In this digital age, virtual outsourcing has become the go-to strategy used by business owners who want to grow fast and efficiently. Think about it. You get a highly skilled member of staff without having to pay for holidays, Dr’s appointments, sick leave, set up costs, benefits, pensions or employers tax and NI.
That’s not to mention the overheads you have to account for with each physical member of staff you take on, or the long list of other benefits, including:
- Minimising your risk by reducing your fixed investment
- Getting true expertise at a fraction of the cost of a first hire
- Allowing you to focus on your core business and make more money
- Converting your fixed costs into a variable cost that can be quickly scaled up or down as business dictates
- Ability to start new projects quickly as the right support model can easily flex to your capacity needs
- Saving money on training and support
- Enabling your business to compete with much larger organisations who can maintain greater in-house resource
So, it’s a no brainer. And if the past few years are anything to go on, we predict that all businesses of every size will have a partially outsourced workforce in the next few years. Bearing that in mind, it’s important you know what you are getting yourself into. What do you need to consider before you take that important step, and what can you expect in return? In this blog we will answer some of the most common questions we receive each day, and hopefully help you prepare for the outsourcing revolution, which is already well underway. Here is our guide to outsourcing to a virtual assistant.
1. What type of business can outsource?
Any organisation can benefit from outsourcing parts of their business, so long as it is planned into your process to ensure workflows are managed and to ensure you have the right resource, exactly when and where you need it. Whether it’s your customer service department, I.T support, payroll or complete virtual office outsourcing that you need, there are specialist providers who can supply all the skills you need.
2. Is outsourcing only for large companies?
Not at all. In fact, because of the huge cost benefits, it is probably UK-based sole traders, solopreneurs and micro business owners across all industries that will feel the greatest benefit to their bottom line. It might mean you can delay moving into an office, saving a huge amount on rent and rates, or simply that you don’t have to pay for 28 days holiday for your employee every year. Either way, outsourcing can be a powerful tool for a business owner.
3. Where do I start?
Simple – just ask yourself what parts of your business you are finding most difficult to stay on top of. The best jobs to outsource are those that are both time-intensive and essential, but do not form part of the core offering of your business. After all, that is what you specialise in! Start by doing your research to find a partner who can meet all of your needs, both short and long-term. Cost is not the only variable. You must also consider flexibility, breadth of skills on offer and how far a company is willing to integrate into your business. Ignoring these things in favour of cost is likely to leave you wanting to move on within a few months, but finding yourself locked into what will turn out to be a costly, and unsuitable contract
4. Do I need to hire different people to do every different task?
Absolutely not. In fact, to ensure you have an employee outsourcing system in place that can scale up as your business grows, find a supplier who can provide multiple disciplines under one roof. Just as with any bulk purchase, the more you spend, the better the rates you can expect to get.
For example, if you’re primarily considering outsourcing social media management for your business, why not also get your call handling outsourced to the same partner? Or if you are thinking about finding a company to issue your invoices, why not get one who can also provide data entry support to update your accounting software? These may not initially appear to be skills that always combine well but there are providers that can do this. The cost for a provider that can cover all tasks is likely to be much less than it would be to get one independent VA to do one set of tasks, and another VA service to do the other. So just ensure you chose a company who can offer all of the services you might need under one roof with a proven track record, and who is going to be willing to develop a flexible package to meet your precise needs. A one-size fits all, or single service provider is likely to leave you needing a lot more, very quickly.
5. How do AI services fit into virtual outsourcing?
AI services are now becoming an important part of the outsourcing conversation, particularly for small businesses that want to work smarter without taking on extra overheads. Used well, AI can help a virtual assistant or outsourced support team complete routine tasks more quickly, spot patterns in information, draft first versions of content, organise data and streamline day-to-day admin.
That does not mean AI replaces the value of human support. In reality, the best results come when automation is paired with real-world judgement, customer awareness and an understanding of your business. AI might help prepare a customer response, summarise a meeting note or organise a spreadsheet, but a skilled person still needs to check accuracy, apply common sense and make sure the final result sounds like your business.
Some of the most useful AI-supported outsourcing services include:
- Research, summarising and first-draft document support
- Inbox organisation, task prioritisation and workflow support
- Customer service draft responses and frequently asked question support
- CRM updates, data entry checks and basic reporting
- Content ideas, social media planning and marketing admin
The important thing is to choose an outsourcing partner who is transparent about how AI is used. If your provider uses AI tools, ask how your information is protected, whether client data is entered into third-party systems, and what checks are in place before any AI-assisted work is sent back to you. For UK businesses, this is especially important where customer, employee or financial information is involved.
AI services can make outsourcing faster, more efficient and more scalable, but they work best when they support people rather than replace them. A good virtual outsourcing partner will use the right technology to save you time while still giving you the reassurance of experienced human support behind the scenes. And ultimately, this is where virtual assistants come into their own: combining smart tools with real‑world judgement, continuity and a deep understanding of your business. When AI, or any other software tool, is used as an enhancer rather than a substitute, it strengthens the overall outsourcing model, giving small businesses a modern, flexible and secure way to operate without the risks of traditional hiring..
We hope you found our guide to outsourcing to virtual assistants useful. If you’re ready to take your business into the future by outsourcing to an online personal assistant feel free to call us on 0800 994 9016 or use our contact form in the menu above.