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April 15, 2019 by Jackie Appleby Leave a Comment

What is an OBM and why do you need one?

The VA industry has exploded of late and now everyone and their dog wants to be a VA – why? Because it’s a great role for office assistants who want to work from home or coffee shops or any where in the world. It opens up a ton of flexibility for working Mums and Dad’s and provides business owners with relaible, knowledgeable administrative staff for great rates.

What is a VA?

For those of you who don’t know what a VA is – The Virtual Assistant (VA) was born from the remote office worker role. Those companies who took the leap ( did I mention that I used to be the Team Leader for one of the first call centres in Calgary to offer a remote team?) with work-life balance and allowed their administration and call center teams to work from home to help cut down on sick leave, commuting issues, child care dilemmas and various other “getting to the office” headaches that cost employers thousands of dollar a year in lost hours –

With the ability to now house most files and paperwork digitally (even CRA accepts digital copies of receipts) the need for a worker to be physically available in the office has become non-existent if they are support staff that don’t need to be present for customers. This means that book-keeping, accounts receivable, accounts payable, HR, marketing, sales and many other operational functions can now be done out of the office – and if you hire subcontractors to do the work, your costs are significantly lowered – no CPP and EI to worry about, no benefit packages, in some cases even offices are no longer required, leaving you rent free too.

VA’s are the office ninja’s your business is praying for and the workhorse you need! So what, pray tell, is an OBM?

What is an OBM?

An OBM is an Online Business Manager – but don’t get confused by the online part this means virtual like a VA rather than just applicable to Online Businesses. If a VA is your office assistant, then an OBM would be the equivalent of the Office Manager, but subcontracted so now you only use an OBM when you need one!

The goal of the OBM is to take over the daily operations of a business to free up the business owner so they can lead the company and concentrate on those important money making activities. Typically an OBM works across 5 areas –

Project Management – managing a launch, setting up a new online program or membership portal, establishing a website from start to finish and any other one-off projects that you may need to move your business forward.
Operations Management – making sure there are systems in place for billing, client relationships, workflow, communications, and ensuring that those systems all talk to each other effectively to cut down on duplicate tasks and save you time and money! Process and Policy implementation also come under operations management.
Metrics Management – tracking stats so that you know exactly what’s working in your business and what isn’t, managing the numbers and making sure things are effective – after all, what gets measured gets done!
People Management – outsourcing, managing, and tracking the completion of the day-to-day tasks of your team, hiring, employee management and Payroll.
Resources Management – The resources you use within your business are valuable and essential for its success. Sometimes these need to be procured or researched – OBM’s can help with this.

Wearing many hats!

Covering the roles of project managers, office managers, human resources managers, accounts managers, operations managers and online experts. You get exactly what you need when you need it!

This is not about handing over your business, but rather hiring an experienced and skilled professional to manage the areas of your business that take up more time and bandwidth than you have available. Sometimes as a business owner, you are great at the core money making activities but either doesn’t know how or doesn’t have the time to run the office environment.

Online business management is different from the general administration provided by a VA. An OBM is more invested in your business operations and it’s the ability to run smoothly. An OBM understands your business model and takes steps to ensure they fully understand your business needs. It’s like having an Operations Manager working alongside you.

We understand your struggles, being a business ourselves. We manage the same things that you manage within your business, We understand the frustrations and challenges that come along with running a business.

Once a business has gotten to a stage where managing the day to day takes more time than growing the business it’s time hire an OBM. At Diligent Assistant we specialize in helping you connect your people, processes and systems for a streamlined operations environment, that allows you to work smarter not harder, creating efficiencies and saving you money whilst maximizing your growth. Get in touch today to start a conversation on how we can help you or sign up here for our “Smarten Up” biz check list and see where the gaps in your business are.

April 1, 2019 by Jackie Appleby Leave a Comment

Word of the year 2019

It’s no surprise to me that exactly 3 months into the start of 2019 is when I finally decide on my word of the year. Those of you that know me well, know that I am a planner, almost an obsessive planner that comes from having lived so unplanned for so many years and suffering the consequences’ of that. It probably is a surprise to you then that my word of the year exercise was not a planned activity!

