Virtual Secretary Australia | Virtual Personal Assistant

What training and experience do I have?

Posted by Paula Roseon 3rd November 20203rd November 2020Leave a comment

When it comes to bringing someone into your business, it’s important to know about their skills and qualifications and if they will be a perfect match for you. As the principal at Aspire Admin Services, I wanted to share with you some of my training and experience.

10 years’ experience

I have almost 10 years’ experience as Compliance, Quality & Practice manager, which has given me the skills that I require to excel at managing complex systems and processes.

Team Leader

I have managed highly successful national teams both remotely and geographically dispersed, which has given me the experience and confidence that I need to assemble and lead a dream team.

Establishment of charity

It was a great achievement to be involved in the establishment of a local charity, which including the preparation and drafting of numerous policies and other required documentation.

Treasurer

I serve as Treasurer on the board of two NFP’s.

Practice Manager

Practice Manager for a speech pathology practice for people living with Parkinson’s.

Software

I have extensive experience with wide range of software platforms, including:

15 years’ experience

Working with federal government contracts.

Systems and Processes

I have experience with creation, review, refinement, and embedding of systems and processes to maximise efficiency and productivity.

Training

I have completed training in Accounts and Payroll Management, Medical Terminology and Counselling, giving me a wide range of qualifications and skills.

What can I help your business with?

General Admin

Document creation and formatting
Agreements and contracts
Advanced skills across the MS Office suite
Adobe Pro documents and forms
Database creation and maintenance
Excel automation and VBA
Mailbox management
Calendar management and appointment scheduling
Survey creation and analysis

Business Documentation

Document library management
Policies and procedures
Process maps (Word or Visio)
Staff reference and resource material
Systems documentation

Allied Health Specialist

Practice management software experience
Patient and calendar management -Invoicing
Billing and claims through HICAPS Go and Medipass

Financial Processes

Federal government wage subsidy expert
Agreement management
Evidence preparation and submission
Invoicing and quotes
Payment schedules and monitoring
MYOB, Xero and Reckon One experience

I offer all of the administration support you need to grow your business to the next level, with a solid foundation of policies, procedures and resources in place.

Outsourcing your administration will release your time and energy to focus on business growth. If you’re ready to grow your business to the next level, and need help with your business planning and administration, but aren’t in the position to hire a full time staff member, a Virtual Assistant is the solution!

We take care of the mundane so you can take care of the creative.

If you would like to get in touch with me to help, you can contact me here.

FAQ: How do you maintain privacy between businesses?

Posted by Paula Roseon 19th October 202019th October 2020Leave a comment

In the current digital world, it’s now more important than ever to maintain privacy for your customers and clients. You are legally required to treat your customer’s personal information data respectfully and reasonably. This includes any information provided to you by your customers, from your website, email or any other platform. The best way to ensure you are covered is by having the following information and systems in place.

Privacy Policy

Any business website is legally required to have a Privacy Policy in place that is clearly available to customers. Regardless of the type of business, it is a requirement to have a Privacy Policy available. Ensure that it is easy to find, clear and simple to read and understand.

In a privacy policy you should include:

All of your businesses practices
The type of personal information that you collect and store
The purposes for which you collect, hold, use and disclose personal information
How you collect and securely store personal information
A promise not to ‘spam’, sell or rent a visitor’s email address
How an individual may access and correct any information you hold on them, including unsubscribing from any email list
How an individual may complain about a breach of the Australian Privacy Principles and how you’ll deal with the complaint
Whether you disclose personal information to other people or organisations, and if they’re overseas, which country they are in
Your contact details
Mention a clause regarding ‘cookies’

It is not enough for you to post a compliant Privacy notice on your website – you and your business need to uphold the Australian Privacy Principles. For example:

Take precautions against being hacked
Purge out-of-date customer database records
Act on email list unsubscribe requests promptly
Keep your Privacy Policy notice up-to-date, etc.

Information taken from – https://legal123.com.au/how-to-guide/privacy-policy-australia/

Confidentiality Policy

Just like having a Privacy Policy, it’s also important to have a Confidentiality Policy in place that clearly states that any information provided to your business is kept confidential, including any information sent via email and through your website.

Systems set up to keep documents and files separate

Ensure that you have the right systems in place to keep any client’s documents and contact information private. Having all of your files in the one system is highly recommended, whilst making sure they are clearly labeled and separated. Destroy or archive personal information when a client has ceased. There are many systems available to securely store files such as OneDrive, DropBox, and various website providers.

