Reece Bertholf Long story short. I’m busy and so is my wife.
I am thinking about finding a “virtual” office assistant.
My thoughts are this: I see many military spouses in my community on the for sale groups seeking home employment. I am considering handing off phone sales and Facebook to one who may be qualified with some sales or customer service experience. Commision-based pay. Anyone ever done this?
With call forwarding I would know that they answered the phone, and can see everything they do on Facebook. This would free up my time to tend to units instead of emails, facebook, and phone calls. I realize there would be startup headaches and growing pains, but with a little management I think it might work.
Looking for stories of success and failure with similar ideas in Space Walk land. Thanks!
Dave Mason The guy that had my branch before me had a lady that would answer the phone for him and he paid her $5.00 for each reservation that she took.
I personally want to control my phone. I like talking to customers and feel that I can help them better than an employee can. I can also be creative and all they can do is quote and reserve.
D Warren Giles Both Dave and myself have full time jobs (teacher, active duty military)… At the end of the day, it’s all balance. You can make calls during lunch, you can email from your partner mail throuhout the day, but when you get off work you can dedicate the rest of the day fully to Space Walk. If your assistant will work strickly off commission, then I say go for it, it will keep them motivated…. But you don’t want to dig too deep of a hole in your early years.
The product will sell, you just have to market it. Facebook is your friend, but you have to balance your business page, and personal page at the same time because of the different capabilities of them both.
David Sells I hired a girl this year. Worked with her for a couple weeks. Started her off slow with just residential rentals and I called back all the commercial rentals. In less than a month she was handling them all. Best move ever.
Scott Ayres Just to get an idea of scale here David, how many units do you typically rent out each weekend? And how are you structuring her pay?
David Sells We had 22 on the ground Friday and 19 Saturday. Not counting tents tables and chairs this weekend. As for pay she gets a base pay plus commission.
Shaun Matson I agree with everyone but if you found a stay at home mom that just wants to make a little extra money while doing what she already does it could be a win win for both sides. I however am lucky in this area my wife doesn’t work and she is a stay at home mom so the phones getting answered is not a problem at all. I love it every time she sends me that text saying we just got another unit booked! Reece I think it would be worth a try to find a good military wife to help you out in that area and I think paying per reservation is the way to go.
Tim Marden Reece you have to focus on revenue generating tasks. Answering email and phone should be your priority. Nothing happens until something gets sold.
I would not delegate that out to someone for hire. I would rather hire a cleaner. Much less variable involved. It’s clean or it’s not. Much more manageable. Get a couple kids from the neighborhood or school.
With a stay at home mom or casual labor, do you really think her priority is your business? Honestly, sounds like you are trying to talk yourself into it but my opinion there is more pitfalls then pole vaults. Sorry.
Shaun Matson I agree but in time as they gain your trust you can give that person more control to be creative. I look at it this way some of the most successful people in the world are where they are now because they were good at delegating.
When you decided to become a Space Walk partner and you called HO Mials didn’t answer the phone did he. At the end of the day you have to make sure the phone gets answered because if it doesn’t by the time you get off working the full time job they have already called someone else and you lost that possible rental. If that means you need a little help by all means get that help.
Don’t miss answering that call that could have been a big fall festival but went with another company because they got your voice mail when they called.
Do you have a good story or advice on the subject? Let us know what you think in the comments below!