we look at ways to support you with your Amazon shop.

Why do retailers ask for support with Amazon selling?

Leo: Most retailers want to sell through Amazon because it’s the largest online marketplace. It’s a no brainer! Unfortunately, the size of Amazon also creates problems. Sellers have to compete to have their products seen by shoppers, which involves including the right keywords in the right places and other strategies. Without proper attention, pay per click (PPC) advertising might not give value for money. In addition, account management can be really complex, especially as Amazon continually changes its rules and expectations.

For many of the sellers I meet, these problems translate into neglected Amazon accounts and listings. Some retailers know they should be on Amazon but haven’t even been able to get started. Usually, retailers know they need to take action but ultimately it’s too daunting. And because of the time involved, taking action with their Amazon account doesn’t seem worthwhile. Instead, retailers are getting on with selling through easier channels.

I completely understand why retailers do this. But I also know that, by neglecting their Amazon accounts, they’re missing out on considerable sales.

Sell products on Amazon with support from Get Ahead

Leo: I’ve been helping retailers get the most out of their Amazon accounts for a number of years. And now, a collaborative team made up of myself, Get Ahead regional directors and our retailer clients, Get Ahead has put together a package to simplify the Amazon process in an affordable way. We’ve also come up with optional extras so you can get exactly the right support for your needs.

Our basic package has the following features:

Daily account monitoring
Bid adjustments
Brand registry support
Budget adjustments
Unlimited campaign launches
Unlimited keyword research
Unlimited ASIN research
Stock management – weekly
Account health compliance and support
Keyword tracking
Competitor analysis
Reports analysis and implementation
Email communication (up to 24 hours response time)
1x Monthly Loom video update – For Ads and Account Management
Listing optimisation
Graphic design – product images, A+ content

Retail clients also have the option to add on:

Monthly in-house visit
1x weekly Loom video update
1x bi-weekly Loom video update
1x weekly video/telephone call
1x bi-weekly video/telephone call
1x monthly video/telephone call
Brand storefront
Close communication (WhatsApp, Skype, Slack, etc)
Other support as required

Like all Get Ahead services, you can turn support on and off as you need to. However, I would recommend committing to the basic package for at least three months to give it the chance to take effect.

Get in touch to find out more

If you know you need support to sell products on Amazon, you’re not alone. Fortunately, we can help. Explore our site to find out more about how we work, or contact your local regional director today for an informal chat.

Feeling overwhelmed is increasingly common. Modern life (and sometimes social media) can have us worrying that we’re expected to be dynamic business owners, committed parents, interesting members of society and willing volunteers all at the same time. But the truth is, there are only so many hours in the day. No one can do everything.

The worst thing about feeling overwhelmed as a business owner is that we can’t see the wood for the trees. But that’s where Get Ahead comes in. Of course, we’re there for people who phone us up and ask us for straightforward social media management. But we also love it when business owners come to us to say they know they need help but they don’t know where to start. When this happens, our regional directors draw on their own knowledge and experience, as well as the expertise within our team, to help a business owner find a way through.

In this blog, we talk to Sarah Yandell, one of our regional directors, about how to manage feeling overwhelmed and how Get Ahead can help.

Why do business owners feel overwhelmed?

Sarah: Running a business is hard work! No matter how experienced you are, there will always be responsibilities you love and others you struggle with.

Another problem with running a business is that you don’t get paid holiday, sick leave or compassionate leave – I’ve met people who are trying to keep going when it’s really time to take a break. These pressures can leave you feeling overwhelmed.

If you’re really overwhelmed, you might not be thinking very rationally and it can be difficult to get your priorities in order.

What to do if you’re feeling overwhelmed as a business owner

Sarah: Be strong and take a break. It can be really hard to do when you’ve got an ever-lengthening list of jobs, but remember that you’ll work more effectively if you recharge your batteries. Often, stepping away from work can give you the sense of proportion you need. It can help you see where the problem really lies; it can also help you work out “what will make the boat go faster.”

Talking to someone can also help. Depending on the structure of your business, you might be able to talk to colleagues. And if you work alone, talk to a friend – a different perspective can be very refreshing. Remember, talking about difficulties and asking for help is a strength, not a weakness. You might be surprised at where the help comes from too.