Password vaults

If you are working for a client where you need their passwords, it’s particularly important to keep this information safe. One of my personal favourite applications for this is LastPass. It’s an application where you can safely and securely store and share passwords.

Phone systems (VOIP)

VOIP is a system that enables telephony services to operate over computer networks. It converts your voice into a digital signal, allowing you to make a call directly from a computer. It can be used to identify which calls are coming in for which company, which is especially useful if you are taking calls for multiple clients.

Are you wanting to create and maintain privacy within your business? Or are you a small business owner with no time to take care of the paperwork piling up? Then you’ve come to the right place! We have a range of options to suit your business needs, and if you don’t see something that fits, we can work with you to create a tailored plan.

If you’re ready to grow your business to the next level, and need help with your business planning and administration, but aren’t in the position to hire a full time staff member, a Virtual Assistant is the solution!

We take care of the mundane so you can take care of the creative.

If you would like to get in touch with me to help, you can contact me here https://aspireadminservices.com/contact/

How do you know when you’re ready to start outsourcing?

Posted by Paula Roseon 2nd October 20202nd October 2020Leave a comment

This is such a powerful and scary question to ask: “when am I ready to start outsourcing?” But it is such an important question that can have a huge impact on your business. No time is the perfect time, but I have shared some signs that may indicate that you are ready to take that first step.

Spending too much time on low-value tasks

Let’s face it we all think at the start that we can do it all within our business. However, we soon realise that we may be able to do it all but it is not practical. We end up spending too much time on low-value tasks that don’t bring in the income that we need. It takes away from those high value ticket items that we need to be working and focusing on. This is a clear sign that it might be time to outsource these low-value tasks which will give you time back to focus on the higher-value tasks.

Feeling stressed and overwhelmed

Two emotions that we do not want to be feeling if we can help it. The pressure of stress on top of feeling overwhelmed can be a recipe for disaster. When these sensations arise, we can often see signals within our business and life. Like forgetting to email a customer, forgetting an important meeting, or missing dinner for the fourth time this week. Each one is a clear sign that it is time to start outsourcing. It can help with taking the pressure off you to do everything, and tasks are completed more efficiently.

Your creative spark and energy are gone

Coming up with new ideas in business is essential. It keeps us ahead of the game and moving forward. But when we can’t come up with new ideas we feel stuck in that moment, without the momentum to move forward. When we feel overwhelmed in our business and are too busy doing everything, our creative spark is the first thing to go. It is then hard to come up with new ideas when we have no energy or time left to think clearly. This is another important sign that it may be time to outsource tasks within your business; to give you time and space to bring back your creativity.

Forgetting what your family looks like

Although we make promises that we will not put our business before our family, sometimes it can get overwhelming, and we end up spending more time at work than at home. When we have to do every task within our business there isn’t much time left in the day or night. By the time we get home, we feel exhausted and don’t have much energy left. If we continue living each day like this, running on empty, it will result in burn out. Which is not something that anyone wants to have, because then we will not have any strength or focus to put back into our business. This is a strong sign that you need to look into outsourcing those tasks that are taking away from your time with your family.

Finding it hard to keep up with customers’ requests

This is a great issue to have. It’s a sign that business is growing and we have the opportunity for a increase in income. One thing we need to ask ourselves before it gets to the overwhelming stage is: ‘can I do this on my own?’ If we are feeling overwhelmed and not able to give each client the time they require then it’s a sign that to start outsourcing. Our customers are important and essential to our business, and we need to service their needs.

Are you a small business owner ready to start outsourcing? Then you’ve come to the right place! We have a range of options to suit your business needs, and if you don’t see something that fits, we can work with you to create a tailored plan.

We take care of the mundane so you can take care of the creative.

If you would like to get in touch with me to help, you can contact me here.

What is outsourcing?

Posted by Paula Roseon 21st September 202022nd September 2020Leave a comment

Outsourcing is the practice of handing over tasks for your business. Ones that are not your area of expertise or that you may not enjoy doing. It allows you to make room in your day and create growth in your business. By outsourcing you save not only time, but money and resources to train or learn these skills. You can outsource in every area of your business from social media management to finances and everything in between. There are virtual assistants available that have set skills and experience for every task.

When outsourcing you will see many benefits in your business and I’ve listed some of them below.

Allows you to concentrate on your areas of expertise

By outsourcing it generates time for you to focus on your area of expertise. It creates space, time for you and your team to work on other areas. It removes the stress and worry of learning how to do this task or spending hours doing it, when you could be generating income by focusing on what you are passionate about and establishing new leads. Going back to doing what you love when you started your business in the beginning. Not to be doing tasks that make you feel overwhelmed and exhausted.

