Long or short term – specific assignment or long term role. Competitive hourly rates, or job rate by quotation.
The following are examples of longer term Virtual Assistance engagements with Small and Family businesses: Please read on, or follow this link for examples of short term assignments
Current Client: ELEMENTS PROPERTY – Customer support VA
Working remotely from the main office, this role utilises my experience in Customer Support and photography combined with a good proportion of property knowledge and knowledge of Adobe Creative Suite.
Supplying image enhancement and floorplan production services to the estate agency and property market in general, we respond to clients with questions about the service or about their current orders, and sort out any issues. Other customer related matters may be handled as required. This is done by phone, email or online chat, and we work on an ad hoc hourly rate .
Past Client: HL HOLIDAYS – general business support, website development and maintenance, property surveying
As a specialist holiday rental agency covering a small area of South West France, Halcyon Leisure used Socio to service marketing and business development while the Owner concentrates on the everyday business administration of enquiries, bookings, payments etc
With around 70 properties to record, photograph and maintain information, my involvement includes at least two inspection trips to France every year, and frequent use of French language skills with Owners and Customers alike.
The company’s Access database system is under constant development, and form letters, reports and other Word or Excel functions are also managed.
In Februrary 2022 I negotiated the purchase of a ‘bolt on’ division which included the update and administration of a large WordPress website. – France for Families.
In Autumn 2023 the Director requested that I find a buyer for the business, and in February 2024 successful sales of both divisions of the business were negotiated, handovers agreed and completed.
Occasional Client: PRIMO ORGANICS (Hurly Burly Foods) – Major account invoicing and reconciliation, Logistics and stock control
A great example of a young company using the functions a VA can offer to free a busy business owner from some of the tasks they may find difficult to fit into regular routines.
Initially my role for Hurly Burly Foods was to simply to receive warehouse shipping reports weekly, and invoice two major retailers, one multiple outlet and one online, who receive around 15 deliveries per week between them at March 2019, thus releasing the Company Owner to manage and promote other aspects of this exciting new brand.
Payments made by Customers are also reconciled.
The role has continued to develop to a stage where overviewing warehouse arrangements and logistics of production have been added to the task list which has freed the Sales Team from these roles, enabling them to concentrate on developing business.
Early in 2024 the logistics and establishment of new brands Wowsers Organic Ice Creams and Jaspers Organic Crisps have been added to the tasks undertaken.
In late 2024 most of the work was handed over to another freelancer, and some occasional ad hoc work with samples and promotions remains.
Past Client: HESS FOODS LTD – Orders, Sales Ledger and Warehouse. Dropshipping management
Working with the Sales orientated owner of the business, my primary role is to manage drop ship import accounts
Further work includes management of contract stock for a major packaged recipe supplier from bulk stock imported from Asia by the container load. Management of dropshipping for a high quality range of baking ingredients came online in January 2024.
Handed over to another freelancer in November 2024.
Past Client: COMPRESSORMAN LTD – Business Consultancy Services
Another great example of a Virtual Assistant being able to free up a craftsman business owner to concentrate on their area of specialist knowledge.
Compressorman supply and maintain industrial air compressors to a wide range of customers throughout the UK.
I am frequently consulted on a wide range of matters including supplier disputes, updating of manuals and operating documentation, competitor and customer research, representation of the company and negotiation. I instigated the company’s workplace pension scheme.
Past Client: PALEO FOODS COMPANY – Logistics, Production and Shipping VA
With the head office in London, a factory and warehouse in coastal Essex, my primary function was to manage supply and distribution of a small range of high quality health food products to customers (principally large multiple retailers) throughout the UK, and also arrange shipments to a small number of export customers.
Besides communication with factory, warehouse and sales teams there was regular contact with supply chain managers from customers (mainly major retailers) and ensuring that their particular delivery standards are applied. Export paper work for EU and non EU customers is prepared, including Arabian customers.
Liaison with new offshore suppliers of new ranges to establish supply chains was also undertaken towards the end of this engagement in 2021
Past Client: WILD FIZZ KOMBUCHA – Warehouse, Inventory, Production & Logistics VA
The warehouse, stock management and despatches to customers were not being efficiently managed by the hands off Directors.
Additionally there was no production scheduling or planning based on likely customer requirements.
The initial tasks were to contact customers and get ordering and deliveries back on track, and then begin to formulate a production schedule so that demand was satisfied at all times.
A plethora of spreadsheets got management of information back to some sense of normality fairy quickly, but with the company already in a weak cash flow situation the coronavirus crisis of Spring 2020 led the financial backers to withdraw support, and the final task of this assignment after 9 months was to help the Directors run down the stock before the company ceased trading.