Often, talking to someone can help you find your priorities. Once you’ve found them, don’t try to fix everything all at once. If you’re overwhelmed at work and you’ve got other commitments too, focus your efforts on the most important thing first. For example, you can’t move offices, employ new staff and experiment with a new social media channel when your invoicing system isn’t effective. Put everything else aside and get on top of the invoicing first!

How does Get Ahead support business owners who feel overwhelmed?

Sarah: When a business owner client comes to me because they’re feeling overwhelmed, my first instinct is to help. I ran a variety of businesses before I joined Get Ahead and I know from experience that it’s not always easy. When I meet a client for the first time, I always start with an informal chat. This is because trust is so important if we’re going to get you through this crisis and running your business effectively – locking you straight into a contract is unlikely to help your stress levels.

Once we feel we can work together, I listen to you describe your business, the challenges you’re facing and how you feel about them, and start to put together a proposal. Like you, I’m not an expert in every area of running a business, so I also ask Get Ahead’s team of virtual experts to help me identify the best solution for your needs.

It’s worth noting that the proposal is very flexible. I often start by offering a basic service like diary management, and you can add to that over time if you want to. And if we start off providing a service that you later don’t feel you need, you can simply switch it off. I manage the relationship with the virtual experts, so you don’t have to worry about an awkward conversation if you feel it’s time to bring the support to an end.

Resources to help you when you’re feeling overwhelmed as a business owner

Sarah is our regional director for Suffolk and Essex, but her supportive approach is what you can expect from any of our team. Get Ahead are here to support business owners in any way we can – here are our top resources to help you when you’re feeling overwhelmed:

Case study: personal branding coach in Yorkshire

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Outsource social media and you’ll have complete peace of mind that your followers will stay engaged even when you’re on holiday. But outsourcing is just part of the solution. There is still a lot you can do yourself to keep your social accounts ticking over while you’re taking a break.

In this blog, our social media expert Leah outlines practical steps you can take to ensure your posts are consistent while you’re away.

Value your break

You need a holiday. Smartphones and connectivity mean that it’s very easy to find yourself working while you’re away. But working on holiday means you don’t get the complete break we all need. So before you go away, put whatever you need to in place so you can switch off. Just because you can update your business Instagram from the beach, it doesn’t mean you should.

Assess the potential risks

Depending on your business, you might choose to do a full risk assessment of your social media before you go on holiday. For example, if you receive most of your customer communication via your Facebook page, an unanswered complaint could create serious problems for your business. If this is the case, you should consider outsourcing your social media to someone like me. I can keep up with responses while you’re away so you have complete peace of mind.

Even if neglecting your social media won’t have serious consequences, it’s still important to consider what could go wrong. This is because knowing how serious (or trivial) the outcomes could be will help you decide whether you should “just check your LinkedIn” while you’re on holiday or if you can switch off for a week without any negative impact.

Share your “out of office”

If your business will completely close while you’re away, putting up an “out of office” post will let your online community know. As a small business, your clients and customers will probably appreciate your honesty – it’s always valuable to connect with people on a personal level.

Delegate to ChatGPT

If you don’t have time to write fresh social media content before you go on holiday, you could get ChatGPT to do it for you. The customer service AI can write on-brand posts, sharing your key messages.

Only choose this option if you’re already familiar with ChatGPT – if you’re new to it, you could lose valuable time working out how to get it to write what you want.

It’s also important to check what it has written before you let it post for you. AI is a good servant but a bad master – don’t assume that everything ChatGPT writes is correct.

Find out more about Chat GPT here.

Schedule your content

Scheduling content has been a game changer for social media. It allows business owners to schedule a big batch of posts all at once, which roll out one by one across your social media channels. This works well if you have a busy week but it’s also a huge advantage when it’s time to go on holiday. Simply schedule your posts for the duration of your holiday so your posting remains consistent even when you’re not there to do it in real time.

