Property Management Virtual Assistant | Find the Most Affordable
If you are reading this article, it is likely that outsourcing property management virtual assistants (VAs) has piqued your interest like it has for many property management business owners. You may have learned about the things you need to know before outsourcing to a property management virtual assistant. So, you know what to look for when hiring a property management virtual assistant, but you just don’t know where to look–and if it fits your budget for that matter.
Learn about what other property management jobs can be outsourced.
The good news is when it comes to outsourcing property management assistants offshore, no real estate business is too small. Employing a property management virtual assistant might be exactly what your company needs to adapt and thrive during the pandemic. Here’s how and where you can find the right property management virtual assistant that will give you value for money:
Find out more about a property management virtual assistant.
#1: Find Your Trusted Offshore Staffing Solutions Partner First
Since outsourcing property management assistants offshore has been making noise in the real estate industry, offshore staffing solutions partners have been popping up everywhere as they boast irresistible offers to reduce overhead costs and increase your bottom line. However, it pays to be cautious because you might fall prey to offshore staffing solutions partners that provide substandard services and do more harm than good. How will you know which partner to choose, you ask? The answer is when the list below has all been ticked:
1. Beware of Shiny Object Syndrome
When you are presented with all the property management virtual assistant benefits, you might be enticed to hire a whole team of VAs, instead of just trying out one VA at a time. In most cases, this decision is doomed to fail because your business is most likely not VA-ready. It is best to hire one property management virtual assistant first and see how it will add value to your business.
Remember, managing a remote team is not the same as managing an in-office team. Don’t be fooled by the benefits of outsourcing property management assistants offshore right away. Beware of shiny object syndrome. Of course, hiring property management VAs will help skyrocket your business’ success, but there is still science to it. Make sure your business is VA-ready first by having processes, systems, and protocols in place.
2. Compare Offshore Staffing Solution companies
Another thing you need to consider is comparing the offshore staffing solutions partners in the market. Even though you may think you’ve found the right partner, don’t settle just yet. As you check other companies that provide offshore staffing solutions, you might be surprised by the differences in services, business ethics, and culture. Once you’ve done a sound comparison, you will know which offshore staffing solutions partner and VA to hire.
You may also want to learn about the cost associated with outsourcing property management assistant roles.
3. Do They Provide VA Support?
Don’t forget that there are offshore staffing solutions companies that give top-notch service that you rightfully deserve. Look for partners that provide support to your property management virtual assistant. In order for your business to achieve your desired results and goals, VAs should be underpinned by great systems. Purple Powered VA, for one, does not just provide practical property management training to their property management virtual assistants but also supports VAs every step of the way should there be areas they need improvement.
Each VA should be underpinned by great systems before being deployed to property management clients. The Property Management Academy (PMA) has proven to be one of the most comprehensive and practical training platforms. The PMA training aims to help a person, whether green in the property management industry or aspiring to advance their career, to learn the ‘how’s and why’s’ of property management. This is why the Purple Powered VA puts every VA through the PMA training to provide top-notch service to clients.
#2: Make Your Property Management Business Virtual Assistant-Ready
As mentioned, your property management business should be VA-ready before outsourcing property management assistants offshore. Otherwise, your client-VA relationship is bound to fail. But how can your business become VA-ready? Read on to find out:
1. Have Processes, Protocols, and Systems in Place Specifically for Your Remote Team
Your in-office and remote team may share the same sets of tasks, but that doesn’t mean you can manage both using the same systems, processes, and protocols. Your remote team’s tasks are mostly cloud-based, so data privacy can be at risk. With the right systems in place, you get to equip your VA with protocols to follow should there be any security breaches.
2. Maintain an Open Line of Communication
Your in-office team is easier to manage simply because you share the same workspace. On the other hand, communication can be a little difficult with your remote team as you work in different spaces. However, there’s always a workaround in every situation. You can still maintain an open line of communication with your remote staff by allocating a day every week to touch base with your VA. In this way, you can track their work and work progress efficiently and can resolve issues that arise in a timely manner.
3. Celebrate your Remote Team’s Wins, Achievements, and Milestones
Just like you would celebrate your in-office team’s, achievements, and milestones, so should you celebrate your remote team’s wins. Employer initiatives can boost your employees’ morale and help them be the best version of themselves every day at work. Being appreciated and recognised helps an individual understand your company’s brand as well as their personal brand. This is crucial, especially when you want to effectively manage your property management virtual assistants who are on the other side of the world.
If you take care of the people you manage, they will take care of your business. Even though your property management remote team is from another country with a different culture and are paid less, they shouldn’t be treated any differently from your in-house property management team. Your property management remote teams’ success will catapult your business to success faster than you think. With the amount of time, money, and sanity you will save from ridding yourself and your in-house team of non-dollar productive tasks, you’ll have more time to upgrade your skills, nurture your relationship with your clients, and focus on core operations–helping your business to upscale in no time.
#3: Select the Right Property Management Virtual Assistant that is Suitable for Your Real Estate Business Needs and Budget
Each property management virtual assistant is unique in their own way. They may differ in years of experience, expertise, or way of getting things done. With each VA’s uniqueness comes a unique budget range to best fit your property management company. The Purple Powered VA presents three different levels of real estate virtual assistants to best fit your business requirements and budget:
- Entry-Level ppVA – a level in which a certain VA may only have little to no prior experience in the property management field, but has relevant administrative experience and skills that are transferable to property management administration.
- Mid-Level ppVA – a level in which a certain VA has previous property management administrative experience of at least six months.
- High-Level ppVA – a level in which a certain VA has previous property management administrative experience of at least two years or more.
These ppVAs, regardless of their level, are carefully handpicked to meet your business requirements, budget, and most importantly, business ethics. The ppVAs presented to you are carefully screened and selected, so you can choose the best VA for your business. If you want to learn more about the levels of ppVA and process, book a Purple Powered VA free demo.
#4: Learn How to Manage a Remote Team the Right Way
As mentioned, the team management needed for a property management virtual assistant differs from the team management implemented for in-house property management assistants. This is due to the communication style relying solely on the internet and the use of technology. Wrong remote team management will render your VAs disengaged, underperforming, and disconnected from your mission.
The good news is that technology blurs geographical restrictions and lets you seamlessly outsource property management administrative tasks to your dedicated property management virtual assistant. So, to effectively manage your property management virtual assistants, you must adhere to the following:
1. Establish Rules of Engagement (ROE) with Your VA
There may be some situations when time is not on your side. As a result, you’re not able to read the emails your VA sent that need your urgent attention. ROEs, like in the military, makes remote work more efficient and satisfying by setting expectations and ideal communication timing for your remote team. For example, you may use the Zoom app for touching base with your team and instant messengers, like WhatsApp, for urgent matters.
2. Manage Both Parties’ Expectations
In the remote office environment, managing expectations has become increasingly more important, especially when your VAs need to refocus on a new task. This somehow impacts motivation and ability. Therefore, it is important to set clear expectations to avoid misalignment, especially when it comes to urgent matters. Don’t simply assume that your VA understands where their energy needs to be focused.
3. Shift Your Focus from the Activity to the Outcome
It’s okay to track your VA’s work and work progress every now and then. What’s not okay is micromanaging them. This just shows that there is no trust established within the client-VA relationship. Define the WHY to keep your property management virtual assistant connected to the mission.
#5: It’s Time for Your Real Estate Business to Grow
This is how you will find the right VA. The most affordable ones don’t always mean they are the right fit for your business. Sometimes, they will even cost you more. To get a better understanding of which property management virtual assistant will be suitable for you and your real estate business, book a free demo today.