Don’t get me wrong, I tried to do word of the year exercises, even as far back as October last year, but they just weren’t resonating with me. I was busy still trying to get through 2018 and big Christmas plans with family so my time was spent elsewhere and I just couldn’t muster the mental clarity I felt I needed to pinpoint what 2019 was going to hold for me and how I was going to achieve my goals.

I was also only looking at my word of the year from a business perspective and what I have learned in my business over the years is that it is a huge part of my life on so many levels and needs to be incorporated as a whole and not left as a separate entity. That’s what sets me apart from other business owners, I feel, is that my business is not a means to an end but rather a part of me. How I conduct my business, the values that I believe in can be seen across all areas of my life.

This is the second year in a row that I have executed a word of the year and also the second time the word has manifested itself rather than been the result of an exercise or planned activity. I’m taking that as some kind of sign from a higher power that some things just are. I have become aware of certain words that seem to be repeating in my conversations, in my visions for the future, in that drive action and behaviour. Last year it was DEPTH, this year my word is CHOICES.

It started manifesting in January when I had a routine doctors appointment for a repeat prescription. I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia 17 years ago and have pretty much lived with a significant amount of pain every day since then. I manage the pain with anti-depressants, not that they kill the pain but rather keep my mood elevated enough that I can deal with the pain. There is no cure for fibromyalgia as yet and there is still a lot of speculation as to whether it actually exists. One doctor in England told me that there was no real reason why some people suffered from depression, Chronic fatigue syndrome, irritable bowel, muscle and joint pain, SAD and various other symptoms, so they lumped it all together and called it Fibromyalgia. My Doctor here in Canada told me it’s all in my head – but he didn’t mean I was making it up, he means that my body should not feel the level of pain it does, that my brain is telling me it hurts when it shouldn’t.

Anyways, what does this have to do with choices I hear you ask. Well at my routine doctors’ appointment we talked about how my pain levels seemed to be higher than usual – not surprising, 2018 was a heck of a year all in all. I’ve tried so many drugs and alternative therapies to combat the Fibro over the years but nothing seems to touch it and my doctor explained that there is no drug available to “fix it”. My doctor heralds from South Africa and he then explained how Fibromyalgia is a “Western disease”. It’s non-existent in poorer countries because their lives are much more physically demanding than those of us in the western world. Over in Africa they go to the doctor (if they have them available) because they got bit by a snake or some other life-threatening issue, but for the most part their bodies are physically strong because they have to be, their lives depend on them being able to grow crops and walk miles to get to schools and amenities in some cases. They don’t have a CHOICE.

Needless to say, I am now active at my local gym 4-5 days a week and making healthier food choices. We’ll see if it works but to me the message was clear – you can choose to be in constant pain or you can choose to do something about it. Will it change overnight – no but doing nothing wasn’t going to change anything either. I could choose to feel sorry for myself and use my Fibromyalgia as a reason not to do things or I could not let it control my life. Making difficult choices are usually the more worthwhile ones.

That was my first epiphany around choices. The second was something I read and I can’t remember where but the message resonated and has stuck with me. It was about managing time, which is something I struggle with. Not in the day to day as my planning helps with that, but in terms of bigger, life-changing things. The phrase is “It’s not that you don’t have time, it’s that you choose to spend your time on other things” I started to hear myself saying “I don’ have time for that” I don’t have time to go to the gym, I don’t have time to learn a new skill, I don’t have time to read a book, I don’t have time to spend with my family….the list went on. I did, however, seem to have time for Facebook, or binge-watching shows on Netflix or napping because I was up late doing nothing in particular. Now I’m not saying these are bad choices or time wasters, that’s an entirely personal opinion, but when I re-phrased my “I don’t have time to go to the gym which will help manage my pain” to “I chose to spend my time binge-watching Netflix instead of going to the gym to help manage my pain” it kinda put a new perspective on things. FYI my gym is the kind that has Netflix on the Cardio machines so I can still binge watch if I really want to!

