7 Steps To Outsourcing Your Life

7 Step teps to
Lif Life
Outsourcing Your
Work with Virtual Assistants to Live More and Work Less!
7 Steps to Outsourcing Your Life
Copyright 2012 PA Everyday
Table of Contents
Introduction Pinpointing the Differences Step 1. Building a Solid Foundation Step 2. Building the Management Muscle: Train! Step 3. Giving Up Control: Delegate! Step 4. Adding the Firepower: Automate! Step 5. Looking into the Crystal Ball: Anticipate! Step 6. Adding the Human Touch Step 7. Mastering the Cultural Differences Putting It All Together 3 4 6 9 12 17 24 27 29 34
Introduction
In his bestselling book The Wold is Flat , Thomas Friedman suggested that the world has transformed into a two -dimensional flat plane where there are no entry barriers into the labor market. Then a young American entrepreneur named Tim Ferriss wrote 4-Hour Work Week , a blueprint on how to earn a monthly five -figure income with zero management. These two books studied how global virtual employment can let you live more and work less. Outsourcing is no longer just for Fortune 500 companies. Small and mid -sized firms, as well as busy professionals, free up their time for more important commitments, by creatively redistributing jobs and tasks. This eBook has been designed for those who are venturing into virtual staffing for the first time. We hope that the insights provided will give you the firepower you need to leverage your business and increase your profits. When the principles in this book are applied week in, week out, you will achieve increased profit or a shorter work week, orfor the truly ambitiousboth. It's time for the world to take advantage of this revolution. (Tim Reading E veryday ) Founder, PA
Pinpointing the Differences

One of the common mistakes that people make when venturing for the first time into offshore outsourcing, is using the same management and training systems that work only in a face-to-face environment. An even bigger mistake is not using any system at all. This section will pinpoint the Top 3 differences between the conventional working environment and the virtual working environment. Key Difference #1. There is no water cooler. Depending upon where you live, you could be as far as 10,000 miles away from your Virtual Employee (VE). That makes a casual chat at the water cooler a bit challenging. The water cooler isn t always the best place for a manager to chat with a staff member about the progress of tasks, but at least it ensures that the chat actually takes place.
This difference requires you to utilise available communication tools to have brief five-minute chats with your virtual staff. The majority of task allocation will need to be completed via online meetings and workflow software. Key Difference #2. You say Its blue and she says Its green. To remove cultural misalignment, a task or activity needs to be articulated in great detail. When working with Filipino staff, for example, you will quickly learn to never ask close-ended or yes/no questions. Why? The answer will always be yes. Key Difference #3. compounded offshore . Systemic problems are
Due to Key Differences 2 and 3, systemic problems within your business will be compounded dramatically when taken offshore. So much assumed knowledge can go into the completion of the most basic of tasks. If you have been doing the task yourself for two years, in retrospect you will be amazed by how many improvements and variations you have made to it to get it to the level of quality that it is today.
Step 1. Building a Solid Foundation