Growth

When you outsource tasks, you’ll see an increase in business as you will have more time to gain new clients. Your to-do list will be completed promptly without the stress of finding the time to complete the tasks you don’t need to do. This will create more space in your schedule to get out there networking and growing your business.

Cost Saving

Outsourcing tasks to a virtual assistant will save you operating costs, as the contractor does not need to be in your office using power, office supplies and utilities. Money can also be saved in sick days, annual leave and superannuation, as these are not required when hiring a contractor. Contractors generally charge out on an hourly rate or a monthly retainer. You will be able to set the hours and be on top of your finances.

Engagement

When outsourcing rather than employing staff, you will notice that the contractor is more engaged and efficient, as they are trained to work remotely, are highly regarded for their communication and do not have the same distractions as if they were working in a team office environment.

Increase in positive mental health

By having more time and space to focus on what you love doing within your business you will see a huge increase in your mental health, as you are not stressing about having to learn and complete tasks that you don’t want to. You will be completing tasks that bring out the best in you and create that sense of fulfillment, bringing you that reminder of why you started your business. It will produce an overall change in attitude and job satisfaction.

Access to more talent

With outsourcing you will be able to hire all over Australia, as they do not need to be in your city. This opens up the talent of the candidates that you will have access to. You’ll be able to find someone that has all the skills that you need, rather than settling for someone that needs to be trained to gain the knowledge.

What tasks can I outsource?

Social Media Management
Bookkeeping
Blog Writing
Copywriting
Customer Support
General Administration
Graphic Design
Business Documentation
Digital Marketing
Marketing
Reception on call
Email marketing
SEO
Website Creation/Management
Sales

You name it, you can outsource it to professionals in that field.

Are you a small business owner with no time to take care of the paperwork piling up? Then you’ve come to the right place! We have a range of options to suit your business needs, and if you don’t see something that fits, we can work with you to create a tailored plan.

We take care of the mundane so you can take care of the creative.

If you would like to get in touch with me to help, you can contact me here https://aspireadminservices.com/contact/

What exactly does a Virtual Assistant do?

Posted by Paula Roseon 4th September 20201st September 2020Leave a comment

Virtual Assistants ‘VAs’ offer an array of skills and can complete pretty much any task in your business, ranging from creating/managing websites to receptionist work. A VA is there to help you in your business, by taking away the stress of completing tasks that you might not have the time (or inclination) to do. Having a VA in your business is a game changer, and you will see instant results within your business and personally.

Today I am going to share some of the tasks that a VA can take off your hands and what I offer here at Aspire Admin Services.

Tasks covered by a VA

Website Creation/Management
SEO
Copywriting
Bookkeeping/Accounting
Email and Calendar Management
Reception/Bookings
Social Media Management
Content Creation
Graphics
Marketing
Sales
Blog Writing
Customer Service
Troubleshooting
Organisation
Email Marketing

This is just to mention a few tasks, there is endless possibilities when it comes to tasks that a VA can do within your business. There are VAs that specialise in certain tasks, as they have the skills and knowledge required in that particular area of expertise.

AAS Provides

Allied health specialty

I have current experience and knowledge within the allied health industry. This is an industry that I am passionate about and is my area of expertise. I love working with clients within this field to help them organise their business and set systems in place to ensure everything runs smoothly and efficiently. While I specialise in the allied health field, I do have experience in other industries and am more than happy to work with your needs.

AAS can help with:

Practice management software experience
Patient and calendar management
Invoicing
Billing and claims through HICAPS Go and Medipass

Business documentation

Business documentation can be something within your business that you don’t have time or the patience to organise. That is where I can help, by ensuring everything is filed, organised and documented effectively and efficiently. Creating a seamless system that will take the pressure off you so you will feel organised within your business.

AAS can help with:

Document library management
Policies and procedures
Process maps (Word or Visio)
Staff reference and resource material
Systems documentation

Administration Support

Getting administration support can help tremendously, by saving you time, stress and taking your business to the next level. I offer all of the administration support you need, creating a solid foundation of polices, procedures and resources. I will work with you to help your business grow to new levels.

AAS can help with:

Document creation and formatting
Agreements and contracts
Advanced skills across the MS Office suite
Adobe Pro documents and forms
Database creation and maintenance
Excel automation and VBA
Mailbox management
Calendar management and appointment scheduling
Survey creation and analysis

Automation and efficiency

Having the right systems in place within your business is key to success. I help by setting up automation systems to save time and help with increasing business opportunities. I am highly efficient and can set up emails or promotions on auto pilot. This is beneficial as it takes the pressure of you and you now have time to focus on your area of expertise within your business.