More recently I read/listen to “Unfu*k yourself” by Gary John Bishop which further emphasized the ability to take a hold of your life by making conscious choices and accepting responsibility for those choices. He talks about choices in terms of willingness – what are you willing to do and what are you not willing to do.

You have the life you’re willing to put up with.

Conversations I’ve had with family and friends of late have been about choices, my choices, their choices, those with no choices and the fact that choices are not always easy, but you still have them! It’s been a reoccurring theme for a while and I’ve consciously noticed it’s appearance in all facets of my life over and over so that is why I am making it the word of the year 2019. That was the easy part, putting it into practice will be the hard part! Here is how I intend to make my word of the year work for me:

The list can go on but I think you get the picture. I’d love to hear about your word of the year if you have one but I’ also love to hear about the choices you are making!

April 29, 2018 by Jackie Appleby Leave a Comment

Software Review – Less Paper Co

Software solutions for small business owners is what we do best here at Diligent Assistant, however, we always run across the same issue. Where can we find a core system that does everything the client wants but doesn’t have the custom design price tag and works in the cloud for easy access?

A custom designed system is always the best way to go for long-term solutions to your business needs, yet it comes riddled with issues at the outset. With such a huge price tag (we are talking tens of thousands in many cases) it is often way out of a small business owners budget. Couple that with the fact that many business owners don’t know what they need their system to do early on as their business model is still in development. These systems are also usually installed on a company’s own internal servers and can only be accessed from set places. Cloud Software provides much more flexibility in when and how you access your business information.

The alternative is a mish-mash of systems that do various different things to give you everything you need, such as a CRM, Accounting System, Email Marketing, Project Management, appointments and e-mail and so on. These systems can add up in cost and if not seamlessly connected can result in errors, lost time through duplication and lost revenue.

I am currently working on a custom system build with a small software company called Less Paper Co, who I believe has created the perfect product for small business owners in the Field Service Segment. A completely customizable core system that doesn’t come with the huge price tag!

The system looks similar from client to client, with some standards such as dashboard and invoicing showing in the menus however the language is completely customizable as is the functionality of each module. The interface is clean and easy to use and it’s cloud-based software so you can access the system from anywhere that has an internet connection.

The process to get started was relatively easy, the only downside is that because the software is customizable there is no demo to try before you buy. Less Paper were able to send us some screenshots of what the system might look like and an important part of the process on our end was to create a wish list of our clients’ requirements and understand how they all linked together. This wish list was then sent to Less Paper who were able to advise what they could do (we got everything on our list) and provide us with the costs for the build and the monthly subscription cost.

Upon client approval of the costs, documents were signed in January and a deposit paid, then the project was scheduled for build in mid to late March. The first round of testing was completed late April, so it took about 4 weeks to build out the system to the required specifications.

Communication has been fantastic with Less Paper Co, we started off speaking to their sales team who were able to give us all the information we needed as far as system requirements were concerned and then handled all of the contract paperwork. In March we were handed over to their development team and communication has been via email, mostly with clarify questions as the development team are great at what they do but don’t fully understand every business need of their clients so they require additional clarification. Every step of the way, when one piece has been completed, we’ve been able to test and play around to get a feel for the system before going live. Sometimes playing in the system has lead to additional requests for small items such as re-naming areas to coincide with our clients’ internal language or adding email templates and automation which the Less Paper Team has been able to easily accommodate within the current scope of the project. There are a few items such as our request for an App that fell outside of the original scope and these will be revisited once the original system is up and running effectively.

As for the price – well it is also customized, dependant on your individual needs and wants but we can tell you that the build we just completed came in under $5kUS (way under) and costs $149 US per month for 5 users (field staff that do not access the system do not count towards the users but are still able to be scheduled). The system is going to probably half the time needed for invoicing, it will better enable orders to be kept track of both from a scheduling process and invoicing, it will assist with a very complicated payroll process and cut time down there and keep everything housed neatly in one place to save even more time looking for emailed orders and further correspondence. Overall the time saved on existing processes outweighs not only the monthly cost but also some of the custom build cost too.