On this path, it is only the first step that counts.
(St. Jean-Baptiste Vianney) Marie
Defining Role
the
Writing a job description may seem like the obvious thing to do, but less than 10% of our clients provide one for their VEs. Of those who do, less than half quantify the role by implementing Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). A common complaint among employees in small-t0-medium businesses is a lack of direction. This is not a surprise when you consider the fact that less than 10% of them are lucky enough to be given a clear description of what their job entails. Only a privileged few know how their performance is measured each month. Human beings crave certainty and sense of control ; a simple five-line job description coupled with three basic KPIs have a big impact on your VEs productivity. This
chapter will help you construct your own unique job description for your VE and provide you with a system to quantify their performance.
Creating the Description
Job
The key to writing an outstanding job description is to keep it as high -level as possible, but also making it all-encompassing so as not to miss any important elements of the role. Check out Business Ba ll s for tips on writing effective job descriptions. Lets take a look at a typical role in the offshore outsourcing industry: a customer service representative. Lets say Company ABC has hired at PA Everyday a full-time virtual assistant to handle inbound customer service.
a. b. c. d. Job Title Reporting to Job Purpose Key Duties Customer Service Agent Customer Service Manager (Sydney, Australia) Carry out daily inbound customer service activities , on behalf of ABC Ptyall Ltd Handle inbound custome r service calls; handle all inbound customer service emails and website chat ; create weekly reports for management
Setting Key Indicators (KPIs)
Performance
Key Performance Indicators are the metrics by which a role is evaluated. KPIs provide the quantitative feedback that show how your staff member is performing. KPIs are often parallel to a companys Minimum P erformance Standards (MPSs). Not sure what MPSs are? business agrees in advance McDonalds has an MPS for prepare a burger. At PA responding to all email enquiries MPSs are basic standards that a to always exceed. For example, how long it should take them to Everyday, we have an MPS of within 4 hours of receipt.
To continue the customer service representative example, a company may have a n MPS that all inbound customer service emails are to be responded to within 4 hours of receipt and with no more than a total of 3 replies.
KPI #1. All customer service emails responded to within 4 hours of receipt. KPI#1.1. An average customer service email case handled within a 3 replies. KPI#2. >80% of client-initiated website chat handled within 90 seconds of initiation. KPI#2.1. 90% of all website chat handled w ithin 10 minutes per
chat event .
Step 2. Building the Management Muscle: Train!

I had been told that the training procedure with cats was difficult. It's not. Mine had me trained in two days.
(Bill Dana)
You have written an outstanding, non - ambiguous job description with a clearly defined scope, and you have given the KPIs for performance measurement. Now its time to train your staff member. To understand how effective training is implemented, it is useful to explore the psychology of how people learn. Below are what we know to be fact s.
1. 20% of the population is primarily auditory: they like to be told. 2. 40% of the population is primarily visual: they like to be shown. 3. 40% of the population is primarily kinaesthetic: they like to do. 4. People are more motivated when they know the purpose of their job. 5. For a person to improve in any given task, they must first be taught, then they must teach it. When correct performance is achieved, they must be commended. 6. The majority of companies grossly under -train their staff. Assuming that the above information is correct, we can now develop a sure -fire system to effectively train your VE. Step 1 Discuss with your VE the key outcomes and how you propose to achieve them. Talk to them about your company and explain how their role fits into its vision and goals. Step 2
Show your VE how to perform the tasks. Show them several times, consecutively. A good test of how many times is enough is when you hear the sudden bang of the VEs head on the keyboard as they pass out from boredom. Only then should you stop.
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Step 3 Have your VE show you how to perform the tasks. This is where the real training begins. This is where your VE begins to build the neural pathways and subconscious competence that result in the automatic completion of tasks accurately and efficiently without them needing to think or ask you for he lp. Stop only when they can show you how to perform the task step-by-step without needing to look at notes or manuals. Not sure how this works in the virtual world? What you will need are task management software, online documents and technology that allows your VE to view your computer screen and you to view theirs. Not sure how much time you should invest in training? Every hour per week that they work for you, invest it into training and do it within the first two weeks.
Tip For online meeting software, check out Skype. It has highdefinition video- conferencing ( free) and screen-sharing technology that allows you to show your screen to your VE and vice versa. Also visit www .go tom eeti n g .c om fo r screen-sharing software that allows multiple users to vie w the screen of the presenter.
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Step3. Giving Up Control: Delegate!

