Starting a business in Singapore? You do realise that this country may be drowning with opportunities, but it’s also highly competitive, strict, fast-paced and expensive.
There are fierce local players with deep local expertise and manpower shortages that push the salaries to the top rate. The financing options are also pretty scarce—and with the rising operational costs, you’re pushed to save resources at every turn.
Maybe it’s time to reconsider a virtual assistant for a small business Singapore as you struggle with admin overload. Growing your business will be a lot easier if you team up with this flexible, cost-effective, smart staffing solution.
This article tackles how to scale a small business with a VA and hire a virtual assistant most efficiently.
What It Means to Hire a Virtual Assistant
A virtual assistant is a remote professional whose expertise spans a wide array of business-related tasks, from administrative to content creation.
Think of a VA just like any other admin employee who supports your business processes without occupying space in your office.
Now, how is a flexible virtual professional different from your typical full-time staff?
Full-time employees stick to a rigid schedule, typically with a 40-hour workweek. These onsite workers are usually hired for one particular purpose, whether customer relations, data management or whatever it is you need.
VAs, on the other hand, thrive in the modern-day era with flexible hours. They are engaged in contractual arrangements, either working full-time or part-time, depending on your current task list. And unlike office workers, they function from their own location and use their own resources to deliver their service. This often leads to massive cost reduction, particularly in the overhead.
To hire a virtual assistant offers small businesses the power to adapt and scale, which is a significant advantage in Singapore’s fast-paced market.
Common Myths About Hiring VAs
Many entrepreneurs have doubts about virtual professionals due to the misconceptions planted by people who have actually never worked with one.
So, before you too get sceptical about VA services, let’s clear the clouds of confusion.
Myth# 1: Virtual assistants are only meant for big corporations.
Any business, regardless of size, can utilise VA support. From startups to the Fortune Global 500, a virtual assistant provides services wherever it is needed.
Myth# 2: Virtual assistants are only experts on handling basic administrative tasks.
Sure, remote professionals are admin experts, but they’re more than that. They can take on complex tasks that require skilled expertise, like content creation or digital marketing.
Myth#3: VAs can’t compete against an in-house full-time employee.
You’ll hardly find a remote professional without a particular skill. Despite physical distance, they excel in various fields and can effectively portray their roles as good, if not better, than an in-house support.
Myth #4: Remote professionals are expensive.
Of course not; remote workers are perhaps the most cost-effective staffing solution today. They cost only a fraction of a full-time employee’s price tag while producing greater results.
Myth#5: Virtual assistants are difficult to manage.
When you employ the right assistant, you’ll be working with a trained and experienced team member who can get you through the process with no trouble.
But if it’s your first time, we suggest conducting thorough research. Ask for recommendations from people you trust, or better yet, work with a VA company.
Why Hire a Virtual Assistant in Singapore?
Why hire a virtual assistant Singapore? How can they empower your enterprise? Learn here.
Rising Manpower Costs & Tight Labour Market
The cost of hiring a virtual assistant is fairly cheap, especially when you consider the scarcity of the available local workforce in Singapore, which pushes wages up. Manpower is actually one of the largest factors in company spending in this country.
Now, with VAs in the picture, you have a flexible arrangement that allows you to pay for the services you use without committing long-term. And the fact of the matter is, remote professionals hail from places overflowing with talent who are eager to land a job for a much lower price.
Save Time on Admin & Repetitive Tasks
The tasks to outsource to a virtual assistant are usually tactical, routine work that drains your time until you’re left with nothing. VAs are adept at simplifying and speeding up your workflow, leveraging automation.
With their effectiveness in managing your most tedious processes, you can save a serious amount of time, increasing your overall productivity.
Access to Skilled Talent Without Borders
The time when you have to settle for what’s available in the local market is over. Virtual assistant outsourcing turns the world into your hiring field. You can go beyond city limits and across seas to find the assistant who can actually make it happen.
By tapping into this massive talent pool, you can receive top-notch support without going through the lengthy cycle of hiring and onboarding.
Stay Lean & Competitive in a Digital Economy
VAs offer you a variety of ways to outperform your competition. They can double your speed, provide valuable insight, and enhance customer support.
Your remote assistant handles the time-sucks of your operation, so you can put your energy into strategic initiatives and innovations. With sharpened focus, you can scale efficiently and remain agile in a dynamic Singaporean economy.
Popular Tasks to Outsource When You Hire a Virtual Assistant
The ability of your remote assistant to wear too many hats means they can support your Singaporean venture in so many ways. You can hire a virtual assistant for bookkeeping Singapore or customer service—whatever you need, it’s in the bag.
Here’s a peek at the different virtual assistant services for Singapore entrepreneurs:
Admin Support
- Calendar management
- Email management
- Data entry
- Scheduling meetings and appointments
- Travel arrangements
- Create reports and prepare presentations
Finance Support
- Basic bookkeeping
- Invoicing
- Payroll management
- Bank reconciliation
- Financial reporting
- Expense tracking
- Budgeting
Digital Marketing
- Social media management
- Email marketing
- Content writing
- Market research
- Competitor analysis
- SEO optimisation
Customer Service
- Provide information to clients via chat, emails or calls
- CRM management
- After-sales support
- Gather and handle feedback
- Take and process orders
- Review customer accounts
E-Commerce
- Order tracking
- Product listing
- Inventory management
- Order processing
- Handle customer queries
Why Hiring a Virtual Assistant Works Well for Singapore SMEs
Singapore is built to operate on a global scale and is known for its very friendly business environment. But don’t get too giddy; business in this city is not without difficulties. That’s why getting the right support is essential and no longer optional.