We’ve been extremely impressed with the entire process and the end results of what Less Paper Company has been able to produce, and our clients are super happy too. We definitely recommend a look at Less Paper Co if you run and Field Service Based business.

May 18, 2017 by Jackie Appleby Leave a Comment

How to hire the best Customer Service Representatives

Is customer service an art form? Is it something that everyone should be able to do? Is it trainable or do some people just have a natural talent for it?

In a world where everyone is in a hurry, every transaction can be completed on a screen the size of a credit card and customer loyalty left the building when the www was created, it’s more important that ever for businesses to provide outstanding customer experiences to their customers. Price is no longer the main contender in the game, with service and location now ranking as the top criteria for perceived value.

So why then is it still so hard to get some good service around here? Companies spend millions of dollars every year on customer loyalty incentives, staff training programs and making it right clean up’s because it’s easier to do that than the obvious solution – hire the right people! Service roles are considered the bottom of the barrel, for the most part, especially retail – the most customer-centric industry around! Hiring staff for any CSR position usually includes making sure they can read the employment agreement and sign their name! Sure there are reference checks and the like but with such high turnover in the service industry, most businesses take what they can get! At my last employed position I had to jump through all kinds of hoops to get my position as a team leader, with personality and aptitude tests and yet, those employees being trusted to build relationships and nurture the very people that keep us in jobs, were only asked a series of questions “tell me about a time when”.

Those very same businesses spending all this money are also covering the costs of constant staff turnover because their CSR’s feel they are paid too little to receive criticism on how they could have had more oomph in their “good morning”, or because even though this is a CSR position, they are now expected to upsell credit cards, without the paycheck of a sales manager.

I remember working with a guy back in the UK in a contact centre, who was the complete opposite end of the spectrum to what the company usually employed, how he got the job, I still to this day do not get, but I remember listening to him on the phone one day. All my fellow CSR’s were cringing as they heard him address the customer as “My Dear”. “Are you having a lovely day my dear” he would say as he navigated swiftly through his computer screens, updating details like a ninja. “Now I am noticing that you have had no claims for your husband in the last little while, is he doing ok?” “oh yes,” she said, “now that he has no teeth, he doesn’t need to visit the dentist!” and how the two of them laughed – while everyone else shook their heads. What was this profounded “fun” this CSR was having with a customer, where was the professionalism? Of course, the company received a written letter from the customer a few days later, addressed to the CEO, expressing how she had very much enjoyed her conversation with the CSR and requesting in future could she please speak to only him.

I have met people like this guy before. They are the “yellow” personality trait if you do insights, or Sanguine if you have read personality plus or the “ESFP” from Myers-Briggs. They are unruly, don’t like being managed, they are unorganised, generally messy and everything you probably don’t want to hire, on paper. But in reality, they LOVE people, and people love them and they are ideal for Customer service positions. I wholeheartedly believe that some people are born to make others happy, that is their mission in life, and if you are lucky enough to find someone who just loves to talk to your customers all day long, make sure you hang on to them and pay them what they are worth – way more than industry standards, and don’t yell at them because they didn’t clean their coffee mug!

Yes, great customer service skills can be trained, but to really stand apart, you also need to have a personality. When you let these entrepreneurial spirits sore, the referrals and sales become a natural progression and more genuine too. Customers won’t feel like they were pressured into something they didn’t really want. These yellow personalities, take the time to find out more about their customers and so can more easily match products and services.

So next time you need to hire a CSR, tell them the interview is a toga party and then hire the ones having the most fun!

May 13, 2017 by Jackie Appleby Leave a Comment

Do’s and Don’t of Financial Business Management

Let me ask you something. Why did you start your business? Was it to create something wonderful that was all yours and that could potentially allow you to have a lifestyle you have always desired? Or was it so you could take advantage of the systems, like tax breaks, corporate accounts, and discounts?