If you want something done right , you have to do it yourself.
(A particularly unsuccessful businessman )
One of the most liberating experiences in my business life came when I realised that I was not the best in the world at my job. That may seem like a strange comment to make, but how many people do you know who still say If you want something done right, you have to do it yourself? Last time I checked, I wasnt cutting my own chest open and performing open heart surgery on myself, nor was I investing two years and $10,000 in web design school so I could build my own website. Its much easier to have someone else to do almost 99% of the things that I could do myself.
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The 3 Main Blocks to Effective Delegating 1. Deluding yourself that you are the only person capable of doing your job.
How to remove this block : Ask yourself some basic questions like Why do someone else to cut my hair? and What would I do if I had to take a month off work ? I ask
2.
A lack of clarity about what you will do with your time once your low -level and mid-level tasks are being taken care of by someone else.
How to remove this block: Get a hobby . Stop being a control freak . Read the book Blue Ocean Strategy (or listen to the audio book from iTunes); it w ill give you ample ways to fill you r day with high-level strategic thought.
3.
A lack of training and/or expertise in process building, leaving you unsure of where and how to start.
How to remove this block : Remember that the majority of the tasks performed wit hin your business are repetitive and trainable. These tasks can usually be noted in sequential bullet -point form. For many of these tasks, video training files can also be created, providin g a permanent reference point for a staff member who would like to see how a specific task can be completed.
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The Architecture Delegation
of
As a general rule, your VE should handle tasks that fall into all 3 of these categories: 1. Low-level tasks 2. Repeatable tasks 3. Trainable tasks By repeatable, we mean tasks that need to be done on a daily/weekly and ongoing basis. By trainable , we mean steps involved in completing the task can be taught and documented. By low-level , we mean tasks that do not require complex problem solving or assumed technical knowledge. Another way to qualify if a task is low-level is if the cost is minimal if they are poorly performed. Examples are telemarketing and invoicing. Mid-level tasks require some assumed knowledge importance is attached to the successful execution Such tasks may require a specific . A level of of the task.
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qualification or level of training. Your VE may be able to complete some mid -level tasks for you, but only after months of correct task completion. Examples include preparing a complex sales proposal or preparing the brief for a website. High-level tasks require high levels of assumed knowledge in a specific field ; a high level of importance hinges on the successful execution of the task. Example include business planning, strategy development, and high-level sales and operations tasks. Traps that most small-to-medium business owners fall into: 1. Spending little or no time on highlevel tasks 2. Asking highly qualified staff to perform lowlevel tasks 3. Spending too much time on low-level tasks when they could be delegated or outsourced to someone for a fraction of the cost To create a sense of being busy, managers and business owners spend too much time in the bottom half of the pyramid. This is caused by 3 recurring themes: 1. The false belief that bei ng busy equates to being
productive
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2. Insufficient knowledge about the tasks in the top half of the pyramid ( This is often the case when technicians are at the top rung of the organisational ladder. An example of this would be a software-developer-turned-CEO who always gravitates back to software development instead of leading the business in the strategy area). 3. A lack of understanding of the economic principle called the opportunity cost of time Exercis e Imagine that, for the next 6 months, due to circumstances beyond your control, you have only 20 spare hours in a week to allocate to work. How would you reorganise your work week? What would you stop doing? What would you start doing? What would you get other people to do for you? Write down the Top 10 tasks that you know you can delegate to a VE. Then do it!
Tip The art of delegating is about immediately letting go of and delegating low -level-tasks, training and delegating mid -level tasks, and filling your day with only high -level tasks.
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Step 4. Adding the Firepower: Automate!