Why hire a virtual assistant? Scroll down and tap into the power of hiring a virtual assistant in Singapore.
Productivity Boost for Small Teams
Singapore has a work culture that prioritises group wins more than solo triumphs. As such, when running a small or medium-sized business, everyone within the organisation plays a part.
A productivity hack for small business owners in Singapore can mean leveraging VAs.
Your remote assistant can remove everyday burdens that have little impact on your profits. They take charge of the routine activities so you and your core team are free to focus on the core missions. This results in higher productivity without hiring a full-time additional player.
Affordable Scaling Without Office Costs
The startup costs in Singapore are actually higher than in most Southeast Asian countries. The country has a strong local currency, which makes the wages expensive. The resources are also limited, which means overhead outlays like rent and office supplies are double the price compared to neighbouring Asian nations.
Fortunately, a virtual assistant is never fussy. They can work from anywhere and utilise their own tools, which leaves you with just the salary to worry about based on worked hours.
Aligns With Singapore’s Digital Transformation Push
Small and medium entrepreneurs are Singapore’s economic lifeline, powering half of the country’s entire GDP.
With the digital revolution transforming every sector in its economy, Singapore pushes for digital revolution. Programmes like SME Go Digital encourage small-time entrepreneurs to choose smarter solutions like a virtual assistant service.
VAs leverage digital tools to perform their functions, streamlining operations via automation. Thus, for any business owners in Singapore, remote support is a transformative solution to realise digital growth.
How to Make Hiring a Virtual Assistant Successful
Clear Delegation & Task Management
Start by identifying what your needs are. Once you know the positions you want to fill, you can smartly delegate. Be specific with the responsibilities and skills required, and provide instructions on how you want each task to be accomplished.
It’s also important that you oversee the tasks throughout their lifecycle. This helps ensure the effectiveness of your virtual assistant.
Use Collaboration Tools
Managing a spread-out team demands strong collaboration tools. Without in-person interactions, there’s no way for you to manage communication and performance efficiently without Asana, Trello, Slack or Zoom.
A variety of software solutions make work so much easier, fast and hassle-free. Just don’t forget to choose the applications that both you and your VA are comfortable using and can be easily integrated into existing systems.
Set Goals and Performance Benchmarks
It is crucial to define your goals to optimise the collaboration. Without a heading, it’s easier for your assistant to get lost in the jungle of responsibilities.
By incorporating measurable, achievable and time-bounded goals, efforts will be directed towards bigger business priorities. Your VAs can stay on track and produce more meaningful output.
So, we encourage you to determine the benchmarks in task completion, communication or client handling. By setting these expectations, you allow your remote assistant to remain attentive to the mission.
Why Work with VAV When Hiring a Virtual Assistant
VAV is a reputable virtual assistant company that provides trained and skilled remote talents for entrepreneurs, startups and SMEs across Asia.
VAV gets how tough it can be to run the moving parts of your business, from admin tasks to strategic developments. That is why we pair you up with a capable assistant who is forged in practise and field-tested to take on your modern business needs.
So, how do we carve out your path to virtual collaboration success?
Low-Cost Support
Everything about bringing in an on-site full-time employee is expensive. They are nothing like remote professionals who remove all the overhead. Each year, you’re bound to save 70% of your operational expenses—pay only for the total hours worked.
VAV can kick off your VA partnership for an affordable $500/month. That’s the kind of value you don’t see every day!
Flexibility
Your virtual assistant works with flexible contracts. This means they can operate part-time or full-time and night or day—all too eager to boost your operational efficiency.
Simply put, your VA can increase or decrease their efforts to keep pace with your needs.
No Long-Term Commitments
You don’t have to say yes to a long-term commitment to a VA unless you’re 100% sure. Test your VA out for the first week and see if their skills are valuable to your cause.
Tailored VA Matching for SMEs in Singapore.
Your assistant is carefully selected with your goals and preferences in mind. Rest assured, they’re more than just their impressive resumes; they’re truly exceptional in action, from finance and admin to marketing.
VAV works with precision to find a reliable remote assistant who can drive the best results.
Ongoing Support
Our support is not a one-time thing. We are dedicated to giving you the assistance and training your VA needs to prosper in their given roles. Just like your business, they continue to evolve to serve you beyond expectations.
Looking for a particular VA? Start with VAV → we offer free consultation.
Wrapping Up!
To hire a virtual assistant is the smartest, leanest way to grow your business in Singapore. They can cut costs, boost productivity and maximise results.
We know you’re scared of handing over your tasks to someone else. But outsourcing doesn’t mean losing control; it means having the power to get things done with less.
And when it comes to choosing the right partner, turn to VAV. We have the expertise to help you with VA outsourcing in Singapore. We have reliable virtual professionals in Singapore and across Asia to support your distinct needs.