Financial Processes

In business our finances or accounting can be daunting and something that can often be left to the last minute. I can help with ensuring systems are in place for things like reporting and invoicing, taking the stress away from you.

AAS can help with:

Federal government wage subsidy expert
Agreement management
Evidence preparation and submission
Invoicing and quotes
Payment schedules and monitoring
MYOB, Xero and Reckon One experience

If you’re an Allied Health practitioner or small business owner, you know how valuable time is, and how much of that time can be taken up by paperwork and other behind-the-scenes tasks.

We take care of the mundane so you can take care of the creative.

If you would like to get in touch with me to discuss how I can help, you can contact me here.

The Two Ps – Some of the Most Important Letters for Your Business

Posted by Paula Roseon 24th August 202024th August 2020Leave a comment

Policies and Procedures. Not exactly the sort of topic that gets many people excited. However, these business documents are a crucial detail for any business, of any size. Let’s take a closer look at why they are so important.

Why do we need them?

Policies and procedures are the skeleton that holds a business together. You can’t see them, they’re not pretty, but without them, everything would fall apart.

Every business has policies and procedures. Whether they’re written down, or just in your head is another matter. Knowing what you do and how you do it is great, but if you want your business to grow, and have stability for unforeseen situations, having your P&Ps documented is super important.

Nobody wants to think of the worse-case scenario, but what would happen if you were suddenly in an accident, or taken ill, and unable to be hands-on in your business for an unknown period of time? Would someone else be able to step into your shoes, keep things on track, and not make a royal mess before you get back?

Policies – the What and Why

Policies are simply an explanation of what your business does, and why it does it that way. For example, a standard Financial Management Policy would have clauses such as:

Company XYZ is committed to honesty and integrity in all aspects of its financial management process.
Financial decisions are made within a sound accountability framework, using robust and transparent systems.
The organisation undertakes regular reviews of financial systems and engages in independent audits.

This makes it clear that this business is operating within a legal and ethical framework, with openness and honesty, and that all staff or contractors engaged are expected to act in the same way.

Each business will have different policies that are relevant to them, to their industry, and to their product or service offerings, however some standard policies that many businesses would have include:

Privacy Policy
Financial Management Policy
Conflict of Interest Policy
Workplace Health and Safety Policy
Human Resources and Recruitment Policy
Customer Service Policy

Procedures – the How

Now that we know what the business expects, and why, we need to spell out the ‘how’. This can be the tricky part, and it can feel a little overwhelming to begin with.

One easy way of starting is to literally record a process being completed from start to finish. If it’s a task completed on the computer, using a tool like Loom or Zoom to record your screen can be really useful. If it’s a manual task, having someone take notes while you perform and talk through the task can be helpful. Otherwise, you can simply write down each step as you do it.

These notes or recordings then form the basis to develop your procedure, where each step is summarised clearly and simply, in a logical format that is easy for people to follow.

There are a couple of different ways procedures can be documented. Some of the main ones are:

List – a simple step-by-step list of instructions
Infographic – written instructions combined with screen shots or images to demonstrate different steps
Process map – a diagrammatical flow chart that includes decision points and conditional logic

The complexity of the process, as well as the target audience, will help determine which format will be best.

The process of documenting your procedures can itself be a learning experience, and highly valuable. It’s a great way of identifying inefficiencies and potential areas for improvement. Hand-off points, opportunities for automation and system integration, delegation or outsourcing can also be easily highlighted.

Once you have policies and procedures in place, the tasks of onboarding new staff, expanding your business, and taking time off all become a whole lot easier!

Whether you decide to tackle documenting your P&Ps yourself, or decide to engage a virtual assistant to help you out, getting these fundamentals right will help your business now, and into the future.

Would you rather be doing the books or…

Posted by Paula Roseon 18th March 2020

Playing with your kids
Enjoying a glass of wine
Exploring the great outdoors
Participating in your favourite sport
Having some down time

If any of these things sound like something you’d prefer to be doing, rather than dealing with a pile of paperwork, we can help!

Check out our range of services and packages to help you find your work-life balance again.

Wage Subsidy Management now on offer

Posted by Paula Roseon 23rd November 2019Leave a comment

Have you ever thought about tapping into the potential of government wage subsidies but don’t have the time to handle the paperwork? Problem solved! Reap the benefits of additional income to your business, while we take care of the grunt work.