The first rule of any technology used in business is that automation applied to an efficient operation will magnify the efficiency. The second is that automation applied to an inefficient operation will magnify the inefficiency .
(Bill Gates)
Automation is to staffing what steroids are to sports. They allow perfectly normal people to move at lightning speed with seemingly little or no effort. You will be pleased to know that the only thing that shrinks when you automate is your expense column. The word automate can take on several meanings in the business world. Often , the term will conjure up images of factories with advanced robotics or computer screens laid out with advanced workflow software. To a large degree, automation is created in order to remove the human element. But we are not talking about that type of automation. We are talking about automating the human element. A sure sign of successful automation is when tasks are being done on time every time, without human prompting.
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To do this effectively, you will need software. Automation can be created within Client Relationship Management (CRM) software or Project Management Software. This type of software can be purchased very cheaply, often from as little as $15 per user per month. Common CRM platforms include Salesforce, Sugar CRM, and Zoho CRM .
Automation Steps Step 1 Create a task list of Parent Tasks and Child Tasks. Parent Tasks are closely aligned to the job description. Using our customer service role as an example, the parent tasks may include (1) responding to inbound emails and (2) engaging in website chat with the customer. Child Tasks Parent Task. are sub-tasks within a
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Step 2 Link the tasks via flow charts. Using the above example, below is a flowchart of the relationship between parent and child tasks.
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Step 3 Record demo videos (for PC-based tasks). Demo videos can also be created via a screen recording. The output will be a 30 - to 90-second video (with optional audio) that can be uploaded on your own YouTube channel and linked to any Word -based document or online WIKI. For demo creation software, check out DemoCreator by Wondershare. It will be the best $100 you have ever spent. Oh, and a tip: dont ask your VE to create the videos. If they knew how to create them for your business, you wouldnt need the video in the first place , now would you? Step 4 Embed the automation into the software . If you use CRM software such as Salesforce, Sugar CRM or Zo ho CRM, workflow rules can easily be established within minutes. They often work as follows: A change in status of a key field triggers a task (for example, a
lead becomes a client). The task is communicated to key users within the CRM pl atform via an
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email. This email is created as a template prior to the event occurring. The email is received by the VE and acted upon based on the instructions contained within the email (the email can also link to any necessary training videos ). Alternatively, the workflow rule can trigger a series of tasks to appear in the VEs task list. You then use Step 5 to monitor the completion of these tasks. Keep in mind that random tasks can also be added to your VEs task list manually without the use of workflow software. Exampl e Your VE, as a bookkeeper, must complete repeatable weekly and monthly tasks.
Step 1 Document the parent and child tasks. Lets say the parent t ask is Complete the monthly profit and loss. Child task 1 could be Create manual journal entries for non-cash items and child task 2 could be Reconcile cash.
Step 2 Create a flowchart that illustrates the parent and child relationships.
7 Steps to Outsourcing Your Life Copyright 2012 PA Everyday
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Step 3 Record videos or how-to guides for each child task and upload them to YouTube . Link the URLs to your operations manual or WIKI. Step 4 Create recurring activities that arrive on the task list of your VE on a set date every month. Embed the link to the YouTube video in the notes section of the task so that your VE can simply click on the link if they forget how to complete the task. Step 5 Log on to the CRM software every day and check for any overdue tasks. Monitor task completion.
Step 5 is the most crucial of the steps. If this is bypassed, the wheels fall off and the system crashes in a heap. Monitoring of the tasks is best performed via the use of either project management software (such as Zoho Projects or Basecamp ) or via CRM software that utilises tasks and activities. Personally, I find it easier to use CRM software, as this allows me access to just about everything I need within one software program.
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Task completion can be monitored via meetings or automated reports, or both. The typical view of a CRM system will allow you to see exactly what tasks are yet to be completed by your staff. You can address these tasks one after another during an online meeting, or you can schedule a report that will email you a list of all the completed or overdue tasks each day. You can even have the report sent to your staff as friendly reminder of what they have not completed yet.
Tip Automation is key to succes sful management of virtual staff. Utilise project management or CRM software to automate repeatable processes. Remember to monitor the completion of tasks as they fall due.
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Step 5. Looking into The Crystal Ball: Anticipate!

A common mistake people make when trying to design something foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools .
(Douglas Adams)
By anticipate, we are referring to the need to foresee issues that are more than likely to arise, then developing policies and systems to ensure that they are handled efficiently, thus allowing for maximum time leveraging and minimising mistakes. This is particularly important if your VE has a client-facing role (i.e. in contact with your customers).
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The last thing you want is to have your VE asking you question s all day. Some people call this contingency planning. They may well be right, but this is a bit more precise than that. Contingency planning is about b rainstorming possible scenarios and detailing how you may change course should they arrive. What we are talking about here is laying out every possible scenario that your VE is going to encounter, and then developing in advance a policy on how to deal with them. For example, your VE is a call centre agent. You have provided your VE with a softphone for making outbound calls. We all know that software is prone to not working just when you need it to. In this case, the smart thing to do would be to give your VE the contact phone number and email of your softphone providers support team. This way, when problems with the softphone arise, the damage is minimal. Even better, your VE is now empowered to solve prob lems without needing to bug you. When you successfully complete the anticipation game, you will take the monkey off your back and put even more money in your pocket and time up your sleeve.
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The Architecture of Anticipation 1. What could go wrong? 2. When is it likely to go wrong? 3. What can we do now to deal with it? 4. Given my assumed knowledge, what would I do if this scenario transpired? 5. What, specifically, should my VE do in this situation? 6. How can I teach and document these steps? The end result of all of this is the following output: 1. Frequently asked questions (FAQs), particularly if your VE is client-facing that show multiple scenarios and decision 2. Flowcharts paths www.smart dr aw.co m )
ou t
Tip Murphys Law: What can go wrong will go wrong. Just make sure you think of it before it does. Empower your VE to solve problems. Create a series of FAQs or a knowledge base.
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Step 6. Adding the Human Touch