Scheduling content is not entirely risk-free – the last thing you want to do is schedule something controversial when you won’t be there to deal with your community’s response. Instead, stay safe with tried and tested, on-brand content. Maybe repost a successful blog, or share links to specific products or services.

Outsource social media while you’re on holiday

The safest option is to outsource your social media for the duration of your holiday. This will mean that a real person (maybe me!) will post for you regularly throughout your break, providing seamless communication with your community. I can adjust scheduled content if something unexpected happens and respond to comments while keeping your brand message consistent.

Outsource social media

Outsourcing social media is one of our most popular forms of business support. We offer the same flexible service for large and small businesses, ranging from one-off holiday cover to a full circle service. Find out more about our social media support here.

PS – if you’re going on holiday tomorrow, we’ve put together our top out-of-office hacks here!

Business admin for personal trainers can be a distraction from your core business. If you’re a personal trainer, your business is to help your clients get fitter, stronger and healthier – it’s a brilliant job and you make a real difference to people’s lives.

The downside of being a great personal trainer and offering a fantastic service to your clients is that you might fall behind on your business admin. Fortunately, Get Ahead are here to help! In this blog, our admin expert, Lucy, looks at some of the key challenges personal trainers face and how she helps overcome them.

Business admin for personal trainers – challenges and solutions

Personal trainers are never at their desks!

Your core business takes you out and about, to parks, leisure centres and even people’s homes. This is great for your clients, but it does mean you get far less desk time than people with office-based jobs. It’s easy to leave your admin, emails, social media and invoicing until the evening, but this isn’t ideal either – I know many of the personal trainers I’ve worked with have very early starts.

However, outsourced support could be the solution you’re looking for. I’m proud to say I’ve built strong, trusting relationships with the personal trainers I’ve supported. This means they can leave their admin to me while they’re with their clients, doing what they do best.

No one can do everything, but everyone can do something

I love that quote – it describes the reasons for outsourcing perfectly! If you’re an experienced personal trainer, you’re probably amazing at creating individualised fitness regimes. You’ve invested your energy at improving in that area, rather than learning how to use accounting software or streamline your social media. Your clients love you for it, but it might not be great for your business.

But just because admin or marketing isn’t your thing, it doesn’t mean you have to worry about them. Instead, pass them onto someone like me who loves back-office jobs and does them quickly. I might be able to do a job in one hour that would take you two hours – that’s an efficiency that makes sense for a small business like yours.

You want to improve your service, not increase your numbers

When you work on your own, gaining more clients is not necessarily your business goal. When will you have time to train them all? Instead, you’re probably focused on improving what you offer to the clients you have.

If improving your service is your business goal, tailor-made support is probably a better solution than a crash course in growth. When you receive support from a virtual assistant like me, I’ll listen to your needs and – working with your local Get Ahead regional director too – we’ll find a solution to help you achieve your specific business goals.

Business support for personal trainers – a flexible solution for micro businesses

Get Ahead supports lots of businesses in the wellness industry. We’ve built up our knowledge of the different challenges the industry faces and we’re working on improving our service so we can help you meet specific goals.

If you’re a personal trainer looking for reliable, affordable business support, we’d love to help. Explore our site to find out more or contact your local regional director.

PS – we’ve put together some of our ideas in this infographic

HR outsourcing is a great way of keeping your team running smoothly and strengthening the relationships between business leaders, middle management and staff. With outsourced support, your business will benefit from a fresh pair of eyes and an independent perspective – two valuable assets when it comes to personnel management.

We caught up with HR expert Louise who shares her knowledge about the benefits of HR outsourcing and how it works in practice.

Why are employee relations so important?

Louise: People are your most important asset. It’s easy to think running a business is all about the bottom line, but the reality is that your business won’t grow without good management to bring out the best in your personnel.

Many employers are struggling to recruit at the moment, which makes employee retention more important than ever. Fortunately, with good communication between management and staff, you can hold onto your employees. A long-term employee offers better value than a newbie, and a happy, well-managed staff means higher productivity and savings right across your business.

How can outsourced HR support help employers?

Louise: All too often, people are promoted to management because of length of service rather than because they have the right experience. It’s a shame to see managers with great potential and business knowledge fail to manage their teams well simply because the manager hasn’t received the right training to bring everyone together.