Stop treating your business like it’s a regular bank account! Mindset is a huge part of your success and if you keep thinking of your business as a never ending bottomless bank account, you will never be successful. You know what I am talking about, the “I’ll just write it off as an expense” conversations you have with yourself, or the “I didn’t pay myself so this will count as wages” purchases you make. Please stop it.

Your business deserves to be treated respectfully and it needs you to have the right attitude towards it, especially when it comes to financial matters. You know the old adage “you get out what you put in”? Well, this totally applies to your business financials. Here is a list of Financial Rules to live by, to help create a healthy bank balance and a healthy attitude towards finance.

Do pay yourself a wage – figure out how much you need on a weekly, bi-weekly or monthly basis and set this up as an automatic transfer if you are not incorporated. Take ONLY this amount for yourself. If you are currently not making enough money to cover what you need for a wage, then either re-look at what you are taking out, or increase your sales. But stick to the same amount every time so you can start to budget business expenses.
Do get a business credit card, or if you don’t qualify for a business card, use a dedicated personal one. This makes reconciliation much easier!
Do not make non-business purchases on your business credit card. I don’t care if it earns you extra rewards or points if you use that card for all your purchases, the mess you get into with reconciliation and then trying to figure out how much you now owe the company is not worth the extra points.
Do not try to write off your everyday meals as business expenses – The CRA allows you to deduct meals for LEGITIMATE business reasons. If you were employed, you would not claim everyday meals even if you are on a lunch break eating out so why should you make your business pay for this? Legitimate business reasons include two categories – Travel Meals, and Meals and Entertainment for wooing clients. While you can’t usually claim any of your living costs as business expenses, expenses you incurred while you were away from home if your travel was related to earning business income are legitimate income tax deductions. The general rule for tax deductions related to meals and/or entertainment is that you may deduct up to 50 percent of the cost of meals and/or entertainment, or “an amount that is reasonable in the circumstances, whichever is less” (Business and Professional Income Guide, CRA). Incidentals such as coffee and doughnuts are not included!
Do not pay for refreshments for you workers or subcontractors, these expenses are not deductible as a business expense. If you want to buy an employee or subcontractor a coffee to show appreciation, it needs to come out of your pocket.
Do take advantage of all tax credits available to you as a small business owner, but make sure you have the receipts to back everything up and that you are deducting correctly, vehicle expenses, for instance, include interest on a loan that you bought your vehicle with, but only the percentage amount that you used the vehicle for business reasons and you have to be able to prove this with mileage logs.
Do set budgets for areas of your business so that you don’t overspend. It’s very easy, especially early on to buy all kinds of business equipment, stationery items, and non-essentials and it is important to understand if you really need those items at this particular point in time. I often hear – “I’ll just write it off as a business expense” that’s fine, but you still have to pay for it! Set budgets for your Cost of Goods/Services, wages, and operating expenses. This exercise will also help you understand the bare minimum you need in sales to cover those expenses.
Do know your numbers! You should have a good grasp on what your averages are for income, expenses, and COG at the very least
Do be aware of how many monthly transactions you are conducting – banks charge fees based on the number of transactions conducted each month, so cutting down on some of those non-essential debit purchase can help lower bank fees. Also making the purchases on your credit card and then one transaction per month from your bank to your credit card will also help.
Do pay for subscriptions and re-occurring expenses on your credit card where possible – things like your phone bill will not only help you rack up points on your credit card if you have that available, but will also cut down on transactions in your bank account.
Do keep track of your business mileage – you may think you don’t use your vehicle very much and the thought of tracking it all makes it not worth it, but with apps like MileIQ it becomes a breeze and you will be surprised how often you run out for supplies or nip to the bank!

Putting these “rules” in place will allow you to have more money available in your business when you need it. So you might pay a little more tax at the end of the year because you didn’t write off as many “expenses”. But that also means you will have more money in the bank! I would recommend adding “I will only pay and write off legitimate business expenses” to your business guiding principles. If you don’t have guiding principles, then it’s about time we talked!