Catch someone doing something right."
(KennethBlanchard & Spencer Johnson)
An often-forgotten fact of virtual staffing is that your VE is actually a human being. They may not be sitting in your office, but believe me, we check them for a pulse every day. Last time we checked, they were all human. The good news is the vast majority of humans are pr edictable in several ways.
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1. People like working for people who communicate with them. 2. People like working for people who provide positive feedback. 3. People respond better to constructive criticism if given after positive feedback. 4. People like working for people who understand that people make mistakes. 5. People work better for people they like . Good managers are able to produce amazing productivity from their teams because they understand what drives people. We implore you to be a great manager. Your business life and personal life will reach new heights if you strive for continuous improvement in this area.
Tip Schedule a 10-minute meeting with your VE at the beginning of each week. Go through the objectives for the week. Tell them what they did well last week and discuss with them how they can improve. Also, read The One Minute Manager , a management classic!
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Step 7. Mastering the Cultural Differences

One of the great things about the world we live in is the diversity between cultures. It is when cultures work with each other in a business environment that the differences become starkly evident. The differences can be quite large and seem daunting at first. But with a little practice and diligent effort, you will be able to bridge the cultural gap. Below are the Top 5 cultural differences between Filipinos and Westerners.
Yes does not mean yes. For a Westerner, yes means yes. If asked a yes/no question, a Westerner will reply with a yes only if they really mean yes. With a Filipino, the word yes is used casually in conversation without a firm obligation to deliver on it. Furthermore, a Filipino would rather appease with a yes than be confronted with the prospect of a negative reaction from a no.
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What to do about it: Never ask questions that require simply a yes or no answer. The answer will always be yes. Exampl e WRONG: Sarah, will you be able to comple te the document by 5 p.m. today? RIGHT: Sarah, please complete the document by 3 p.m. Call me by 2:50 p.m. if you think you will not be able to finish it on time. Please go into the CRM system now and sreate a pop-up reminder for 2:50 p.m. for you to call me if you w ill not be able to complete it by then .
Complex problem solving is a phenomenon.
Western
From all that we can ascertain, complex problem solving is wellentrenched in Western education, but is lacking somewhat in a developing countrys education system. The net result is that, if given a 10-step task, should a Filipino hit a hurdle at step 5, they are likely to simply stop (with a few exceptions) rather than seek a quick remedy.
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What to do about it: It is very important that you remember this point , as it will cost you dearly if you do not. You will need to change the way you ask your VE to communicate with you . Ask them to always tell you if they are faced with a seemingly insurmountable hurdle in the completion of a task.
If given a choice, a Filipino would rather say nothing than deliver bad news . Deeply engrained in the Filipino culture is a strong aversion to conflict. While Westerners may not necessarily associate the delivery of bad news with the possibility of conflict, Filipinos do.
What to do about it: This is one of the greatest challenges you will face when managing your VE. This issue will need to be addressed on a case -by-case basis. We do, however, recommend that you begin your relationship with your VE by saying something to this e ffect: Sarah, having the information we need to run this business , when we need it, is crucial to the success of this business. You own a crucial part of that information delivery. Whether you have good news or bad news, we need to know it. If you are unable t o finish a document on time, let me know. If you are unable to generate the leads due to a poor telemarketing list, let me know. There really is no such thing as bad news,
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just news. It only becomes bad if we do not respond to it on time. I implore you to give me any type of news no matter how trivial or bad you think it may be .
Questions must be carefully crafted to get the right answer . Although the Philippines is the third largest English speaking nation in the world, English is still a second language to 99% of the population. When language is not someones native tongue, specific voice tones and sentence structures often lose their meaning when spoken to someone of a different culture. When a Westerner asks a question, they will raise the ir tone to a higher pitch for the last few words of the sentence. A Filipino may not pick up on this and therefore not know that it is a question and instead assume that it is a statement. You may find yourself asking a question during a Skype conversation, only to se e a blank stare on the screen as your VE waits for you to finish your sentence.
What to do about it: Before asking a question, say Now let me ask you a question. If asking a closed question (a question to which the answer is one of the options you provi de), begin the question by saying Of the following options, which is correct?
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A Filipinos stress tipping point is lower than Westerners. Filipinos are quite a relaxed group of people. The flip side of this (and there is always a flip side) is that the stress is felt a little faster than in the Western world.
What to do about it: Look for signs of stress. A tell tale sign is the build-up of overdue tasks.
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Putting It All Together