However, HR outsourcing can help you to get the basics of management in place, like a solid employee handbook and up-to-date policies. With these for reference, you should be able to handle day-to-day issues. A good employee handbook also forms a great foundation for further training. For example, I recently trained managers in inclusivity and awareness – this has helped them meet the diverse needs of their teams and make everyone feel included. And a happy team is a productive team, so it’s a win for the business too.

How do you work alongside an in-house HR team?

Louise: Many businesses I’ve supported have excellent in-house HR managers. However, most HR issues only arise once in a while, meaning that for small and medium-sized businesses, it doesn’t make financial sense to employ a full-time HR team. Instead, HR managers outsource general and specific HR support as the need arises. This is usually better value and also brings a fresh perspective.

For example, I’ve recently carried out an investigation on behalf of a client – the situation needed someone from outside the business to ask the right questions and give an objective view.

HR outsourcing from Get Ahead

Louise is just one of our amazing virtual experts ready to share their skills and experience with business owners like you. To find out more about what HR services we offer, explore our HR pages or scroll down for more blogs about business support.

Business administration support from Get Ahead always works well, but it works even better with strong teamwork.

One of our administration experts, Lisa shared her experiences of working as part of a team for our UK/US-based client Elevated. In this blog, we look at how this situation came about, the advantages of teamwork for the client, and what that teamwork looks like in a regular working week.

Developing the client relationship

Elevated is a UK/American business consultancy offering a wide variety of support to its international clients. Get Ahead has been supporting their client team who provide medical training in neuro-critical care. In November 2022, Andrew at Elevated approached Emma, regional director in our East Midlands office (who had provided him support with a previous business), looking for business administration support. He needed help covering email management, customer service, reporting, minute taking, event support, client liaison and ad-hoc project management. Emma immediately matched him with three possible specialists who could deliver all the work remotely from their UK-based home offices.

Although the initial plan was for Andrew and his US business partner to select one or two VA specialists to deliver the requirements, after an introduction meeting, they ended up engaging all three. This was because they were so impressed with the breadth of knowledge and experience of all three candidates…and it turned out to be a very wise decision.

Why? Because in March 2023, Elevated upgraded all its tech systems. And like many tech refresh projects, this one has had its share of teething troubles, including a sizeable email backlog. Fortunately, the three-person Get Ahead team has the right skills and experience to clear these emails and help Elevated offer the service it prides itself upon.

What does Get Ahead teamwork look like?

Lisa, Ruth and Jessica were chosen by Emma because she thought they’d work well together, and because she thought they’d be a good fit for Elevated. She was right! The three VAs quickly found effective ways to work together. As remote workers in a different time zone from their client, they’ve had to do their own team leadership, with support from regional director Emma.

A weekly Thursday meeting gives them a regular time slot to share information and updates, but also find time for emergency meetings. They have a WhatsApp group for quick questions and are always at the end of the phone and ready to support each other.

What are the advantages of Get Ahead teamwork for the client?

Elevated are delighted with Lisa, Ruth and Jessica’s work – so we are delighted too! Because there are three people in the team, they can cover each other’s holidays and sick leave. This means continuity for the client – there is always someone to keep on top of the work and ensure that Elevated provides a great service to its own clients.

This also means more flexibility for Elevated – they can make business decisions without being restricted by the availability of their business support experts.

Because the three VAs are all part of Get Ahead, it’s easy for them to manage themselves and their own team. They communicate between themselves instead of needing Elevated to act as a conduit. This releases the internal team to address other priorities instead of having to add team leadership to their list.

Business administration support from Get Ahead

We love putting together teams to deliver great results for our clients. To find out more about how we hand pick the right team for your business, check out our infographic here.

Outsource branding and benefit from a different perspective on your business. The decision to rebrand may feel like a big step and a risky one. However, in the long run, it’s usually better to change your brand and strengthen it than to try and muddle along with something that isn’t fit for purpose.

In this blog, we look at how you know you need to rebrand, the advantages of rebranding and why the decision to outsource branding can help.

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Category: Outsourcing