As the world becomes more connected and businesses move online, virtual property management assistants have become an increasingly popular option for property management companies. While no workforce solution is perfect, there are a lot of benefits to choosing VAs.
However, today we'll explore both the good and bad aspects of working with a virtual property management assistant.
Yes, there are challenges that come with choosing virtual assistants vs. W-2 employees when staffing up. Let's talk about a few.
One of the downsides of working with a VA is that they are not local to your office. This can make communication more difficult than it would be with an in-house employee.
For example, there are times when you may want to walk down the hall and ask a quick question, but your VA is in a different hallway in a different country. Not having them in the office or close enough to connect with locally on occasion can be frustrating if it's a new way of building a team for your business.
Additionally, your virtual assistant may be in a different time zone (possibly a significantly-different timezone), making staying in close communication challenging.
We're not talking about an hour or two different, like East Coast time vs. West Coast time. It could be nighttime for your property management virtual assistant while you work during your regular business hours. This can make scheduling meetings and conference calls difficult and can create a sense of disconnect between you and your VA.
Another potential downside of working with a VA is the potential language barrier. Working with multilingual team members that learned English as a secondary language can present communication difficulties. It can also lead to misunderstandings, and instructions may not be clear, leading to mistakes that could have been avoided with better communication.
With those challenges in mind, let's focus on the good aspects of choosing virtual team members for your workforce! There are plenty of positive aspects of growing your team this way.
Even with time zone differences and distance, communicating down a "virtual" hall is easy with the latest technology.
You probably have "local" remote workers now as part of your team. So, adding VAs that work out of the country just means your "virtual hallway" gets a little longer, and you'll need to rely on communication solutions like Slack, email, and video meetings to stay in touch.
Virtual assistants are used to this and can quickly adapt to new communication tools.
Even with a significant day/night time zone difference, most VAs are flexible in adjusting to your time zone.
Depending on your preferences and the working arrangements you put in place, virtual team members often have no issues adjusting to your time zone. It's common for VAs to work at odd times locally to fulfill their roles and availability requirements for U.S.-based businesses.
Not every available virtual assistant will be the right fit for property management virtual assistant jobs for your company. Depending on the role you need to fill, you can specify your preferred level of English proficiency.
Then, during the review and initial conversation process of evaluating candidates, set up video meetings and writing tests to find the VAs that meet your requirements.
There are plenty of good reasons to choose virtual team members, but what are some of the best reasons to go this route when it's time to scale your workforce? Here are a few!
VAs are a low-cost solution that delivers high value. By hiring a remote assistant, you can save on expenses like office space, equipment, and benefits and get more done with less. This can help your property management business become more efficient and profitable.
Choosing VAs through VPM Solutions means you add members to your team with real estate industry experience and training. As a result, they are well-equipped to handle tasks specific to property management, such as responding to inquiries, managing properties, and handling tenant issues.
Additionally, VPM Solutions provides free training on industry-specific skills to ensure that the assistants you hire are up to date on the latest trends and practices in property management.
Property management virtual assistants are often equipped to handle a wider range of roles than you might initially think. In addition to handling administrative tasks like answering phone calls and responding to emails, many virtual assistants are skilled in marketing, social media management, and other areas that can help you grow your business.
The right virtual assistant can be an excellent cultural fit for your company as an extension of your local team. They work closely with your in-house employees to improve customer service and satisfaction, enhance efficiency and productivity, and boost your bottom line.
If you're looking for a virtual property management assistant, VPM Solutions is the only online platform connecting real estate professionals with virtual assistants who have the specific skills and experience needed to succeed in the industry.
One of the key advantages of working with VPM Solutions is that our virtual assistants come with industry-specific training. We understand the unique needs of the property management industry, and we provide our virtual assistants with the tools and knowledge they need to succeed.
In addition, our Company Accounts feature makes it easy to manage remote teams. You can easily add or remove team members and monitor their progress.
So if you're ready to scale your business while reducing payroll costs, set up your Free Company Profile and build your remote team through VPM Solutions!