The steps presented in this eBook have been tried and tested and solid foundation by writing a
proven effective. Step 1 is to set a
winning job description and setting Key Performance Indicators. In Step 2, we stressed the importance of training . Step 3 is about knowing what and how to delegate. We defined low-level, mid-level and high-level tasks and suggested that you focus on delegating the low-level ones. In Step 4, you were shown how to turn steps 1 to 3 into automated workflows and tasks, making sure that work is completed correctly on time. Some of you were introduced to workflow software and screen recording software, perhaps for the first time. The focus of Step 5 was on anticipating problems. Step 6 provided insights into the human element of virtual staffing, offering tips for better leadership and management. Finally, in Step 7, you were introduced to some of the work -based cultural differences between Westerners and Filipinos, and you were offered practical solutions. I wish you all the best with your o f fsho re o utso urc ing experience!
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7 Step teps to

Work with Virtual Assistants to Live More and Work Less!

7 Steps to Outsourcing Your Life

Copyright 2012 PA Everyday

7 Steps to Outsourcing Your Life

Copyright 2012 PA Everyday

7 Steps to Outsourcing Your Life

Copyright 2012 PA Everyday

Pinpointing the Differences

7 Steps to Outsourcing Your Life

Copyright 2012 PA Everyday

7 Steps to Outsourcing Your Life

Copyright 2012 PA Everyday

Step 1. Building a Solid Foundation

7 Steps to Outsourcing Your Life

Copyright 2012 PA Everyday

Creating the Description

7 Steps to Outsourcing Your Life

Copyright 2012 PA Everyday

Setting Key Indicators (KPIs)

7 Steps to Outsourcing Your Life

Copyright 2012 PA Everyday

Step 2. Building the Management Muscle: Train!

7 Steps to Outsourcing Your Life

Copyright 2012 PA Everyday

7 Steps to Outsourcing Your Life

Copyright 2012 PA Everyday

7 Steps to Outsourcing Your Life

Copyright 2012 PA Everyday

Step3. Giving Up Control: Delegate!

7 Steps to Outsourcing Your Life

Copyright 2012 PA Everyday

7 Steps to Outsourcing Your Life

Copyright 2012 PA Everyday

The Architecture Delegation

7 Steps to Outsourcing Your Life

Copyright 2012 PA Everyday

7 Steps to Outsourcing Your Life

Copyright 2012 PA Everyday

7 Steps to Outsourcing Your Life

Copyright 2012 PA Everyday

Step 4. Adding the Firepower: Automate!

7 Steps to Outsourcing Your Life

Copyright 2012 PA Everyday

7 Steps to Outsourcing Your Life

Copyright 2012 PA Everyday

7 Steps to Outsourcing Your Life

Copyright 2012 PA Everyday

7 Steps to Outsourcing Your Life

Copyright 2012 PA Everyday

7 Steps to Outsourcing Your Life

Copyright 2012 PA Everyday

7 Steps to Outsourcing Your Life

Copyright 2012 PA Everyday

Step 5. Looking into The Crystal Ball: Anticipate!

7 Steps to Outsourcing Your Life

Copyright 2012 PA Everyday

7 Steps to Outsourcing Your Life

Copyright 2012 PA Everyday

7 Steps to Outsourcing Your Life

Copyright 2012 PA Everyday

Step 6. Adding the Human Touch

7 Steps to Outsourcing Your Life